Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) Position Boosted by Mizuho Securities USA LLC

Mizuho Securities USA LLC boosted its position in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 46.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,070 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 6,654 shares during the quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $6,111,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of APD. Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Generali Investments Management Co LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Sierra Ocean LLC bought a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals in the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 69.4% in the 4th quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 105 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 43 shares during the period. Finally, Financial Life Planners bought a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter valued at about $31,000. Institutional investors own 81.66% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, VP Walter L. Nelson sold 589 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.50, for a total value of $181,706.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 719 shares in the company, valued at $221,811.50. This trade represents a 45.03 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, 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 value of $1,419,570.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 14,273 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,502,560.58. The trade was a 23.97 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 15,500 shares of company stock worth $4,842,604. 0.41% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE APD opened at $291.35 on Friday. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 1 year low of $227.53 and a 1 year 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 fifty day moving average price of $313.19 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $308.45. The firm has a market cap of $64.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.92, a PEG ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.85.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $2.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates 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 forecast that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Air Products and Chemicals Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 12th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be paid a dividend of $1.79 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 1st. This is a positive change from Air Products and Chemicals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. This represents a $7.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.46%. Air Products and Chemicals’s dividend payout ratio is currently 41.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on the company. BNP Paribas upgraded Air Products and Chemicals to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 11th. Bank of America downgraded 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 note on Monday, January 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $320.00 target price (down from $345.00) on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $350.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, UBS Group cut their price objective on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $395.00 to $370.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $342.65.

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.