May 18 James Hardie Industries Plc, the
world’s top fiber cement building materials maker, said its
full-year net profit rose 13 percent on robust performance in
North America in the fourth quarter.
Net profit for the year grew to $276.5 million, compared
with $244.4 million a year ago.
That beat the $231.96 million mean estimate of seven
analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
The Australian company had slashed its full-year adjusted
net profit forecast to a range of $245 million to $255 million
in its third-quarter results announcement in February, warning
of uncertainty in the U.S. housing market.
Adjusted full-year net profit came in at $248.6 million,
compared with $242.9 million last year.
James Hardie makes four-fifths of its sales in North
America.
(Reporting By Rushil Dutta; Editing by Bill Trott)