8-K

CRH PUBLIC LTD CO 8-K Report (Jan 18, 2008)

Filed January 18, 2008For Securities:CRH

Summary

CRH Public Limited Company (CRH) filed a Form 6-K on January 18, 2008, reporting a share repurchase transaction that occurred on January 17, 2008. The company, through its agent UBS Limited, repurchased 50,591 ordinary shares at prices ranging from EUR23.00 to EUR23.634 per share. These repurchased shares will be held as treasury shares. This transaction indicates CRH's ongoing strategy to manage its capital structure and potentially return value to shareholders through buybacks. Investors should note the total number of treasury shares held following this repurchase and the remaining shares in issue, which provides context for the company's share count and potential for future share-based actions. The Finance Director's signature confirms the accuracy of this report.

Key Highlights

  • 1CRH plc repurchased 50,591 ordinary shares on January 17, 2008.
  • 2The repurchases were executed by UBS Limited on behalf of CRH.
  • 3Share prices for the buyback ranged between EUR23.00 and EUR23.634 per ordinary share.
  • 4The acquired shares will be classified as treasury shares.
  • 5Following this transaction, CRH holds a total of 740,151 ordinary shares in treasury.
  • 6The number of ordinary shares in issue, excluding treasury shares, stands at 546,487,043.

Frequently Asked Questions

Companies typically repurchase shares to reduce the number of outstanding shares, which can increase earnings per share (EPS) and potentially boost the stock price. It can also be a way to return excess cash to shareholders or to offset dilution from employee stock options.

Treasury shares are shares that a company has repurchased from the open market but has not yet retired. Companies hold them for various reasons, including satisfying future employee stock option plans, funding acquisitions, or for future share repurchases. Holding shares in treasury allows the company to manage its share capital flexibly without issuing new shares.

This specific repurchase of 50,591 shares will reduce the number of shares held by the public. The report clarifies that after this transaction, CRH has 546,487,043 ordinary shares in issue, excluding the 740,151 treasury shares. This means the number of shares available for trading in the market has decreased.

A Form 6-K is an 'Report of Foreign Issuer' required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Foreign private issuers that are required to file or voluntarily file reports with their home country's securities regulators or stock exchanges must submit these reports to the SEC as well. This filing is used to provide information that is made public in their home country or that is distributed to their security holders.