APD vs. VALE: Air Products and Chemicals vs. Vale Stock Comparison
How do Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Vale (VALE) 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 Vale (VALE) both fall under the Materials industry group, but APD is classified in Chemicals while VALE is classified in Metals & Mining.
Air Products and Chemicals (APD) trades as ordinary local shares, while Vale (VALE) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.
| Profile Item | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Air Products and Chemicals Inc. | Vale S.A. American Depositary Shares |
| Country/Region | United States | Brazil |
| GICS Sector | Materials | Materials |
| GICS Industry Group | Materials | Materials |
| GICS Industry | Chemicals | Metals & Mining |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Industrial Gases | Steel |
| Market Capitalization | 67.88 billion USD | 49.32 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | March 21, 2002 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 23.26% | 6.20% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 8.49% | 3.12% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 2.43% | 8.31% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 25.21% | 33.88% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.67 | 0.48 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -31.77% | -49.81% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.06M | 32.62M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.75 | 0.06 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 1.14 | 0.08 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 3.19% and Vale (VALE) at 0.26% 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%
VALE
Materials industry group
0.26%
- Max
- 52.88%
- Q3
- 19.49%
- Median
- 8.76%
- VALE
- 0.26%
- Q1
- -3.41%
- Min
- -32.81%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 4.10% and Vale (VALE) at 1.01% 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%
VALE
Materials industry group
1.01%
- Max
- 38.66%
- Q3
- 15.98%
- Median
- 5.28%
- VALE
- 1.01%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- -20.40%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 17.68% and Vale (VALE) at 19.31% 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%
VALE
Materials industry group
19.31%
- Max
- 66.70%
- Q3
- 28.92%
- VALE
- 19.31%
- Median
- 12.56%
- Q1
- 3.28%
- Min
- -14.07%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 3.19% | 0.26% |
| ROA (TTM) | 4.80% | 6.97% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 4.10% | 1.01% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 17.68% | 19.31% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 31.58% | 32.06% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Vale (VALE) at 0.91% 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.
EPS Growth
Vale (VALE) at -61.81% 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.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -0.52% | 0.91% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -1.77% | -4.32% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -110.30% | -61.81% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -48.60% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 1.07 and Vale (VALE) at 1.10 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
VALE
Materials industry group
1.10
- Max
- 5.96
- Q3
- 3.30
- Median
- 2.24
- Q1
- 1.45
- VALE
- 1.10
- Min
- 0.16
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Vale (VALE) at 0.55 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
VALE
Materials industry group
0.55
- Max
- 1.98
- Q3
- 0.89
- VALE
- 0.55
- Median
- 0.47
- Q1
- 0.13
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.07 | 1.10 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.06 | 0.55 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 3.61 | 1.20 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 2.33% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Vale (VALE) at 49.02% 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%
VALE
Materials industry group
49.02%
- VALE
- 49.02%
- Max
- 4.52%
- Q3
- 1.85%
- Median
- 0.38%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Vale (VALE) reports payout ratio above 100% at 526.96%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Air Products and Chemicals (APD) reports 75.66%, ranking against industry peers normally.
APD
Materials industry group
75.66%
- Max
- 83.62%
- APD
- 75.66%
- Q3
- 41.37%
- Median
- 9.54%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VALE
Materials industry group
526.96%
- VALE
- 526.96%
- Max
- 83.62%
- Q3
- 41.37%
- Median
- 9.54%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.33% | 49.02% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 75.66% | 526.96% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 127.55 and Vale (VALE) at 72.44 trade above their industries’ P/E ratio peer ranges, pointing to unusually expensive trailing earnings relative to peers.
APD
Materials industry group
127.55
- APD
- 127.55
- Max
- 59.00
- Q3
- 32.93
- Median
- 18.82
- Q1
- 11.96
- Min
- 3.93
VALE
Materials industry group
72.44
- VALE
- 72.44
- Max
- 59.00
- Q3
- 32.93
- Median
- 18.82
- Q1
- 11.96
- Min
- 3.93
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Vale (VALE) at 0.23 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
VALE
Materials industry group
0.23
- Max
- 9.62
- Q3
- 4.34
- Median
- 1.87
- Q1
- 0.73
- VALE
- 0.23
- Min
- 0.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Vale (VALE) at 1.27 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
VALE
Materials industry group
1.27
- Max
- 6.59
- Q3
- 3.55
- Median
- 2.08
- VALE
- 1.27
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- -0.17
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 127.55 | 72.44 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 5.23 | 0.23 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 4.76 | 1.27 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -0.28% | 17.51% |