Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC Acquires 3,990 Shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 4.9% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 85,483 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,990 shares during the period. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $24,794,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Truvestments Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new position in Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Air Products and Chemicals by 69.4% during the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 105 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 43 shares during the period. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, WR Wealth Planners LLC raised its stake in Air Products and Chemicals by 40.3% during the 4th quarter. WR Wealth Planners LLC now owns 108 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 31 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 81.66% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Air Products and Chemicals

In other news, insider Francesco Maione sold 2,016 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $306.00, for a total value of $616,896.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 3,834 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,173,204. This trade represents a 34.46 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CFO Melissa N. Schaeffer sold 3,233 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.32, for a total value of $993,565.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 10,680 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,282,177.60. The trade was a 23.24 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 14,911 shares of company stock valued at $4,660,897. Company insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Performance

Shares of APD opened at $310.31 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The company has a market capitalization of $69.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.02, a PEG ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.85. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $310.34 and a 200 day moving average of $306.41. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 12 month low of $227.53 and a 12 month high of $341.14.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.13 by ($0.27). Air Products and Chemicals had a net margin of 31.88% and a return on equity of 15.78%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Air Products and Chemicals Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 12th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.79 per share. This represents a $7.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.31%. This is a positive change from Air Products and Chemicals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 1st. Air Products and Chemicals’s dividend payout ratio is 41.58%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

APD has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barclays raised Air Products and Chemicals from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $315.00 to $365.00 in a research note on Friday, January 24th. Bank of America downgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $350.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, January 27th. BNP Paribas raised Air Products and Chemicals to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. UBS Group upped their price target on Air Products and Chemicals from $375.00 to $385.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $343.53.

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.