James Hardie Industries (NYSE:JHX – Get Free Report) and American Biltrite (OTCMKTS:ABLT – Get Free Report) are both construction companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, earnings and institutional ownership.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
8.0% of James Hardie Industries shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current ratings for James Hardie Industries and American Biltrite, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| James Hardie Industries | 0 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 2.80 |
| American Biltrite | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares James Hardie Industries and American Biltrite”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| James Hardie Industries | $3.79 billion | 1.94 | $424.00 million | $0.77 | 22.14 |
| American Biltrite | $188.74 million | 0.01 | -$2.64 million | ($229.80) | -0.34 |
James Hardie Industries has higher revenue and earnings than American Biltrite. American Biltrite is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than James Hardie Industries, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares James Hardie Industries and American Biltrite’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| James Hardie Industries | 8.75% | 27.95% | 10.84% |
| American Biltrite | -3.66% | -28.92% | -5.48% |
Volatility and Risk
James Hardie Industries has a beta of 1.82, meaning that its share price is 82% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, American Biltrite has a beta of -0.12, meaning that its share price is 112% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
James Hardie Industries beats American Biltrite on 14 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About James Hardie Industries
James Hardie Industries plc manufactures and sells fiber cement, fiber gypsum, and cement bonded building products for interior and exterior building construction applications primarily in the United States, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, and the Philippines. The company operates through North America Fiber Cement, Asia Pacific Fiber Cement, and Europe Building Products segments. It offers fiber cement interior linings, exterior siding products, and related accessories; and various fiber cement products for a range of applications, including external cladding, internal walls, ceilings, floors, soffits, fences, and facades. The company also provides fiber gypsum and cement-bonded boards for use in the timber frame construction, dry lining, DIY, and structural fire protection applications. Its products are used in residential repair and remodel, and commercial and residential new construction markets James Hardie Industries plc was founded in 1888 and is based in Dublin, Ireland.
About American Biltrite
American Biltrite Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides tape, jewelry, flooring, and rubber products worldwide. The company produces and offers pressure sensitive tapes, films, and protective sheeting under the American Biltrite and Ideal brands, which are used in various markets, such as automotive and transportation; construction; shoe/footwear; graphic arts, print, and signage; and various other industrial and consumer applications. It also manufactures and distributes commercial flooring primarily for healthcare, educational, and institutional sectors; and performance sheet rubber in North America, as well as designs and supplies fashion jewelry to department stores under the brands of Guess, T Tahari, Robert Rose, Berry, and Jessica McClintock. The company sells its tape products through sales organizations, distributors, and select manufacturers’ representatives. American Biltrite Inc. was founded in 1908 and is based in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts.
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