Transcend Capital Advisors LLC Has $1.80 Million Position in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

Transcend Capital Advisors LLC reduced its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 1.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,202 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 100 shares during the period. Transcend Capital Advisors LLC’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $1,799,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of APD. Truvestments Capital LLC purchased a new position in Air Products and Chemicals in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. grew its stake 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 in the last quarter. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new position in Air Products and Chemicals in the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Air Products and Chemicals in the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Newton One Investments LLC bought a new position in Air Products and Chemicals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $38,000. 81.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Air Products and Chemicals Price Performance

Shares of Air Products and Chemicals stock opened at $310.02 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.11 and a quick ratio of 0.96. The company has a market cap of $68.97 billion, a PE ratio of 18.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 0.85. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $308.50 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $304.48. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $227.10 and a fifty-two week high of $341.14.

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 for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate 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%. Analysts expect that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. will post 12.69 EPS 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. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 1st will be given a dividend of $1.79 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 1st. This is a boost from Air Products and Chemicals’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.77. This represents a $7.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.31%. Air Products and Chemicals’s payout ratio is currently 41.11%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Bank of America lowered shares of 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. BMO Capital Markets downgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” 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. 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 report on Friday, February 7th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $375.00 target price for the company in a report on Friday, January 31st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Air Products and Chemicals presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $339.94.

Insider Activity at Air Products and Chemicals

In other Air Products and Chemicals news, insider Francesco Maione sold 2,016 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $306.00, for a total value of $616,896.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 3,834 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,173,204. The trade was a 34.46 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Kurt Lefevere sold 1,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $316.17, for a total transaction of $474,255.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1,462 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $462,240.54. The trade was a 50.64 % 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 worth $4,660,897. 0.41% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.