CRH plc (CRH) — Fundamental Analysis & Key Financial Ratios

Kaplio's reading: CRH plc

Updated on October 30, 2026 · accounts published on October 29, 2026

A growing materials business with margins near the top of its range and modest returns on capital

CRH trades at a P/E of 16.0 over the last 12 months, 15 % below its sector median of 18.8, with the stock down 23 % in a year.

• Is CRH expensive or cheap? CRH's P/E of 16.0 over the last 12 months sits 15 % below the 18.8 median of its sector.
• How is the business doing? Operating margin of 14.3 % over the last 12 months, well above its 2014-2025 average of 10.4 %.
• How strong is the balance sheet? Net debt was 2.1× EBITDA in fiscal 2025, below the 3.0× ceiling considered healthy in materials.
• What to expect from the next earnings? 15 of 21 analysts rate CRH a buy; next earnings on February 17, 2027, with EPS of $1.58 expected.
• Can the balance sheet withstand the bottom of the cycle? Six of eight sector checks pass; the free cash flow yield of 4.8 % falls short of the 8 % healthy mark.

Is CRH expensive or cheap?

For a cyclical materials company, EV/EBITDA tells more than the P/E. CRH stands at 8.4× over the last 12 months against a seven-year average of 10.5×, below the 90 % line that counts as cheap for its sector. The stock has fallen 23 % in a year and trades 31 % below its 52-week high of $131.38. Not every gauge agrees: price to book of 2.4× sits above the 2.0× the sector treats as reasonable, and the free cash flow yield of 4.8 % is modest. The market is paying less for CRH than it used to, without pricing it as a bargain.

How is the business doing?

Revenue grew 5.3 % over the last 12 months and EPS rose 9.8 %, so profits are growing faster than sales. The operating margin of 14.3 % matches fiscal 2025 (14.2 %) and runs about four points above the 2014-2025 average of 10.4 %, which puts CRH near the top of its own range. Gross margin of 36.1 % in fiscal 2025 clears the 30 % that counts as healthy in materials. The weak spot is capital efficiency: ROIC of 8.1 % over the last 12 months trails the sector median of 9.5 %, and it has not topped 10 % in any of the last ten fiscal years.

How strong is the balance sheet?

CRH carries real debt without strain. Net debt reached $24.39 per share in fiscal 2025, equal to 27 % of the current share price, and debt to equity stands at 0.82 over the last 12 months. A current ratio of 1.58 leaves short-term room, and an Altman Z of 3.2 keeps the company in the safe zone, above the 2.99 line. The dividend yield is a modest 1.8 %, but it is well protected: the payout was 27 % of earnings in fiscal 2025, and free cash flow covered the dividend 2.9 times, more than double the 1.3× healthy floor.

What to expect from the next earnings?

The latest report, on October 29, 2026, delivered EPS of $2.09 against $2.06 expected, a 1.5 % beat. The track record is mixed, with beats in 4 of the last 8 quarters. Expectations are drifting lower: the 2026 EPS consensus fell 4.6 % in the last 30 days, from $5.87 to $5.60 across 11 analysts, while revenue estimates barely moved. Analysts are trimming profit, not sales. None of the 21 analysts recommends selling, with 15 at buy and 6 at hold. For the February 17, 2027 report, the bar is EPS of $1.58.

Can the balance sheet withstand the bottom of the cycle?

Materials earnings swing with raw-material cycles, so a P/E taken in a good year can mislead. The sector is judged on cost position and on whether debt and dividend survive a downturn. On that test CRH holds up: net debt at 2.1× EBITDA in fiscal 2025 stays below 3.0×, though it is measured on current EBITDA and a weaker year would raise it; capex at 1.3× depreciation sits inside the 0.8× to 1.5× band, so the asset base is maintained without overspending; and the dividend is covered 2.9 times by free cash flow. The gaps are on the price side, with price to book of 2.4× above 2.0×.

How this was prepared: the data comes from companies' official filings, collected by a professional provider, and from Kaplio's analysis engine (trailing-12-month ratios, 10 years of history and sector medians computed across US-listed companies). The text is written from that data alone, every figure is checked against it before publication, and it is reviewed when the company reports results. This is not investment advice.