Is James Hardie Industries (JHX) Stock Outpacing Its Construction Peers This Year?

Company Performance - James Hardie (JHX) has returned approximately 17.5% since the beginning of the calendar year, outperforming the average return of 16.6% for the Construction sector [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for JHX's full-year earnings has increased by 11.4% over the past three months, indicating a stronger analyst sentiment and improving earnings outlook [3] Industry Comparison - James Hardie belongs to the Building Products - Miscellaneous industry, which includes 34 stocks and currently ranks 171 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with an average gain of 12% this year, showing that JHX is performing better than its industry [5] - In contrast, MasTec (MTZ), another outperforming stock in the Construction sector, is part of the Building Products - Heavy Construction industry, which has seen a 24.1% increase since the start of the year and ranks 87 [6]