CRH plc Stock Outlook: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish?

With a market cap of $66.9 billion, CRH plc (CRH) is a global building materials company and one of the world’s largest suppliers of products and solutions used to build and maintain critical infrastructure. The Dublin, Ireland-based company provides essential materials for everything from roads, bridges and buildings to water infrastructure and industrial projects. 

Shares of the company have underperformed the broader market over the past 52 weeks. CRH stock has dipped 5.7% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has gained 19.9%. Moreover, shares of the company have declined 18.8% on a YTD basis, compared to SPX's nearly 12.9% rise.

Looking closer, shares of CRH have lagged behind the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF's (XLB) 20.8% increase over the past 52 weeks and 17.4% rally in 2026.

On July 30, CRH shares plunged 3.7% after the company reported its second-quarter results, with total revenues rising 5.6% year over year to $10.77 billion, supported by positive pricing, healthy underlying demand and contributions from acquisitions. Net income increased 13.4 to $1.51 billion, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 6.7% to $2.63 billion. Its EPS rose 13.9% to $2.21. 

Americas Materials Solutions was the strongest performer, with revenue increasing 9.9% to $4.96 billion. The company also announced an $8.5 billion agreement to acquire Arcosa, which is expected to strengthen its position in U.S. aggregates and energy infrastructure. Management reaffirmed its FY2026 guidance of $3.9-$4.1 billion in net income, $8.1-$8.5 billion in adjusted EBITDA and $5.60-$6.05 in diluted EPS. 

For the fiscal year ending in December 2026, analysts expect CRH's EPS to grow 4.1% year-over-year at $5.80. The company's earnings surprise history is mixed. It has exceeded or met the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on three other occasions. 

Among the 19 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is a “Strong Buy.” That’s based on 17 “Strong Buy” ratings, one “Moderate Buy,” and one “Hold.” 

The configuration is more bearish than two months ago, when the stock had 19 “Strong Buy” suggestions. 

On Aug. 5, Barclays analyst Adam Seiden maintained a “Buy” rating on CRH and kept the price target at $131, signaling continued confidence in the building materials company’s growth prospects.

The mean price target of $139.44 represents a 37.7% premium to CRH’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $165 suggests a 62.9% potential upside.

On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.