Dividend payments
An interim dividend of 18.5c was paid in respect of Ordinary Shares on 30th October 2009.
A final dividend of 44.0c, if approved, will be paid in respect of Ordinary Shares on 10th May 2010. A scrip alternative will be offered to shareholders.
Dividend Withholding Tax (DWT) must be deducted from dividends paid by an Irish resident company, unless a shareholder is entitled to an exemption and has submitted a properly completed exemption form to the Company’s Registrars, Capita Registrars. DWT applies to dividends paid by way of cash or by way of shares under a scrip dividend scheme and is deducted at the standard rate of Income Tax (currently 20%). Non-resident shareholders and certain Irish companies, trusts, pension schemes, investment undertakings and charities may be entitled to claim exemption from DWT. Copies of the form may be obtained from Capita Registrars. Shareholders should note that DWT will be deducted from dividends in cases where a properly completed form has not been received by the record date for a dividend. Individuals who are resident in Ireland for tax purposes are not entitled to an exemption.
Shareholders who wish to have their dividend paid direct to a bank account, by electronic funds transfer, should contact Capita Registrars to obtain a mandate form. Tax vouchers will be sent to the shareholder’s registered address under this arrangement.
Dividends are generally paid in euro. However, in order to avoid costs to shareholders, dividends are paid in Sterling and US Dollars to shareholders whose address, according to the Share Register, is in the UK and the United States respectively, unless they require otherwise.
As the above arrangements can be inflexible for institutional shareholders, where shares are held in CREST, dividends are automatically paid in euro unless a currency election is made. CREST members should use the facility in CREST to make currency elections. Such elections must be made in respect of entire holdings as partial elections are not permissible.
Dividends in respect of 7% ‘A’ Cumulative Preference Shares are paid half-yearly on 5th April and 5th October. Dividends in respect of 5% Cumulative Preference Shares are paid half-yearly on 15th April and 15th October.
CREST
Transfer of the Company’s shares takes place through the CREST system. Shareholders have the choice of holding their shares in electronic form or in the form of share certificates.
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Share price data |
|
|
2009
€ |
2008
€ |
|
|
|
|
| Share price at 31st December |
19.01 |
16.10* |
| Market capitalisation |
13.3bn |
9.5bn |
| Share price movement |
|
|
| during the year: |
- high |
20.70 |
24.50* |
|
- low |
12.55 |
12.44* |
* Restated for the bonus element of the 2 for 7 Rights Issue in March 2009. |
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Shareholdings as at 31st December 2009 |
Ownership of Ordinary Shares |
Geographic location *
|
|
Number of
shares held
‘000 |
% of total
|
Ireland |
|
59,925 |
8 |
| United Kingdom |
|
107,910 |
15 |
| United States |
|
254,154 |
36 |
| Europe/Other |
|
194,077 |
27 |
| Retail |
|
82,081 |
12 |
| Treasury |
|
12,338 |
2 |
|
|
710,485 |
100 |
* This represents a best estimate of the number of shares controlled by fund managers resident in the geographic regions indicated. Private shareholders are classified as retail above.
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|
|
Holdings
|
Number of
shareholders
|
% of total
|
Number of
shares held
‘000 |
% of total
|
| 1 - 1,000 |
17,261 |
59.25 |
6,217 |
0.87 |
| 1,001 - 10,000 |
10,166 |
34.90 |
29,539 |
4.16 |
| 10,001 - 100,000 |
1,360 |
4.67 |
35,077 |
4.94 |
| 100,001 - 1,000,000 |
262 |
0.90 |
82,449 |
11.60 |
| Over 1,000,000 |
82 |
0.28 |
557,203 |
78.43 |
|
29,131 |
100 |
710,485 |
100 |
|
|
|
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Stock Exchange listings
CRH has primary listings on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges. The Group’s American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each representing one Ordinary Share, are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The ADSs are evidenced by American Depositary Receipts.
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| Financial calendar |
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| Announcement of final results for 2009 |
2nd March 2010 |
| Ex-dividend date |
10th March 2010 |
| Record date for dividend |
12th March 2010 |
| Latest date for receipt of scrip forms |
23rd April 2010 |
| Interim Management Statement |
5th May 2010 |
| Annual General Meeting |
5th May 2010 |
| Dividend payment date and first day of dealing in scrip dividend shares |
10th May 2010 |
| Trading Update Statement |
7th July 2010 |
| Announcement of interim results for 2010 |
24th August 2010 |
| Interim Management Statement |
9th November 2010 |
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Website
The Group’s website, www.crh.com, provides the full text of the Annual and Interim Reports, the Annual Report on Form 20-F, which is filed annually with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, trading statements, interim management statements and copies of presentations to analysts and investors. News releases are made available, in the News & Media section of the website, immediately after release to the Stock Exchanges.
Electronic communications
Following the introduction of the 2007 Transparency Regulations, and in order to adopt a more environmentally friendly and cost effective approach, the Company provides the Annual Report to shareholders electronically via the CRH website, www.crh.com, and only sends a printed copy to those shareholders who specifically request a copy. Shareholders who choose to do so can receive other shareholder communications, for example, notices of General Meetings and shareholder circulars, electronically. However, shareholders will continue to receive printed proxy forms, dividend documentation and, if the Company deems it appropriate, other documentation by post. Shareholders can alter the method by which they receive communications by contacting Capita Registrars.
Electronic proxy voting
Shareholders may lodge a proxy form for the 2010 Annual General Meeting electronically. Shareholders who wish to submit proxies via the internet may do so by accessing CRH’s, or Capita Registrars’, website as described below. Shareholders must register for this service on-line before proxy forms can be lodged electronically. CREST members wishing to appoint a proxy via CREST should refer to the CREST Manual and the notes to the Notice of the Annual General Meeting.
Registrars
Enquiries concerning shareholdings should be addressed to:
Capita Registrars,
P.O. Box 7117,
Dublin 2,
Ireland.
Telephone: +353 (0) 1 810 2400
Fax: +353 (0) 1 810 2422
Shareholders with access to the internet may check their accounts either by accessing CRH’s website and selecting “Registrars” under “Shareholder Services” in the Investor Relations section or by accessing Capita Registrars’ website, www.capitaregistrars.ie and selecting “Login to Shareholder Services” under “Online Services”. This facility allows shareholders to check their shareholdings and dividend payments, register e-mail addresses and download standard forms required to initiate changes in details held by Capita Registrars. Shareholders will need to register for a User ID before using some of the services.
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs)
The ADR programme is administered by the Bank of New York Mellon and enquiries regarding ADRs should be addressed to:
BNY Mellon Shareowner Services,
P.O. Box 358516,
Pittsburgh,
PA 15252-8516,
U.S.A.
Telephone: Toll Free Number (United States residents): 1-888-269-2377
International: +1 201-680-6825
E-mail: shrrelations@bnymellon.com
Website: http://www.bnymellon.com/shareowner
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Group’s website contains answers to questions frequently asked by shareholders, including questions regarding shareholdings, dividend payments, electronic communications and shareholder rights. The FAQ can be accessed in the Investor Relations section of the website under "Shareholder Services".