Virtu Financial LLC Sells 3,580 Shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. $APD

Virtu Financial LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 24.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 11,277 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 3,580 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $2,786,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in APD. Norges Bank bought a new position in Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,063,906,000. Capital International Investors boosted its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals by 44.2% in the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 12,792,580 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $3,160,023,000 after acquiring an additional 3,922,567 shares in the last quarter. Viking Global Investors LP purchased a new stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals in the second quarter worth $607,601,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 70.2% in the fourth quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 2,694,659 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $665,609,000 after acquiring an additional 1,111,378 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC increased its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 644.6% during the third quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 1,031,306 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $281,258,000 after acquiring an additional 892,793 shares in the last quarter. 81.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Air Products and Chemicals

In other news, CFO Melissa N. Schaeffer sold 2,714 shares of Air Products and Chemicals stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $303.76, for a total value of $824,404.64. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 14,212 shares in the company, valued at $4,317,037.12. The trade was a 16.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 1.88% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Down 0.6%

APD stock opened at $280.05 on Friday. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 1-year low of $229.11 and a 1-year high of $307.96. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $291.71 and a 200-day moving average price of $277.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $62.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.74.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $3.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.06 by $0.14. Air Products and Chemicals had a return on equity of 16.11% and a net margin of 16.91%.The firm had revenue of $3.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.07 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.69 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 8.8% on a year-over-year basis. Air Products and Chemicals has set its FY 2026 guidance at 13.000-13.250 EPS and its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.250-3.350 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 13.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Air Products and Chemicals Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, July 1st will be issued a dividend of $1.81 per share. This represents a $7.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, July 1st. Air Products and Chemicals’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 76.61%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $315.00 price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a research report on Monday, May 4th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $360.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Mizuho set a $345.00 price objective on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $325.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $307.00 to $316.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Air Products and Chemicals currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $323.12.

About Air Products and Chemicals

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc is a global supplier of industrial gases and related equipment and services, headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The company produces and delivers atmospheric gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and argon, as well as specialty and process gases used across a wide range of industrial applications. Air Products designs, builds and operates gas production facilities, merchant distribution networks and on-site gas systems for customers that require reliable, high-purity gases and integrated supply solutions.

The company’s product and service portfolio includes packaged and bulk gas supply, pipeline distribution, on-site generation, gas handling and storage equipment, and engineered systems for gas liquefaction and purification.