In a recent transaction, Major Sean D, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD), sold 4,500 shares of the company’s common stock. The shares were sold on February 7, 2025, at prices ranging from $310.96 to $315.46 per share, totaling approximately $1.42 million. Following this transaction, Major Sean D retains direct ownership of 14,273 shares. Additionally, 322.124 shares are held indirectly through a retirement savings plan. With a market capitalization of $68.53 billion and a P/E ratio of 17.87, Air Products & Chemicals maintains strong fundamentals. InvestingPro subscribers can access additional insights, including 8 more ProTips and a comprehensive Pro Research Report, part of the platform’s coverage of 1,400+ top US stocks.
In other recent news, Air Products & Chemicals Inc. has been a focal point for analysts, with both upgrades and downgrades in stock ratings and price targets. BMO Capital Markets downgraded the company’s stock from Outperform to Market Perform, reducing the price target to $346, following a first-quarter performance that fell short of expectations. Analysts at BMO expressed concerns about the company’s ability to meet its financial targets for fiscal year 2025.
Similarly, JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) analysts downgraded Air Products’ stock from ’Overweight’ to ’Neutral’ and lowered the price target to $320, citing potential risks in earnings growth due to stabilization of industrial gas prices and adverse currency effects.
On a more positive note, UBS analyst Joshua Spector increased the price target for Air Products to $385 from the previous $375, maintaining a Buy rating for the stock. Spector highlighted a range of positive catalysts anticipated to bolster investor confidence in the company’s earnings, growth, and execution capabilities.
The company’s first-quarter earnings were slightly above analyst expectations, with earnings per share (EPS) of $2.86, but revenues fell short at $2.93 billion. The company also provided a more cautious outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, with an adjusted EPS forecast range of $2.75 to $2.85, below the consensus estimate of $3.07.
In addition to these developments, Air Products announced amendments to its corporate bylaws and changes in its board leadership structure, appointing Wayne T. Smith as its Chairman and Dennis H. Reilley as its Vice Chairman. These recent developments are part of the ongoing narrative surrounding Air Products, as the company navigates its strategic direction and operational adjustments.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.