CRH hails strong Q2, lifts guidance for 2025

(Sharecast News) - CRH surged on Thursday as the building materials group lifted its guidance for 2025 after posting a jump in second-quarter profit and sales. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 9% on the same period a year earlier to $2.5bn, with revenue up 6% to $10.2bn. CRH said its performance was underpinned by favourable underlying demand, positive pricing and acquisition contributions.

Net income ticked up 2% to $1.3bn and the group declared a quarterly dividend of $0.37, up 6% on the prior year.

Chief executive Jim Mintern said: "Our strong second quarter performance was driven by favourable underlying demand, disciplined commercial management and further contributions from acquisitions.

"CRH's proven strategy continued to drive higher sales, profits and adjusted EBITDA margins, while our robust balance sheet and financial capacity enabled us to allocate approximately $3 billion to growth investments and capital returns year-to-date."

CRH said it now expects FY net income of $3.8bn to $3.9bn and adjusted EBITDA of $7.5bn to $7.7bn. This compares to previous guidance of $3.7bn to $4.1bn and $7.3m to $7.7m, respectively.

"We continue to expect favourable underlying demand across our key end-use markets in 2025, underpinned by significant public investment in critical infrastructure and continued re-industrialization activity in key non-residential segments," it said.

"Within the residential sector, the new-build segment is expected to remain subdued, while repair and remodel activity remains resilient. Assuming normal seasonal weather patterns and absent any major dislocations in the political or macroeconomic environment, CRH's proven strategy and leading positions of scale in attractive higher-growth markets, together with our strong and flexible balance sheet, are expected to underpin another year of growth and value creation in 2025."

At 0950 BST, the shares were up 6.9% at 7,866p.