2154 GMT - Is an annual earnings beat by James Hardie Industries on the cards? Morgan Stanley thinks it's possible after the building materials supplier's 2Q profit came in stronger than expected. James Hardie reported preliminary Ebitda of US$326 million-US$331 million for 2Q. That was some 18% ahead of consensus forecasts. Morgan Stanley says it reflected a better-than-expected trend of customers reducing stockpiles and seeking to replenish supplies. "If 2Q run-rate holds, FY 2026 Ebitda could exceed the upper end of guidance," analyst Joseph Michael says. "However, visibility remains low, especially for Siding & Trim, given the wide swings in sales and earnings expectations across recent quarters." In August, James Hardie forecast FY 2026 adjusted Ebitda of US$1.05 billion-US$1.15 billion. (david.winning@wsj.com; @dwinningWSJ)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 08, 2025 17:54 ET (21:54 GMT)

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