James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) Rating Increased to Strong-Buy at Stephens

Stephens upgraded shares of James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) to a strong-buy rating in a report issued on Thursday morning,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Barclays cut their price target on James Hardie Industries from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Zacks Research downgraded James Hardie Industries from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, James Hardie Industries presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $26.56.

James Hardie Industries Stock Performance

Shares of JHX stock opened at $26.67 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $15.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 121.22 and a beta of 1.80. The company’s 50 day moving average is $22.31 and its 200 day moving average is $21.99. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. James Hardie Industries has a 52-week low of $16.46 and a 52-week high of $29.83.

James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 20th. The construction company reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $1.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.41 billion. James Hardie Industries had a net margin of 2.15% and a return on equity of 11.13%. James Hardie Industries’s revenue for the quarter was up 44.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.36 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that James Hardie Industries will post 1.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On James Hardie Industries

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of JHX. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its holdings in James Hardie Industries by 11,238.5% in the second 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 during the last quarter. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. purchased a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries during the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Modus Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. 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 worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,544 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in James Hardie Industries during the 4th quarter worth $41,000. 7.96% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.