Qtron Investments LLC Makes New $470,000 Investment in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD

Key Points

• Qtron Investments LLC has invested approximately $470,000 in Air Products and Chemicals, acquiring 1,594 shares during the first quarter.
• Significant institutional interest is evident, with Bank of America raising its position by 129.4% last quarter, bringing its total holdings to over $1.57 billion.
• The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $1.79, reflecting an annual yield of 2.5%, with a payout ratio of 103.02%.

Qtron Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD - Free Report) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 1,594 shares of the basic materials company's stock, valued at approximately $470,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals in the first quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Cheviot Value Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals in the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Citizens National Bank Trust Department boosted its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 833.3% in the first quarter. Citizens National Bank Trust Department now owns 112 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 525.9% in the fourth quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 169 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $49,000 after acquiring an additional 142 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 3,560.0% in the first 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 in the last quarter. 81.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Air Products and Chemicals Trading Up 1.9%

Shares of NYSE:APD traded up $5.4990 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $299.0190. The stock had a trading volume of 765,247 shares, compared to its average volume of 930,976. 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 company has a market cap of $66.55 billion, a PE ratio of 43.02, a P/E/G ratio of 6.55 and a beta of 0.81. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 12-month low of $243.69 and a 12-month high of $341.14. The company's 50 day moving average is $288.74 and its 200-day moving average is $286.96.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The basic materials company reported $3.09 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.99 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $3.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.95 billion. Air Products and Chemicals had a net margin of 12.86% and a return on equity of 15.11%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.20 EPS. 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. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 EPS for the current year.

Air Products and Chemicals Announces Dividend

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $320.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, July 14th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, August 2nd. Mizuho raised their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $310.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 15th. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $328.00 to $344.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 9th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a report on Friday, June 13th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $355.00 target price for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $335.07.

Insider Activity at Air Products and Chemicals

In related news, VP Victoria Brifo sold 1,359 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $292.38, for a total value of $397,344.42. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 8,686 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,539,612.68. This represents a 13.53% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 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.