CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) Shares Purchased by Daiwa Securities Group Inc.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc. lifted its holdings in CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) by 5.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 76,911 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,000 shares during the period. Daiwa Securities Group Inc.’s holdings in CRH were worth $7,116,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of CRH. Heck Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of CRH during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in CRH in the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. Baillie Gifford & Co. raised its position in CRH by 70.7% during the third quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 391 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 162 shares during the period. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new position in CRH during the fourth quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators lifted its holdings in CRH by 87.7% during the fourth quarter. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators now owns 505 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 236 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 62.50% of the company’s stock.

CRH Stock Up 1.1 %

CRH stock opened at $94.83 on Wednesday. CRH plc has a 52-week low of $71.18 and a 52-week high of $110.97. The business has a fifty day moving average of $99.13 and a two-hundred day moving average of $95.97. The stock has a market cap of $64.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.30.

CRH Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 16th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a $0.37 dividend. This is a positive change from CRH’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.23. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.56%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. CRH’s payout ratio is 20.87%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on CRH. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of CRH from $120.00 to $115.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Berenberg Bank set a $120.00 price objective on CRH in a research note on Friday, February 28th. StockNews.com upgraded CRH from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on CRH from $118.00 to $114.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $109.25.

CRH Profile

CRH plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides building materials solutions in Ireland and internationally. It operates through four segments: Americas Materials Solutions, Americas Building Solutions, Europe Materials Solutions, and Europe Building Solutions. The company provides solutions for the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure and commercial and residential buildings; and produces and sells aggregates, cement, readymixed concrete, and asphalt, as well as provides paving and construction services.