B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG Has $3.79 Million Stake in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG lifted its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 6.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,065 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 748 shares during the period. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $3,789,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of APD. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at about $919,721,000. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new position in Air Products and Chemicals in the fourth quarter worth approximately $885,371,000. Sachem Head Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals in the third quarter valued at approximately $163,013,000. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC increased its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 1,615.5% during the fourth quarter. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC now owns 530,005 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $153,723,000 after acquiring an additional 499,110 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $71,307,000. 81.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently issued reports on APD shares. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $365.00 to $355.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. BNP Paribas raised shares of Air Products and Chemicals to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Air Products and Chemicals from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $395.00 to $370.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, March 14th. Finally, StockNews.com cut Air Products and Chemicals from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $340.88.

Insider Activity at Air Products and Chemicals

In other Air Products and Chemicals news, VP Sean D. Major sold 4,500 shares of Air Products and Chemicals stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $315.46, for a total transaction of $1,419,570.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 14,273 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,502,560.58. The trade was a 23.97 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, VP Victoria Brifo sold 2,362 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $315.82, for a total transaction of $745,966.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 10,045 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,172,411.90. This trade represents a 19.04 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 15,500 shares of company stock worth $4,842,604. Corporate insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Price Performance

Shares of NYSE APD opened at $293.47 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $65.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.85. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $310.71 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $309.58. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 1-year low of $227.53 and a 1-year high of $341.14.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.13 by ($0.27). Air Products and Chemicals had a return on equity of 15.78% and a net margin of 31.88%. Analysts anticipate that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 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 12th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be issued a $1.79 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 1st. This is an increase from Air Products and Chemicals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. This represents a $7.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.44%. Air Products and Chemicals’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 41.58%.

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.