Wall Street Zen Upgrades Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) to “Hold”

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) was upgraded by Wall Street Zen from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Argus dropped their price target on Air Products and Chemicals from $317.00 to $265.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Citigroup upped their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $245.00 to $272.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $250.00 price target (down previously from $330.00) on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a report on Friday, December 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $275.00 to $260.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $255.00 price objective on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $288.00.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Up 6.5%

Shares of APD opened at $272.56 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $60.67 billion, a P/E ratio of -180.50, a PEG ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.87. Air Products and Chemicals has a 12 month low of $229.11 and a 12 month high of $341.14. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $254.42 and its two-hundred day moving average is $268.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.46, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 30th. The basic materials company reported $3.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.04 by $0.12. Air Products and Chemicals had a negative net margin of 2.73% and a positive return on equity of 15.77%. The business had revenue of $3.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.05 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.86 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Air Products and Chemicals has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.950-3.100 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 12.850-13.150 EPS. Analysts predict that Air Products and Chemicals will post 12.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Air Products and Chemicals

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. American Century Companies Inc. increased its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals by 10.4% during the 2nd quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 57,639 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $16,258,000 after acquiring an additional 5,430 shares during the period. Aberdeen Group plc boosted its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. Aberdeen Group plc now owns 113,027 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $31,903,000 after purchasing an additional 4,492 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank grew its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 7.4% during the 2nd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 673,400 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $189,939,000 after purchasing an additional 46,200 shares in the last quarter. Platform Technology Partners increased its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 683.0% in the third quarter. Platform Technology Partners now owns 7,164 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,954,000 after purchasing an additional 6,249 shares during the period. Finally, KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS raised its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 4.6% in the second quarter. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS now owns 80,353 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $22,664,000 after buying an additional 3,500 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.66% of the company’s stock.

Key Air Products and Chemicals News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — adjusted EPS $3.16 vs. $3.04 expected and revenue $3.10B vs. $3.05B, with margins benefiting from lower costs and pricing. This beat is the primary driver of the rally. APD Q1 Earnings Beat on Lower Costs
• Positive Sentiment: Management maintained FY‑2026 guidance (EPS 12.85–13.15) and set Q2 guidance (2.95–3.10), signaling confidence in the business and limiting downside from the quarter. Air Products Reports Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results
• Positive Sentiment: Corporate wins and shareholder actions: increased quarterly dividend to $1.81 (44th consecutive annual raise) and new/ongoing contracts including >$140M in NASA liquid‑hydrogen awards and progress on low‑emission ammonia deals — supportive for long‑term revenue visibility. Air Products Reports Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Guidance relative to consensus is mixed — the company’s FY and Q2 ranges are essentially maintained but sit near or slightly below some street estimates (e.g., consensus Q2 ~3.03; FY consensus cited ~12.93), which could cap upside until guidance traction is confirmed.
• Neutral Sentiment: Planned capital expenditures remain high (~$4.0B for FY‑2026). That supports growth projects (H2, ammonia, hydrogen infrastructure) but may constrain free cash flow near term. Air Products Reports Fiscal 2026 First Quarter Results
• Negative Sentiment: Relative performance: some coverage noted APD underperformed peers recently, a reminder of potential short‑term volatility if sector momentum fades. Air Products Underperforms Peers

Air Products and Chemicals Company Profile

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.