Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD Shares Purchased by Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd.

Key Points

• Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management raised its stake in Air Products by 5.1% to 486,719 shares (about $121.9M), joining other large institutional buyers and leaving institutions with roughly 81.66% ownership.
• Analysts are broadly constructive: the stock carries a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $323.12, and several firms lifted targets/ratings (e.g., BMO to $360/outperform, RBC $341, Jefferies $313/buy).
• Air Products posted a quarterly earnings beat and set FY‑2026 guidance of $13.00–13.25 EPS, and declared a $1.81 quarterly dividend ($7.24 annual, ~2.4% yield), though recent insider sales by the CFO and a director could pressure sentiment.

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD - Free Report) by 5.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 486,719 shares of the basic materials company's stock after buying an additional 23,760 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. owned 0.22% of Air Products and Chemicals worth $121,909,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of APD. Viking Global Investors LP acquired a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the second quarter valued at $607,601,000. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its stake in Air Products and Chemicals by 644.6% during the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,031,306 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $281,258,000 after buying an additional 892,793 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Air Products and Chemicals by 21.6% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 4,616,305 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $1,258,678,000 after acquiring an additional 821,524 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors lifted its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals by 7.4% in the 3rd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 8,870,013 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $2,419,029,000 after acquiring an additional 609,489 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 31.2% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,880,652 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $512,891,000 after purchasing an additional 447,724 shares in the last quarter. 81.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on APD shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, January 31st. BMO Capital Markets raised Air Products and Chemicals from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $360.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, May 1st. Citigroup increased their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $285.00 to $315.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $300.00 to $313.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $338.00 to $341.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $323.12.

Key Stories Impacting Air Products and Chemicals

Here are the key news stories impacting Air Products and Chemicals this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Murs/major broker price-target increases lift longer-term upside expectations — Royal Bank of Canada raised its target to $341 and kept an "outperform" call (meaning a double-digit upside vs. current levels). Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $310 while keeping an "equal weight" rating, signaling modest upside from here. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators continue to point to APD's strong dividend profile and steady cash generation as supportive for income investors. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent earnings beat and FY‑2026 guidance (EPS $13.00–13.25, Q3 guide 3.25–3.35) remain supportive, but management flagged risks on the earnings call — positive fundamental backdrop tempered by near-term cautions. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple valuation and "reconsideration" pieces examine whether recent share gains leave APD fairly priced — these raise investor focus on stretched multiples after the rally rather than fresh company-specific negatives. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Another market write-up asks if it's "too late" to re-enter after gains — discussion centers on momentum vs. valuation trade-offs. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: CFO Melissa Schaeffer sold ~2,714 shares (~$824k), trimming her holding by ~16% — such insider sales can weigh on sentiment even if routine. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Some brokers maintain cautious stances — UBS kept a "hold" on APD, contributing to mixed analyst messages that can pressure the stock after a run-up. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst opinions overall are mixed across the materials group, adding volatility risk as investors digest divergent targets and ratings. Read More.

Air Products and Chemicals Price Performance

Shares of APD opened at $300.39 on Thursday. The business's 50-day moving average is $289.52 and its 200-day moving average is $269.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.21. The company has a market capitalization of $66.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.79, a P/E/G ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.77. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $229.11 and a fifty-two week high of $307.29.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $3.20 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.06 by $0.14. The business had revenue of $3.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.07 billion. Air Products and Chemicals had a net margin of 16.91% and a return on equity of 16.11%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.69 earnings per share. Air Products and Chemicals has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.000-13.250 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.250-3.350 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 13.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Air Products and Chemicals Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.81 per share. This represents a $7.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 1st. Air Products and Chemicals's payout ratio is currently 76.61%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Melissa N. Schaeffer sold 2,714 shares of Air Products and Chemicals stock in a transaction on Friday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $303.76, for a total transaction of $824,404.64. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 14,212 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,317,037.12. This trade represents a 16.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Ridge Lp Mantle sold 70,175 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $284.21, for a total value of $19,944,436.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 93,499 shares in the company, valued at approximately $26,573,350.79. The trade was a 42.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 1.88% of the company's stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Company Profile

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc is a global supplier of industrial gases and related equipment and services, headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The company produces and delivers atmospheric gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and argon, as well as specialty and process gases used across a wide range of industrial applications. Air Products designs, builds and operates gas production facilities, merchant distribution networks and on-site gas systems for customers that require reliable, high-purity gases and integrated supply solutions.

The company's product and service portfolio includes packaged and bulk gas supply, pipeline distribution, on-site generation, gas handling and storage equipment, and engineered systems for gas liquefaction and purification.

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