Analysts Set James Hardie Industries PLC. (NYSE:JHX) Price Target at $26.00

Shares of James Hardie Industries PLC. (NYSE:JHX) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fourteen analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $26.00.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on JHX. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of James Hardie Industries from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Zacks Research cut shares of James Hardie Industries from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 21st.

Institutional Trading of James Hardie Industries

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. bought a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries during the first quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Modus Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of James Hardie Industries by 3,431.1% during the fourth 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 last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its stake in shares of James Hardie Industries by 11,238.5% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,474 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 1,461 shares during the last quarter. Finally, 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $41,000. 7.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

James Hardie Industries Price Performance

Shares of James Hardie Industries stock opened at $24.31 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $14.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 110.51 and a beta of 1.80. James Hardie Industries has a 1-year low of $16.46 and a 1-year high of $29.83. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $21.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $21.87.

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

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.