1,448 Shares in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD Bought by Ascent Group LLC

Key Points

• Ascent Group LLC purchased a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals worth approximately $427,000 during the first quarter, acquiring 1,448 shares, according to a SEC filing.
• Institutional investors hold 81.66% of Air Products' stock, with notable increases from firms like Dodge & Cox and Principal Financial Group during the same period.
• Air Products recently declared a quarterly dividend of $1.79, reflecting an annualized yield of 2.4%, while its payout ratio stands at 103.02%.

Ascent Group LLC bought a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD - Free Report) in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm bought 1,448 shares of the basic materials company's stock, valued at approximately $427,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Saudi Central Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the first quarter worth about $26,000. Cheviot Value Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the first quarter worth about $27,000. Citizens National Bank Trust Department increased its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 833.3% during the first quarter. Citizens National Bank Trust Department now owns 112 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1248 Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the first quarter worth about $39,000. 81.66% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

APD has been the topic of several recent research reports. Citigroup boosted their price target on Air Products and Chemicals from $310.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 30th. Mizuho boosted their price target on Air Products and Chemicals from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. Argus upgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on Air Products and Chemicals in a research report on Thursday, May 29th. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $290.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Air Products and Chemicals has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $335.07.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Down 2.0%

Shares of APD stock traded down $5.77 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $283.76. 285,745 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,239,707. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.29. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $291.91 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $283.92. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a one year low of $243.69 and a one year high of $341.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $63.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.83, a P/E/G ratio of 6.53 and a beta of 0.82.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The basic materials company reported $3.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.99 by $0.10. Air Products and Chemicals had a net margin of 12.86% and a return on equity of 15.11%. The firm had revenue of $3.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.95 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $3.20 earnings per share. Air Products and Chemicals's revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. Air Products and Chemicals has set its FY 2025 guidance at 11.900-12.100 EPS. Q4 2025 guidance at 3.270-3.470 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Air Products and Chemicals Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 10th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 1st will be paid a $1.79 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 1st. This represents a $7.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.5%. Air Products and Chemicals's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 103.02%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Air Products and Chemicals

In other news, VP Victoria Brifo sold 1,359 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $292.38, for a total transaction of $397,344.42. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 8,686 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,539,612.68. This trade represents a 13.53% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.41% of the company's stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Company 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.