CRH plcCRH
NYSE•Basic Materials•Building Materials
Understand cash generation quality and how management allocates capital.
Free cash flow was $-1.22B in the latest quarter (6.7% increase YoY). FCF margin is -3.2%. Shares outstanding declined by 1.2% year-over-year, indicating buybacks (returning capital to shareholders). Free cash flow is the lifeblood of a business — it funds dividends, buybacks, debt reduction, and reinvestment without relying on external capital.
Free cash flow, earnings quality, and capital allocation