JHX vs AIT Comparison

James Hardie is a manufacturer of fiber cement-based building products, selling primarily to the residential construction industry. North America is the primary geography, generating about 80% of group earnings. Here, it is the largest manufacturer of fiber cement, which is mainly used for exterior siding on houses. Following the Azek acquisition in 2025, it also produces wooden composite decking materials, siding trims, and accessories for outdoor areas including stair and deck railing. Businesses in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, make up the rest of earnings.

Applied Industrial Technologies Inc is a distributor of industrial products to the maintenance, repair, and operations market and the original equipment manufacturing industry. Further, the company provides engineering and design services for industrial and fluid power applications. The products include bearings, power transmission components, fluid power components and systems, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies. The company's reportable segments are; Service Center Based Distribution which derives key revenue, and Engineered Solutions. Geographically, the company derives its key revenue from the United States and the rest from Canada and other countries.