8-K

CRH PUBLIC LTD CO 8-K Report (Apr 3, 2007)

Filed April 3, 2007For Securities:CRH

Summary

CRH Public Limited Company filed a Form 6-K on April 2, 2007, reporting on its "Blocklisting Interim Review" for the period from October 1, 2006, to March 31, 2007. This filing primarily details the activity and remaining balances under various share option and savings-related share option schemes. It confirms the total number of ordinary shares in issue as of the period's end, which stands at 543,448,283. The company is providing this information to the Irish Stock Exchange and the FSA as required by its block listing obligations. For investors, the key takeaway is the transparent reporting of share issuances related to employee compensation and incentive programs. The filing outlines the number of shares issued and the remaining unissued shares under each specific scheme. While not indicative of major corporate events or financial performance changes, these disclosures are crucial for understanding potential dilution and the company's ongoing share capital management. The total number of securities in issue remains a significant figure for calculating market capitalization and earnings per share.

Key Highlights

  • 1The report details activity across six distinct CRH share option and savings-related share option schemes during the six-month period ended March 31, 2007.
  • 2A total of 1,980,707 ordinary shares were issued/allotted under these schemes during the reporting period.
  • 3The "1990 Share Option Scheme" saw the largest number of shares issued (841,346) and has the largest remaining balance of unissued shares (8,251,180).
  • 4The "2000 Share Option Scheme" also had significant activity, with 1,019,711 shares issued.
  • 5As of March 31, 2007, the total number of CRH ordinary shares in issue was 543,448,283.
  • 6The filing provides the closing balance of shares available but not yet issued/allotted under each scheme, indicating potential future share issuances.
  • 7The report confirms CRH's compliance with its block listing obligations by providing regular updates on share capital movements related to employee share plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Blocklisting Interim Review is a periodic report required by stock exchanges (in this case, the Irish Stock Exchange and the FSA) for companies that have a "block listing" of shares. A block listing allows a company to issue a certain number of shares over a period without needing separate listing approval for each block. CRH is filing this report to update the exchanges on the activity and status of its various share option and savings-related share schemes, ensuring transparency regarding its share capital.

The report mentions several types of schemes, including the "1990 Share Option Scheme," "1990 U.K. Share Option Scheme," "2000 Share Option Scheme" (both general and UK versions), and "2000 Savings Related Share Option Scheme" (Republic of Ireland and UK versions). These are typically employee incentive programs where participants are granted options to buy CRH shares at a future date, or where employees can save to purchase shares.

Yes, the issuance of new shares under these schemes can lead to dilution for existing shareholders, meaning their percentage ownership of the company decreases. However, these are common practices for employee compensation and retention. The total number of shares in issue is disclosed, which allows investors to monitor potential dilution over time and calculate metrics like earnings per share based on the current outstanding share count.

As of March 31, 2007, the total number of CRH ordinary shares in issue was 543,448,283. This figure is important for understanding the company's overall market capitalization and for performing per-share financial analysis.