CRH Stock: Insider Activity, Filings & Research
CRH plc (CRH) — Drillr’s hub for CRH insider activity, SEC filings, earnings signals and AI research. Over the trailing 3 months, CRH insiders filed 2 open-market buys and 1 sale (SEC Form 4).
CRH insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2026 | ORiordain Padraigofficer: See Remarks | Sell | 1,492 | $104.44 |
| May 15, 2026 | Buckley Peter J.officer: See Remarks | Tax | 1,742 | $110.43 |
| May 15, 2026 | Buckley Peter J.officer: See Remarks | Option | 3,487 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Talbot Siobhandirector | Grant | 1,556 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Talbot Siobhandirector | Option | 1,976 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Talbot Siobhandirector | Tax | 1,047 | $108.75 |
| May 15, 2026 | Talbot Siobhandirector | Option | 2,004 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Platt Gillian L.director | Grant | 1,556 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Platt Gillian L.director | Option | 1,976 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | ORiordain Padraigofficer: See Remarks | Option | 2,522 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Platt Gillian L.director | Tax | 962 | $108.75 |
| May 15, 2026 | Platt Gillian L.director | Option | 2,004 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Creech Nathanofficer: President, Americas Division | Option | 5,123 | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Creech Nathanofficer: President, Americas Division | Tax | 2,044 | $108.75 |
| May 15, 2026 | Creech Nathanofficer: President, Americas Division | Option | 5,194 | — |
Source: CRH SEC Form 4 filings, latest May 18, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
CRH plc company profile
Overview
CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) is an Irish multinational building materials company founded in 1936 and headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Originally established through the merger of two Irish cement companies, CRH has grown through strategic acquisitions over nearly nine decades to become one of the world's largest building materials companies. The company went public in 1989 and operates across three main geographic segments: Americas Materials, Europe Materials, and Building Products. CRH serves construction markets in over 30 countries, with particularly strong positions in the United States and Europe, focusing primarily on infrastructure and non-residential construction projects.
Business
CRH operates in the construction materials industry, which provides the fundamental building blocks for infrastructure, commercial, and residential construction projects. The company's business is organized into three main segments that collectively generated $35.6 billion in revenue in 2024. Americas Materials Solutions represents the largest segment, contributing approximately 45-50% of total revenues. This division manufactures and supplies essential construction materials including cement, aggregates (crushed stone, sand, and gravel), ready-mixed concrete, and asphalt products. Cement is a binding agent that hardens when mixed with water, forming the foundation of concrete used in everything from roads to skyscrapers. Aggregates serve as the structural backbone in concrete and asphalt, providing strength and volume. Ready-mixed concrete is delivered directly to construction sites in specialized trucks, while asphalt is primarily used for road construction and maintenance. International Solutions (primarily Europe) accounts for roughly 35-40% of revenues and operates similar materials businesses across European markets, with particular strength in Central and Eastern Europe where infrastructure investment is robust. This segment also includes specialized products like precast concrete elements and polymer-based drainage systems. Building Products represents approximately 15-20% of revenues and focuses on higher-value construction solutions. This includes architectural glass systems for commercial buildings, concrete masonry products like blocks and pavers for landscaping, and specialized construction accessories such as anchoring systems and formwork (temporary structures used to shape concrete during construction). The segment also provides network access products like utility covers and chambers that protect underground infrastructure. The construction materials industry is characterized by local and regional markets due to the high transportation costs relative to product value, making proximity to customers crucial for competitiveness.
Revenue model
CRH generates revenue primarily through direct product sales to construction contractors, government agencies, homebuilders, and infrastructure developers. The company operates on a volume-and-margin model where profitability depends on both the quantity of materials sold and the pricing power achieved in local markets. Revenue Streams: The vast majority of income comes from selling physical construction materials, with pricing typically based on per-ton or per-cubic-yard measurements. In the Americas Materials segment, aggregates pricing increased 10% and cement pricing rose 8% in 2024, demonstrating the company's ability to implement price increases. The Building Products segment commands higher margins through more specialized, engineered solutions that provide greater value-add services. Customer Base: CRH's customers include large construction contractors working on infrastructure projects like highways and bridges, commercial developers building office complexes and manufacturing facilities, residential builders (though this represents a smaller portion), and government agencies undertaking public works projects. The company has strategically focused on less cyclical infrastructure and non-residential markets, which tend to provide more stable demand than volatile residential construction. Margin Drivers: Several factors influence CRH's profitability. Positive drivers include infrastructure spending legislation like the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, reshoring of manufacturing that drives industrial construction demand, and the company's pricing discipline in local markets where it holds strong positions. CRH benefits from operating leverage, where fixed costs like quarry operations and cement plants can be spread across higher volumes. Negative margin pressures include rising energy costs (significant for cement production), labor cost inflation running in mid-single digits, increased raw material costs, and competitive pricing pressure in markets where the company lacks dominant positions. Weather conditions also significantly impact seasonal demand patterns, particularly in northern climates where construction activity slows during winter months.
Competitive moat
CRH possesses a moderate but meaningful economic moat built primarily around strategic asset ownership and local market positions, though the strength varies significantly by geography and product line. Asset-Based Advantages: The company's strongest moat comes from owning irreplaceable quarries and cement plants in strategic locations. Aggregates quarries, in particular, provide substantial competitive advantages because they cannot be easily replicated due to zoning restrictions, environmental regulations, and geological requirements. Once established, these assets can operate for decades, and their proximity to major metropolitan areas becomes increasingly valuable as urban development limits new quarry development. CRH has systematically acquired over 1 billion tons of aggregate reserves, creating barriers to entry in key markets. Scale and Integration Benefits: In many local markets, CRH operates integrated networks where aggregates from company quarries feed into company-owned concrete plants, creating cost advantages and supply chain control. This vertical integration provides pricing flexibility and operational efficiency that smaller competitors cannot match. The company's scale also enables better logistics optimization and customer service capabilities. Competitive Vulnerabilities: However, CRH's moat faces several challenges. The construction materials industry remains highly fragmented with numerous regional competitors, and in many markets, the company competes against other large players like Vulcan Materials and Martin Marietta in the U.S. The cyclical nature of construction demand creates periods where excess capacity leads to pricing pressure. Additionally, some products like ready-mixed concrete face competition from smaller local players who can operate profitably with minimal fixed costs. Disruption Risks: Longer-term threats include potential substitution from alternative materials, changes in construction methods that reduce material intensity, and environmental regulations that could impact quarry operations. However, the fundamental need for construction materials in infrastructure and building projects provides a relatively stable demand foundation that limits disruption risk compared to other industries.
Risks & safety
CRH demonstrates a solid financial position with moderate leverage and strong cash generation capabilities, though valuation metrics suggest limited margin of safety at current prices. • Liquidity and Solvency: Strong balance sheet with $3.7 billion in cash and short-term investments, current ratio of 1.37, and robust operating cash flow of $5.0 billion annually. Debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71 is manageable for a capital-intensive business, though higher than some peers. • Cash Generation: Excellent free cash flow of $2.4 billion in 2024 demonstrates the business's ability to generate cash after necessary capital expenditures. Operating cash flow conversion of approximately 70% of EBITDA indicates efficient working capital management. • Valuation Metrics: Current P/E ratio of 18.1x and EV/EBITDA of 10.5x appear reasonable but not particularly attractive for a cyclical materials company. Price-to-book ratio of 2.9x suggests the market is pricing in continued strong performance. Graham number of $60.30 is below current trading price, indicating limited value from a strict value investing perspective. • Other Considerations: The company's consistent margin expansion over 11 consecutive years and strong return on equity of 16.2% demonstrate operational excellence, but the cyclical nature of the business creates earnings volatility risk during economic downturns.
Recent development
CRH has undergone significant strategic transformation over the past few years, focusing on geographic repositioning, portfolio optimization, and market focus refinement. The company has actively pursued a "high-grading" strategy, divesting approximately $13 billion in assets while acquiring $24 billion in strategic acquisitions over the past decade. Major Acquisitions and Geographic Expansion: The most significant recent development was the $2.1 billion acquisition of cement and ready-mixed concrete assets in Texas during 2024, which CRH expects to generate $60-65 million in annual synergies. The company also acquired a majority stake in Adbri, an Australian building materials company, expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2024 alone, CRH completed $5 billion worth of acquisitions across 40 different transactions, demonstrating an aggressive growth-through-acquisition strategy. Market Focus Shift: CRH has strategically repositioned itself toward less cyclical construction segments, particularly infrastructure and non-residential construction, while reducing exposure to volatile residential markets. This shift aligns with major infrastructure spending initiatives like the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and similar programs in Europe, providing more predictable demand streams. Operational Excellence Initiatives: The company has achieved 11 consecutive years of margin expansion through operational efficiency improvements, pricing discipline, and integration of acquired assets. CRH has also increased its growth capital expenditure to $2.2-2.4 billion annually, focusing on capacity expansion in high-growth markets and modernization of existing facilities. Sustainability and Innovation: CRH has committed to reducing emissions by 30% by 2030 and is investing in alternative supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to address fly ash shortages and reduce the carbon intensity of its cement production. The company is also expanding its circular economy initiatives, including increased recycling of construction materials.
CRH company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
Track CRH with Drillr
SEC filings, earnings calls, insider activity, alt-data signals — all queryable through Drillr's AI terminal and MCP API.
Try Drillr for free