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Air Products & Chemicals, Inc.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Full-year adjusted operating income rose 11 percent: Adjusted operating income was $3.2 billion, with adjusted operating margin of 24.4 percent, up 70 basis points, on on-site volumes, favorable currency and pricing. Source
  • GAAP results carry large charges: GAAP operating income was $23 million and GAAP EPS was $2.39, after business and asset action charges of about $3.2 billion pre-tax. Source
  • Fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS $14.15 to $14.50: Full-year fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS guidance is $14.15 to $14.50. The prior release gave no fiscal 2027 figure. Source
  • Electronics wins add to backlog: Backlog expanded, including over $2.0 billion of new electronics wins. The prior release described a long-term electronics agreement in Taiwan. Source
  • Fourth-quarter margin fell on costs: Adjusted operating margin was 24.1 percent, down 150 basis points, mainly on higher costs. Pricing actions added to operating income. Source
  • Project exit charges about $3.2 billion: Charges of about $3.2 billion pre-tax, or $10.95 per share after tax attributable to Air Products, relate mainly to project exits announced 30 June 2026. Source
  • Capital expenditures down $1.8 billion: Cash used for investing activities was $4.1 billion. Capital expenditures were $3.3 billion, against $5.1 billion in fiscal 2025. Source

“Our fiscal 2026 results demonstrate the progress we are making to improve our core industrial gas business, strengthen execution, and allocate capital with discipline.”

Eduardo Menezes, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EPS SourceFiscal 2027 full year$14.15 to $14.50New
Adjusted EPS SourceFiscal 2027 first quarter$3.35 to $3.45New
Capital expenditures SourceFiscal 2027 full year$3.0 billion to $3.5 billionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $14.15 to $14.50 appears in this release for the first time. Source
  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 first-quarter adjusted EPS guidance of $3.35 to $3.45 was added. Source
  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 capital expenditure guidance of $3.0 billion to $3.5 billion was added. Source
  • New: Backlog rose, including over $2.0 billion of new electronics wins. The prior release described a long-term electronics agreement in Taiwan. Source

Full-year and fourth-quarter results

  • Full-year adjusted operating income rose 11 percent: Adjusted operating income was $3.2 billion, with adjusted operating margin of 24.4 percent, up 70 basis points, on on-site volumes, favorable currency and pricing. Source
  • GAAP results carry large charges: GAAP operating income was $23 million and GAAP EPS was $2.39, after business and asset action charges of about $3.2 billion pre-tax. Source
  • Full-year sales up eight percent: Fiscal 2026 sales were $13.0 billion, up $954 million, on four percent higher volumes, with energy pass-through and currency adding two percent each. Source
  • Fourth-quarter sales up 12 percent: Fourth-quarter sales were $3.6 billion. Volumes rose nine percent, and pricing, energy pass-through and currency each added one percent. Source
  • Fourth-quarter operating income up five percent: Fourth-quarter adjusted operating income was $856 million. Higher volumes and pricing actions were partly offset by higher costs. Source

Fiscal 2027 guidance

  • Fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS $14.15 to $14.50: Full-year fiscal 2027 adjusted EPS guidance is $14.15 to $14.50. The prior release gave no fiscal 2027 figure. Source
  • First-quarter fiscal 2027 EPS $3.35 to $3.45: Adjusted EPS guidance for the first quarter of fiscal 2027 is $3.35 to $3.45. Source
  • Fiscal 2027 capital spend $3.0 to $3.5 billion: Capital expenditures are expected in a $3.0 billion to $3.5 billion range for fiscal 2027. The prior release gave approximately $3.5 billion for fiscal 2026. Source

“We delivered 12 percent adjusted EPS growth, reduced capital expenditures by $1.8 billion, and expanded our industrial gas project backlog through new business wins.”

Eduardo Menezes, Chief Executive Officer

Segments and regions

  • Americas sales up 27 percent: Americas sales reached $1.6 billion on 26 percent higher volumes and one percent higher pricing. Source
  • Americas margin fell on higher costs: Americas operating income was $469 million, up 20 percent, helped by an asset sale tied to an early contract termination and a new asset. Source
  • Asia operating income and margin rose: Asia sales were $909 million, up four percent. Lower depreciation on assets held for sale helped the margin gain. Source
  • Europe sales rose eight percent: Europe sales were $856 million. Operating income was $241 million, up two percent, and operating margin was 28.2 percent. Source
  • Middle East and India affiliates up six percent: Middle East and India equity affiliates' income was $97 million, mainly from an affiliate in Saudi Arabia. Source
  • Corporate operating loss rose: Corporate and other sales fell 34 percent to $122 million. The operating loss was $108 million against $49 million a year earlier. Source

Products, customers and backlog

  • Electronics wins add to backlog: Backlog expanded, including over $2.0 billion of new electronics wins. The prior release described a long-term electronics agreement in Taiwan. Source
  • Fourth-quarter volumes led by on-sites: Fourth-quarter volume growth came mainly from on-sites, including an asset sale tied to an early contract termination in the Americas, and new assets. Source
  • Helium volumes contributed in Asia: Asia volume growth came from on-sites, including new assets, and from helium. Source

“These results reflect the dedication of our employees, whose commitment to safety and focus on serving our customers with excellence continue to drive our performance.”

Eduardo Menezes, Chief Executive Officer

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Fourth-quarter margin fell on costs: Adjusted operating margin was 24.1 percent, down 150 basis points, mainly on higher costs. Pricing actions added to operating income. Source
  • Full-year costs rose with inflation: Higher costs came from fixed-cost inflation and higher incentive compensation. Productivity improvements and lower depreciation partly offset them. Source
  • Europe margin hit by energy pass-through: Europe operating margin fell 190 basis points. About 200 basis points of that came from energy cost pass-through. Source

Project exits and asset sales

  • Project exit charges about $3.2 billion: Charges of about $3.2 billion pre-tax, or $10.95 per share after tax attributable to Air Products, relate mainly to project exits announced 30 June 2026. Source
  • One China coal plant sold in October: Of two China coal gasification plants, one was sold in October 2026 under a sales agreement, and its carrying value was set to those terms. Source
  • Fair value estimates drove charges: Fourth-quarter charges of $224.5 million pre-tax updated carrying values of the China coal plants to estimates from the marketing process. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Capital expenditures down $1.8 billion: Cash used for investing activities was $4.1 billion. Capital expenditures were $3.3 billion, against $5.1 billion in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Operating cash flow rose: Cash provided by operating activities was $4,680.7 million in fiscal 2026, against $3,256.8 million in fiscal 2025. Source
  • Dividends paid and noncontrolling investment: Dividends paid to shareholders were $1,603.1 million. Investments by noncontrolling interests were $353.7 million, down from $594.6 million. Source
  • Debt proceeds below prior year: Long-term debt proceeds were $827.3 million, against $4,386.7 million. Cash and cash items ended the year at $1,331.7 million. Source

Tax, pension and equity affiliates

  • Tax reserve raised after court ruling: A September 2026 Tax Court decision led to $14.2 million of added tax expense, or $0.06 per share, in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Pension costs below prior year: Non-service pension costs were $15.7 million pre-tax for fiscal 2026, against $45.0 million a year earlier, and $4.5 million in the fourth quarter. Source
  • Equity affiliates added to adjusted EPS: Full-year equity affiliates' income was $745.9 million, against $647.7 million, and the company cited it as a contributor to adjusted EPS. Source

Management view of the year

  • Employees and safety credited: Management credited employees, with a focus on safety and customer service, for the results. Source
  • Progress on core business and capital: The CEO said fiscal 2026 showed progress on the core industrial gas business, execution and disciplined capital allocation. Source
  • Backlog wins and lower capital spend cited: The CEO summarised 12 percent adjusted EPS growth, lower capital spend and new industrial gas project backlog wins. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Fiscal 2027 capital discipline and backlog focus: Management said it will keep a disciplined approach to capital allocation and focus on expanding the industrial gas project backlog through fiscal 2027. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
New electronics wins added to backlog Sourceover $2.0 billion
Fourth-quarter volumes Sourcenine percent higher
Fiscal 2026 volumes Sourcefour percent higher
Americas volumes, fourth quarter Source26 percent higher

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Remaining assets of one China coal gasification plant were fully impaired because buyer interest was limited. Source
  • Financial: Charges depend on estimates from the sale process for the China coal plants, including the plant sold in October 2026. Source
  • Operational: Americas margin was offset by higher incentive compensation, product distribution and dislocation costs, and fixed-cost inflation. Source
  • Regulatory: A later Tax Court decision changed the refund calculation, which increased the liability for an uncertain tax position. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Ahead: Full-year adjusted EPS of $13.45 was above the guidance midpoint. Source
  • Ahead: Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS of $3.61 was above the guidance midpoint. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.