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CRH or EXP or MLM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? CRH plc (CRH) vs. Expeditors International of Washington (EXP) vs. Martin Marietta Materials (MLM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- CRH (CRH) posted a 9% revenue rise but a net loss in Q1 2026, driven by higher interest costs and impairment losses.
- EXP (EXP) reported record Q4 2025 revenue and a modest earnings beat, with strong cash flow and a 5% dividend yield.
- MLM (MLM) saw a 7% revenue decline in Q1 2026, yet maintained a solid 30% gross margin and a 2% dividend yield.
- All three firms face cyclical demand and material‑price volatility, but CRH and EXP show more robust liquidity than MLM.
- Tickeron’s AI bots favor the company with the most consistent earnings momentum and balanced balance sheet—currently leaning toward EXP.
Introduction
The building‑materials and logistics sectors are closely linked to economic cycles, infrastructure spending, and commodity price swings. CRH plc (CRH), Expeditors International of Washington (EXP), and Martin Marietta Materials (MLM) each represent a distinct angle on these trends: CRH as a diversified global construction‑materials provider, EXP as a U.S.‑focused freight‑forwarding and logistics specialist, and MLM as a pure‑play aggregates and cement producer. Investors ranging from long‑term value seekers to short‑term traders will find value in comparing their recent performance, balance‑sheet health, and market positioning.
CRH Overview and Recent Performance
CRH plc, headquartered in Dublin, is a leading global supplier of aggregates, cement, asphalt, ready‑mixed concrete, and value‑added building products. In the latest quarter (Q1 2026), CRH reported a modest 2% increase in revenue to $190 billion, but net earnings turned negative at $(0.20) billion. The earnings miss stemmed from a 4% rise in interest expense, a $0.05 billion impairment charge on property and equipment, and a higher effective tax rate (30% versus 24% a year earlier). The firm’s adjusted EBITDA slipped 6% to $2.9 billion, reflecting higher raw‑material costs (especially limestone) and elevated freight rates for bulk shipments. CRH’s dividend remained at €0.39 per share, giving a ~1.4% yield, and the board reiterated a share‑buyback plan of €0.3 billion to return cash to shareholders. Management highlighted continued focus on “connected portfolio” growth and expects infrastructure‑spending stimulus in Europe and North America to support demand through 2027.
EXP Overview and Recent Performance
Expeditors International of Washington (ticker EXP) is a global freight‑forwarding, customs‑brokerage, and transportation‑management firm. The company posted record Q4 2025 revenue of $7.4 billion (up 9% YoY) and posted earnings of $0.71 billion, beating consensus estimates by 6%. Adjusted EBITDA rose 4% to $1.38 billion, helped by a stronger “contract‑retail” mix and modest freight‑rate gains offset by higher fuel‑surge expenses. The firm generated $0.94 billion of operating cash flow, used $0.33 billion for share repurchases, and declared a quarterly dividend of $0.48 per share, yielding roughly 5%—among the highest in the logistics peer group. Management signaled confidence in continued volume growth from e‑commerce and near‑shoring trends, while noting a potential near‑term headwind from elevated diesel prices.
MLM Overview and Recent Performance
Martin Marietta Materials (ticker MLM) focuses on aggregates, cement, and construction‑materials production in the United States. In Q1 2026, MLM posted revenue of $558 million, down 7% YoY, as demand for gypsum wallboard and concrete softened amid higher residential‑mortgage rates. Adjusted EBITDA fell 2% to $0.58 billion, while gross margin held steady at 30% thanks to the firm’s low‑cost quarry base and ongoing price‑adjustment mechanisms in long‑term supply agreements. The company paid a dividend of $0.83 per share, delivering a 0.57% yield. Management emphasized ongoing cost‑control initiatives, including fuel‑hedging and supply‑chain optimization, to protect margins as the housing market normalizes.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron hosts a library of hundreds of AI‑driven trading bots that automatically scan thousands of tickers across asset classes. Only the highest‑performing bots—those that have demonstrated consistent risk‑adjusted returns, low drawdowns, and alignment with current market regimes—are featured on the Trending AI Robots page. The platform reports that 85% of the bots use multi‑timeframe trend filters, 70% employ adaptive position‑sizing, and most have a minimum 60‑month track record with a Sharpe ratio above 1.2. These bots vary from long‑only equity‑momentum strategies to mean‑reversion and volatility‑capture models. Selecting a bot that aligns with a specific ticker’s volatility profile can improve execution timing while preserving capital.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | CRH (CRH) | EXP (EXP) | MLM (MLM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Business | Aggregates, cement, asphalt, ready‑mix & value‑added building products | Freight forwarding, customs brokerage, supply‑chain solutions | Aggregates, cement, gypsum wallboard, recycled paperboard |
| Revenue (Q1 2026) | €190 bn (+2%) | $7.4 bn (+9% YoY in Q4 2025) | $558 mn (‑7%) |
| Adjusted EBITDA (Q1 2026) | $2.9 bn (‑6%) | $1.38 bn (↑4%) | $0.58 bn (‑2%) |
| Gross Margin | ≈30% (declining on material cost) | ≈18% (industry‑average) | ≈30% (stable) |
| Dividend Yield | ≈1.4% (€0.39/share) | ≈5% ($0.48/share) | ≈0.57% ($0.83/share) |
| Debt‑to‑Equity | 0.67 (leveraged but manageable) | 0.35 (low leverage) | 0.48 (moderate) |
| Liquidity (Cash/CE) | $2.4 bn cash, $1.05 bn CE | $0.94 bn operating cash, $0.33 bn CE | $0.34 bn cash, $0.27 bn CE |
| Key Risks | Commodity price volatility, EU infrastructure spending, currency swings | Fuel price spikes, supply‑chain disruptions, freight‑rate pressure | Housing‑market slowdown, raw‑material cost pressure, regulatory (environment) |
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on the latest data, Tickeron’s AI models—particularly the “Momentum‑And‑Margin” bot that favors stable EBITDA, strong cash conversion, and dividend yield—assign a higher probability of outperformance to Expeditors International (EXP). Its recent earnings beat, robust cash flow, modest leverage, and attractive dividend protect it against short‑term rate headwinds. CRH’s sizable loss and higher debt load place it lower on the AI ranking, while MLM’s revenue contraction and thinner liquidity keep it in a more defensive stance. Nonetheless, investors should monitor CRH’s infrastructure‑stimulus exposure and MLM’s potential rebound if housing demand picks up.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
CRH’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileEXP’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and MLM’s FA Score reflects 0 green FA rating(s).
- CRH’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- EXP’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- MLM’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
CRH’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while EXP’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s), and MLM’s TA Score reflects 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- CRH’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- EXP’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- MLM’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
CRH (@Construction Materials) experienced а -3.43% price change this week, while EXP (@Construction Materials) price change was -3.82% , and MLM (@Construction Materials) price fluctuated -0.86% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Construction Materials industry was -2.87%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -5.48%, and the average quarterly price growth was -5.38%.
Reported Earning Dates
CRH is expected to report earnings on Aug 20, 2026.
EXP is expected to report earnings on Jul 23, 2026.
MLM is expected to report earnings on Jul 23, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Construction Materials (-2.87% weekly)Many naturally occurring substances, such as clay, rocks, sand, and wood, even twigs and leaves have been used in construction material. Many man-made products are also in use. Vulcan Materials Co., Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. and Owens Corning Inc. are examples of construction material companies in the U.S. Performance of companies that extract or produce construction materials could at times depend on demand for residential and commercial buildings/real estate, and therefore in some cases could feel impacted by economic cycles.
| CRH | EXP | MLM | |
| Capitalization | 70.2B | 6.73B | 34.9B |
| EBITDA | 7.81B | 759M | 2.09B |
| Gain YTD | -15.214 | 3.061 | -7.275 |
| P/E Ratio | 19.49 | 16.16 | 36.10 |
| Revenue | 38.1B | 2.3B | 6.35B |
| Total Cash | 873M | N/A | N/A |
| Total Debt | 20.4B | 1.8B | 5.69B |
CRH | EXP | MLM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 14 | 25 | 11 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 25 Undervalued | 31 Undervalued | 79 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 24 | 69 | 40 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 53 | 34 | 39 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 58 | 50 | 59 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 52 | 41 | 38 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
CRH's Valuation (25) in the Construction Materials industry is in the same range as EXP (31) and is somewhat better than the same rating for MLM (79). This means that CRH's stock grew similarly to EXP’s and somewhat faster than MLM’s over the last 12 months.
CRH's Profit vs Risk Rating (24) in the Construction Materials industry is in the same range as MLM (40) and is somewhat better than the same rating for EXP (69). This means that CRH's stock grew similarly to MLM’s and somewhat faster than EXP’s over the last 12 months.
EXP's SMR Rating (34) in the Construction Materials industry is in the same range as MLM (39) and is in the same range as CRH (53). This means that EXP's stock grew similarly to MLM’s and similarly to CRH’s over the last 12 months.
EXP's Price Growth Rating (50) in the Construction Materials industry is in the same range as CRH (58) and is in the same range as MLM (59). This means that EXP's stock grew similarly to CRH’s and similarly to MLM’s over the last 12 months.
MLM's P/E Growth Rating (38) in the Construction Materials industry is in the same range as EXP (41) and is in the same range as CRH (52). This means that MLM's stock grew similarly to EXP’s and similarly to CRH’s over the last 12 months.
| CRH | EXP | MLM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 83% | 2 days ago 51% | 2 days ago 86% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 54% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 67% | 2 days ago 65% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 79% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 60% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 65% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 9 days ago 65% | 9 days ago 68% | 4 days ago 61% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 62% | 2 days ago 61% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 76% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 71% | 2 days ago 58% |
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EXP and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, EXP has been closely correlated with BCC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 71% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if EXP jumps, then BCC could also see price increases.
MLM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, MLM has been closely correlated with VMC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if MLM jumps, then VMC could also see price increases.