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APD vs. BALL: Air Products and Chemicals vs. Ball Stock Comparison

How do Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL) both fall under the Materials industry group, but APD is classified in Chemicals while BALL is classified in Containers & Packaging.

Company profile comparison for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
Profile ItemAPDBALL
NameAir Products and Chemicals Inc.Ball Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsContainers & Packaging
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial GasesMetal, Glass & Plastic Containers
Market Capitalization67.88 billion USD17.16 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

APD
BALL
GSPC
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
Total Return (1Y)23.26%38.59%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)8.49%12.78%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.43%-4.75%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

APD
BALL
GSPC
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.21%27.54%
Beta (5Y)0.670.94
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.77%-54.87%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.06M2.12M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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APD and BALL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.751.25
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.142.02

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 3.19% and Ball (BALL) at 9.49% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

APD

Materials industry group

3.19%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
APD
3.19%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

BALL

Materials industry group

9.49%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
BALL
9.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 4.10% and Ball (BALL) at 3.52% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

APD

Materials industry group

4.10%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
APD
4.10%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

BALL

Materials industry group

3.52%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
BALL
3.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 17.68% and Ball (BALL) at 9.67% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

APD

Materials industry group

17.68%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
APD
17.68%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

BALL

Materials industry group

9.67%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
BALL
9.67%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
ROE (TTM)3.19%9.49%
ROA (TTM)4.80%4.65%
Net Margin (TTM)4.10%3.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.68%9.67%
Gross Margin (TTM)31.58%17.84%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Ball (BALL) at 11.58% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at -0.52% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at -110.30% and Ball (BALL) at -74.62% post bottom-quartile EPS growth versus peers, pointing to weaker earnings momentum than typical rivals.

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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
Revenue Growth (YoY)-0.52%11.58%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.77%-0.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)-110.30%-74.62%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--13.62%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 1.07 and Ball (BALL) at 1.04 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

APD

Materials industry group

1.07

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
APD
1.07
Min
0.16

BALL

Materials industry group

1.04

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
BALL
1.04
Min
0.16
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 1.06 and Ball (BALL) at 1.33 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

APD

Materials industry group

1.06

Max
1.98
APD
1.06
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

BALL

Materials industry group

1.33

Max
1.98
BALL
1.33
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.071.04
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.061.33
Net Debt / EBITDA3.613.45

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 2.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Ball (BALL) at 1.20% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, APD the richer one.

APD

Materials industry group

2.33%

Max
4.52%
APD
2.33%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

BALL

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
BALL
1.20%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Ball (BALL) at 40.20% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 75.66% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

APD

Materials industry group

75.66%

Max
83.62%
APD
75.66%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

BALL

Materials industry group

40.20%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
BALL
40.20%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.33%1.20%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)75.66%40.20%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on trailing earnings: Ball (BALL) at 33.13 sits in the richer P/E ratio quartile, and Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 127.55 is richer still, above its industry range.

APD

Materials industry group

127.55

APD
127.55
Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

BALL

Materials industry group

33.13

Max
59.00
BALL
33.13
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Ball (BALL) at 1.13 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 5.23 sits in the pricier quartile — APD costs more per dollar of sales.

APD

Materials industry group

5.23

Max
9.62
APD
5.23
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

BALL

Materials industry group

1.13

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
BALL
1.13
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Ball (BALL) at 3.02 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 4.76 carries an above-peer premium to book — APD is pricier on assets.

APD

Materials industry group

4.76

Max
6.59
APD
4.76
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

BALL

Materials industry group

3.02

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
BALL
3.02
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Ball (BALL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Ball (BALL)
MetricAPDBALL
P/E Ratio (TTM)127.5533.13
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.231.13
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.763.02
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-0.28%1.54%