2340 GMT - Risks to building materials supplier James Hardie's earnings in the short term have grown, says Jarden. It points to mortgage rates bouncing off September lows and U.S. homebuilders reporting slower-than-expected activity in the September quarter. "Whilst housing demand remains solid, affordability remains the key concern (as mortgage rates back up)," analyst Rohan Gallagher says. James Hardie is also facing pressure from higher commodity costs, notably pulp. Jarden cuts its FY 2025 EPS forecast by 4.3%, and lowers its expectations for FY 2026-2027 as well. The bank downgrades James Hardie to overweight, from buy, and trims its price target by 3.7% to A$52.00/share. James Hardie is down 1.1% at A$48.34. (david.winning@wsj.com; @dwinningWSJ)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 31, 2024 19:40 ET (23:40 GMT)
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