CRH earnings could climb by 70%

Earnings at the building materials giant, CRH, are expected to grow by 70% this year, on the back of improving conditions in its main markets and contributions from acquisitions made in the past 12 months.

The Dublin-headquartered group yesterday updated on its acquisition-and-investment spend for 2015; which was dominated by its potentially transformational €6.5bn purchase of a number of global assets, disposed of to allow for the merger of European cement titans, Lafarge and Holcim. In all, CRH made 20 acquisitions last year, spending €8bn.

However, it recouped €1bn, as its non-core asset divestment programme continued.