Bahl & Gaynor Inc. Has $331.46 Million Holdings in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD

Key Points

• Bahl & Gaynor Inc. reduced its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. by 1.5% during the first quarter, owning 1,123,892 shares after selling 16,902 shares.
• Analysts have recently increased their price targets for Air Products, with UBS raising its target from $328 to $344, and Wells Fargo from $320 to $345, reflecting a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy."
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $1.79 per share, resulting in an annualized yield of 2.4%, although it has a dividend payout ratio of 103.02%.

Bahl & Gaynor Inc. decreased its position in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD - Free Report) by 1.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 1,123,892 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 16,902 shares during the period. Air Products and Chemicals comprises approximately 1.7% of Bahl & Gaynor Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 19th biggest holding. Bahl & Gaynor Inc. owned 0.51% of Air Products and Chemicals worth $331,458,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in APD. Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new position in Air Products and Chemicals in the first quarter valued at about $25,000. Cheviot Value Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Citizens National Bank Trust Department raised its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 833.3% during the 1st quarter. Citizens National Bank Trust Department now owns 112 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. grew its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals by 525.9% during the fourth quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 169 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $49,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares during the period. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 3,560.0% during the 1st quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 183 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $54,000 after acquiring an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. 81.66% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on APD. Morgan Stanley began coverage on Air Products and Chemicals in a research report on Thursday, May 29th. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $290.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $320.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 14th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 2nd. Barclays lowered their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $355.00 to $325.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a research report on Friday, June 13th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $355.00 price target for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $335.07.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Performance

NYSE:APD traded down $0.55 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $294.05. 145,738 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,278,888. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a one year low of $243.69 and a one year high of $341.14. 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 fifty day simple moving average is $289.74 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $286.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $65.44 billion, a PE ratio of 42.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 0.81.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD - Get Free Report) last announced 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 analyst estimates of $2.95 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.20 EPS. The business's revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. 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. Analysts anticipate that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Air Products and Chemicals Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 1st will be given a dividend of $1.79 per share. This represents a $7.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 1st. Air Products and Chemicals's dividend payout ratio is presently 103.02%.

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Victoria Brifo sold 1,359 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $292.38, for a total value 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.41% of the company's stock.

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.