3 Building Materials Stocks Benefiting from the Construction Surge

Strong government infrastructure investments, rising construction starts, and increased demand for sustainable, resilient projects across the U.S. benefit the building materials market. Therefore, considering top building material stocks like Owens…

By Abhishek Bhuyan | Jan 04, 2025
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Strong government infrastructure investments, rising construction starts, and increased demand for sustainable, resilient projects across the U.S. benefit the building materials market. Therefore, considering top building material stocks like Owens Corning (OC), Apogee Enterprises (APOG), and Griffon (GFF) could be a wise choice, as they stand to gain. Read on.

The building materials market remains resilient, bolstered by robust government spending on construction, declining interest rates, and a positive economic outlook. Amid this construction surge, investing in fundamentally strong stocks like Owens Corning (), Apogee Enterprises, Inc.聽(), and Griffon Corporation (), could be a wise choice.

Given the substantial demand for materials in construction activities, the building material industry stands to gain from significant infrastructure investments. U.S. construction starts are forecasted to grow by , with non-residential starts rising by 6.9% and residential buildings surging by 12%. Notably, manufacturing construction is expected to rebound after declines in 2023 and 2024.

The market is poised to benefit from the U.S. government’s 2025 construction plan, which includes for 148 infrastructure projects, and funding initiatives such as road repairs, electric buses, and bridge constructions across various states. Additionally, the global construction materials market is expected to surpass $2.01 trillion by 2034, growing at a healthy from 2024 to 2034.

Furthermore, the building materials sector has a bright outlook in 2025, driven by growing demand for sustainable and resilient construction projects across the U.S. Let’s take a closer look at the fundamentals of the three featured stocks, starting with number three.

Stock #3: Owens Corning ()

OC manufactures and sells insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composite materials in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Composites, Insulation, and Roofing.

In terms of the trailing-12-month , OC鈥檚 23.12% is 65.8% higher than the 13.94% industry average. Likewise, its 9.92% trailing-12-month net income margin is 53.1% higher than the 6.48% industry average. Furthermore, its 7.81% trailing-12-month levered FCF margin is 14.3% higher than the 6.83% industry average.

OC鈥檚 net sales for the third quarter, ended September 30, 2024, increased 22.9% year-over-year to $3.05 billion. The company鈥檚 adjusted earnings and adjusted EPS attributable to OC common stockholders were $385 million and $4.38, representing increases of 1.3% and 4.8% from the year-ago values, respectively. Additionally, its adjusted EBITDA rose 18.9% year-over-year to $766 million.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2024, OC鈥檚 revenue is expected to increase 20.4% year-over-year to $2.77 billion. Its revenue for the quarter ending June 30, 2025, is expected to rise marginally year-over-year to $4.67. It surpassed the consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Over the past year, the stock has gained 15.7%.

OC鈥檚 strong fundamentals are reflected in its . It has an overall rating of B, equating to a Buy in our proprietary rating system. The POWR Ratings assess stocks by 118 different factors, each with its own weighting.

It has a B grade for Growth, Momentum, and Sentiment. Within the industry, it is ranked #4 out of 42 stocks. To view all other grades for OC’s Value, Stability, and Quality ratings, .

Stock #2: Apogee Enterprises, Inc.聽()

APOG provides architectural products and services for enclosing buildings, and glass and acrylic products used for preservation, protection, and enhanced viewing in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. The company operates in four segments: Architectural Framing Systems, Architectural Glass, Architectural Services, and Large-Scale Optical (LSO).

On November 4, 2024, APOG announced the completion of its $242 million acquisition of UW Interco, LLC, enhancing its Large-Scale Optical segment and projecting significant revenue growth by fiscal 2026.

In terms of the trailing-12-month levered FCF margin, APOG鈥檚 9.50% is 39.1% higher than the 6.83% industry average. Likewise, its 15.93% trailing-12-month Return on Total Capital is 124.6% higher than the 7.09% industry average. Furthermore, the stock鈥檚 1.51x trailing-12-month asset turnover ratio is 92.9% higher than the 0.78x industry average.

For the second quarter ended August 31, 2024, APOG reported net sales of $342.44 million. Likewise, the company鈥檚 adjusted operating income grew 6.4% from the prior year鈥檚 quarter to $43.14 million. Its adjusted net earnings were $31.46 million, or $1.44 per share, up 6% and 5.9% from the year-ago values, respectively.

Street expects APOG鈥檚 revenues for the quarter ending May 31, 2025, to increase 9.7% year-over-year to $363.80 million. Its EPS for fiscal 2025 is expected to grow 6.5% year-over-year to $5.08. APOG surpassed the consensus estimates in each of the four trailing quarters. Over the past year, the stock has gained 35.5%.

APOG鈥檚 promising outlook is reflected in its POWR Ratings. It has an overall rating of A, which translates to a Strong Buy in our proprietary rating system.

It has a B grade for Value, Momentum, and Quality. It is ranked #3 in the same industry. To see APOG鈥檚 ratings for Growth, Stability, and Sentiment, .

Stock #1: Griffon Corporation ()

GFF, through its subsidiaries, provides consumer and professional, home and building products internationally. It operates under the Consumer and Professional Products and Home & Building Products segments.

In terms of the trailing-12-month EBITDA margin, GFF鈥檚 19.10% is 37% higher than the 13.94% industry average. Likewise, its 10.87% trailing-12-month levered FCF margin is 59.1% higher than the 6.83% industry average. Furthermore, the stock鈥檚 40.26% trailing-12-month gross profit margin is 27.5% higher than the 31.57% industry average.

During the fiscal fourth quarter ended September 30, 2024, GFF鈥檚 revenue increased by 2.9% year-over-year to $659.67 million. Its income from operations came in at $111.67 million, up 40.6% year-over-year. For the same period, GFF鈥檚 adjusted net income was $70.94 million, a 12.5% increase from the same quarter last year, and its adjusted EPS was $1.47, reflecting a 23.5% rise from the prior-year quarter.

Analysts expect GFF鈥檚 EPS for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, to increase 11.6% year-over-year to $1.19. Its revenue for the quarter ending June 30, 2025, is expected to increase 3.1% year-over-year to $667.64 million. It surpassed the consensus estimates in three of the four trailing quarters. Over the past year, the stock has gained 22.7% to close the last trading session at $72.87.

GFF鈥檚 promising prospects are reflected in its POWR Ratings. It has an overall rating of A, equating to a Strong Buy in our proprietary rating system.

It has a B grade for Growth, Value, Momentum, and Quality. Within the Industrial – Building Materials industry, it is ranked first. , to access the additional ratings of GFF (Stability and Sentiment).

What To Do Next?

Get your hands on this special report with 3 low priced companies with tremendous upside potential even in today鈥檚 volatile markets:

OC shares closed at $172.14 on Friday, up $2.85 (+1.68%). Year-to-date, OC has gained 1.07%, versus a 1.00% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.

About the Author: Abhishek Bhuyan

Abhishek embarked on his professional journey as a financial journalist due to his keen interest in discerning the fundamental factors that influence the future performance of financial instruments.

The post appeared first on

Strong government infrastructure investments, rising construction starts, and increased demand for sustainable, resilient projects across the U.S. benefit the building materials market. Therefore, considering top building material stocks like Owens Corning (OC), Apogee Enterprises (APOG), and Griffon (GFF) could be a wise choice, as they stand to gain. Read on.

The building materials market remains resilient, bolstered by robust government spending on construction, declining interest rates, and a positive economic outlook. Amid this construction surge, investing in fundamentally strong stocks like Owens Corning (), Apogee Enterprises, Inc.聽(), and Griffon Corporation (), could be a wise choice.

Given the substantial demand for materials in construction activities, the building material industry stands to gain from significant infrastructure investments. U.S. construction starts are forecasted to grow by , with non-residential starts rising by 6.9% and residential buildings surging by 12%. Notably, manufacturing construction is expected to rebound after declines in 2023 and 2024.

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