Uncommon Cents Investing LLC Cuts Stock Position in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

Uncommon Cents Investing LLC lowered its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 3.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,230 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 80 shares during the period. Uncommon Cents Investing LLC’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $611,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Legacy Bridge LLC purchased a new position in Air Products and Chemicals in the fourth quarter worth $35,000. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 40.4% during the 3rd quarter. FinTrust Capital Advisors LLC now owns 132 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $37,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Artemis Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the 3rd quarter valued at $39,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC purchased a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter valued at $42,000. Finally, ICA Group Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter valued at $44,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.66% of the company’s stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Trading Down 0.3 %

APD traded down $0.73 on Thursday, hitting $242.37. 1,439,901 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,840,263. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $239.78 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $264.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a current ratio of 1.81. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 12 month low of $212.24 and a 12 month high of $307.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $53.88 billion, a PE ratio of 23.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.81.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, February 5th. The basic materials company reported $2.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.00 by ($0.18). Air Products and Chemicals had a return on equity of 16.84% and a net margin of 18.82%. The company had revenue of $3 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.20 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.64 earnings per share. Air Products and Chemicals’s revenue was down 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Air Products and Chemicals Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 13th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 1st will be issued a $1.77 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 28th. This represents a $7.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.92%. This is a boost from Air Products and Chemicals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.75. Air Products and Chemicals’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.79%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Bank of America raised Air Products and Chemicals from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $264.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 15th. Wells Fargo & Company cut Air Products and Chemicals from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Barclays decreased their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $260.00 to $245.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $307.00 to $250.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Air Products and Chemicals currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $280.29.

Air Products and Chemicals Company Profile

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.