James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.04 EPS

James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The construction company reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.04, Zacks reports. James Hardie Industries had a net margin of 2.69% and a return on equity of 10.63%. The firm had revenue of $1.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.42 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.29 EPS. James Hardie Industries’s revenue was up 63.9% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from James Hardie Industries’ conference call:

• Strong first-quarter outperformance: Net sales rose 12% pro forma to $1.47 billion, while Adjusted EBITDA reached $422 million, both above the high end of guidance. Management raised fiscal 2027 guidance to $5.564–$5.723 billion in sales and $1.536–$1.625 billion in Adjusted EBITDA.
• Fiber cement returned to strong growth: Organic growth reached 20%, driven by ColorPlus, Statement Essentials, Trim-Over, stronger higher-end repair and remodeling and multifamily demand, and easier comparisons after last year’s inventory destocking. Fiber cement sell-through accelerated to 19% in June.
• Distribution and synergy momentum improved: Expanded partnerships with Boise Cascade and six regional distributors are expected to support material conversion and the fiscal 2027 commercial revenue synergy target of $125 million. Cost synergies remain ahead of schedule and under budget, while free cash flow reached $254 million and net leverage fell to 2.7x after $400 million of debt repayment.
• Macro and cost pressures remain significant: Elevated mortgage rates, cautious builders and consumers, freight inflation, and expected fiscal 2027 cost pressure of $80–$100 million are limiting visibility. Management is planning the second half prudently and expects distribution transitions to create near-term sales volatility and additional marketing and support costs.

James Hardie Industries Stock Performance

Shares of JHX stock traded up $2.33 on Friday, hitting $30.33. The company had a trading volume of 12,183,079 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,726,798. James Hardie Industries has a twelve month low of $16.46 and a twelve month high of $30.74. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The firm has a market cap of $17.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 121.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.77. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $25.38 and a 200-day moving average price of $23.04.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in JHX. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in James Hardie Industries by 11,238.5% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,474 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 1,461 shares in the last quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its holdings in James Hardie Industries by 3,431.1% during the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,589 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 1,544 shares during the period. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of James Hardie Industries in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $52,000. Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its stake in shares of James Hardie Industries by 67.1% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 2,576 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $67,000 after acquiring an additional 1,034 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new position in James Hardie Industries during the 4th quarter worth $107,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 7.96% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

JHX has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Zacks Research raised James Hardie Industries from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Stephens upped their target price on James Hardie Industries from $33.00 to $34.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday. Oppenheimer increased their price target on James Hardie Industries from $32.00 to $36.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday. Truist Financial raised their price target on James Hardie Industries from $30.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $34.00 price target on shares of James Hardie Industries in a research note on Friday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $29.62.

James Hardie Industries News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting James Hardie Industries this week:

• Positive Sentiment: James Hardie reported fiscal Q1 EPS of $0.36, ahead of the $0.32 analyst consensus, while revenue of $1.47 billion exceeded expectations of $1.42 billion. Revenue increased 63.9% year over year. James Hardie Industries earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised fiscal 2027 revenue guidance to $5.6 billion-$5.7 billion, above the $5.4 billion consensus estimate. Its fiscal Q2 revenue outlook of $1.5 billion-$1.6 billion also exceeds the $1.3 billion analyst forecast. James Hardie fiscal Q1 results and outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts responded favorably: Truist raised its price target from $30 to $40 and upgraded the stock to “buy,” while Stephens increased its target from $33 to $34 and maintained an “overweight” rating. Analyst price-target changes
• Neutral Sentiment: Operating profit rose 9.5% to $217.7 million, and operating cash flow reached $344 million, but profit growth lagged the sharp increase in sales. Net margin was only 2.15%, highlighting limited earnings conversion.
• Negative Sentiment: Cost of sales climbed to $925.9 million, total liabilities rose to approximately $7.0 billion, and the stock’s elevated valuation leaves less room for disappointment if growth or margins weaken.

James Hardie Industries Company Profile

James Hardie Industries plc (NYSE: JHX) is a global manufacturer of high-performance fiber cement building products. The company specializes in exterior cladding, trim and soffit, as well as interior backerboard solutions designed for residential and commercial construction. By combining cement, sand and cellulose fibers, James Hardie produces durable, low-maintenance materials that resist moisture, fire and termite damage, catering to builders, contractors and homeowners through a network of distributors and retail channels.

The company’s flagship products include Hardie® Plank® and Hardie® Panel® siding systems, Hardie® BackerBoard® for tile applications, and a range of architectural trim solutions.