Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) has earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the fifteen analysts that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $276.36.

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on APD. UBS Group cut Air Products and Chemicals from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $328.00 to $241.00 in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Citigroup lifted their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $260.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 10th. Seaport Res Ptn cut Air Products and Chemicals from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Air Products and Chemicals in a research note on Friday, March 1st. They set an “outperform” rating and a $279.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Mizuho reduced their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $304.00 to $295.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Garner Asset Management Corp acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Turtle Creek Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Sachetta LLC acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Security National Bank acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.66% of the company’s stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:APD opened at $231.67 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $51.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.11, a P/E/G ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a quick ratio of 1.58, a current ratio of 1.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74. Air Products and Chemicals has a 52 week low of $212.24 and a 52 week high of $307.71. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $235.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $257.47.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 5th. The basic materials company reported $2.82 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.00 by ($0.18). Air Products and Chemicals had a net margin of 18.82% and a return on equity of 16.84%. The business had revenue of $3 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.64 EPS. Air Products and Chemicals’s revenue for the quarter was down 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Air Products and Chemicals will post 12.38 EPS for the current year.

Air Products and Chemicals Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 13th. Investors of record on Monday, April 1st will be paid a $1.77 dividend. This is a boost from Air Products and Chemicals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.75. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 28th. This represents a $7.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.06%. Air Products and Chemicals’s payout ratio is 67.56%.

About Air Products and Chemicals

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, equipment, and related services in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, India, and internationally. The company produces atmospheric gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon; process gases, such as hydrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and syngas; and specialty gases for customers in various industries, including refining, chemical, manufacturing, electronics, energy production, medical, food, and metals.