Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs Element Solutions (ESI)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Element Solutions (ESI) has outperformed Air Products and Chemicals (APD) over the past year, gaining 40.5% versus a gain of 2.7%. Over five years, ESI leads with a +64.5% price change compared with -5.0% for APD. Air Products and Chemicals is the larger company by market cap ($61.93 billion vs $9.06 billion), about 6.8 times the size, while Element Solutions is growing revenue faster (+3.8% vs -0.5%).
On valuation, Element Solutions trades at a lower forward P/E (17.5x vs 19.3x for Air Products and Chemicals). Air Products and Chemicals offers the higher dividend yield (2.59% vs 0.86%). Element Solutions converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 7.5% versus -3.3%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | APD | ESI |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $278.12 | $37.17 |
| Market cap | $61.93B | $9.06B |
| 1-day change | -1.02% | -1.51% |
| YTD return | +12.59% | +48.74% |
| 1-year return | +2.67% | +40.53% |
| 5-year return | -4.98% | +64.47% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 50.23 |
| Forward P/E | 19.26 | 17.55 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.21 | $0.74 |
| Dividend yield | 2.59% | 0.86% |
| Annual dividend | $7.20 | $0.32 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $12.04B | $2.55B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -0.52% | +3.84% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $-394.50M | $190.80M |
| Gross margin | 31.41% | 41.96% |
| Operating margin | -7.29% | 13.41% |
| Net margin | -3.28% | 7.48% |
| 52-week high | $314.87 | $49.25 |
| 52-week low | $229.11 | $22.86 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -11.67% | -24.53% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +23.50% | +25.24% |
| Average volume | 1.09M | 4.83M |
| Shares outstanding | 222.69M | 243.69M |
| Employees | 21,087 | 5,200 |
| Sector | Basic Materials | Industrials |
| Industry | Major Chemicals | Major Chemicals |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Air Products and Chemicals is about 6.8 times larger than Element Solutions by market value ($61.93B vs $9.06B).
- ESI has outperformed APD by 37.9 percentage points over the past year.
- Air Products and Chemicals offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.59% vs 0.86%).
- Element Solutions is more profitable, keeping 7.5 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus -3.3 cents for Air Products and Chemicals.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Air Products and Chemicals in Basic Materials and Element Solutions in Industrials.
About Air Products and Chemicals
APD stock →Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, equipment, and related services in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, India, and internationally.
Basic Materials · Major Chemicals · 21,087 employees
About Element Solutions
ESI stock →Element Solutions Inc operates as a specialty chemicals technology company in the United States, China, and internationally. The company operates in two segments: MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions and Element Specialties.
Industrials · Major Chemicals · 5,200 employees
APD vs ESI FAQ
Which is bigger, Air Products and Chemicals or Element Solutions?
Air Products and Chemicals (APD) is larger, with a market capitalization of $61.93B compared with $9.06B for Element Solutions (ESI).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, APD or ESI?
ESI returned +40.53% over the past 12 months, compared with +2.67% for APD (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Air Products and Chemicals or Element Solutions?
Air Products and Chemicals has the higher yield at 2.59%, compared with 0.86% for Element Solutions.
Are Air Products and Chemicals and Element Solutions in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Major Chemicals industry within the Basic Materials sector.