Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Boosts Stake in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 6.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,394,799 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 88,049 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned approximately 0.63% of Air Products and Chemicals worth $404,535,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Forum Financial Management LP grew its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 189.4% in the fourth quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 5,423 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,573,000 after acquiring an additional 3,549 shares during the period. Generation Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,206,000. Capital International Investors purchased a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter valued at $436,636,000. Ally Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Air Products and Chemicals during the 4th quarter valued at $2,465,000. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at $50,000. 81.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Air Products and Chemicals

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 transaction of $181,706.50. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 719 shares in the company, valued at approximately $221,811.50. This represents a 45.03 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Wilbur Mok sold 1,300 shares of Air Products and Chemicals stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $315.88, for a total transaction of $410,644.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 3,193 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,008,604.84. The trade was a 28.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 15,500 shares of company stock valued at $4,842,604 over the last 90 days. 0.41% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Air Products and Chemicals Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE APD opened at $262.88 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $58.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.27, a P/E/G ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.89. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a 52-week low of $228.81 and a 52-week 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 firm’s fifty day moving average is $292.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $306.56.

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) last posted its 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 return on equity of 15.78% and a net margin of 31.88%. As a group, analysts anticipate 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 declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 12th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be given a $1.79 dividend. This represents a $7.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.72%. 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%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have issued reports on APD. Bank of America downgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating and cut their price target for the company from $330.00 to $282.00 in a research note on Tuesday, April 15th. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $373.00 to $345.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 25th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $365.00 to $320.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 9th. BMO Capital Markets lowered Air Products and Chemicals from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Finally, Barclays lowered their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $365.00 to $355.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $332.18.

Air Products and Chemicals Company 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.