James Hardie sees FY09 profit down on FY08

MELBOURNE, May 22 (Reuters) - Building materials group James Hardie Industries NV (JHX.AX) Chief Executive Louis Gries said the group's earnings in the year ahead are likely to be lower than in the year to March 2008.

"We're down on last year and we'll probably be down this year," Gries told reporters. ($1=A$1.04) (Reporting by Sonali Paul)