James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) Reaches New 52-Week High on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

James Hardie Industries PLC. (NYSE:JHX) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Friday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The company traded as high as $30.54 and last traded at $30.6220, with a volume of 2251673 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.00.

The construction company reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.04. James Hardie Industries had a net margin of 2.15% and a return on equity of 11.13%. The business had revenue of $1.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.42 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.29 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 63.9% on a year-over-year basis.

James Hardie Industries News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded estimates. James Hardie reported fiscal Q1 revenue of approximately $1.47 billion, up 63.9% year over year and ahead of the $1.42 billion consensus estimate. EPS was $0.36 versus analyst expectations of $0.32. James Hardie quarterly earnings report
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised fiscal 2027 guidance. The company now expects full-year revenue of $5.6 billion to $5.7 billion, above the $5.4 billion analyst consensus. Second-quarter revenue guidance of $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion also exceeds the $1.3 billion consensus, providing a positive near-term earnings catalyst. James Hardie fiscal 2027 results and outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Cash generation and profitability improved. Net income attributable to common shareholders rose to $104.3 million, operating cash flow increased to $344 million, and capital expenditures declined to $89.8 million. The earnings presentation and conference call provided additional detail supporting the stronger outlook. James Hardie Q1 2027 earnings call transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning was mixed, with several hedge funds adding shares while others reduced exposure. Recent analyst price targets have also varied widely, indicating some disagreement over valuation and upside.
• Negative Sentiment: Margin expansion lagged sales growth. Operating profit increased 9.5% year over year, substantially slower than revenue, while cost of sales climbed to approximately $925.9 million. Investors may also be cautious because the stock’s elevated valuation leaves less room for execution disappointments.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on JHX. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of James Hardie Industries from $30.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of James Hardie Industries from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Oppenheimer set a $36.00 price target on James Hardie Industries in a report on Friday. Barclays reissued a “positive” rating on shares of James Hardie Industries in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Stephens raised their price target on shares of James Hardie Industries from $31.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $29.11.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of JHX. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in James Hardie Industries by 259.7% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 50,649,731 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $972,981,000 after acquiring an additional 36,567,726 shares during the period. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of James Hardie Industries in the 4th quarter worth $77,530,000. RDST Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries during the fourth quarter worth $55,893,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC bought a new stake in James Hardie Industries in the fourth quarter valued at about $53,641,000. Finally, Alyeska Investment Group L.P. lifted its stake in James Hardie Industries by 100.9% in the third quarter. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. now owns 4,531,761 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $87,055,000 after buying an additional 2,275,762 shares during the period. 7.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

James Hardie Industries Stock Up 9.5%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.03. The stock has a market cap of $17.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 139.12, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 13.94 and a beta of 1.77. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $25.24 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $22.99.

About James Hardie Industries

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.