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APD vs. PKX: Air Products and Chemicals vs. POSCO Stock Comparison

How do Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX) 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 POSCO (PKX) both fall under the Materials industry group, but APD is classified in Chemicals while PKX is classified in Metals & Mining.

Air Products and Chemicals (APD) trades as ordinary local shares, while POSCO (PKX) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX)
Profile ItemAPDPKX
NameAir Products and Chemicals Inc.POSCO Holdings Inc. American Depositary Receipt
Country/RegionUnited StatesSouth Korea
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial GasesSteel
Market Capitalization67.88 billion USD14.79 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980October 14, 1994
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

APD
PKX
GSPC
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX), 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 POSCO (PKX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX). 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 POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
Total Return (1Y)23.26%-4.84%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)8.49%-15.65%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.43%-1.81%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

APD
PKX
GSPC
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX), 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 POSCO (PKX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

POSCO (PKX) has an aggressive beta of 1.71, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) is defensive at 0.67 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.21%46.00%
Beta (5Y)0.671.71
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.77%-68.71%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.06M216.95K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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APD and PKX 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 POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.75-0.20
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.14-0.30

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 3.19% and POSCO (PKX) at 2.21% 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%

PKX

Materials industry group

2.21%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
PKX
2.21%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 4.10% and POSCO (PKX) at 1.89% 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%

PKX

Materials industry group

1.89%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
PKX
1.89%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): 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 POSCO (PKX) at 4.26% 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%

PKX

Materials industry group

4.26%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
PKX
4.26%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
ROE (TTM)3.19%2.21%
ROA (TTM)4.80%1.31%
Net Margin (TTM)4.10%1.89%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.68%4.26%
Gross Margin (TTM)31.58%7.87%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at -0.52% and POSCO (PKX) at -6.09% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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

EPS Growth

POSCO (PKX) at -29.00% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at -110.30% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
Revenue Growth (YoY)-0.52%-6.09%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.77%-6.72%
EPS Growth (YoY)-110.30%-29.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---39.42%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

POSCO (PKX) at 1.98 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 1.07 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for APD.

APD

Materials industry group

1.07

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

PKX

Materials industry group

1.98

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
PKX
1.98
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

POSCO (PKX) at 0.50 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 1.06 uses more debt funding than most peers.

APD

Materials industry group

1.06

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

PKX

Materials industry group

0.50

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
PKX
0.50
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): 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 POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.071.98
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.060.50
Net Debt / EBITDA3.612.81

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 2.33% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; POSCO (PKX) at 18,518.52% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

APD

Materials industry group

2.33%

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

PKX

Materials industry group

18,518.52%

PKX
18,518.52%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 75.66% and POSCO (PKX) at 51.60% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

APD

Materials industry group

75.66%

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

PKX

Materials industry group

51.60%

Max
83.62%
PKX
51.60%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.33%18,518.52%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)75.66%51.60%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

POSCO (PKX) at 15.57 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 127.55 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for APD’s trailing earnings.

APD

Materials industry group

127.55

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

PKX

Materials industry group

15.57

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
PKX
15.57
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

POSCO (PKX) at 0.00 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 5.23 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

APD

Materials industry group

5.23

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

PKX

Materials industry group

0.00

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

POSCO (PKX) at 1.36 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

PKX

Materials industry group

1.36

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
PKX
1.36
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. POSCO (PKX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and POSCO (PKX)
MetricAPDPKX
P/E Ratio (TTM)127.5515.57
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.230.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.761.36
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-0.28%-23,410.34%