8-K

CRH PUBLIC LTD CO 8-K Report (May 19, 2008)

Filed May 19, 2008For Securities:CRH

Summary

CRH Public Limited Company (CRH) filed a Form 6-K with the SEC on May 19, 2008, reporting a transaction in its own shares. On May 16, 2008, CRH, through UBS Limited, repurchased 60,638 of its ordinary shares. These shares were acquired at prices ranging from €23.80 to €24.50 per share and will be held as treasury shares. This repurchase activity increases the number of CRH shares held in treasury to 10,752,843. The total number of ordinary shares outstanding, excluding treasury shares, stands at 537,367,593. Investors should note that share repurchases can signal management's confidence in the company's valuation and may have implications for earnings per share and shareholder returns.

Key Highlights

  • 1CRH plc conducted a share repurchase on May 16, 2008.
  • 260,638 ordinary shares were repurchased.
  • 3The repurchase was executed by UBS Limited on behalf of CRH.
  • 4Acquisition prices ranged from €23.80 to €24.50 per share.
  • 5Repurchased shares will be held as treasury shares.
  • 6CRH now holds 10,752,843 ordinary shares in treasury.
  • 7The number of outstanding ordinary shares (excluding treasury) is 537,367,593.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main purpose of this filing (Form 6-K) was to report a transaction where CRH plc repurchased its own ordinary shares. This is a mandatory disclosure for significant corporate actions.

Companies often buy back their own shares when they believe the stock is undervalued, to return capital to shareholders, or to offset the dilutive effect of employee stock options. This can also be a signal of management's confidence in the company's future prospects.

Treasury shares are shares that a company has bought back from the open market. These shares are no longer outstanding and do not carry voting rights or receive dividends. They can be reissued later, used for stock-based compensation, or cancelled.

This specific repurchase increased the number of CRH's treasury shares. While the total number of shares issued by the company may remain the same, the number of shares available to the public (outstanding shares) decreases, which can potentially increase earnings per share (EPS) if profits remain constant.