The sales of €18bn (£14.9m) were in line with 2012, as there was a 2% increase in the second half following decline in the first half of the year.
The drop in operating profit reflected a 6% decline in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation and an impairment charge of €650m in respect of subsidiary companies. A review has identified business units that will not meet CRH's returns criteria, and disposal is under way. The next phase will focus on allocating resources to those businesses that are seen as central to restoring CRH returns to previous peak levels.
CRH's results for 2013 were also hit by severe weather conditions at the start of the year, which delayed the start of construction in major markets.As the year progressed markets began to stabilise in Europe, while the pick-up in economic activity in the US provided positive momentum for businesses in the Americas.
Chief executive Albert Manifold said: "We believe that 2013 represents the trough in our profits, and that 2014 will be a year of profit growth. We are encouraged by second-half activity levels in 2013 and by the fact that, while it is still early in the season, trading so far in 2014 has been ahead of last year."
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