UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 20-F

(Mark One)

o		REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

þ		[X] ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended 31 March 2011

OR

o		TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

OR

o		SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of event requiring this shell company report

For the transition period from       to

Commission file number 1-15240

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.
None.

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.
None.

Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report 436,386,587 shares of common stock at 31 March 2011.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. þ Yes o No

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. o Yes þ No

Note — Checking the box will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those Sections.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. þ Yes o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). þ Yes o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See the definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large accelerated filer þ		Accelerated filer o		Non-accelerated filer o

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

U.S. GAAP þ		International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board o		Other o

If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow:

o Item 17 o Item 18

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). o Yes þ No

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

			Page
Form 20-F Cross-Reference Index			2
Section 1			4
Introduction			4
Selected Financial Data			6
Information on the Company			9
Section 2			22
Group Management Team			22
Board of Directors			24
Management’s Discussion and Analysis			26
Remuneration Report			41
Corporate Governance Report			63
Consolidated Financial Statements			74
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements			80
Remuneration of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm			105
Selected Quarterly Financial Data			105
Section 3			106
Additional Information for Shareholders			106
Risk Factors			106
Commitment to Provide Funding on a Long-Term Basis in Respect of Asbestos-Related Liabilities of Former Subsidiaries			121
Legal Proceedings			129
Employees			133
Share Ownership			133
Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions			142
Listing Details			144
Memorandum and Articles of Association			146
Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds			153
Material Contracts			153
Exchange Controls			154
Taxation			155
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk			164
American Depositary Shares			167
Exhibits			167
EX-2.14
EX-4.25
EX-4.40
EX-4.41
EX-8.1
EX-12.1
EX-12.2
EX-13.1
EX-15.1
EX-15.2
EX-99.1
EX-99.2
EX-101 INSTANCE DOCUMENT
EX-101 SCHEMA DOCUMENT
EX-101 CALCULATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
EX-101 LABELS LINKBASE DOCUMENT
EX-101 PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
EX-101 DEFINITION LINKBASE DOCUMENT

FORM 20-F CROSS REFERENCE INDEX

20-F Item Number and Description			Page
PART 1
Item 1. Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers		Not applicable
Item 2. Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable		Not applicable
Item 3. Key Information
A. Selected Financial Data			6-8
B. Capitalisation and Indebtness		Not applicable
C. Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds		Not applicable
D. Risk Factors		106-121
Item 4. Information on the Company
A. History and Development of the Company			9-11
B. Business Overview			12-18
C. Organisational Structure			10-11; 19
D. Property, Plants and Equipment			19-21; 38-40
Item 4A. Unresolved Staff Comments		None
Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects
A. Operating Results			26-37
B. Liquidity and Capital Resources			37-39
C. Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc			17-18; 40
D. Trend Information			40
E. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements			40
F. Tabular Disclosure of Contractual Obligations			40
G. Safe Harbor			5-6
Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees
A. Directors and Senior Management			22-25
B. Compensation			53-56
C. Board Practices		22-25; 61; 66-67
D. Employees		133
E. Share Ownership		133-142
Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions
A. Major Shareholders		142-143
B. Related Party Transactions			143-144
C. Interests of Experts and Counsel		None
Item 8. Financial Information
A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information		74-104
B. Significant Changes		None
Item 9. The Offer and Listing
A. Offer and Listing Details		144-145
B. Plan of Distribution		Not Applicable
C. Markets		145-146
D. Selling Shareholders		Not Applicable
E. Dilution		Not Applicable
E. Expenses of the Issue		Not Applicable
Item 10. Additional Information
A. Share Capital		Not Applicable
B. Memorandum and Articles of Association		146-153
C. Material Contracts		153-154
D. Exchange Controls		154-155
E. Taxation		155-164
F. Dividends and paying agents		Not Applicable
G. Statement by Experts		Not Applicable

FORM 20-F CROSS REFERENCE INDEX (Continued)

20-F Item Number and Description			Page
H. Documents on Display			164
I. Subsidiary Information		Not Applicable
Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk		164-166
Item 12. Description of Securities Other Than Equity Securities
A. Debt Securities		Not Applicable
B. Warrants and Rights		Not Applicable
C. Other Securities		Not Applicable
D. American Depositary Shares			167
PART II
Item 13. Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies		None
Item 14. Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds		146-153
Item 15. Controls and Procedures			70-71
Item 16A. Audit Committee Financial Expert			66-67
Item 16B. Code of Business Conduct and Ethics			67
Item 16C. Principal Accountant Fees and Services			105
Item 16D. Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees		Not Applicable
Item 16E. Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers		None
Item 16F. Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant		None
Item 16G. Corporate Governance			72-73
PART III
Item 17. Financial Statements		Not Applicable
Item 18. Financial Statements		74-104
Item 19. Exhibits		167-172

SECTION 1.

INTRODUCTION

In this annual report, unless the context otherwise indicates, James Hardie Industries SE, a “Societas Europaea,” or a European company incorporated and existing under the laws of Ireland, is referred to as JHI SE. JHI SE together with its direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries as of the time relevant to the applicable reference, are collectively referred to as the James Hardie Group. JHI SE and its current direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries are collectively referred to as “we,” “us,” “our,” “JHI SE and its wholly owned subsidiaries”, “James Hardie” or the “Company.”

The term “fiscal year” refers to our fiscal year ended 31 March of such year; the term “dollars,” “US$” or “$” refers to US dollars; the term “A$” refers to Australian dollars; and the term “NZ$” refers to New Zealand dollars. Unless otherwise stated, all amounts in A$ have been converted into US$ at the 31 March 2011 exchange rate of A$0.9676 to US$1.0000.

On 2 June 2010, our shareholders approved Stage 2 of a two-stage proposal to transform James Hardie Industries SE to an Irish SE by changing our registered corporate domicile from The Netherlands to Ireland. Following this vote, on 17 June 2010, we changed our registered corporate domicile to Ireland and are now subject to Irish law in addition to the Council of the European Union’s Regulation on the Statute for a European Company (SE Regulations). In addition, we continue to operate under the regulatory requirements of numerous jurisdictions and organisations, including the ASX, ASIC, the NYSE, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the Irish Takeovers Panel and various other rulemaking bodies. We became an Irish tax resident on 29 June 2010.

As a company incorporated under the laws of Ireland, we have listed our securities for trading on the Australian Securities Exchange, or ASX, through the use of the Clearing House Electronic Subregister System, or CHESS, via CHESS Units of Foreign Securities, or CUFS. CUFS are a form of depositary security that represent a beneficial ownership interest in the securities of a non-Australian corporation. Each of our CUFS represents the beneficial ownership of one share of common stock of JHI SE, the legal ownership of which is held by CHESS Depositary Nominees Pty Ltd. The CUFS are listed and traded on the ASX under the symbol “JHX.”

We have also listed our securities for trading on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE. We sponsor a program, whereby beneficial ownership of five CUFS is represented by one American Depositary Share, or ADS, which is issued by The Bank of New York Mellon. These ADSs trade on the NYSE in the form of American Depositary Receipts, or ADRs, under the symbol “JHX.” Unless the context indicates otherwise, when we refer to ADSs, we are referring to ADRs or ADSs and when we refer to our common stock we are referring to the shares of our common stock that are represented by CUFS.

Glossary of abbreviations and terms

Non-financial Terms

Former James Hardie Companies — Consists of Amaca Pty Ltd, Amaba Pty Ltd and ABN 60 Pty Ltd.

Sales Volume

mmsf — million square feet, where a square foot is defined as a standard square foot of 5/16” thickness.

msf — thousand square feet, where a square foot is defined as a standard square foot of 5/16” thickness.

Forward-Looking Statements

This annual report contains forward-looking statements. We may from time to time make forward-looking statements in our periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC, on Forms 20-F and 6-K, in our annual reports to shareholders, in offering circulars, invitation memoranda and prospectuses, in media releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by our officers, directors or employees to analysts, institutional investors, existing and potential lenders, representatives of the media and others. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements and such forward—looking statements are statements made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Examples of forward-looking statements include:

	•		statements about our future performance;
	•		projections of our results of operations or financial condition;
	•		statements regarding our plans, objectives or goals, including those relating to strategies, initiatives, competition, acquisitions, dispositions and/or our products;
	•		expectations concerning the costs associated with the suspension or closure of operations at any of our plants and future plans with respect to any such plants;
	•		expectations that our credit facilities will be extended or renewed;
	•		expectations concerning dividend payments and share buy-back;
	•		statements concerning our corporate and tax domiciles and potential changes to them, including potential tax charges;
	•		statements regarding tax liabilities and related audits, reviews and proceedings;
	•		statements as to the possible consequences of proceedings brought against us and certain of our former directors and officers by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (which we refer to as “ASIC”);
	•		expectations about the timing and amount of contributions to the Asbestos Injuries Compensation Fund (which we refer to as “AICF”), a special purpose fund for the compensation of proven Australian asbestos-related personal injury and death claims;
	•		expectations concerning indemnification obligations;
	•		statements about product or environmental liabilities; and
	•		statements about economic conditions, such as economic or housing recovery, the levels of new home construction, unemployment levels, changes or stability in housing values, the availability of mortgages and other financing, mortgage and other interest rates, housing affordability and supply, the levels of foreclosures and home resales, currency exchange rates and consumer confidence.

Words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “target,” “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “forecast,” “guideline,” “aim,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “continue” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and all such forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the following cautionary statements.

Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and assumptions and because forward-looking statements address future results, events and conditions, they, by their very nature, involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control. Such known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or other achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed, projected or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors, some of which are discussed under “Risk Factors” in Section 3, include, but are not limited to: all matters relating to or arising out of the prior manufacture of products that contained asbestos by current and former James Hardie subsidiaries; required contributions to the AICF, any shortfall in the AICF and the effect of currency exchange rate movements on the amount recorded in our financial statements as an asbestos liability; governmental loan facility to the AICF; compliance with and changes in tax laws and treatments; competition and product pricing in the markets in which we operate; the consequences of product failures or defects ; exposure to environmental, asbestos or other legal proceedings; general economic and market conditions; the supply and cost of raw materials; possible increases in competition and the potential that competitors could copy our products; reliance on a small number of customers; a customer’s inability to pay; compliance with and changes in environmental and health and safety laws; risks of conducting business internationally; compliance with and changes in laws and regulations; the effect of the transfer of our corporate domicile from The Netherlands to Ireland to become an Irish SE including employee relations, changes in corporate governance and potential tax benefits; currency exchange risks; dependence on customer preference and the concentration of our customer base on large format retail customers, distributors and dealers; dependence on residential and commercial construction markets; the effect of adverse changes in climate or weather patterns; possible inability to renew credit facilities on terms favourable to us, or at all; acquisition or sale of businesses and business segments; changes in our key management personnel; inherent limitations on internal controls; use of accounting estimates; and all other risks identified in our reports filed with Australian, Irish and US securities agencies and exchanges (as appropriate). We caution you that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive and that other risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and are statements of our current expectations concerning future results, events and conditions.

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

We have included in this annual report the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company, consisting of our consolidated balance sheets as of 31 March 2011 and 31 March 2010, and our consolidated statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ deficit and cash flows for the years ended 31 March 2011, 2010 and 2009, together with the related notes thereto. The consolidated financial statements included in this annual report have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or “US GAAP.”

The selected consolidated financial information summarised below for the five most recent fiscal years has been derived in part from the Company’s financial statements. You should read the selected consolidated financial information in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements and related notes contained in Section 2, “Consolidated Financial Statements” and with the information provided in Section 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis.” Historic financial data is not necessarily indicative of our future results and you should not unduly rely on it.

INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY

History and Development of the Company

The Company was established in 1888 as an import business. In 1951, the Company became publicly owned as a listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange. In the following years, the Company built up a diverse portfolio of building and industrial products businesses including a wide range of asbestos-based products. In the mid-1980s, we pioneered the development of asbestos-free fibre cement technology and began designing and manufacturing a wide range of fibre cement building products that made use of the benefits that came from the products’ durability, versatility and strength. Using the technical and manufacturing expertise developed in Australia, we expanded our operations, in particular to the United States, to become a specialised manufacturer of a wide range of fibre cement building materials.

Our legal name was changed to James Hardie Industries N.V. from RCI Netherlands Holdings B.V. in July 2001 when our legal form was converted from a “besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid” (which we refer to as a B.V.), to a “ naamloze vennootschap ” (which we refer to as “N.V.”), or a public limited liability company whose stock, unlike a private limited liability company, may be transferred without executing a notarial deed if such company is listed on a recognised stock exchange. In February 2001, the shareholders of James Hardie Industries Limited (which we refer to as “JHIL”) agreed to exchange their shares for shares in James Hardie Industries N.V., which retained its primary listing on the ASX. In February 2010, our legal name was changed to James Hardie Industries SE when our legal form was converted from a Dutch N.V. to a Dutch Societas Europaea (which we refer to as “SE”) in connection with implementing Stage 1 of a two-stage re-domicile proposal (together, the “Re-domicile”) to change our registered corporate domicile from The Netherlands to Ireland. As a Dutch SE, we became subject to the Council of the European Union’s Regulation on the Statute for a European Company (SE Regulations). On 17 June 2010, we implemented Stage 2 of the Re-domicile and changed our registered corporate domicile to Ireland and became an Irish tax resident on 29 June 2010.

We conduct our operations under legislation in various jurisdictions. As an Irish SE, we are subject to Irish law in addition to the SE Regulation, European Union Council Regulations and relevant European Union Directives. Prior to completing Stage 2 of the Re-domicile, we were also subject to the jurisdiction of the Dutch authority Financial Markets and the Dutch Corporate Governance Code. In addition, we operate under the regulatory requirements of numerous jurisdictions and organisations, including the ASX, ASIC, the NYSE, the US SEC, the Irish Takeover Panel and various other rulemaking bodies.

Our corporate domicile is located in Ireland. The address of our registered office in Ireland is Europa House, Second Floor, Harcourt Centre, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. The telephone number there is +353 1411 6924. Our agent in the United States is CT Corporation. Its office is located at 3 Winners Circle, 3 ^rd Floor, Albany, New York 12205.

Corporate Restructuring

On 2 July 1998, James Hardie Industries Ltd (which we refer to as “JHIL” and now known as ABN 60 Pty Ltd, which we refer to as “ABN 60”), was then a public company organised under the laws of Australia and listed on the ASX. At that time, JHIL announced a plan of reorganisation and capital restructuring (which we refer to as the 1998 Reorganisation) to address the structural imbalance and resulting operational, financial and commercial issues resulting from increasing significance and growth opportunities of our US operations and the location of corporate management and our shareholder base in Australia.

In February 2001, ABN 60, or JHIL, established the Medical Research and Compensation Foundation (which we refer to as the “Foundation”) by gifting A$3.0 million (US$1.7 million based on the 31 March 2001 exchange rate of A$1.7989 to US$1.0000) in cash and transferring ownership of Amaca Pty Ltd (which we refer to as “Amaca”) and Amaba Pty Ltd (which we refer to as “Amaba”) to the Foundation.

On 19 October 2001, we completed a plan of reorganisation and capital restructuring (which we refer to as the 2001 Reorganisation). This restructuring was done to provide us with a more efficient financial structure in light of potential global expansion, to allow us to use our stock for acquisitions if necessary and to increase overall returns to our shareholders. The 2001 Reorganisation consisted of the issuance of shares of JHI NV common stock represented by CUFS to substantially all ABN 60 shareholders in exchange for their shares of ABN 60 common stock pursuant to an approved Australian scheme of arrangement and the listing of the shares of JHI NV represented by CUFS on the ASX and the listing of ADSs, representing CUFS, which in turn represent shares of JHI NV, on the NYSE. As a result of the share exchange, ABN 60 shareholders ceased to hold any direct interest in ABN 60 and instead became the holders of interests in JHI NV common shares, receiving substantially their same proportional ownership interests in JHI NV as they had in ABN 60 before exchanging their shares.

In addition, as a result of the exchange, ABN 60 became a direct subsidiary of JHI NV. Following the 2001 Reorganisation, JHI NV controlled the same assets and liabilities as ABN 60 controlled immediately prior to the 2001 Reorganisation.

During fiscal year 2003, ABN 60 transferred control of all of its non-operating subsidiaries to RCI Holdings Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of JHI NV, to distinguish between the operating group of companies and non-operating subsidiaries.

Following the consolidation of the operating assets of the James Hardie Group under JHI NV in fiscal year 2003, the principal activity of ABN 60 was paying amounts in accordance with the Deed of Covenant and Indemnity. At that time, the cash position of the Company had improved significantly as a result of the sale of the Company’s gypsum business in the United States and the impending sale of a gypsum mine in Nevada. On 31 March 2003, following a thorough review to determine that the funds available to ABN 60 would be sufficient to meet the claims of all creditors, the shares in ABN 60 were transferred to the ABN 60 Foundation. ABN 60 Foundation was established to be the sole shareholder of ABN 60. ABN 60 was managed by independent directors and operated entirely independently of the Company.

In August 2008, following proceedings commenced by the Commissioner of Taxation, the Federal Court of Australia made orders providing for the reinstatement of James Hardie Australia Finance Pty Ltd (which we refer to as JHAF), and the appointment of a liquidator. JHAF is currently a subsidiary of James Hardie International Holdings SE (which we refer to as JHIHSE) within the James Hardie group. JHAF was deregistered in August 2005 following a member’s voluntary winding up. In December 2008, following our settlement with the ATO, the Federal Court of Australia made orders terminating the liquidation of JHAF. Accordingly, the liquidator was removed and JHAF is now under our full control as a wholly owned subsidiary of JHIHSE.

In August 2009, JHI NV shareholders approved Stage 1 of the Re-domicile to move our corporate domicile from The Netherlands to Ireland. Following this vote, in February 2010, the Company transformed from a Dutch N.V. to a Dutch SE registered in The Netherlands and, accordingly, the legal name of the Company was changed to James Hardie Industries SE. On 2 June 2010, our shareholders approved Stage 2 of the Re-domicile. Following this vote, on 17 June 2010, we changed our registered corporate domicile to Ireland.

On 17 May 2011, we announced that we had commenced an internal reorganisation involving the simplification of our corporate structure, including some of the arrangements which were previously part of our Netherlands domicile. This internal reorganisation is being made to facilitate the ability to access and distribute surplus cash flows and earnings of our operating subsidiaries more efficiently, including for the purpose of making periodic contributions to AICF. As part of this restructure, the Company incurred a tax charge of US$32.6 million on undistributed earnings of its US subsidiaries, which is included in the fiscal year 2011 results of operations, as it intends to remit US earnings as part of the internal reorganisation.

This charge will not impact the contribution to AICF in July 2011, although it is expected to reduce the contribution to AICF in July 2012 by up to approximately US$11.4 million.

The following is a simplified diagram of our current corporate structure:

Current

Consolidation of the AICF

In February 2007, our shareholders approved the AFFA entered into on 21 November 2006 to provide long-term funding to the AICF. JHI SE owns 100% of James Hardie 117 Pty Ltd (the “Performing Subsidiary”) that funds the AICF subject to the provisions of the AFFA. We appoint three of the AICF directors and the NSW Government appoints two of the AICF directors.

Under the terms of the AFFA, the Performing Subsidiary has an obligation to make payments to the AICF on an annual basis, depending on our net operating cash flow. The amounts of these annual payments are dependent on several factors, including our free cash flow (as defined in the AFFA), actuarial estimations, actual claims paid, operating expenses of the AICF and the annual cash flow cap. JHI SE guarantees the Performing Subsidiary’s obligation. As a result, for purposes of US GAAP, we consider us to be the primary beneficiary of the AICF.

Our interest in the AICF is considered variable because the potential impact on us will vary based upon the annual actuarial assessments obtained by the AICF with respect to asbestos-related personal injury claims against certain former companies of the James Hardie Group, including ABN 60, Amaca and Amaba (which we refer to collectively as the “Former James Hardie Companies”).

Although we have no legal ownership in the AICF, we consolidate the AICF due to our pecuniary and contractual interests in the AICF as a result of the funding arrangements outlined in the AFFA. Our consolidation of the AICF resulted in a separate recognition of the asbestos liability and certain other items including the related Australian income tax benefit. Among other items, we recorded a deferred tax asset for the anticipated tax benefit related to asbestos liabilities and a corresponding increase in the asbestos liability. We believe the Performing Subsidiary is able to claim a tax deduction for contributions to the asbestos fund. Since fiscal year 2007, we have classified the expense related to the increase of the asbestos liability as asbestos adjustments and we have classified the benefit related to the recording of the related deferred tax asset as an income tax benefit (expense) on our consolidated statements of operations. See Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements in Section 2.

Business Overview

General Overview of our Business

Based on net sales, we believe we are the largest manufacturer of fibre cement products and systems for internal and external building construction applications in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines. We market our fibre cement products and systems under various Hardie brand names and other brand names such as Artisan ^® Lap and Artisan ^TM Accent Trim by James Hardie, and Cemplank ^® siding (we also formerly marketed siding under the brand name Sentry ^TM siding). We believe that, in certain applications, our fibre cement products and systems provide a combination of distinctive performance, design and cost advantages when compared to other fibre cement products and alternative products and systems that use solid wood, engineered wood, vinyl, brick, stucco or gypsum wallboard. The sale of fibre cement products in the United States accounted for 68%, 72% and 77% of our total net sales in fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Our fibre cement products are used in a number of markets, including new residential construction (single and multi-family housing), manufactured housing (mobile and pre-fabricated homes), repair and remodeling and a variety of commercial and industrial applications (stores, warehouses, offices, hotels, motels, schools, libraries, museums, dormitories, hospitals, detention facilities, religious buildings and gymnasiums). We manufacture numerous types of fibre cement products with a variety of patterned profiles and surface finishes for a range of applications, including external siding and soffit lining, internal linings, facades, fencing and floor and tile underlayments.

In contrast to some other building materials, fibre cement provides durability attributes, such as strong resistance to moisture, fire, impact and termites, requires relatively little maintenance and can be used as a substrate to create a wide variety of architectural effects with textured and colored finishes.

The breakdown of our net sales by operating segment for each of our last three fiscal years is as follows:

Industry Overview

US Housing Industry and Fibre Cement Industry

In the United States, fibre cement is principally used in the residential building industry. Such usage fluctuates based on the level of new home construction and the repair and remodeling of existing homes. The level of activity is generally a function of interest rates and the availability of finance to homeowners to purchase a new home or make improvements to their existing homes, inflation, unemployment levels, demographic trends, gross domestic product growth and consumer confidence. Demand for building products is also affected by residential housing starts and existing home sales, the age and size of the housing stock and overall home improvement expenditures. According to the US Census Bureau, annual domestic housing starts decreased from approximately 905 thousand in calendar year 2008 to approximately 587 thousand in calendar year 2010.

In the United States, the largest application for fibre cement products is in the external siding industry. Siding is a component of every building and it usually occupies more square footage than any other building component, such as windows and doors. Selection of siding material is based on installed cost, durability, aesthetic appeal, strength, weather resistance, maintenance requirements and cost, insulating properties and other features. Different regions of the United States show a decided preference among siding materials according to economic conditions, weather, materials availability and local taste. The

principal siding materials are vinyl, stucco, fibre cement, solid wood, and brick. Vinyl has the largest share of the siding market.

International Fibre Cement Industry

In Australia and New Zealand, fibre cement building products are used in both the residential and commercial building industries with applications in external siding, internal walls, ceilings, floors, soffits and fences. The residential building industry represents the principal market for fibre cement products. We believe the level of activity in this industry is generally a function of interest rates, inflation, unemployment levels, demographic trends, gross domestic product growth and consumer confidence. Demand for fibre cement building products is also affected by the level of new housing starts and renovation activity.

Fibre cement products have, across a range of product applications, gained broader acceptance in Australia and New Zealand than in the United States, primarily due to earlier introduction in Australia and New Zealand.

Australia

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (which we refer to as the ABS) total dwelling commencements in Australia increased from 138,520 in calendar year 2009 to 167,160 in calendar year 2010 with detached houses increasing from 100,820 in calendar year 2009 to 106,335 in calendar year 2010. Renovation activity, as measured in local currency expenditures by the ABS has increased from calendar year 2008 to calendar year 2010 for a total increase over this period of approximately 2.6%. The Housing Industry Association of Australia expects new housing construction and renovation activity to soften over the short-to-medium term.

Former subsidiaries of ABN 60 developed fibre cement in Australia as a replacement for asbestos cement in the early 1980s. Asbestos sheet production ceased in the early 1980s and asbestos pipe production ceased in 1987. Competition has intensified over the past decade in Australia. In addition to competition from solid wood, engineered wood, wallboard, masonry and brick, two Australian competitors have established fibre cement manufacturing facilities in Australia and fibre cement imports are also growing.

New Zealand

According to Statistics New Zealand, new dwellings consents in New Zealand decreased from approximately 15,381 for the year ended March 2010 to 14,611 for the year ended March 2011. Residential renovation activity in New Zealand has decreased from year ended March 2009 to the year ended March 2011 for a total decrease over this period of approximately 6.2%. InfoMetrics New Zealand believes new housing construction and renovation activity are expected to remain weak through calendar year 2011, with consents slightly down from 2010.

Competition continues to intensify in New Zealand as fibre cement imports have become more cost competitive and overseas manufacturers struggling with the global recession look for additional markets to their existing ones.

Philippines

In the Philippines and other Asian and Middle East (Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) markets, fibre cement building products are used in both the residential and commercial building industries with applications in ceilings, internal walls, external siding, external facades and soffits. The residential building industry represents the principal market for fibre cement products. In general, fibre cement products have, across a range of product applications, gained broader acceptance in these regions over the last decade. In the Philippines, additional imported fibre cement products have entered the market. However, in some of the developing markets, gypsum usage has increased and penetrated into fibre cement applications. Fibre cement and asbestos cement production facilities are located throughout Asia and exporting between countries is common practice. We believe that fibre cement has good long-term growth potential because of the benefits of light-weight and framed construction over traditional masonry

construction. In addition, we believe the opportunity to replace wood-based products, such as plywood, with more durable fibre cement will be attractive to some consumers in some of these markets.

Europe

In Europe, fibre cement building products are used in both residential and commercial building industries with applications in external siding, internal walls, floors, soffits and roofing. We compete in most segments except roofing and promote the use of fibre cement products against traditional masonry, gypsum based products and wood based products. Since we commenced selling our products in Europe in fiscal year 2004, we have continued to work to grow demand for our products by building awareness among distributors, builders and contractors. Management believes that the growth outlook for fibre cement in Europe is favourable in light of stricter insulation requirements driving demand for advanced cladding systems and better building practices increasing the use of fibre cement in interior applications.

Products

We manufacture fibre cement products in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. In fiscal year 2004, we commenced our European fibre cement business by distributing our fibre cement products in the United Kingdom and France. We also manufacture fibre cement pipes in Australia and previously manufactured fibre cement pipes in the United States. In May 2008, we ceased operation of our pipe business in the United States. Our total product offering is aimed at the building and construction markets, including new residential construction, manufactured housing, repair and remodeling and a variety of commercial and industrial building applications.

We offer a wide range of fibre cement products for both exterior and interior applications. In the United States and elsewhere, our products are typically sold as planks or flat sheets with a variety of patterned profiles and finishes. Planks are used for external siding while flat sheets are used for internal and external wall linings and floor and tile underlayments. Outside the United States, we also manufacture fibre cement products for use in other applications such as building facades, lattice, fencing, decorative columns, flooring, soffit lining and ceiling applications, some of which have not yet been introduced into the United States.

We developed a proprietary technology platform that enables us to produce thicker yet lighter-weight fibre cement products that are generally lighter and easier to handle than traditional building products. The first application of this technology has been our HardieTrim ^® board. HardieTrim board is a fibre cement trim product that is used on the exterior of residential and commercial construction to replace traditional wood and engineered wood trim. HardieTrim board was launched in fiscal year 1999, with the introduction of HardieTrim HLD board.

We believe that our products provide certain performance, design and cost advantages. The principal fibre cement attributes in exterior applications is durability and low maintenance, particularly when compared to competing wood and wood-based products, while offering comparable aesthetics. Our fibre cement products exhibit superior resistance to the damaging effects of moisture, fire, impact and termites compared to wood and wood-based products, which we believe has enabled us to gain a competitive advantage over competing products. Vinyl siding products generally have better durability characteristics than wood-based products, but typically cannot duplicate the superior aesthetics of fibre cement and lack the characteristics necessary for effectively accepting paint applications.

Our fibre cement products provide strength and the ability to imprint simulated patterns that closely resemble patterns and profiles of traditional materials such as wood and stucco. The surface properties provide a superior paint-holding finish to wood and engineered wood products such that the periods between necessary maintenance and repainting are longer. Compared to masonry construction, fibre cement is lightweight, physically flexible and can be cut using readily available tools. This makes fibre cement suitable for lightweight construction across a range of architectural styles. Fibre cement is well suited to both timber and steel-framed construction.

In our interior product range, our ceramic tile underlayment products provide superior handling and installation characteristics compared to fibreglass mesh cement boards. Compared to wood and wood-based products, our products provide the same general advantages that apply to external applications. In addition, our fibre cement products exhibit less movement in response to exposure to moisture than many alternative competing products, providing a more consistent and durable substrate on which to install tiles. In internal lining applications where exposure to moisture and impact damage are significant concerns, our products provide superior moisture resistance and impact resistance than traditional gypsum wet area wallboard and other competing products.

In the United States, the following new products were released over the last five years:

	•		During fiscal year 2008, we introduced Artisan â Lap siding, Artisan™ Accent Trim and HardieWrap â weather barrier.
	•		During fiscal year 2009, we introduced two new siding profiles, HardieSoffit â Beaded Porch Panel and HardieShingle â Shingle Plank.
	•		During fiscal year 2010, we introduced HardieZone â System siding products.
	•		During fiscal year 2011, we introduced new HardieShingle â siding, HardieTrim â NT3™ Boards, two new lap siding products, Artisan™ Accent Trim and HardieBacker â ProGrid™ cement board.

In Australia and New Zealand, new products released over the past five years include Axon ^â cladding, Scyon™ Stria™ siding, Secura™ Interior Flooring, Secura™ Exterior Flooring and Horizon Lining; in Australia only, new products include: Matrix™ cladding and Axent™ trim; and in New Zealand only, new products include: ShingleSide panel and CLD Cavity Battens and Rigid Air Barrier.

In the Philippines, new products released over the past five years include Hardisenepa™ Fascia Board, Hardiplank ^â Siding, Hardifloor™ Systems and Hardipattern™ Boards.

Seasonality

Our earnings are seasonal and typically follow activity levels in the building and construction industry. In the United States, the calendar quarters ending in December and March generally reflect reduced levels of building activity depending on weather conditions. In Australia and New Zealand, the calendar quarter ending in March is usually affected by a slowdown due to summer holidays. In the Philippines, construction activity diminishes during the wet season from June through September and during the last half of December due to the slowdown in business activity over the holiday period. Also, general industry patterns can be affected by weather, economic conditions, industrial disputes and other factors. See Section 3, “Additional Information for Shareholders — Risk Factors.”

Raw Materials

The principal raw materials used in the manufacture of fibre cement are cellulose fibre (wood-based pulp), silica (sand), portland cement and water. Pulp has historically demonstrated more price sensitivity than other raw materials that we use in our manufacturing process. In fiscal year 2011, the average Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (which we refer to as NBSK) pulp price was US$978 per ton, an increase of 30% compared to fiscal year 2010. Input costs are expected to remain high with NBSK pulp prices forecast to remain at or above US$1,000 per ton.

Cellulose Fibre. Reliable access to specialised, consistent quality, low cost pulp is critical to the production of fibre cement building materials. Cellulose fibre is sourced from New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and South America (Chile) and is processed to our specifications. It is further processed using our proprietary technology to provide the reinforcing material in the cement matrix of fibre cement. We have developed a high level of internal expertise in the production and use of wood-based pulps. This expertise is shared with pulp producers, which have access to appropriate raw wood stocks, in order to formulate superior reinforcing pulps. The resulting pulp formulas are typically proprietary and are the

subject of confidentiality agreements between the pulp producers and us. Moreover, we have obtained patents in the United States and in certain other countries covering certain unique aspects of our pulping formulas and processes that we believe cannot adequately be protected through confidentiality agreements. However, we cannot assure you that our intellectual property and other proprietary information will be protected in all cases. See Section 3, “Additional Information for Shareholders — Risk Factors.” We have entered into contracts that discount pulp prices in relation to various pulp indices over a longer-term and purchase our pulp from several qualified suppliers in an attempt to mitigate price increases and supply interruptions.

Silica. High purity silica is sourced locally by the various production plants. In the majority of locations, we use silica sand as a silica source. In certain other locations, however, we process quartz rock and beneficiate silica sand to ensure the quality and consistency of this key raw material.

Cement. Cement is acquired in bulk from local suppliers and is supplied on a just-in-time basis to our manufacturing facilities. The silos at each fibre cement plant hold between one and three days of our cement requirements. We continue to evaluate options on agreements with suppliers for the purchase of cement that could fix our cement prices over longer periods of time.

Water. We use local water supplies and seek to process all wastewater to comply with environmental requirements.

Sales, Marketing and Distribution

The principal markets for our fibre cement products are the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Canada, and in parts of Europe, including the United Kingdom and France. In addition, we sell fibre cement products in many other countries, including Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malta, Mexico, the Middle East (Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates), The Netherlands, Norway, various Pacific Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam. Our brand name, customer education in comparative product advantages, differentiated product range and customer service, including technical advice and assistance, provide the basis for our marketing strategy. We offer our customers support through a specialised fibre cement sales force and customer service infrastructure in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Europe (which is based out of The Netherlands). Customer service support for Europe is based out of The Netherlands. The customer service infrastructure includes inbound customer service support coordinated nationally in each country (customer service support for Canada is based out of the United States), and is complemented by outbound telemarketing capability. Within each regional market, we provide sales and marketing support to building products dealers and lumber yards and also provide support directly to the customers of these distribution channels, principally homebuilders and building contractors.

In the United States, we sell fibre cement products for new residential construction predominantly to distributors, which then sell these products to dealers or lumber yards. This two-step distribution process is supplemented with direct sales to dealers as a means of accelerating product penetration and sales. Repair and remodel products in the United States are typically sold through the large home center retailers and specialist distributors. Our top four US customers accounted for approximately 56% of our total USA and Europe Fibre Cement gross sales in fiscal year 2011. In Australia and New Zealand, both new construction and repair and remodel products are generally sold directly to distributor/hardware stores and lumber yards rather than through the two-step distribution process, which is generally used in the United States. In the Philippines, a network of thousands of small to medium size dealer outlets sells our fibre cement products to consumers, builders and real estate developers, although in recent years, do-it-yourself type stores have just started to enter the Philippines market. Physical distribution of product in each country is primarily by road or sea transport, except in the United States where transportation is primarily by road and, to a lesser extent, by rail.

We maintain dedicated regional sales management teams in our major sales territories. As of 31 May 2011, the sales teams (including telemarketing staff) consisted of approximately 267 people in the United States and Canada, 62 people in Australia, 21 people in New Zealand, 28 people in the Philippines, and

24 people in Europe. We also employ one person based in Hong Kong who functions as a regional export salesperson, and who covers markets such as South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, China and the Middle East (Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates). Our national sales managers and national account managers, together with the regional sales managers and sales representatives, maintain relationships with national and other major accounts. Our sales force includes skilled trades people who provide on-site technical advice and assistance. In some cases, sales forces manage specific product categories. For example, in the United States, there are individuals who may specialise in siding products or interior products, although recent reorganisations have integrated many of these individuals into collaborative teams. Some interior products sales representatives provide in-store merchandising support for home center retailers. We also use trade and consumer advertising and public relations campaigns to generate demand for our products. These campaigns usually explain the differentiating attributes of our fibre cement products and the suitability of our fibre cement products and systems for specific applications.

Despite the fact that distributors and dealers are generally our direct customers, we also aim to increase primary demand for our products by marketing our products directly to homeowners, architects and builders. We encourage them to specify and install James Hardie ^® products because of the quality and craftsmanship of our products. This “pull through” strategy, in turn, assists us in expanding sales for our distribution network as distributors benefit from the increasing demand for our products.

Geographic expansion of our fibre cement business has occurred in markets where framed construction is prevalent for residential applications or where there are opportunities to change building practices from masonry to framed construction. Expansion is also possible where there are direct substitution opportunities irrespective of the methods of construction. Our entry into the Philippines is an example of the ability to substitute fibre cement for an alternative product (in this case plywood). With the exception of our current major markets, as well as Japan and certain rural areas in Asia, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe, most markets in the world principally utilise masonry construction for external walls in residential construction. Accordingly, further geographic expansion depends substantially on our ability to provide alternative construction solutions and for those solutions to be accepted in those markets.

Because fibre cement products were relatively new to the Philippines, the launch of our fibre cement products in the Philippines in fiscal year 1999 was accompanied by strategies to address the particular needs of local customers and the building trade. For example, we established a carpenter training and accreditation program whereby Filipino carpenters who are unfamiliar with our products are taught installation techniques. We have also put greater emphasis on building our relationships with new home developers and builders in order to educate the market on the benefits of our products in this particular sector.

Fibre cement products manufactured in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines are exported to a number of markets in Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East (Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) by sea transport. A regional sales management team managed out of the Philippines is responsible for coordinating export sales into Asia and the Middle East (Israel, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar). A regional sales coordinator based in New Zealand is responsible for export sales to the Pacific Region.

Dependence on Trade Secrets and Research and Development

We pioneered the successful development of cellulose reinforced fibre cement and, since the 1980s, have progressively introduced products developed as a result of our proprietary product formulation and process technology. The introduction of differentiated products is one of the core components of our global business strategy. This product differentiation strategy is supported by our significant investment in research and development activities.

The following table sets forth our research and development expenditures for the three preceding fiscal years:

Our current patent portfolio is based mainly on fibre cement compositions, associated manufacturing processes and the resulting products. Our non-patented technical intellectual property consists primarily of our operating and manufacturing know-how, which is maintained as trade secret information. We have increased our abilities to effectively create, manage and utilise our intellectual property and have implemented a strategy that increasingly uses patenting, licensing, trade secret protection and joint development to protect and increase our market share. However, we cannot assure you that our intellectual property and other proprietary information will be protected in all cases. In addition, if our research and development efforts fail to generate new, innovative products or processes, our overall profit margins may decrease and demand for our products may fall.

In addition, the Company has a variety of patents and licenses; industrial, commercial and financial contracts; and manufacturing processes. While the Company is dependent on the competitive advantage that these items provide as a whole, the Company is not dependent on any one of them individually and does not consider any one of them individually to be material. We do not materially rely on intellectual property licensed from any outside third parties. See Section 3, “Additional Information for Shareholders — Risk Factors.”

Governmental Regulation

As noted above, on 17 June 2010 we moved our corporate domicile to Ireland and are now subject to Irish law in addition to the SE Regulations. In addition, we continue to operate under the regulatory requirements of numerous jurisdictions and organizations, including the ASX, ASIC, the NYSE, the SEC, the Irish Takeovers Panel and various other rulemaking bodies. See Section 3, “Additional Information for Shareholders — Memorandum and Articles of Association” for information regarding Irish company law and regulations to which we are subject.

Environmental Regulation

Our operations and properties are subject to extensive federal, state and local and foreign environmental protection and health and safety laws, regulations and ordinances. These environmental laws, among other matters, govern activities and operations that may have adverse environmental effects, such as discharges to air, soil and water, and establish standards for the handling of hazardous and toxic substances and the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes. In the United States, these environmental laws include, but are not limited to:

	•		the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act;
	•		the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act;
	•		the Clean Air Act;
	•		the Occupational Safety and Health Act;
	•		the Mine Safety and Health Act;
	•		the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act;
	•		the Clean Water Act;

	•		the Safe Drinking Water Act;
	•		the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act;
	•		the Toxic Substances Control Act;
	•		the National Environmental Policy Act; and
	•		the Endangered Species Act,

as well as analogous state, regional and local regulations. Other countries also have statutory schemes relating to the protection of the environment.

Some environmental laws provide that a current or previous owner or operator of real property may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of environmental contamination on, under, or in that property or other impacted properties. In addition, persons who arrange, or are deemed to have arranged, for the disposal or treatment of hazardous substances may also be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of environmental contamination at the disposal or treatment site, regardless of whether the affected site is owned or operated by such person. Environmental laws often impose liability whether or not the owner, operator or arranger knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such environmental contamination. Also, third parties may make claims against owners or operators of properties for personal injuries, property damage and/or for clean-up associated with releases of hazardous or toxic substances pursuant to applicable environmental laws and common law tort theories, including strict liability.

Environmental compliance costs in the future will depend, in part, on continued oversight of operations, expansion of operations and manufacturing activities, regulatory developments and future requirements that cannot presently be predicted.

Property, Plants and Equipment

We estimate that our manufacturing plants are among the largest and lowest cost fibre cement manufacturing plants in the United States. We believe that the location of our plants positions us near attractive markets in the United States while minimising our transportation costs for product distribution and raw material sourcing.

Our manufacturing plants use significant amounts of water which, after internal recycling and reuse, are eventually discharged to publicly owned treatment works (with the exception of our Blandon, Pennsylvania and Summerville, South Carolina facilities, which maintain closed loop systems, at which production was suspended at November 2007 and November 2008, respectively). The discharge of process water is monitored by us, as well as by regulators. In addition, we are subject to regulations that govern the air quality and emissions from our plants. In the past, from time to time, we have received notices of discharges in excess of our water and air permit limits. In each case, we have addressed the concerns raised in those notices, including the payment of any associated minor fines and capital expenditures associated with preventing future discharges in excess of permitted levels.

Plants and Process

Fibre Cement Building Products

We manufacture fibre cement building products in the United States and Asia Pacific. Annual design capacity is based on management’s historical experience with our production process and is calculated assuming continuous operation, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, producing 5/16” medium density product at a targeted operating speed. Annual design capacity is not necessarily reflective of our actual capacity utilisation rates for our fibre cement plants by region. Annual capacity utilisation is affected by factors such as demand, product mix, batch size, plant availability and production speeds and is usually less than annual design capacity. We manufacture products of varying thicknesses and density.

We currently have an annual design capacity of 3,390 mmsf and 520 mmsf in the United States and Asia Pacific, respectively, for our fibre cement building products. Fiscal year 2011 capacity utilisation, based on this annual design capacity, for our fibre cement building products plants was an average of 43% and 75% in the United States and Asia Pacific, respectively. As indicated above, annual design capacity is based on management’s estimates. No accepted industry standard exists for the calculation of our fibre cement manufacturing facility design and utilisation capacities.

Fibre Reinforced Concrete Pipes

We manufacture fibre reinforced concrete pipes in Australia. Our current annual design capacity for our fibre reinforced concrete pipes plant is 50 thousand tons.

Plant Locations

The location of each of our fibre cement plants is set forth below:

Fibre Cement Building Products

United States — Plants Operating

Cleburne, Texas
Peru, Illinois
Plant City, Florida
Pulaski, Virginia
Reno, Nevada
Tacoma, Washington
Waxahachie, Texas

United States — Plants Suspended

Blandon, Pennsylvania (1)

Fontana, California (2)
Summerville, South Carolina (2)

Asia Pacific

Australia

Sydney, New South Wales
Brisbane, Queensland (Carole Park) (3)

New Zealand

Auckland

The Philippines

Manila

Fibre Reinforced Concrete Pipes

Brisbane, Queensland (Meeandah) (3)

While the same basic process is used to manufacture fibre cement products at each facility, plants are designed to produce the appropriate mix of products to meet each geographic market’s specific, projected needs. The facilities were constructed and are operated so production can be efficiently adjusted in response to increased consumer demand by increasing production capacity utilisation, enhancing the economies of scale or adding additional lines to existing facilities, or making corresponding reductions in production capacity in response to weaker demand.

Except for the Waxahachie, Texas facility, we own all of our fibre cement manufacturing facilities located in the United States. The lease for the Waxahachie, Texas facility expires on 31 March 2020, at which time we have an option to purchase the facility.

Our three Australian fibre cement manufacturing facilities are not owned by us. One of the leases expires on 23 March 2016, with an option to renew the lease for two further terms of 10 years expiring in March 2036. The other two leases expire on 23 March 2019, and contain options to renew for two further terms of 10 years expiring in March 2039. There is no purchase option available under our leases related to our Australian sites. Our one New Zealand fibre cement manufacturing facility is not owned by us. The lease for our New Zealand facility expires on 22 March 2016, at which time we have an option to renew the lease for two further terms of 10 years expiring in March 2036. There is no purchase option available under our lease related to our New Zealand facility.

We own 40% of the land on which our Philippines fibre cement plant is located, and 100% of the Philippines plant itself.

Mines

We lease silica quartz mine sites in Tacoma, Washington; and Reno, Nevada. The lease for our quartz mine in Tacoma, Washington expires in February 2014 (with options to renew). The lease for our silica quartz mine site in Reno, Nevada expires in January 2014 (with options to purchase).

The Company did not have any material divestitures in the fiscal years ended 31 March 2011, 2010 and 2009.

The significant capital expenditure projects over the past three fiscal years in our USA and Europe Fibre Cement business include:

	•		commencement of a new finishing capability on an existing product line in fiscal year 2009. As of 31 March 2011, we have incurred US$22.9 million related to this project;
	•		commencement of an upgrade to our supply chain management IT systems. As of 31 March 2011, we have incurred US$4.1 million related to this project;
	•		expenditures related to a new ColorPlus line at our Cleburne plant. As of 31 March 2011, we have incurred US$5.6 million related to this project; and
	•		addition of 12 foot XLD Trim capability at our Peru, Illinois plant for US$3.6 million in fiscal year 2011.

We currently expect to spend approximately US$80 million to US$105 million in fiscal year 2012 for capital expenditures, including facility upgrades and expansions, equipment to enhance environmental compliance, and the implementation of new fibre cement technologies. We expect to fund our capital expenditures through a combination of internal cash and funds from our credit facilities.

Competitive pressures and market developments could require further increases in capital expenditures. Our financing for these capital expenditures is expected to come from cash from our future operations and from external debt to the extent that cash from operations does not cover our capital expenditures. However, if we are unable to extend our credit facilities, or are unable to renew our credit facilities on terms that are substantially similar to the ones we presently have, we may experience liquidity issues and may have to reduce our levels of planned capital expenditures to conserve cash for future cash flow requirements.

 

 

SECTION 2

 

GROUP MANAGEMENT TEAM

 

 

Our management is overseen by a Group Management Team, whose members cover the key areas of fibre cement research and development, production, manufacturing, sales, human resources, investor relations, finance and legal.

 

Members of the GMT in fiscal year 2011 were:

 

Louis Gries BSc, MBA

Chief Executive Officer

Age 57

 

Louis Gries joined James Hardie as Manager of the Fontana fibre cement plant in California in February 1991 and was appointed President of James Hardie Building Products, Inc in December 1993. Mr Gries became Executive Vice President Operations in January 2003, responsible for operations, sales and marketing in our businesses in the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe.

 

He was appointed Interim CEO in October 2004 and became CEO in February 2005. Mr Gries was elected to the Company’s Managing Board by CUFS holders at the 2005 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and continued as Chairman of the Managing Board until it was dissolved in June 2010.

 

Before he joined James Hardie, Mr Gries worked for 13 years for USG Corp, in a variety of roles in research, plant quality and production, product and plant management.

 

He has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Illinois, USA and an MBA from California State University, Long Beach, California, USA.

 

Russell Chenu BCom, MBA
Chief Financial Officer
Age 61

 

Russell Chenu joined James Hardie as Interim CFO in October 2004 and was appointed CFO in February 2005. He was elected to the Company’s Managing Board by CUFS holders at the 2005 AGM, re-elected in 2008 and continued as a member of the Managing Board until it was dissolved in June 2010.

 

Mr Chenu is an experienced corporate and finance executive who has held senior finance and management positions with a number of Australian publicly-listed companies. In a number of these senior roles, he has been engaged in significant strategic business planning and business change, including several turnarounds, new market expansions and management leadership initiatives.

 

Mr Chenu has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Australia.

 

Robert Cox BA, MA, JD
Chief Legal Officer
Age 57

 

Robert Cox commenced as James Hardie’s General Counsel in January 2008. He joined the Company’s Managing Board as Executive Director and as Company Secretary effective 7 May 2008. He was elected in 2008 and continued as a member of the Managing Board until it was dissolved in June 2010 and as Company Secretary until 29 June 2010. He was appointed Chief Legal Officer on 13 June 2011.

 

Before joining James Hardie, Mr Cox was Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary with PepsiCo Inc. During his five years with PepsiCo, Mr Cox was responsible for corporate governance and Sarbanes-Oxley/New York Stock Exchange compliance, and managed the corporate law group and the office of Corporate Secretary for the Board of Directors.

 

His experience also includes 10 years as a partner of the international law firm Bingham McCutchen LLP, at their offices in Asia and California, where he led the business and transactions practice group in corporate governance, corporate securities, mergers and acquisitions, financial services, real estate, tax and strategic technology transactions.

 

Mr Cox has a Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, California; a Master of Arts from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC, specialising in International Economics, European Studies and American Foreign Policy; and a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University in Connecticut.

 

Mark Fisher BSc, MBA
Executive General Manager – International
Age 40

 

Mark Fisher joined James Hardie in 1993 as a Production Engineer. Since then, he has worked for the Company as Finishing Manager, Production Manager and Product Manager at various locations; Sales and Marketing Manager; and as General Manager of our Europe Fibre Cement business. Mr Fisher was appointed Vice President – Specialty Products in November 2004, then Vice President – Research & Development in December 2005. In February 2008, his role was expanded to cover Engineering & Process Development.

 

In January 2010, he was appointed Executive General Manager – International, responsible for research and development, engineering, manufacturing logistics and product management, as well as the Company’s non-US businesses.

 

Mr Fisher has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from University of Southern California.

 

Sean O’Sullivan BA, MBA
Vice President – Investor & Media Relations
Age 46

 

Sean O’Sullivan joined James Hardie as Vice President – Investor & Media Relations in December 2008. For the eight years prior to joining James Hardie, Mr O’Sullivan was Head of Investor Relations at St. George Bank, where he established and led the investor relations function.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr O’Sullivan’s background includes thirteen years as a fund manager for GIO Asset Management, responsible for domestic and global investments. During this period, he spent time on secondment with McKinsey and Co, completing a major study into the Australian financial services industry. Mr O’Sullivan’s final position at GIO was General Manager of Diversified Investments where his responsibilities included determining the asset allocation for over A$10 billion in funds under management. After leaving the GIO, Mr O’Sullivan worked for Westpac Banking Corporation in funds management sales.

 

He has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Sydney University and an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

 

Nigel Rigby
Executive General Manager – USA
Age 44

 

Nigel Rigby joined James Hardie in 1998 as a Planning Manager for our New Zealand business and has held a number of sales, marketing and product and business development roles with the Company. In November 2004, Mr Rigby was appointed Vice President – Emerging Markets and in 2006 he was named Vice President – General Manager Northern Division. In November 2008, he became Vice President – General Manager of the Company’s newly-formed US Eastern Division, responsible for the former Northern and Southern Division markets and plants.

 

In January 2010, he was appointed Executive General Manager – USA, responsible for the US business.

 

Before joining us, Mr Rigby held various management positions at Fletcher Challenge, a New Zealand based company involved in energy, pulp and paper, forestry and building materials.

 

None of the persons above has any familial relationship with each other or with the Board of Directors listed below. In addition, none of the individuals listed above is party to any arrangement or understanding with a major shareholder, customer, supplier or other entity, pursuant to which any of the above was selected as a member of senior management.

 

 

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

 

 

James Hardie’s directors have widespread experience, spanning general management, finance, law and accounting. Each director also brings valuable international experience that assists with James Hardie’s growth.

 

Michael Hammes BS, MBA
Age 69

 

Michael Hammes was elected as an independent Non-Executive Director of James Hardie in February 2007. He was appointed Chairman of the Board in January 2008 and is a member of the Audit Committee, the Remuneration Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee. Mr Hammes was also a member of the Re-domicile Due Diligence Committee.

 

Experience : Mr Hammes has extensive commercial experience at a senior executive level. He has held a number of executive positions in the medical products, hardware and home improvement, and automobile sectors, including CEO and Chairman of Sunrise Medical, Inc (2000-2007), Chairman and CEO of Guide Corporation (1998-2000), Chairman and CEO of Coleman Company, Inc (1993-1997), Vice Chairman of Black & Decker Corporation (1992-1993) and various senior executive roles with Chrysler Corporation (1986-1990) and Ford Motor Company (1979-1986).

 

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Lead Director of Navistar International Corporation (since 1996) and DynaVox Mayer-Johnson (listed in April 2010).

 

Other: Resident of the United States.

 

Last elected: August 2009

 

Donald McGauchie AO
Age 61

 

Donald McGauchie joined James Hardie as an independent Non-Executive Director in August 2003 and was appointed Acting Deputy Chairman in February 2007 and Deputy Chairman in April 2007. He is a member of the Board, Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee and a member of the Remuneration Committee.

 

Experience : Mr McGauchie has wide commercial experience within the food processing, commodity trading, finance and telecommunication sectors. He also has extensive public policy experience, having previously held several high-level advisory positions to the Australian Government.

 

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Chairman (since August 2010) and Director (since May 2010) of Australian Agricultural Company Limited; Chairman (since July 2010) and Director (since 2003) of Nufarm Limited; Director of GrainCorp Limited (since 2009). Former – Chairman of Telstra Corporation Limited (2004-2009).

 

Other: Chairman Australian Wool Testing Authority (since 2005) and Director since 1999; Former Director of The Reserve Bank of Australia (2001-2011); resident of Australia.

 

Last elected: August 2010

 

Brian Anderson BS, MBA, CPA
Age 61

 

Brian Anderson was appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director of James Hardie in December 2006. He is a member of the Board, Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of the Remuneration Committee. Mr Anderson was also Chairman of the Re-domicile Due Diligence Committee.

 

Experience : Mr Anderson has extensive financial and business experience at both executive and board levels. He has held a variety of senior positions, with thirteen years at Baxter International, Inc, including Corporate Vice President of Finance, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (1997-2004) and, more recently, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of OfficeMax, Inc (2004-2005). Earlier in his career, Mr Anderson was an Audit Partner of Deloitte & Touche LLP (1986-1991).

 

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Chairman (since April 2010) and Director (since 2005) of A.M. Castle & Co.; Director of Pulte Homes Corporation (since September 2005); Director (since 1999) and Lead Director (since April 2011) of W.W. Grainger, Inc.

 

Other: Resident of the United States.

 

Last elected: August 2009

 

David Dilger CBE, BA, FCA
Age 54

 

David Dilger was appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director of James Hardie in September 2009. He is a member of the Board, the Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

 

Experience:   Mr Dilger has substantial experience in multinational manufacturing operations and a strong finance background. He has held a number of senior executive positions, including CEO of Greencore Group plc (1995-2008), CEO of Food Industries plc (1988-1991) and CFO of Woodchester Investments (1984-1988).

 

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Non-executive director of The Bank of Ireland plc (2003-2009) serving as Senior Independent Director (2007-2009).

 

Other: Former Chairman of Dublin Airport Authority plc (2009-2011); resident of Ireland.

 

Last elected: August 2010

 

David Harrison BA, MBA, CMA
Age 64

 

David Harrison was appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director of James Hardie in May 2008. He is a member of the Board, Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and a member of the Audit Committee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experience : Mr Harrison is an experienced company director with a finance background, having served in corporate finance roles, international operations and information technology during 22 years with Borg Warner/General Electric Co. His previous experience includes ten years at Pentair, Inc., as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (1994-1996 and 2000-2007) and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer roles at Scotts, Inc. and Coltec Industries, Inc. (1996-2000).

 

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Director National Oilwell Varco (since 2003); Director Navistar International Corporation (since 2007).

 

Other: Resident of the United States.

 

Last elected: August 2010

 

James Osborne BA Hons, LLB
Age 62

 

James Osborne was appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director of James Hardie in March 2009. He is a member of the Board and the Nominating and Governance Committee. Mr Osborne was also a member of the Re-domicile Due Diligence Committee.

 

Experience : Mr Osborne is an experienced company director with a strong legal background and a considerable knowledge of international businesses operating in North America and Europe. His career includes 35 years with the leading Irish law firm, A&L Goodbody, including as managing partner (1982-1994) and opening the firm’s New York office in 1979. Mr Osborne contributed to the listing of Ryanair in London, New York and Dublin and has served on its Board since 1996.

 

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Director, Ryanair Holdings plc (since 1996); Former – Chairman, Newcourt Group plc (2004-2009).

 

Other: Chairman, Eason & Son Ltd (since August 2010), Chairman, Centric Health (since March 2011); resident of Ireland.

 

Last elected: August 2009

 

Rudy van der Meer M.Ch.Eng
Age 66

 

Rudy van der Meer was elected as an independent Non-Executive Director of James Hardie in February 2007. He is a member of the Board and the Nominating and Governance Committee.

 

Experience : Mr van der Meer is an experienced former executive, with considerable knowledge of international business and the building and construction sector. During his 32-year association with Akzo Nobel N.V., he held a number of senior positions including CEO – Coatings (2000-2005), CEO – Chemicals (1993-2000), and member of the five person Executive Board (1993-2005).

 

Directorships of listed companies in the past five years: Current – Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Imtech N.V. (since 2005); Director LyondellBasell Industries NV (since August 2010); Former – Member of the Supervisory Board of Hagemeyer N.V. (2006-2008).

 

Other: Chairman of the Board of Energie Beheer Nederland B.V. (since 2006); Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Univé-VGZ-IZA-Trias (UVIT) Health Insurance (since May 2011); resident of The Netherlands.

 

Last elected: August 2009

 

Our CEO, Louis Gries, is an Executive Director on the company’s Board. Mr Gries’ biographical details appear in the Group Management Team section.

 

None of the persons above has any familial relationship with each other or with the Group Management Team. In addition, none of the individuals listed above is party to any arrangement or understanding with a major shareholder, customer, supplier or other entity, pursuant to which any of the above was selected as a director.

 

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

 

 

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and Notes to consolidated financial statements in this annual report.

 

OVERVIEW

 

We intend this discussion to provide information that will assist in understanding our 31 March 2011 consolidated financial statements, the changes in significant items in those consolidated financial statements from year to year, and the primary reasons for those changes and the factors and trends which are anticipated to have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations in future periods. This discussion includes information about our critical accounting estimates and how these estimates affect our consolidated financial statements, and information about the consolidated financial results of each business segment to provide a better understanding of how each segment and its results affect our financial condition and results of operations as a whole.

 

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with US GAAP. Our discussion in this section includes several non-GAAP measures to provide additional information concerning our performance. We believe that these non-GAAP measures enhance an investor’s overall understanding of our financial performance by being more reflective of our core operational activities and to be more comparable with our financial results over various periods. In addition, we use non-GAAP financial measures internally for strategic decision making, forecasting future results and evaluating current performance. Non-GAAP financial measures include:

 

 

We have reconciled these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable US GAAP financial measure for fiscal years 2011 and 2010 in the “Definitions” section below at the end of our “Results of Operations” discussion. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with US GAAP; therefore, the information is not necessarily comparable to other companies’ financial information and should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding measures calculated in accordance with US GAAP.

 

Our pre-tax results for fiscal years 2011 and 2010 were affected by unfavourable asbestos adjustments of US$85.8 million and US$224.2 million, respectively; Asbestos Injuries Compensation Fund (which we refer to as AICF) SG&A expenses of US$2.2 million and US$2.1 million, respectively; and ASIC related (recoveries) expenses of US$(8.7) million and US$3.4 million, respectively. Information regarding our asbestos-related matters and ASIC matters can be found in this discussion and Notes 11 and 13 in our consolidated financial statements.

 

The Company and the Building Product Markets

Based on net sales, we believe we are the largest manufacturer of fibre cement products and systems for internal and external building construction applications in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Our current primary geographic markets include the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Europe and Canada. Through significant research and development expenditure, we develop key product and production process technologies that we patent or hold as trade secrets. We believe that these technologies give us a competitive advantage.

 

Our fibre cement products are used in a number of markets, including new residential construction (single and multi-family housing), manufactured housing (mobile and pre-fabricated homes), repair and remodeling and a variety of commercial and industrial applications (stores, warehouses, offices, hotels, motels, schools, libraries, museums, dormitories, hospitals, detention facilities, religious buildings and gymnasiums). We manufacture numerous types of fibre cement products with a variety of patterned profiles and surface finishes for a range of applications, including external siding and soffit lining, internal linings, facades, fencing and floor and tile underlayments.

 

Our products are primarily sold in the residential housing markets. Residential construction levels fluctuate based on new home construction activity and the repair and renovation of existing homes. These levels of activity are affected by many factors, including home mortgage interest rates, the availability of financing to homeowners to purchase a new home or make improvements to their existing homes, inflation rates, unemployment levels, existing home sales, the average age and the size of housing inventory, consumer home repair and renovation spending, gross domestic product growth and consumer confidence levels. A number of these factors continued to be generally unfavourable during fiscal year 2011, resulting in weaker residential construction activity, particularly in the United States and New Zealand.

 

Our earnings are seasonal and typically follow activity levels in the building and construction industry. In the United States, the calendar quarters ending December and March reflect reduced levels of building activity depending on weather conditions. In Australia and New Zealand, the calendar quarter ending March is usually affected by a slowdown due to summer holidays. In the Philippines, construction activity diminishes during the wet season from June to September and during the last half of December due to a slowdown in business activity over the holiday period. Also, general industry patterns can be affected by weather, economic conditions, industrial disputes and other factors.

 

Fiscal Year 2011 Key Results

Total net sales increased 4% to US$1,167.0 million in fiscal year 2011. We recorded an operating income of US$104.7 million in fiscal year 2011 compared to an operating loss of US$21.0 million in fiscal year 2010. The operating income (loss) in fiscal years 2011 and 2010 was adversely affected by unfavourable asbestos adjustments of US$85.8 million and US$224.2 million, respectively. Operating profit excluding asbestos and ASIC expenses decreased 12% to US$184.0 million in fiscal year 2011 from US$208.7 million in fiscal year 2010.

 

Net income excluding asbestos, ASIC expenses and tax adjustments decreased 12% to US$116.7 million in fiscal year 2011 from US$133.0 million in fiscal year 2010. Including asbestos, ASIC expenses and tax adjustments, net income moved from a loss of US$84.9 million to a loss of US$347.0 million. In fiscal year 2011, tax adjustments include a charge of US$345.2 million related to the dismissal of RCI Pty Ltd’s (which we refer to as RCI) appeal of the 1999 disputed amended tax assessment, which did not result in a cash outflow for the year ended 31 March 2011. Also included in tax adjustments for fiscal year 2011 was a charge of US$32.6 million related to our corporate structure simplification announced on 17 May 2011.

 

Our largest market is North America. During fiscal year 2011, USA and Europe Fibre Cement net sales contributed approximately 70% of total net sales, and its operating income was the primary contributor to the total Company results. Net sales for our USA and Europe Fibre Cement business

 

 

 

 

 

 

decreased 2% due to lower sales volume, partially offset by a higher average net sales price.

 

Operating income for our USA and Europe Fibre Cement segment decreased 23% in fiscal year 2011 from fiscal year 2010 primarily due to an increase in input costs (primarily pulp and freight), lower sales volume, unfavourable cost absorption driven by lower production volume and higher labour cost per unit manufactured, and unfavourable manufacturing performance, partially offset by a higher average net sales price and a reduction in SG&A expense.

 

During fiscal year 2011, Asia Pacific net sales contributed approximately 30% of total net sales. Net sales increased 19% due to favourable currency exchange rates movements in the Asia Pacific business’ currencies compared to the US dollar and an increase in sales volume and average net sales price.

 

We do not believe that general inflation has had a significant impact on our results of operations for the fiscal years ended 31 March 2011, 2010 and 2009.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

The accounting policies affecting our financial condition and results of operations are more fully described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements. Certain of our accounting policies require the application of judgment by management in selecting appropriate assumptions for calculating financial estimates, which inherently contain some degree of uncertainty. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the reported carrying value of assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses that may not be readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions and conditions. We consider the following policies to be the most critical in understanding the judgments that are involved in preparing our consolidated financial statements and the uncertainties that could impact our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

 

Accounting for Contingencies

We account for loss contingencies arising from contingent obligations when the obligations are probable and the amounts are reasonably estimable. As facts concerning contingencies become known, we reassess our situation and make appropriate adjustments to the consolidated financial statements.

 

Accounting for the AFFA

Prior to 31 March 2007, our consolidated financial statements included an asbestos provision based on the Original Final Funding Agreement governing our anticipated future payments to the AICF as announced on 1 December 2005 (which we refer to as the Original FFA).

 

In February 2007, the AFFA was approved to provide long-term funding to the AICF, a special purpose fund that provides compensation for Australian asbestos-related personal injury and death claims for which certain former subsidiaries of the James Hardie Group, including ABN 60, Amaca and Amaba are found liable.

 

The amount of the asbestos liability reflects the terms of the AFFA, which has been calculated by reference to (but is not exclusively based upon) the most recent actuarial estimate of projected future cash flows prepared by KPMG Actuarial. Based on their assumptions, KPMG Actuarial arrived at a range of possible total cash flows and proposed a central estimate which is intended to reflect an expected outcome. The Company views the central estimate as the best estimate for recording the asbestos liability in the Company’s financial statements. The asbestos liability includes these cash flows as undiscounted and uninflated, on the basis that it is inappropriate to discount or inflate future cash flows when the timing and amounts of such cash flows is not fixed or readily determinable.

 

The asbestos liability also includes an allowance for the future operating costs of the AICF.

 

In estimating the potential financial exposure, KPMG Actuarial has made a number of assumptions. These include an estimate of the total number of claims by disease type which are reasonably estimated to be asserted through 2071, the typical average cost of a claim settlement (which is sensitive to, among other factors, the industry in which the plaintiff claims exposure, the alleged disease type and the jurisdiction in which the action is being brought), the legal costs incurred in the litigation of such claims, the proportion of claims for which liability is repudiated, the rate of receipt of claims, the settlement strategy in dealing with outstanding claims, the timing of settlements of future claims and the long-term rate of inflation of claim awards and legal costs.

 

Due to inherent uncertainties in the legal and medical environment, the number and timing of future claim notifications and settlements, the recoverability of claims against insurance contracts, and estimates of future trends in average claim awards, as well as the extent to which the above-named entities will contribute to the overall settlements, the actual amount of liability could differ materially from that which is currently projected and could result in significant debits or credits to the consolidated balance sheet and statement of operations.

 

An updated actuarial assessment is performed as of 31 March each year. Any changes in the estimate will be reflected as a charge or credit to the consolidated statements of operations for the year then ended. Material adverse changes to the actuarial estimate would have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Sales Rebates and Discounts

We record estimated reductions to sales for customer rebates and discounts including volume, promotional, cash and other rebates and discounts. Rebates and discounts are recorded based on management’s best estimate when products are sold. The estimates are based on historical experience for similar programs and products. Management reviews these rebates and discounts on an ongoing basis and the related accruals are adjusted, if necessary, as additional information becomes available.

 

Accounts Receivable

We evaluate the collectability of accounts receivable on an ongoing basis based on historical bad debts, customer credit-worthiness, current economic trends and changes in our customer payment activity. An allowance for doubtful accounts is provided for known and estimated bad debts. Although credit losses have historically been within our expectations, we cannot guarantee that we will continue to experience the same credit loss rates that we have in the past. Because our accounts receivable are concentrated in a relatively small number of customers, a significant change in the liquidity or financial position of any of these customers could impact their ability to make payments and result in the need for additional allowances which would decrease our net sales.

 

Inventory

Inventories are recorded at the lower of cost or market. In order to determine market, management regularly reviews inventory quantities on hand and evaluates significant items to determine whether they are excess, slow-moving or obsolete. The estimated value of excess, slow-moving and obsolete inventory is recorded as a reduction to inventory and an expense in cost of sales in the period it is identified. This estimate requires

 

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

(CONTINUED)

 

 

management to make judgments about the future demand for inventory, and is therefore at risk to change from period to period. If our estimate for the future demand for inventory is greater than actual demand and we fail to reduce manufacturing output accordingly, we could be required to record additional inventory reserves, which would have a negative impact on our gross profit.

 

Accrued Warranty Reserve

We have offered, and continue to offer, various warranties on our products, including a 30-year limited warranty on certain of our fibre cement siding products in the United States. Because our fibre cement products have only been used in North America since the early 1990s, there is a risk that these products will not perform in accordance with our expectations over an extended period of time. A typical warranty program requires that we replace defective products within a specified time period from the date of sale. We record an estimate for future warranty-related costs based on an analysis by us, which includes the historical relationship of warranty costs to installed product. Based on this analysis and other factors, we adjust the amount of our warranty provisions as necessary. Although our warranty costs have historically been within calculated estimates, if our experience is significantly different from our estimates, it could result in the need for additional reserves.

 

Accounting for Income Tax

We recognise deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities for the expected tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which we expect the differences to reverse. We record a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that we are more likely than not to realise. We must assess whether, and to what extent, we can recover our deferred tax assets. If full or partial recovery is unlikely, we must increase our income tax expense by recording a valuation allowance against the portion of deferred tax assets that we cannot recover. We believe that we will recover all of the deferred tax assets recorded (net of valuation allowance) on our consolidated balance sheet at 31 March 2011. However, if facts later indicate that we will be unable to recover all or a portion of our net deferred tax assets, our income tax expense would increase in the period in which we determine that recovery is unlikely.

 

We evaluate our uncertain tax positions in accordance with the guidance for accounting for uncertainty in income taxes. We believe that our reserve for uncertain tax positions, including related interest, is adequate. Due to our size and the nature of our business, we are subject to ongoing reviews by taxing jurisdictions on various tax matters, including challenges to various positions we assert on our income tax returns. The amounts ultimately paid upon resolution of these matters could be materially different from the amounts previously included in our income tax expense and therefore could have a material impact on our tax provision, net income and cash flows. Positions taken by an entity in its income tax returns must satisfy a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, assuming that the positions will be examined by taxing authorities with full knowledge of all relevant information, in order for the positions to be recognised in the consolidated financial statements. Each quarter we evaluate the income tax positions taken, or expected to be taken, to determine whether these positions meet the more-likely-than-not threshold. We are required to make subjective judgments and assumptions regarding our income tax exposures and must consider a variety of factors, including the current tax statutes and the current status of audits performed by tax authorities in each tax jurisdiction. To the extent an uncertain tax position is resolved for an amount that varies from the recorded estimated liability, our income tax expense in a given financial statement period could be materially affected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

(CONTINUED)

 

 

attributed to flatbed truck supply constraints (as the broader US economy recovers), higher fuel costs and product mix shifts.

 

Notwithstanding improved affordability, increasing levels of household formation and falling inventories of new and existing houses for sale, a recovery in the sector continues to be inhibited by a combination of factors such as relatively low levels of consumer confidence, limited access to credit for prospective home buyers, falling housing values and the continued supply of foreclosed properties.

 

Asia Pacific Fibre Cement Net Sales. Net sales increased 19% from US$296.5 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$353.0 million in fiscal year 2011. The higher value of the Asia Pacific business’ currencies against the US dollar accounted for 12% of this increase. The underlying Australian dollar business results accounted for the remaining 7% increase, as both sales volume and average net sales price increased.

 

Asia Pacific Fibre Cement sales volume was up 5% in fiscal year 2011 compared to fiscal year 2010 as a strong sales effort across the region and particularly in Australia delivered improved results. When combined with the sustained growth in primary demand for fibre cement and market share gains, these factors helped to offset a moderation in market conditions in the second half of fiscal year 2011.

 

In Australia, increases in mortgage interest rates, along with wet weather along the eastern seaboard and the end of the government social housing construction initiative, had a dampening effect upon the Australian residential housing construction market in the fourth quarter. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), total dwellings approved increased 3% compared to fiscal year 2010, with detached houses down 10%.

 

In Australia, the Scyon ^tm branded product range continued to build momentum over the course of fiscal year 2011. In New Zealand, the business faced continued challenges as business and consumer confidence fell during fiscal year 2011 and subsequently the construction of residential houses fell to historically low levels. The business has also had to contend with increased competition from imported products. In the Philippines, sales volume decreased slightly in fiscal year 2011 compared to fiscal year 2010. Improved sales of differentiated products and relatively strong underlying market conditions during fiscal year 2011 were partially offset by a mechanical failure during the second quarter.

 

Gross Profit. Gross profit decreased 6% from US$416.1 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$391.9 million in fiscal year 2011. The gross profit margin decreased 3.4 percentage points from 37.0% in fiscal year 2010 to 33.6% in fiscal year 2011.

 

USA and Europe Fibre Cement gross profit decreased 16% compared to fiscal year 2010, of which 9% was due to an increase in input costs (primarily pulp and freight), 6% due to lower sales volume and 6% due to unfavourable cost absorption and higher labour cost per unit manufactured driven primarily by lower production volume, partially offset by a 5% benefit from an increase in average net sales price. The gross profit margin of the USA and Europe Fibre Cement business decreased by 5.6 percentage points.

 

Asia Pacific Fibre Cement gross profit increased 30% compared to fiscal year 2010, of which 13% resulted from favourable currency exchange rate movements in the Asia Pacific business’ currencies compared to the US dollar. In Australian dollars, gross profit increased 17%, of which 9% was due to an increase in average net sales price, 5% due to higher sales volume, 4% due to improved manufacturing performance and 3% due to lower fixed unit cost of manufacturing as fixed costs were spread over higher production volume, partially offset by a 3% detriment due to increased pulp costs and 1% detriment due to a mechanical failure in the Philippines facility that occurred during the second quarter of fiscal year 2011. The gross profit margin of the Asia Pacific Fibre Cement business increased by 2.8 percentage points.

 

Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses. SG&A expenses decreased 7%, from US$185.8 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$173.4 million in fiscal year 2011. The decrease was primarily due to recoveries from third parties of US$10.3 million related to the costs of bringing and defending appeals for certain of the ten former officers and directors involved in the ASIC proceedings, partially offset by higher SG&A expenses in the Asia Pacific Fibre Cement segment. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expenses declined 1.6 percentage points to 14.9%. Further information on general corporate costs is included below.

 

ASIC Proceedings

For the year ended 31 March 2011, we incurred legal costs related to the ASIC proceedings of US$1.6 million. Our cumulative net costs in relation to the ASIC proceedings from their commencement in February 2007 to 31 March 2011 have totalled US$14.4 million.

 

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2011, we entered into agreements with third parties and subsequently received payment for US$10.3 million related to the costs of the ASIC proceedings for certain of the ten former officers and directors. This resulted in a net benefit of US$8.7 million in fiscal year 2011, compared to an expense of US$3.4 million in fiscal year 2010. ASIC recoveries are included as a component of SG&A expense for the year ended 31 March 2011.

 

See Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements for further information on the ASIC Proceedings.

 

Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses include costs associated with “core” research projects that are designed to benefit all business units. These costs are recorded in the Research and Development segment rather than being attributed to individual business units. These costs were 8% higher for fiscal year 2011 at US$16.9 million compared to fiscal year 2010.

 

Other research and development costs associated with commercialisation projects in business units are included in the business unit segment results. In total, these costs were 3% lower for the fiscal year 2011 at US$11.1 million compared to fiscal year 2010.

 

Asbestos Adjustments. The Company’s asbestos adjustments are derived from an estimate of future Australian asbestos-related liabilities in accordance with the Amended and Restated Final Funding Agreement (AFFA) that was signed with the New South Wales (NSW) Government in November 2006 and approved by the Company’s security holders in February 2007.

 

The discounted central estimate of the asbestos liability has decreased from A$1.537 billion at 31 March 2010 to A$1.478 billion at 31 March 2011. The reduction in the discounted central estimate of A$59 million is primarily due to a reduction in the projected future number of claims to be reported for a number of disease types.

 

The asbestos-related assets and liabilities are denominated in Australian dollars. Therefore the reported value of these asbestos-related assets and liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets in US dollars is subject to adjustment, with a corresponding effect on our Consolidated Statement of Operations, depending on the closing exchange rate between the two currencies at the balance sheet date.

 

For fiscal year 2011, the Australian dollar appreciated against the US dollar by 13%, compared to a 33% appreciation in fiscal year 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Company receives an updated actuarial estimate as of 31 March each year. The last actuarial assessment was performed as of 31 March 2011. The asbestos adjustments for the fiscal years ended 31 March 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

 

Claims Data

The number of new claims filed in fiscal year 2011 of 494 is lower than new claims of 535 reported for fiscal year 2010, and below actuarial expectations for the fiscal year 2011.

 

The number of settled claims in fiscal year 2011 of 459 is lower than claims settled of 540 for the fiscal year 2010.

 

The average claim settlement of A$204,000 for fiscal year 2011 is A$13,000 higher than fiscal year 2010 but below the actuarial expectations for fiscal year 2011.

 

Asbestos claims paid of A$100.6 million for fiscal year 2011 were lower than the actuarial expectation of A$117.0 million. The lower-than-expected expenditure was due to lower settlement activity and lower-than-expected claim settlement sizes.

 

All figures provided in this Claims Data section are gross of insurance and other recoveries. See Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements for further information on asbestos adjustments.

 

Operating Income (Loss). Operating income moved from a loss of US$21.0 million in fiscal year 2010 to income of US$104.7 million in fiscal year 2011. Fiscal year 2011 operating income includes net unfavourable asbestos adjustments of US$85.8 million, AICF SG&A expenses of US$2.2 million and a net benefit related to the ASIC proceedings of US$8.7 million. In fiscal year 2010, operating loss included net unfavourable asbestos adjustments of US$224.2 million, AICF SG&A expense of US$2.1 million and ASIC expenses of US$3.4 million.

 

USA and Europe Fibre Cement operating income fell 23% from US$208.5 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$160.3 million in fiscal year 2011. The decrease was primarily due to an increase in input costs (primarily pulp and freight), lower sales volume, unfavourable cost absorption driven by lower production volume and higher labour cost per unit manufactured, and unfavourable manufacturing performance, partially offset by a higher average net sales price and a reduction in SG&A expenses. The USA and Europe Fibre Cement operating income margin was 5.5 percentage points lower at 19.7%.

 

Asia Pacific Fibre Cement operating income increased 35% from US$58.7 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$79.4 million in fiscal year 2011, of which 13% was attributed to appreciation of the Asia Pacific business’ currencies compared to the US dollar. In Australian dollars, Asia Pacific Fibre Cement operating income increased 22% primarily due to an increase in average net sales price, higher sales volume, lower fixed unit cost of manufacturing as fixed costs were spread over higher production volume and improved manufacturing performance, partially offset by higher input costs (primarily pulp) and a mechanical failure in the Philippines facility that temporarily halted production during the second quarter of fiscal year 2011. The Asia Pacific Fibre Cement operating income margin was 2.7 percentage points higher at 22.5%.

 

General Corporate Costs. General corporate costs decreased 37% from US$42.9 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$26.9 million in fiscal year 2011. General corporate costs in fiscal year 2011 have been materially impacted by US$10.3 million recovered from third parties in respect of prior period ASIC expenses.

 

ASIC expenses moved from an expense of US$3.4 million in fiscal year 2010 to a benefit of US$8.7 million in fiscal year 2011.

 

General corporate costs excluding ASIC expenses and domicile change related costs for fiscal year 2011 increased from US$30.4 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$33.8 million in fiscal year 2011 primarily due to a US$7.6 million non-recurring write-back of a legal provision recognised in fiscal year 2010.

 

Net Interest Expense. Net interest expense increased from US$4.0 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$4.4 million in fiscal year 2011. Net interest expense in fiscal year 2011 includes a realised loss of US$3.9 million on interest rate swaps and interest and borrowing costs relating to our external credit facilities of US$5.0 million, partially offset by AICF interest income of US$4.3 million. Net interest expense for fiscal year 2010 includes a realised loss on interest rate swaps of US$2.5 million and interest and borrowing costs relating to our external credit facilities of US$2.2 million, partially offset by AICF interest income of US$3.3 million.

 

Other (expense) income. Other expense moved from income of US$6.3 million in fiscal year 2010 to an expense of US$3.7 million in fiscal year 2011. This movement is primarily due to an unrealised loss resulting from a change in the fair value of interest rate swap contracts of US$3.8 million in fiscal year 2011, compared to an unrealised loss of US$0.4 million in fiscal year 2010. In addition, a realised gain of US$6.7 million was recognised in fiscal year 2010, which resulted from the sale of restricted short-term investments held by AICF that did not recur in fiscal year 2011.

 

Income tax. Income tax expense increased from US$66.2 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$443.6 million in fiscal year 2011, as further explained below. Our effective tax rate on earnings excluding asbestos and tax adjustments was 31.1% in fiscal year 2011, compared to 34.4% in fiscal year 2010. The change in effective tax rate excluding asbestos and tax adjustments compared to fiscal year 2010 is attributable to changes in the geographic mix of earnings and expenses, and reductions in non-tax deductible expenses.

 

We recorded unfavourable tax adjustments of US$380.7 million in fiscal year 2011 compared to favourable tax adjustments of US$2.9 million in fiscal year 2010. The tax adjustments in fiscal year 2011 reflect a US$32.6 million tax charge arising from our corporate structure simplification and a non-cash expense of US$345.2 million following the dismissal of RCI’s appeal of the 1999 disputed amended tax assessment.

 

RCI strongly disputes the amended assessment and is pursuing an appeal of the Federal Court’s judgment. RCI’s appeal was heard from 16 May 2011 to 18 May 2011 before the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia. Judgment has been reserved.

 

With effect from 1 September 2010, we have expensed payments of GIC to the ATO until RCI ultimately prevails on the matter or the remaining outstanding balance of the amended assessment is paid. See Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements for further information on the ATO Amended Assessment.

 

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

(CONTINUED)

 

 

Net Loss. Net loss for fiscal year 2011 was US$347.0 million, compared to US$84.9 million for fiscal year 2010. Net income excluding asbestos, ASIC expenses and tax adjustments decreased 12% from US$133.0 million in fiscal year 2010 to US$116.7 million in fiscal year 2011.

 

Year Ended 31 March 2010 Compared to Year Ended 31 March 2009

The following table shows our selected financial and operating data for continuing operations for fiscal years 2010 and 2009, expressed in millions of US dollars, unless otherwise stated.

 

 

Total Net Sales. Total net sales decreased 6% from US$1,202.6 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$1,124.6 million in fiscal year 2010 reflecting the ongoing decline in US housing activity.

 

USA and Europe Fibre Cement Net Sales. Net sales decreased 11% from US$929.3 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$828.1 million in fiscal year 2010 due to lower sales volume, partially offset by a higher average net sales price.

 

Sales volume decreased 15% from 1,526.6 million square feet in fiscal year 2009 to 1,303.7 million square feet in fiscal year 2010, primarily due to weaker demand for our products in the United States as a result of the downturn in activity in the US housing construction and renovations market amid overall weak economic conditions. Although housing affordability has improved, the reduced availability of mortgage credit for prospective home buyers, the large inventory of homes for sale and relatively low consumer confidence continued to negatively affect demand.

 

The average net sales price increased 4% from US$609 per msf in fiscal year 2009 to US$635 per msf in fiscal year 2010 as a result of a price increase early in fiscal year 2010 and a favourable shift in product mix.

 

According to the US Census Bureau, annualised seasonally-adjusted single family housing starts in March 2010 were 531,000, still significantly below the January 2006 peak of 1.823 million annualised starts.

 

For the full year ended 31 March 2010, the NBSK pulp price was US$761 per ton, 7% down compared to US$814 per ton for the prior year; however during the course of the year, key raw material and energy costs increased. The average pulp price in the fourth quarter was 24% higher than in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, and 9% higher than in the third quarter of fiscal year 2010 as a result of continued strong demand, especially from China, and the effects on supply of the Chilean earthquake in February 2010.

 

Although production capacity has been re-commissioned as the NBSK pulp price index has risen, the price of pulp is expected to remain high in the immediate to medium term. In April 2010, the average NBSK pulp price rose to US$939 per ton.

 

Similarly, freight costs were lower for fiscal year 2010, compared to fiscal year 2009. However, freight costs rose in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2010, compared to the third quarter of fiscal year 2010 and the fourth

 

 

 

 

 

 

quarter of fiscal year 2009, in response to significantly higher diesel prices amid emerging signs of a recovery in the United States economy.

 

Over the full year, the ColorPlus ^® product range continued to increase its penetration rate.

 

The Company’s strategy remains unchanged, with the focus continuing to be on primary demand growth, product mix shift and zero to landfill.

 

Asia Pacific Fibre Cement Net Sales. Net sales from Asia Pacific Fibre Cement increased 9% from US$273.3 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$296.5 million in fiscal year 2010. The higher value of the Asia Pacific business’ currencies against the US dollar accounted for 7% of the increase, while the remaining 2% of the increase was due to the underlying Australian dollar business results. In Australian dollars, net sales increased 2% due to an increase in average net sales price.

 

ABS reported a 16% increase in housing approvals in fiscal year 2010 compared to the fiscal year 2009.

 

Asia Pacific sales volume was stable as increasing volume in Australia and the Philippines was offset by an 11% decrease in New Zealand volume, due to a weaker domestic market in fiscal year 2010, compared to fiscal year 2009.

 

In Australia, the Scyon ^tm branded product range continued to build momentum over the course of the fiscal year. In New Zealand, sales of differentiated products also grew in fiscal year 2010. Similarly, in the Philippines, sales of differentiated products, primarily thicker board, increased over the full year.

 

Appreciating local currencies resulted in a 5% decrease in raw material costs measured in Australian dollar terms for the Asia Pacific business compared to fiscal year 2009. The vast majority of this saving relates to pulp which is traded in US dollars.

 

Gross Profit. Gross profit increased 7% from US$388.8 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$416.1 million in fiscal year 2010. The gross profit margin increased 4.7 percentage points from 32.3% in fiscal year 2009 to 37.0% in fiscal year 2010.

 

USA and Europe Fibre Cement gross profit increased 5% in fiscal year 2010 compared to fiscal year 2009. Gross profit benefited 11% as a result of higher average net sales price and 12% from a reduction of input costs, primarily pulp, energy and freight and lower warranty expenses. The benefits were partially offset by a 19% detriment due to lower sales volume and a resulting increase in the fixed unit cost of manufacturing, as fixed costs were spread over a lower production volume. The gross profit margin of the USA and Europe Fibre Cement business increased by 5.9 percentage points.

 

Asia Pacific Fibre Cement gross profit increased 16% in fiscal year 2010 compared to fiscal year 2009. The higher value of Asia Pacific business’ currencies against the US dollar accounted for 8% of the increase. In Australian dollars, Asia Pacific Fibre Cement gross profit benefited 6% as a result of a favourable price movement, including product mix shift. In addition, gross profit benefited 5% from reduced manufacturing costs and decreased raw material input costs as appreciating local currencies more than offset increasing costs of raw materials that are traded in US dollars. These benefits were offset by higher warranty expenses. The gross profit margin of the Asia Pacific Fibre Cement business increased by 1.9 percentage points.

 

Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses. SG&A expenses decreased 11% from US$208.8 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$185.8 million in fiscal year 2010. The decrease was primarily due to a favourable US$7.6 million adjustment to a legal provision following settlement of a contractual warranty and lower general corporate costs, partially offset by higher SG&A spending in the USA and Europe Fibre Cement and Asia Pacific Fibre Cement segments. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expenses declined 0.9 of a percentage point to 16.5% in fiscal year 2010. For fiscal year 2010, SG&A expenses included non-claims handling related operating expenses of the AICF of US$2.1 million.

 

ASIC Proceedings

For the year ended 31 March 2010, we incurred legal costs related to the ASIC proceedings and appeals, noted as ASIC expenses, of US$3.4 million. These costs were substantially lower compared to fiscal year 2009, when we incurred ASIC expenses of US$14.0 million. ASIC expenses are included in SG&A expenses.

 

Our net costs in relation to the ASIC proceedings from their commencement in February 2007 and the appeals to 31 March 2010 total US$23.1 million.

 

See Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements for more information.

 

Chile Litigation

On 31 December 2009, we entered into a settlement agreement with El Volcan resolving all outstanding issues between us relating to the sale of FC Volcan to El Volcan in July 2005. Under the settlement agreement, we will have no further obligation to defend or indemnify El Volcan in the antitrust proceedings commenced by Cementa or Quimel.

 

El Volcan will now be responsible for its own defense of the antitrust proceedings, including payment of any final judgments rendered on appeal. El Volcan will also be required to defend and indemnify us against any future claims by third parties related to the management or business of FC Volcan, including any future antitrust allegations. The terms and conditions of the settlement remain confidential. All amounts we owed under the terms of the settlement were paid in full on 31 December 2009. As a result, the amount of the provision in excess of the settlement amount was reversed, resulting in a gain of US$7.6 million included in general corporate costs for the year ended 31 March 2010.

 

We denied and continue to deny the allegations of predatory pricing in Chile.

 

Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses include costs associated with “core” research projects that are designed to benefit all business units. These costs are recorded in the Research and Development segment rather than being attributed to individual business units. These costs were 9% higher for fiscal year 2010 at US$15.7 million.

 

Other research and development costs associated with commercialisation projects in business units are included in the business unit segment results. In total, these costs were 24% higher for fiscal year 2010 at US$11.4 million compared to fiscal year 2009.

 

Asbestos Adjustments. The asbestos adjustments are derived from an estimate of future Australian asbestos-related liabilities in accordance with the AFFA that was signed with the NSW Government in November 2006 and approved by our security holders in February 2007.

 

The discounted central estimate of the asbestos liability has decreased from A$1.782 billion at 31 March 2009 to A$1.537 billion at 31 March 2010. The reduction in the discounted central estimate of A$245 million is primarily due to increases in yields on Government Bonds, which are used for discounting the future cash flows; and a reduction in the

 

 

 

 

MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

 

(CONTINUED)

 

 

projected future number of claims to be reported for a number of disease types.

 

The asbestos-related assets and liabilities are denominated in Australian dollars. Therefore the reported value of these asbestos-related assets and liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets in US dollars is subject to adjustment, with a corresponding effect on our consolidated statement of operations, depending on the closing exchange rate between the two currencies at the balance sheet date.

 

For fiscal year 2010, the Australian dollar appreciated against the US dollar by 33%, compared to a 25% depreciation in fiscal year 2009. We receive an updated actuarial estimate as of 31 March each year. The last actuarial assessment was performed as of 31 March 2010. The asbestos adjustments for the fiscal years ended 31 March 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

 

 

Claims Data

The number of new claims filed in fiscal year 2010 of 535 is lower than new claims of 607 reported for fiscal year 2009 and also slightly below actuarial expectations for fiscal year 2010.

 

The number of claims settled of 540 for fiscal year 2010 is lower than claims settled of 596 for fiscal year 2009.

 

The average claim settlement of A$191,000 for fiscal year 2010 is in line with fiscal year 2009 and slightly below the actuarial expectations for fiscal year 2010.

 

Asbestos claims paid of A$103.2 million for fiscal year 2010 were lower than the actuarial expectation of A$114.2 million for fiscal year 2010.

 

As of 31 March 2010, the AICF had cash and investment assets of A$63.1 million (US$57.8 million). We will make a contribution of approximately US$63.7 million to the AICF on 1 July 2010. This amount represents 35% of the Company’s free cash flow for fiscal year 2010, as defined by the AFFA.

 

All figures provided in this claims data section are gross of insurance and other recoveries. See Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements for further information on asbestos adjustments.

 

Operating Income (Loss). Operating income moved from US$173.6 million in fiscal year 2009 to a loss of US$21.0 million for fiscal year 2010. The loss for fiscal year 2010 includes net unfavourable asbestos adjustments of US$224.2 million (due primarily to the appreciation of the Australian dollar against the US dollar during the period), AICF SG&A expenses of US$2.1 million and ASIC expenses of US$3.4 million.

 

In fiscal year 2009, operating income included net favourable asbestos adjustments of US$17.4 million (attributable to depreciation of the Australian dollar against the US dollar during the period, partially offset by a change in the actuarial estimate), AICF SG&A expenses of US$0.7 million and ASIC expenses of US$14.0 million.

 

Excluding asbestos and ASIC expenses, operating income increased from US$170.9 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$208.7 million in fiscal year 2010.

 

USA and Europe Fibre Cement operating income increased by 5% from US$199.3 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$208.5 million in fiscal year 2010. The improvement was driven by lower material input costs (primarily pulp, energy and freight), higher average net sales price and improved plant performance which contributed to lower average unit manufacturing costs. These benefits were partially offset by lower sales volume and a resulting increase in the fixed unit cost of manufacturing as fixed costs were spread over significantly lower production volume. The USA and Europe Fibre Cement operating income margin was 3.8 percentage points higher at 25.2%.

 

Asia Pacific Fibre Cement operating income increased 25% from US$47.1 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$58.7 million in fiscal year 2010. Favourable currency exchange rate movements in the Asia Pacific business’ currencies compared to the US dollar accounted for 11% of this increase. In Australian dollars, Asia Pacific Fibre Cement operating profit for the full year increased 14% due to strong primary demand growth offsetting weakened local markets, an increase in average net sales price, and favourable product mix shift, together with lower raw materials costs and reduced manufacturing costs. These benefits were partially offset by an increase in warranty expenses. The operating profit margin was 2.6 percentage points higher at 19.8%.

 

General Corporate Costs. General corporate costs decreased US$27.7 million from US$70.6 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$42.9 million in fiscal year 2010. We incurred costs associated with our Re-domicile of US$9.1 million in fiscal year 2010, compared to US$10.3 million in fiscal year 2009. ASIC expenses decreased from US$14.0 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$3.4 million in fiscal year 2010.

 

General corporate costs excluding ASIC expenses and domicile change related costs for fiscal year 2010 decreased from US$46.3 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$30.4 million in fiscal year 2010. The reduction was due to a US$7.6 million reversal of a legal provision and reductions in other general corporate costs.

 

Net Interest Expense. Net interest expense increased from US$3.0 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$4.0 million in fiscal year 2010. Net interest expense for fiscal year 2010 included AICF interest income of US$3.3 million and a realised loss of US$2.5 million on interest rate swap contracts. Net interest expense for the fiscal year 2009 included AICF interest income of US$6.4 million and nil related to interest rate swap contracts.

 

Other Income (Expense). Other income moved from an expense of US$14.8 million in fiscal year 2009 to income of US$6.3 million in fiscal year 2010. The turnaround resulted from an other-than-temporary impairment charge of US$14.8 million recognised at 31 March 2009 on restricted short-term investments held by the AICF. Other income for the full year also benefited from a US$6.7 million (A$7.9 million) realised gain arising from the sale of restricted short-term investments held by the AICF, partially offset by an unrealised loss of US$0.4 million resulting from movements in the fair value of interest rate swap contracts.

 

Income Tax. Income tax expense increased from US$19.5 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$66.2 million in fiscal year 2010. Our effective tax rate on earnings excluding asbestos and tax adjustments was 34.4% in fiscal year 2010, compared to 41.4% for fiscal year 2009. The change in effective tax rate excluding asbestos and tax adjustments is attributable to changes in the geographic mix of earnings and expenses, reductions in non-tax deductible expenses and the reversal of a non-taxable legal provision in operating profit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We recorded favourable tax adjustments of US$2.9 million in fiscal year 2010 compared to unfavourable tax adjustments of US$7.2 million in fiscal year 2009. The tax adjustments in fiscal years 2010 and 2009 relate to uncertain tax positions.

 

Net Income (Loss). Net loss moved from income of US$136.3 million in fiscal year 2009 to a loss of US$84.9 million in fiscal year 2010. Net income excluding asbestos, ASIC expenses and tax adjustments increased from US$100.5 million in fiscal year 2009 to US$133.0 million in fiscal year 2010.

 

Fiscal year 2010 includes a legal provision reversal of US$7.6 million. See Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements for further information on the legal provision reversal.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Financial Measures – Australian equivalent terminology

Operating income and Operating income margin  – is equivalent to EBIT and EBIT margin

 

Income before income taxes  – is equivalent to operating profit

 

Net income  – is equivalent to net operating profit

 

Non-GAAP Financial Information Derived from GAAP Measures

 

The following tables set forth the reconciliation of our non-GAAP financial measures included in our discussion above to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. These non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with US GAAP; therefore, the information is not necessarily comparable to other companies’ financial information and should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding measures calculated in accordance with US GAAP.

 

Operating income excluding asbestos and ASIC expenses  – operating income excluding asbestos and ASIC expenses is not measures of financial performance under US GAAP and should not be considered to be more meaningful than operating income. We have included these financial measures to provide investors with an alternative method for assessing our operating results in a manner that is focussed on the performance of our ongoing operations and provide useful information regarding our financial condition and results of operations. We use these non-US GAAP measures for the same purposes.