New Delhi, July 10 -- Cement stocks have had a quiet but steady run over the past year. While broader markets chased flashy narratives, this old-economy sector focused on execution, capacity and margin discipline.

The result? Many cement companies now have a strong foundation, backed by expanding capacity, falling input costs, and improving sales realisations.

Investors eyeing long-term plays would do well to look at companies building capacity smartly and protecting their profitability. We spotlight five such names in this article.

Shree Cement is expanding fast, but not at the cost of profitability. Its current cement capacity stands at 62.8 million (m) tonnes, supported by 36.7 million tonnes of clinker. The company plans to reach 8...