James Hardie Faces Class Action Lawsuit for Misleading Statements
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Source: Globenewswire
Updated: 1 hour ago0mins
- Lawsuit Background: James Hardie is facing a class action lawsuit for misleading statements regarding the North American fiber cement market from May to August 2025, with allegations that executives violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, leading investors to be unaware of the actual sales decline.
- Sales Decline: On August 19, 2025, James Hardie disclosed a 12% drop in North American fiber cement sales, which resulted in a stock price drop of over 34%, indicating the company's failure to accurately reflect its business conditions amid a deteriorating market environment.
- Investor Impact: Affected investors have until December 23, 2025, to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the class action, highlighting the legal risks the company faces that could impact its future financial performance and investor confidence.
- Legal Representation: Robbins Geller law firm, representing investors, has secured over $2.5 billion in settlements over the past five years, demonstrating its significant strength and influence in securities fraud cases.
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Analyst Views on JHX
Wall Street analysts forecast JHX stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for JHX is 25.19 USD with a low forecast of 21.00 USD and a high forecast of 30.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
7 Analyst Rating
7 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 19.770
Low
21.00
Averages
25.19
High
30.00
Current: 19.770
Low
21.00
Averages
25.19
High
30.00
Vertical Research
Adam Baumgarten
Hold
to
Buy
upgrade
$21
2025-11-19
Reason
Vertical Research
Adam Baumgarten
Price Target
$21
2025-11-19
upgrade
Hold
to
Buy
Reason
Vertical Research analyst Adam Baumgarten upgraded James Hardie to Buy from Hold with a $21 price target.
Baird
Outperform
downgrade
$28 -> $26
2025-11-19
Reason
Baird
Price Target
$28 -> $26
2025-11-19
downgrade
Outperform
Reason
Baird lowered the firm's price target on James Hardie to $26 from $28 and keeps an Outperform rating on the shares. The firm updated its model following Q2 results and noted its outlook is a step in the right direction.
Citi
Neutral -> Buy
upgrade
$33
2025-11-04
Reason
Citi
Price Target
$33
2025-11-04
upgrade
Neutral -> Buy
Reason
Citi upgraded James Hardie to Buy from Neutral with a price target of A$36.50, up from A$33. The firm sees an attractive risk/reward at current share levels as it believes the company is on pace to beat fiscal 2026 expectations. Citi views James Hardie's risks as manageable and is "cautiously optimistic" on the housing market.
Oppenheimer
Tyler Batory
Outperform
initiated
$28
2025-10-29
Reason
Oppenheimer
Tyler Batory
Price Target
$28
2025-10-29
initiated
Outperform
Reason
Oppenheimer analyst Tyler Batory initiated coverage of James Hardie with an Outperform rating and $28 price target. The firm sees the company's acquisition of Azek reinvigorating its company's fiber cement business in North America. This will position James Hardie on an "enhanced growth trajectory," the analyst tells investors in a research note. Oppenheimer believes the stock's multiple will expand as the company delivers on its growth synergies and reduces leverage.
See All Ratings
About JHX
James Hardie Industries plc is an Ireland-based company, which is engaged in providing exterior home and outdoor living solutions, with a portfolio that includes fiber cement, fiber gypsum, and composite and PVC decking and railing products. The Company's segments include North America Fiber Cement, Asia Pacific Fiber Cement and Europe Building Products. The Company's North America Fiber Cement segment manufactures fiber cement interior linings, exterior siding products and related accessories in the United States and these products are sold in the United States and Canada. The Company's Asia Pacific Fiber Cement segment includes fiber cement products manufactured in Australia and sold in Australia and New Zealand. Its Europe Building Products segment includes fiber gypsum products manufactured in Europe, and fiber cement products manufactured in the United States that are sold in Europe. The Company’s brands include Hardie, TimberTech, AZEK Exteriors, Versatex, fermacell and StruXure.
About the author
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Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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