Strs Ohio Has $51.09 Million Stock Holdings in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD

Key Points

• Air Products beat Q2 estimates (adjusted EPS $3.20 vs. $3.06) and raised FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $13.00–$13.25, citing stronger pricing, helium strength and new assets while targeting about $1B of capex reductions and prompting analyst price‑target increases (e.g., JPMorgan $330, Wells Fargo $340).
• STRS Ohio increased its stake by 1.7% to 206,841 shares, holding about $51.09 million of Air Products stock (0.09% of the company) after buying 3,473 shares in Q4.
• Insider sale: Director Ridge Lp Mantle sold 70,175 shares at an average $284.21 for roughly $19.94 million, cutting their ownership by 42.87%; insiders now own about 1.88% of the company.

Strs Ohio increased its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD - Free Report) by 1.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 206,841 shares of the basic materials company's stock after buying an additional 3,473 shares during the quarter. Strs Ohio owned 0.09% of Air Products and Chemicals worth $51,094,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in APD. Holos Integrated Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. grew its position in Air Products and Chemicals by 3,233.3% during the fourth quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 100 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the third quarter worth about $30,000. Finally, Cloud Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the third quarter worth about $34,000. 81.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Ridge Lp Mantle sold 70,175 shares of Air Products and Chemicals stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 12th. The shares were 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 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. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 1.88% of the company's stock.

Air Products and Chemicals News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 beat and guidance raise — Air Products reported adjusted Q2 EPS of $3.20 vs. consensus ~$3.06 and raised FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $13.00–13.25 (above prior outlook). Management cited stronger pricing, helium strength and new assets coming online. Q2 Results Release
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher price targets — JPMorgan raised its target to $330 (overweight) and Wells Fargo to $340 (overweight), providing additional buy-side momentum. These lifts signal growing street confidence and imply double-digit upside vs. current levels. Benzinga
• Positive Sentiment: Capital discipline / capex reduction target — Management and press coverage note efforts to target ~$1B of capex reductions, which supports near‑term cash flow and EPS durability. MSN
• Positive Sentiment: New commercial wins and helium positioning — Company disclosed strategic wins (Samsung semiconductor supply, NASA/Artemis support) and steps to strengthen helium supply (increased U.S. production, storage/liquefaction) — supportive for longer‑term growth and pricing. Q2 Results Release
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor resources and transcripts — Multiple analyst notes, earnings call transcript and slide deck are available for deeper review; these are informational but don’t change the near‑term narrative. Earnings Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: AISTech trade show presence — Air Products will showcase low‑carbon iron & steel solutions at AISTech2026 and donate to the AIST Foundation; positive from an ESG/business development angle but more long-term. AISTech2026
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability nuance — Some published summaries note a negative net margin metric (reflecting non‑GAAP adjustments or one‑time items), which is a reminder to vet GAAP vs. adjusted figures and any transient charges when modeling earnings. MarketBeat Earnings Summary

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Performance

NYSE:APD opened at $301.11 on Friday. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 1 year low of $229.11 and a 1 year high of $307.29. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $288.71 and a 200-day moving average of $268.96. The company has a current ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95. The stock has a market capitalization of $67.04 billion, a P/E ratio of -199.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 0.80.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $3.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.06 by $0.14. Air Products and Chemicals had a net margin of 16.91% and a return on equity of 16.11%. The company had revenue of $3.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $3.07 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.69 earnings per share. Air Products and Chemicals's quarterly revenue was up 8.8% compared to the same quarter last year. 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. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 13.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Air Products and Chemicals Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 1st will be paid a $1.81 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 1st. This represents a $7.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. Air Products and Chemicals's payout ratio is -476.82%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup lifted their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $285.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Weiss Ratings raised Air Products and Chemicals from a "sell (d+)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a report on Monday, March 9th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $280.00 to $303.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $310.00 to $330.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $325.00 to $340.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Air Products and Chemicals presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $318.24.

About Air Products and Chemicals

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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