Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.’s APD shares have shot up 21.5% over the past three months. The company has also outperformed the Zacks Chemicals Diversified industry’s rise of 4.2% over the same time frame. APD has also topped the S&P 500’s roughly 6.2% rise over the same period.

Let’s take a look into the factors that are driving APD stock.

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APD Gains on High-return Projects & Productivity Actions

Air Products topped earnings expectations in the fiscal fourth quarter. Its adjusted earnings of $3.56 per share for the quarter rose 13% year over year and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.44. The bottom line was driven by higher volumes and favorable pricing.

APD benefits from its investments in high-return industrial gas projects and productivity measures. It remains focused on its gasification strategy and is executing its growth projects. These projects are expected to be accretive to earnings and cash flows. APD is realizing the benefits of the completion of the second phase of the Jazan project in Saudi Arabia. Air Products’ carbon-free green hydrogen joint venture (JV) project in Saudi Arabia with NEOM and ACWA Power is also on track. The JV is building the world’s largest green hydrogen facility to produce green ammonia at scale. Roughly 60% of construction work is complete and the project is expected to come on stream in end-2026.  

The recently completed sale of the LNG process technology and equipment business to Honeywell for $1.81 billion also reflects Air Products' commitment to its two-pillar growth strategy. The strategy seeks to profitably grow its core industrial gases and related equipment businesses and deliver clean hydrogen at scale to decarbonize the industrial and heavy-duty transportation sectors.

Air Products is also driving productivity to improve its cost structure. It is seeing the positive impacts of its productivity actions. Benefits from additional productivity and cost improvement programs are likely to support its margins moving ahead. The company also remains focused on improving pricing amid an inflationary environment.

The company also remains committed to maximizing returns to shareholders leveraging strong balance sheet and cash flows. Air Products’ board, earlier this year, increased its quarterly dividend to $1.77 per share. This marked the 42nd straight year of dividend increase. APD expects to return roughly $1.6 billion to shareholders through dividends in 2024.

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Price and Consensus

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Quote

APD’s Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks

APD currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Better-ranked stocks in the Basic Materials space are Methanex Corporation MEOH, Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. AXTA and Ingevity Corporation NGVT, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Methanex’s current-year earnings has increased by 20.7% in the past 60 days. MEOH beat the consensus estimate in each of the last four quarters with the average surprise being 101%. Its shares have gained roughly 8% in the past year.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Axalta Coating’s current year earnings is pegged at $2.15, indicating a rise of 36.9% from year-ago levels. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AXTA’s current year earnings has increased 3.9% in the past 60 days. The stock has rallied around 25% in the past year. 

Ingevity beat the consensus estimate in three of the last four quarters while missed once. In this timeframe, it delivered an earnings surprise of 95.4%, on average. NGVT’s shares have gained roughly 21% in the past year.

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