BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. Sells 49,962 Shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. decreased its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 28.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 124,128 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 49,962 shares during the quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A.’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $37,283,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Cornerstone Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals by 39.6% in the third quarter. Cornerstone Advisors LLC now owns 6,700 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,995,000 after purchasing an additional 1,900 shares in the last quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI lifted its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 1.3% in the third quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI now owns 2,992 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $891,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. EagleClaw Capital Managment LLC boosted its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 1.6% during the 3rd quarter. EagleClaw Capital Managment LLC now owns 37,395 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $11,134,000 after acquiring an additional 575 shares in the last quarter. Grandfield & Dodd LLC increased its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Grandfield & Dodd LLC now owns 110,219 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $32,817,000 after acquiring an additional 1,661 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Strategy Asset Managers LLC raised its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 708.6% in the 3rd quarter. Strategy Asset Managers LLC now owns 9,089 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $2,706,000 after acquiring an additional 7,965 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.66% of the company’s stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Up 0.3 %

Shares of APD stock opened at $328.69 on Friday. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a one year low of $212.24 and a one year high of $332.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.52 and a quick ratio of 1.34. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $309.67 and a 200 day moving average price of $282.08. The stock has a market cap of $73.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.29 and a beta of 0.81.

Air Products and Chemicals Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 2nd will be given a dividend of $1.77 per share. This represents a $7.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.15%. Air Products and Chemicals’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 41.21%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have commented on APD shares. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Air Products and Chemicals from $323.00 to $350.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $295.00 to $315.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Air Products and Chemicals from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $305.00 to $365.00 in a research report on Monday, October 7th. Citigroup raised their price target on Air Products and Chemicals from $345.00 to $365.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, UBS Group raised Air Products and Chemicals from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $375.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Air Products and Chemicals presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $331.53.

Air Products and Chemicals Profile

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.