James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) Releases Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.01 EPS

James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday. The construction company reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.23 by $0.01, Zacks reports. James Hardie Industries had a return on equity of 18.40% and a net margin of 4.67%.

James Hardie Industries Stock Up 4.1%

Shares of NYSE:JHX traded up $0.96 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $24.36. 11,307,736 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,717,020. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $21.85 and its 200-day moving average price is $21.53. James Hardie Industries has a 12-month low of $16.46 and a 12-month high of $33.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.79 and a quick ratio of 1.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $10.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.75, a PEG ratio of 7.60 and a beta of 1.80.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on JHX. Zacks Research upgraded James Hardie Industries from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 19th. Oppenheimer increased their price target on James Hardie Industries from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Vertical Research raised James Hardie Industries from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $21.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Robert W. Baird cut their target price on shares of James Hardie Industries from $28.00 to $26.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Finally, Barclays assumed coverage on shares of James Hardie Industries in a research note on Monday, December 8th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $21.00 price target for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $25.93.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On James Hardie Industries

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its holdings in shares of James Hardie Industries by 16.3% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 6,684 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $139,000 after purchasing an additional 936 shares during the last quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. boosted its position in shares of James Hardie Industries by 67.1% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 2,576 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $67,000 after purchasing an additional 1,034 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of James Hardie Industries by 3,431.1% in the 4th quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 1,589 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,544 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its stake in James Hardie Industries by 49.2% during the 2nd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 11,603 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $312,000 after buying an additional 3,827 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Captrust Financial Advisors increased its position in James Hardie Industries by 34.4% during the second quarter. Captrust Financial Advisors now owns 15,443 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $415,000 after buying an additional 3,954 shares during the period. 7.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.