Cox

Cox achieves Investment Grade Rating joining IBEX 35 industry leaders

  • Cox reaches a new milestone in record time, positioning itself among IBEX 35 Industry Leaders in terms of credit rating, alongside Iberdrola, Repsol, Telefónica, and Acciona 
  • HR Ratings assigns Cox a BBB- rating with a stable outlook, consolidating its investment grade status following its first results as a publicly traded company 
  • Achieving an Investment Grade rating provides a significant boost for the company, improving access to financing under better conditions and strengthening investor confidence in its business plan 
  • This achievement reflects Cox’s financial strength, stability, and growth strategy, enabling it to move forward steadily toward its strategic objectives.

 

Madrid, March 27, 2025. Cox, a water and energy utility, has obtained an Investment Grade rating (BBB- with a stable outlook) from the HR Ratings agency. 

This milestone has been reached in record time, just four months after its stock market debut and following the release of its first financial results as a listed company. With this rating, Cox joins the IBEX 35 league in terms of creditworthiness, achieving a rating on par with industry leaders such as Iberdrola, Acciona, Repsol, and Telefónica. 

A key milestone for Cox’s growth 

Attaining an Investment Grade rating reflects the company’s financial strength, economic stability, and the visibility of its business plan. This recognition represents a strategic enabler, facilitating access to financing under more favorable conditions while reinforcing investor confidence. 

The endorsement of HR Ratings, a global reference agency 

HR Ratings is one of the world’s top five rating agencies, operating in both America and Europe, and issuing over 2,000 ratings annually. Additionally, it is registered with the most stringent regulators, including the SEC (U.S.), ESMA (Europe), and FCA (UK), ensuring compliance with the highest market standards. 

Cox: a solid and expanding business model 

The HR Ratings report highlights Cox’s strong business model, operational evolution, growth strategy, and organizational and capital structure. It specifically emphasizes the company’s key role in the global water desalination market, where it holds a leadership position. 

According to the report, “investment in water technology and infrastructure will increase significantly over the next decade to meet the growing global demand for water resources.” It also notes that the regions facing the greatest water stress—located in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Americas—coincide with the areas where Cox has already established a strong presence. 

With this milestone, Cox strengthens its position as a key player in the water and energy sectors, consolidating its growth and global leadership capabilities. 

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Luis Arizaga Zárate

Independent Director

Member of the Audit Committee

Date of appointment: September 17, 2024

Shareholding in Cox Abg Group, S.A.: 11,514 shares

Partner of Exus Management Partners (Exus) and GenuX Power, a global renewable energy platform with offices in nine countries, managing 11GW of installed capacity, including 2.6GW in Mexico between wind and solar energy projects. Holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at NYU in New York, and a bachelors degree in Accounting and Finance from ITESM in Mexico.

Prior to joining EXUS in 2019, he founded EIRA Capital, an investment platform focused on Energy and Infrastructure transactions in Mexico, and Latin America. He was also part of Australia’s Macquarie Group in Latin America, where he spent more than 7 years in the Macquarie Capital and Macquarie Funds divisions, working on fund capital raising, equity investments, asset management activities, as well as third party advisory roles on energy and infrastructure transactions in Mexico and Latin America. During his years at Macquarie, he also held board positions in the several investments made by Macquarie which covered energy, public private partnerships, roads, and telecom companies. In addition, his previous involvement at financial institutions include positions in the investment banking teams of Deutsche Bank’s M&A group in New York, and Citibank’s M&A group in Mexico.

Other former relevant positions include his role as independent member of the investment committee of the Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores (Mexican mortgages and housing government agency).

Enrique Riquelme Vives

Presidente Ejecutivo

Fecha de nombramiento: 17 de septiembre de 2024

Participación en el capital social de Cox Abg Group, S.A.: 50.601.230 acciones

Presidente Ejecutivo de Cox, tras iniciar su andadura profesional en el sector inmobiliario y de la construcción, en 2010 fundó Grupo El Sol en Panamá, especializado en operaciones de minería, cemento, infraestructuras y energía. Con el tiempo, la empresa se convertiría en el mayor proveedor de arena de la UTE responsable de la ampliación del canal de Panamá. Posteriormente, pasó a liderar las fases de oferta y desarrollo de Rainbow 50: el proyecto fotovoltaico de mayor envergadura ejecutado en América Latina hasta aquel momento.

Ha recibido varios galardones por su contribución al mundo empresarial en España, entre ellos el Premio del Certamen Nacional de Jóvenes Emprendedores 2018. También ha sido distinguido como uno de los «100 latinos más influyentes comprometidos con la acción climática» y uno de los «100 españoles más creativos del mundo de los negocios» según la revista Forbes. Actualmente, es miembro del Consejo Internacional de la San Telmo Business School y preside el Consejo Asesor de la Fundación Scholas para Panamá, Centroamérica y Caribe.