CSTE vs JHX vs ZWS Stock Comparison

Caesarstone, James Hardie Industries and Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Prices as of Oct 28, 2026 Peers: Industry group
CSTE Caesarstone Ltd.
$2.48 -13.6% 1M +110.2% 1Y
Market cap
$59.11M
P/E
–
Revenue (TTM)
$381.81M
Div. yield
–
Building Products Industrials
2 wins

Head to Head

11 decided of 12

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Zurn Elkay Water Solutions 6, James Hardie Industries 3, Caesarstone 2). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionCSTEJHXZWSLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $59.11M $15.64B $7.40B JHX
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only -0.4x 107.4x 25.5x ZWS
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS — 18.5x 23.2x JHX
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months -6.0% +42.9% +10.1% JHX
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months -37.4% 2.7% 15.9% ZWS
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital -114.7% 2.6% 14.0% ZWS
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 0.0x 3.5x 0.4x CSTE
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield 0.00% 0.00% 0.01% –
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +110.2% +16.5% -5.6% CSTE
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years -27.6%/yr -7.9%/yr +3.7%/yr ZWS
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 102.4% 45.1% 30.2% ZWS
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 22/100 34/100 78/100 ZWS

Percentile Scorecard

CSTEJHXZWS

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisCSTEJHXZWS
Valuation 32 #38 of 55 20 #44 of 55 43 #32 of 55
Growth 8 #47 of 51 50 #26 of 51 98 #2 of 51
Profitability 9 #44 of 48 40 #29 of 48 81 #10 of 48
Financial Health 42 #32 of 54 32 #37 of 54 87 #8 of 54
Shareholder Returns – 25 #31 of 41 80 #9 of 41
Overall 22 34 78
  • CSTE ranked among 59 companies in Construction Products
  • JHX ranked among 59 companies in Construction Products
  • ZWS ranked among 59 companies in Construction Products

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodCSTEJHXZWSSPY
1 month -13.6%+2.7%-7.1% +0.9%
3 months +23.4%-0.5%-15.6% +5.9%
6 months +85.1%+28.0%-14.6% +8.5%
Year to date +33.3%+25.7%-6.5% +13.3%
1 year +110.2%+16.5%-5.6% +12.4%
3 years -35.1%+6.3%+68.6% +88.1%
3 years, per year -13.4%+2.1%+19.0% +23.5%
5 years -80.1%-33.7%+19.8% +68.2%
5 years, per year -27.6%-7.9%+3.7% +11.0%
10 years -92.9%+74.8%+358.9% +263.4%
10 years, per year -23.3%+5.7%+16.5% +13.8%

Risk

MeasureCSTEJHXZWSSPY
Volatility, 1Y 102.4%45.1%30.2% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 100.0%41.4%29.2% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y 1.551.710.86 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 1.080.37-0.19 0.98
Max drawdown, 5Y -95.4%-60.3%-47.8% -25.4%
From 52-week high -30.3%-16.1%-18.3% -0.9%
52-week high $3.56$31.09$53.17 $779.14
52-week low $0.62$16.69$43.46 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleCSTEJHXZWS
P/E now vs peer median -0.6xmedian 20.0x 103.9xmedian 20.0x 24.9xmedian 20.0x
P/S now vs peer median 0.2xmedian 1.5x 2.8xmedian 1.5x 3.9xmedian 1.5x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median -0.7xmedian 11.3x 16.9xmedian 11.3x 15.1xmedian 11.3x
P/FCF now vs peer median -6.4xmedian 15.3x 42.5xmedian 15.3x 18.6xmedian 15.3x
P/B now vs peer median 0.8xmedian 2.8x 2.3xmedian 2.8x 4.2xmedian 2.8x
PEG now vs peer median 0.21median 0.99 -2.62median 0.99 0.64median 0.99

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsCSTEJHXZWS
Revenue $381.81M $5.41B $1.83B
Gross profit $75.22M $1.94B $920.70M
Operating income -$127.93M $526.70M $403.00M
Net income -$142.69M $145.70M $290.60M
Free cash flow -$13.44M $356.40M $387.00M
R&D $5.62M $64.00M –
EPS (diluted) $-4.13 $0.25 $1.73
Cash & equivalents – $289.90M $307.10M
Total debt $401.00K $4.28B $500.30M
Shares (diluted) 34.57M 584.30M 168.11M
Enterprise value $23.05M $14.71B $6.15B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricCSTEJHXZWS
P/E -0.6x 103.9x 24.9x
P/FCF -6.4x 42.5x 18.6x
P/Operating cash flow -4.8x 20.8x 17.4x
P/S 0.2x 2.8x 3.9x
P/B 0.8x 2.3x 4.2x
P/Tangible book 0.8x 4.6x 8.4x
EV/EBITDA -0.7x 16.9x 15.1x
EV/EBIT -0.7x 36.3x 18.3x
EV/Revenue 0.2x 3.5x 4.0x
EV/FCF -6.4x 53.7x 19.1x
EV/Operating cash flow -4.8x 26.3x 17.9x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.21 -2.62 0.64

Growth

14 metrics
MetricCSTEJHXZWS
Revenue growth (1Y) -6.0% 42.9% 10.1%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) -15.6% 13.2% 6.5%
Gross profit growth (1Y) -7.6% 34.4% 23.6%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) -12.9% 13.0% 15.2%
Operating income growth (1Y) -135.1% -5.8% 50.5%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) -0.8% -11.3% 31.2%
Net income growth (1Y) -136.2% -56.0% 51.1%
Net income CAGR (3Y) -2.9% -34.0% 37.0%
EPS growth (1Y) -136.0% -67.6% 53.1%
EPS CAGR (3Y) -2.9% -39.7% 39.2%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) -52.4% -11.8% 29.5%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) -37.6% 1.0% 13.8%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) -3,032% 110.4% 34.1%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) -32.2% 75.0% 14.0%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricCSTEJHXZWS
Gross margin 19.7% 35.9% 50.4%
EBITDA margin -30.7% 20.9% 26.8%
Operating margin -33.5% 9.7% 22.1%
Pretax margin -36.3% 5.1% 21.0%
Net margin -37.4% 2.7% 15.9%
FCF margin -3.5% 6.6% 21.2%
Operating cash flow margin -4.7% 13.4% 22.6%
Return on equity -129.4% 2.2% 17.3%
Return on assets -39.5% 1.0% 10.4%
Return on invested capital -114.7% 2.6% 14.0%
Return on capital employed -58.0% 4.2% 16.2%
Asset turnover 1.1x 0.4x 0.7x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 0.1x 5.0x 1.4x
Stock comp / revenue 0.2% 0.8% 2.4%

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricCSTEJHXZWS
Debt / assets 0.1% 31.7% 17.8%
Debt / equity 0.0x 0.7x 0.3x
Net debt / EBITDA 0.0x 3.5x 0.4x
Debt / FCF 0.0x 12.0x 1.3x
Liabilities / assets 71.1% 51.5% 39.7%
Equity / assets 28.9% 48.5% 60.3%
Interest coverage – 1.8x 16.1x
Current ratio 1.6x 1.6x 2.9x
Quick ratio 0.3x 0.7x 1.8x
Cash ratio 0.0x 0.3x 1.0x
Altman Z-score 0.33 2.09 4.74

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricCSTEJHXZWS
Dividend yield – – 1.0%
Net buyback yield – 2.0% 2.2%
Shareholder yield 0.0% 2.0% 3.2%
Payout ratio (earnings) – – 25.3%
Payout ratio (FCF) – – 19.0%
Dividend growth (1Y) – – 21.1%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) – – 14.5%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusCSTEJHXZWS
Forward P/E – 18.5xFY2026 23.2xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $-0.97FY2026 $1.41FY2026 $1.87FY2026
EPS growth, next FY – +29.4%FY2026 +23.0%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after – +12.8% +3.2%
Revenue, next fiscal year $420.48MFY2026 $5.13BFY2026 $1.81BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +5.9%FY2026 +6.0%FY2026 +6.6%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after +3.3% +15.1% +3.6%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersCSTEJHXZWS
Held by institutions 5.9% 49.9% 88.6%
Institutions holding 36 340 436
Change in shares held, QoQ -22.3% +7.1% +0.9%
Institutions buying 7 190 237
Institutions selling 14 100 144
Buyers to sellers 0.50 1.90 1.65

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

CSTEJHXZWS
CSTE 1.00 0.22 0.09
JHX 0.22 1.00 0.43
ZWS 0.09 0.43 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, CSTE, JHX and ZWS?

James Hardie Industries (JHX) is the largest by market capitalisation: Caesarstone (CSTE) $59.11M, James Hardie Industries (JHX) $15.64B, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) $7.40B.

Which stock is cheaper, CSTE, JHX and ZWS?

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Caesarstone (CSTE) -0.4x, James Hardie Industries (JHX) 107.4x, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) 25.5x). On next year's consensus earnings, James Hardie Industries (JHX) is cheapest (James Hardie Industries (JHX) 18.5x, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) 23.2x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

James Hardie Industries (JHX) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Caesarstone (CSTE) -6.0%, James Hardie Industries (JHX) +42.9%, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) +10.1%.

Which company is more profitable?

Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) has the highest net margin (Caesarstone (CSTE) -37.4%, James Hardie Industries (JHX) 2.7%, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) 15.9%). On return on invested capital, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) leads (Caesarstone (CSTE) -114.7%, James Hardie Industries (JHX) 2.6%, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) 14.0%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Caesarstone (CSTE) returned the most: Caesarstone (CSTE) +110.2%, James Hardie Industries (JHX) +16.5%, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) -5.6%. Over five years, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) compounded fastest (Caesarstone (CSTE) -27.6%/yr, James Hardie Industries (JHX) -7.9%/yr, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) +3.7%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Only one of these companies pays a dividend: Caesarstone (CSTE) 0.00%, James Hardie Industries (JHX) 0.00%, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) 0.01%. Caesarstone (CSTE) and James Hardie Industries (JHX) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) has been the steadiest (Caesarstone (CSTE) 102.4%, James Hardie Industries (JHX) 45.1%, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) 30.2%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, CSTE, JHX and ZWS?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (ZWS) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.