Valued at a market cap of $58.7 billion, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, equipment, and related services. The Allentown, Pennsylvania-based company is expected to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2026 in the near future.
Before this event, analysts expect this chemical company to report a profit of $3.05 per share, up 6.6% from $2.86 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has met or topped Wall Street’s bottom-line estimates in two of the last four quarters, while missing on two other occasions. In Q3, its EPS of $3.39 fell short of the forecasted figure by a slight margin.
For fiscal 2026, ending in September, analysts expect APD to report a profit of $12.95 per share, up 7.7% from $12.03 per share in fiscal 2025. Furthermore, its EPS is expected to grow 6.7% year-over-year to $13.82 in fiscal 2027.
Shares of APD have declined 7.6% over the past 52 weeks, underperforming both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 17.7% return and the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLB) 14.7% uptick over the same time period.
On Nov. 4, APD’s shares gained 8.9% after its Q4 earnings release. Mainly due to lower volumes, the company reported a marginal year-over-year decrease in its total revenue to $3.2 billion. Meanwhile, its adjusted EPS also fell 4.8% from the prior-year quarter to $3.39. However, its selling and administrative expenses dropped 3.9% from the same period last year, reflecting productivity gains and strong cost control, which helped bolster investor confidence.
Wall Street analysts are moderately optimistic about APD’s stock, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 23 analysts covering the stock, 10 recommend "Strong Buy," one indicates a “Moderate Buy,” and 12 suggest "Hold.” The mean price target for APD is $291, indicating a 10.3% potential upside from the current levels.
