UniSuper Management Pty Ltd Acquires 971 Shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD

Key Points

• UniSuper Management Pty Ltd increased its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. by 6.1%, acquiring an additional 971 shares, bringing the total to 16,940 shares valued at approximately $4,996,000.
• Multiple brokerages have adjusted their price targets for Air Products, with Wells Fargo raising its target to $345.00 and Citigroup to $320.00, indicating a positive outlook.
• Air Products recently announced a quarterly dividend of $1.79 per share, with a payout ratio of 103.02%, reflecting a yield of 2.5% for investors.

UniSuper Management Pty Ltd lifted its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD - Free Report) by 6.1% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 16,940 shares of the basic materials company's stock after purchasing an additional 971 shares during the period. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd's holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $4,996,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. Saudi Central Bank bought a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Cheviot Value Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals in the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Citizens National Bank Trust Department raised its position in Air Products and Chemicals by 833.3% in the 1st 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 during the last quarter. Finally, 1248 Management LLC bought a new position in Air Products and Chemicals in the 1st quarter valued at $39,000. 81.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Air Products and Chemicals Trading Up 2.4%

Air Products and Chemicals stock traded up $6.99 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $294.49. 716,381 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 655,355. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $291.81 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $284.78. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 52 week low of $243.69 and a 52 week high of $341.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $65.54 billion, a PE ratio of 42.37, a P/E/G ratio of 6.41 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The basic materials company reported $3.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.99 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $3.02 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.95 billion. Air Products and Chemicals had a return on equity of 15.11% and a net margin of 12.86%.The firm's revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $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. Equities research analysts anticipate that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Air Products and Chemicals Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.79 per share. 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 payout ratio is 103.02%.

Insider Activity

In related news, VP Victoria Brifo sold 1,359 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $292.38, for a total transaction of $397,344.42. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president directly owned 8,686 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,539,612.68. This 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.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on APD shares. Morgan Stanley started 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 for the company. UBS Group raised their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $328.00 to $344.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 9th. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $310.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, June 30th. 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. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $320.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Air Products and Chemicals currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $335.07.

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.