James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX) Share Price Crosses Above 200-Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?

James Hardie Industries PLC. (NYSE:JHX)’s stock price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $22.32 and traded as high as $24.70. James Hardie Industries shares last traded at $24.3070, with a volume of 6,971,119 shares trading hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

JHX has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Research lowered James Hardie Industries from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Barclays reduced their price target on James Hardie Industries from $22.00 to $21.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Stephens began coverage on James Hardie Industries in a research report on Thursday, June 25th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $31.00 price objective for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $26.56.

James Hardie Industries Stock Down 3.0%

The firm has a market capitalization of $14.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 110.49 and a beta of 1.77. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $22.92 and a 200 day simple moving average of $22.32. 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 (NYSE:JHX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 20th. The construction company reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.29 by $0.01. James Hardie Industries had a net margin of 2.15% and a return on equity of 11.13%. The firm had revenue of $1.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.41 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.36 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 44.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts expect that James Hardie Industries PLC. will post 1.24 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of James Hardie Industries

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of JHX. Fideuram Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking S.P.A. bought a new position in shares of James Hardie Industries during the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Modus Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its position in shares of 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 purchasing an additional 1,544 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of 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 during the period. Finally, 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of James Hardie Industries during the 4th quarter valued at $41,000. Institutional investors own 7.96% of the company’s stock.

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.