JHX vs SNN 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.

Smith & Nephew designs, manufactures, and markets orthopedic devices, sports medicine and arthroscopic technologies, and wound care solutions. Roughly 41% of the UK-based firm's revenue comes from orthopedic products, and another 30% is sports medicine and ENT. The remaining 29% of revenue is from the advanced wound therapy segment. Over half of Smith & Nephew's total revenue comes from the United States, just over 30% is from other developed markets, and emerging markets account for the remainder.