Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) Holdings Decreased by Private Trust Co. NA

Private Trust Co. NA decreased its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 5.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,450 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 143 shares during the quarter. Private Trust Co. NA’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $711,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of APD. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 12.6% during the third quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 5,793 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,725,000 after buying an additional 647 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 6.8% during the third quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd. now owns 2,294 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $628,000 after buying an additional 147 shares in the last quarter. Stephens Inc. AR boosted its position in Air Products and Chemicals by 5.3% during the third quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 37,811 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $11,258,000 after purchasing an additional 1,895 shares during the last quarter. Principal Securities Inc. boosted its position in Air Products and Chemicals by 7.4% during the third quarter. Principal Securities Inc. now owns 17,412 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $5,184,000 after purchasing an additional 1,195 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV boosted its position in Air Products and Chemicals by 5.8% during the third quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 4,042 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,204,000 after purchasing an additional 223 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.66% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, VP Sean D. Major sold 4,500 shares of the business’s 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 transaction, the vice president now directly owns 14,273 shares in the company, valued at $4,502,560.58. The trade was a 23.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Wilbur Mok sold 1,300 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $315.88, for a total value of $410,644.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 3,193 shares in the company, valued at $1,008,604.84. This represents a 28.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 14,911 shares of company stock valued at $4,660,897. Insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Air Products and Chemicals Price Performance

NYSE APD opened at $316.55 on Friday. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a twelve month low of $227.53 and a twelve month high of $341.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.42 billion, a PE ratio of 18.38, a P/E/G ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.85. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $310.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $305.95.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last posted 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%. Research analysts anticipate that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 EPS 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 given a dividend of $1.79 per share. This represents a $7.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.26%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 1st. This is a boost from Air Products and Chemicals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. Air Products and Chemicals’s payout ratio is currently 41.58%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. BNP Paribas raised Air Products and Chemicals to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $345.00 to $365.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $320.00 price objective (down previously from $345.00) on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, Bank of America cut Air Products and Chemicals from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $350.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Monday, January 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $343.53.

Air Products and Chemicals 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.