I guess the market liked the results out today.
a different story from the Half Yearly .... Q3 FY24 numbers saw it down 8 per cent today
James Hardie CEO Aaron Erter says the renovations market remains soft and is only likely to be reinvigorated when interest rates fall and consumer confidence improves.
Aaron Erter says the effects of sharp rises in rates over the past 18 months in the renovations segment in its major markets of North America, Europe and Australia were underestimated by many players. He said the “back half” of 2024 was likely to be the point at which the renovations market improved.
James Hardie, which makes fibre cement cladding products for the exterior of houses and products for remodelling interiors, generates about 65 per cent of its revenues from the renovations market.
Hefty price rises and gains in market share in its main markets enabled the company to lift net profit for the three months ended December 31 by 45 per cent to $US145.1 million ($222.3 million).
The company lifted prices by 14 per cent in the Asia-Pacific division, comprising the Australian operations, New Zealand and the Philippines. Average price increases in Europe were 18 per cent in the December quarter compared with the same quarter a year earlier, while in North America prices increased by 6 per cent.
Asia-Pacific division generated a 34 per cent rise in earnings before interest and tax to $56.7 million for the December quarter. Sales were up 21 per cent to $206 million, compared with a year ago. Margins improved to 27.5 per cent from 24.7 per cent in the previous corresponding period.
For the first nine months of James Hardie’s financial year, overall net profit was up 6 per cent to $US454.6 million.
An analyst said the company’s guidance on Tuesday of March quarter net profit of between $US165 million and $US185 million assumed an EBIT margin of 30 to 32 per cent, which was “a step down” from the December quarter margin of 32.7 per cent, despite a similar volume expectation.