Air Products announces CEO succession and strong earnings

Published 17/01/2025, 15:00
Air Products announces CEO succession and strong earnings

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. - Air Products (NYSE:APD), an industrial gases company, has released preliminary financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, with GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of $2.77 and adjusted EPS of $2.86. These results surpass the company's guidance and analyst consensus for the quarter. According to InvestingPro data, the company, currently valued at $69.4 billion, trades at a P/E ratio of 18.07 and maintains a solid dividend yield of 2.27%.

The company's Board of Directors has also outlined a CEO succession plan, with the appointment of a new President expected by March 31, 2025. The transition to a new CEO is anticipated within three months of that appointment. InvestingPro analysis shows Air Products has maintained strong financial health with an overall score of "GOOD" and has consistently paid dividends for 55 consecutive years, demonstrating stable corporate governance. In conjunction with this change, the roles of Chair and CEO will be separated, and a new independent Chair will be appointed. The current Chair, Mr. Ghasemi, will retire from the Board.

This announcement comes ahead of the company's 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, scheduled for January 23, 2025. The Board has recommended a vote "FOR" only Air Products' nominees on the WHITE proxy card, urging shareholders to protect the company's path to value creation.

The Board has expressed concerns over the campaign by Mantle Ridge, which they describe as disruptive and misguided, potentially threatening the company's progress and long-term strategy. The Board has highlighted that Mantle Ridge’s CEO candidate, Eduardo Menezes, lacks the necessary qualifications for Air Products' CEO role.

Air Products, with operations in approximately 50 countries and fiscal 2024 sales of $12.1 billion, emphasizes its commitment to creating shareholder value and leading in the supply of hydrogen for cleaner energy solutions. The stock currently trades near its 52-week high of $337, reflecting strong market confidence. Discover more detailed insights and analysis in the comprehensive Pro Research Report, available exclusively on InvestingPro.

The information provided is based on a press release statement from Air Products.

"In other recent news, Air Products reported preliminary fiscal 2025 first quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.86, surpassing the company's previous guidance range of $2.75 to $2.85. This higher-than-expected performance also outpaced the preliminary GAAP EPS of $2.77 for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. These recent developments underscore the company's stronger-than-anticipated performance in the first quarter. The company is set to release its full first quarter fiscal 2025 financial results in the near future. It is important to note that these figures are preliminary and are subject to change upon the release of the full financial results. As always, investors are encouraged to look to these earnings and revenue results as key indicators of the company's financial health. This report does not include any predictions or comments on the company's stock price movement."

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.