JHX vs MDU Stock Comparison
MDU currently leads JHX in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 51 vs 48. The clearest difference is value.
What is the main difference between JHX and MDU?
MDU leads the current stock comparison as MDU Resources Group, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
James Hardie Industries plc vs MDU Resources Group, Inc.
MDU leads
MDU leads by 3 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Quality.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support MDU, and its current signal state is conflicted.
James Hardie Industries plc
MDU Resources Group, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors MDU over JHX, 51 versus 48 as of Oct 22, 2026. MDU's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and quality. MDU also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MDU today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. MDU lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 3 points over 30 sessions.
Compare James Hardie Industries plc and MDU Resources Group, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare JHX and MDU against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value44 vs 51MDU +7
- Quality38 vs 43MDU +5
- Momentum58 vs 56Even
- Risk Resilience58 vs 56Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor MDU. MDU’s edge is concentrated in value and quality.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +5
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 3 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +9
New signals
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
MDU's lead widened by 2 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — JHX and MDU both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
MDU (MDU Resources Group, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and quality.
JHX (James Hardie Industries plc): the counter-case, on technicals — but at materially higher volatility, 33.7% against 14.1%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
MDUMDU on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
JHXJHX on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
MDUMDU on the peer-relative Value factor, by 7 points.
Momentum
EvenThe two are level on Momentum.
Lower downside
MDUMDU carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility.
Analyst upside
MDUMDU on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | JHX | MDU | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +22.8% | +30.8% | MDU has more room |
| Target dispersion | +58.8% | 0% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 6 | 1 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor MDU. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 48 vs 51 |
| Fundamentals | MDUon balance | revenue growth 5% vs -38.1%; EPS growth 266.6% vs -74.4%; TTM ROE 2.3% vs 6.9%; gross margin 35.9% vs 42.4%; operating margin 13.3% vs 17% — MDU takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | MDU | Value 44 vs 51 |
| Technicals | JHX | Price vs 50-day -4.9% vs -1%; vs 200-day 9.4% vs -7.4% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 58 vs 56 |
| Analyst expectations | MDU | Target upside 22.8% vs 30.8% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of JHX and MDU and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Signal direction runs against the verdict: the leader is net-bearish while the laggard is net-bullish. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on MDU.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20MDU lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 3 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- MDU +3
- 48 vs 51
- 7 sessions ago
- MDU +1
- 45 vs 46
- 30 sessions ago
- MDU +3
- 40 vs 43
- 90 sessions ago
- JHX +5
- 51 vs 46
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Sep 15 when MDU moved ahead of JHX.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral
Only JHX
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (14.44%)
1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted
Only MDU
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (6.79%)
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: MACD Bullish Crossover.
MDU leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.57%, AIQ +1 points).
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.1%, AIQ +3 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1JHX closes the Value gap — currently 7 points behind, the largest single contributor to MDU's edge.
- 2JHX's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
- 3MDU's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
MDU leads on balance| Metric | JHX | MDU |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 5% | -38.1% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 266.6% | -74.4% |
| Gross margin | 35.9% | 42.4% |
| Operating margin | 13.3% | 17% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 2.3% | 6.9% |
| Debt to equity | 0.69 | 0.88 |
Performance
JHX leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | JHX | MDU |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 7.2% | 2.5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -3.3% | 2.9% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 6.7% | -9.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 19.8% | -10.8% |
| Year to date | 27.5% | -2.2% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 21.9% | 0.5% |
Technicals
JHX has the stronger structure| Metric | JHX | MDU |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 60.4 | 66.3 |
| ADX (14) | 25.9 | 24.5 |
| Price vs 50-day | -4.9% | -1% |
| Price vs 200-day | 9.4% | -7.4% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 33.7% | 14.1% |
Risk
Split| Metric | JHX | MDU |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.72 | 0.18 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.58 | -0.12 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.04 | -0.17 |
| Max drawdown | -32.4% | -19.3% |
| Current drawdown | -14.9% | -16.2% |
| Annualized volatility | 44.9% | 20% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -4.1% | -2.1% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, JHX or MDU?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, MDU is the stronger of the two as of Oct 22, 2026, scoring 51 against JHX's 48. The edge comes from value and quality. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is JHX or MDU the better buy right now?
MDU carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 22, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor MDU over JHX?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. MDU leads Value by 7 points; MDU leads Quality by 5 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, JHX or MDU?
Analyst price targets imply +22.8% upside for JHX and +30.8% for MDU, so the Street currently favors MDU. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, JHX or MDU?
MDU is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. MDU on the peer-relative Value factor, by 7 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, JHX or MDU?
JHX on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, JHX or MDU?
The two are level on Momentum. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, JHX or MDU?
MDU is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. MDU carries the lower 1-month annualized volatility. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is JHX more profitable than MDU?
MDU leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 35.9% vs 42.4%; operating margin 13.3% vs 17%; ttm roe 2.3% vs 6.9%.
Is MDU's lead over JHX getting stronger or weaker?
MDU lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 3 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-15, when MDU moved ahead of JHX.
What would change the JHX vs MDU verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: JHX closes the Value gap — currently 7 points behind, the largest single contributor to MDU's edge; JHX's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; MDU's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 3 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about JHX and MDU?
JHX: 2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. MDU: 1 bullish / 3 bearish, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on JHX is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On MDU it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare JHX and MDU with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.