How did CRH's revenue and expenses trend in Q4 2024?

CRH's revenue and expenses in Q4 2024 showed notable trends:

1. **Revenue Trend**: CRH's total revenues increased to $10.5 billion in Q4 2024, up from $10.1 billion in the same quarter of the previous year. This growth was attributed to continued pricing progress and contributions from acquisitions.
2. **Expense Trend**: The company's operating expenses, research and development expenses, and selling and distribution expenses totaled $1.93 billion in Q4 2024. While specific individual expense categories were not broken down, the overall trend of increased revenues suggests that CRH managed to maintain or improve its expense efficiency relative to its growing sales.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|R&D Expenses|Interest Expenses|Operating Expenses|Advertising and Marketing Expenses|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|CRH|CRH.N|CRH|2024 Q1||1.33E8|||169|
|CRH|CRH.N|CRH|2024 Q2||1.55E8|||169|
|CRH|CRH.N|CRH|2024 Q3||1.64E8|||169|
|CRH|CRH.N|CRH|2024 Q4||1.6E8|||169|

3. **Profitability**: CRH's gross profit for the quarter improved to $4.1 billion from $3.8 billion, with a gross profit margin of 38.6% compared to 37.2% in the previous year. This indicates better profitability and operational efficiency.
4. **Cash Flow**: CRH reported a net cash inflow of approximately $2.3 billion during the first nine months of 2024, which is a positive indicator of the company's financial health and its ability to generate cash from its operations.

In summary, CRH experienced robust revenue growth and improved profitability in Q4 2024, supported by effective cost management and contributions from acquisitions.