JHX vs EXP

For growth investors, Eagle Materials Inc.

(EXP) is the stronger pick with 0. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -1. 5% for James Hardie Industries plc (JHX). Eagle Materials Inc. (EXP) offers the better valuation at 15. 3x trailing P/E (16. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate James Hardie Industries plc (JHX) a "Buy" — based on 16 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Eagle Materials Inc.

(EXP) is the cheapest at 15. 3x versus James Hardie Industries plc at 21. 4x. On forward P/E, Eagle Materials Inc. is actually cheaper at 16. 3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Eagle Materials Inc. wins at 0. 31x versus James Hardie Industries plc's 1. 51x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Eagle Materials Inc.

(EXP) delivered a total return of +44. 4%, compared to -37. 0% for James Hardie Industries plc (JHX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EXP returned +192. 8% versus JHX's +65. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Eagle Materials Inc.

(EXP) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 31β versus James Hardie Industries plc's 1. 59β — meaning JHX is approximately 22% more volatile than EXP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, James Hardie Industries plc (JHX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 56% versus 88% for Eagle Materials Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Eagle Materials Inc.

(EXP) is pulling ahead at 0. 1% versus -1. 5% for James Hardie Industries plc (JHX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Eagle Materials Inc. grew EPS 1. 2% year-over-year, compared to -15. 5% for James Hardie Industries plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, EXP leads at 6. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Eagle Materials Inc.

(EXP) is the more profitable company, earning 20. 5% net margin versus 10. 9% for James Hardie Industries plc — meaning it keeps 20. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EXP leads at 26. 5% versus 16. 9% for JHX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — JHX leads at 38. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Eagle Materials Inc. (EXP) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 31x versus James Hardie Industries plc's 1. 51x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Eagle Materials Inc. (EXP) trades at 16. 3x forward P/E versus 19. 1x for James Hardie Industries plc — 2. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for JHX: 16. 8% to $24. 50.

In this comparison, EXP (0.

5% yield) pays a dividend. JHX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Eagle Materials Inc.

(EXP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+192. 8% 10Y return). James Hardie Industries plc (JHX) carries a higher beta of 1. 59 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (EXP: +192. 8%, JHX: +65. 9%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: JHX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; EXP is a small-cap deep-value stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.