Janney Capital Management LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

Janney Capital Management LLC reduced its holdings in Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD) by 6.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 51,061 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 3,497 shares during the period. Janney Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Air Products and Chemicals were worth $14,810,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. CX Institutional lifted its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 2.6% during the third quarter. CX Institutional now owns 1,343 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $400,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the period. Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust CO lifted its position in Air Products and Chemicals by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Town & Country Bank & Trust CO dba First Bankers Trust CO now owns 11,593 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $3,452,000 after acquiring an additional 34 shares during the period. Bank of Stockton grew its stake in Air Products and Chemicals by 1.9% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of Stockton now owns 1,813 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $540,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC increased its holdings in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 22.3% in the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 203 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the period. Finally, Chesapeake Wealth Management raised its stake in shares of Air Products and Chemicals by 1.7% in the third quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 2,189 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $652,000 after purchasing an additional 37 shares during the last quarter. 81.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Air Products and Chemicals Price Performance

Air Products and Chemicals stock opened at $318.12 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a current ratio of 1.52. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has a one year low of $212.24 and a one year high of $337.00. The company has a market cap of $70.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.16 and a beta of 0.84. The business has a fifty day moving average of $309.66 and a two-hundred day moving average of $295.61.

Air Products and Chemicals Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 2nd will be issued a $1.77 dividend. This represents a $7.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.23%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 2nd. Air Products and Chemicals’s dividend payout ratio is currently 41.21%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages recently commented on APD. Vertical Research upgraded Air Products and Chemicals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $336.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 7th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $330.00 to $350.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $295.00 to $364.00 in a research report on Monday, October 7th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Air Products and Chemicals from $323.00 to $350.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on Air Products and Chemicals from $345.00 to $365.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $332.71.

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.