CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) Just Released Its Second-Quarter Earnings: Here's What Analysts Think

Shareholders of CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) will be pleased this week, given that the stock price is up 15% to US$109 following its latest second-quarter results. CRH reported in line with analyst predictions, delivering revenues of US$10b and statutory earnings per share of US$1.94, suggesting the business is executing well and in line with its plan. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on CRH after the latest results.

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Taking into account the latest results, the current consensus from CRH's 20 analysts is for revenues of US$37.7b in 2025. This would reflect a credible 3.7% increase on its revenue over the past 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to ascend 17% to US$5.68. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been anticipated revenues of US$37.6b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$5.62 in 2025. So it's pretty clear that, although the analysts have updated their estimates, there's been no major change in expectations for the business following the latest results.

View our latest analysis for CRH

There were no changes to revenue or earnings estimates or the price target of US$117, suggesting that the company has met expectations in its recent result. There's another way to think about price targets though, and that's to look at the range of price targets put forward by analysts, because a wide range of estimates could suggest a diverse view on possible outcomes for the business. There are some variant perceptions on CRH, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$132 and the most bearish at US$90.00 per share. This shows there is still a bit of diversity in estimates, but analysts don't appear to be totally split on the stock as though it might be a success or failure situation.

Looking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. We can infer from the latest estimates that forecasts expect a continuation of CRH'shistorical trends, as the 7.5% annualised revenue growth to the end of 2025 is roughly in line with the 6.7% annual growth over the past five years. Compare this with the broader industry, which analyst estimates (in aggregate) suggest will see revenues grow 6.4% annually. It's clear that while CRH's revenue growth is expected to continue on its current trajectory, it's only expected to grow in line with the industry itself.

The Bottom Line

The most obvious conclusion is that there's been no major change in the business' prospects in recent times, with the analysts holding their earnings forecasts steady, in line with previous estimates. Happily, there were no real changes to revenue forecasts, with the business still expected to grow in line with the overall industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$117, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.

Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. We have estimates - from multiple CRH analysts - going out to 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here.

Plus, you should also learn about the 1 warning sign we've spotted with CRH .

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.