ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. Air Products and Chemicals's annualized return on invested capital (ROIC %) for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 6.61%.
As of today (2026-06-26), Air Products and Chemicals's WACC % is 5.86%. Air Products and Chemicals's ROIC % is 6.63% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Air Products and Chemicals generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) ROIC % Explanation
ROIC % measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. It is also called ROC %. The reason book values of debt and equity are used is because the book values are the capital the company received when issuing the debt or receiving the equity investments.
There are four key components to this definition. The first is the use of operating income or EBIT rather than net income in the numerator. The second is the tax adjustment to this operating income or EBIT, computed as a hypothetical tax based on an effective or marginal tax rate. The third is the use of book values for invested capital, rather than market values. The final is the timing difference; the capital invested is from the end of the prior year whereas the operating income or EBIT is the current year's number.
Why is ROIC % important?
Because it costs money to raise capital. A firm that generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases, whereas a firm that earns returns that do not match up to its cost of capital will destroy value as it grows.
As of today, Air Products and Chemicals's WACC % is 5.86%. Air Products and Chemicals's ROIC % is 6.63% (calculated using TTM income statement data).
Air Products and Chemicals generates higher returns on investment than it costs the company to raise the capital needed for that investment. It is earning excess returns. A firm that expects to continue generating positive excess returns on new investments in the future will see its value increase as growth increases.
Be Aware
Like ROE % and ROA %, ROIC % is calculated with only 12 months of data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Air Products and Chemicals's ROIC %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROIC % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Air Products and Chemicals ROIC % vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Air Products and Chemicals's ROIC % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Air Products and Chemicals's ROIC % falls into.
Note:
The Operating Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) data.
The tax rate is limited to between 0% and 100%.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Air Products and Chemicals (APD) has a ROIC % of 6.61% as of Mar. 2026. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Air Products and Chemicals and its competitors.
Is Air Products and Chemicals' ROIC % too high?
Air Products and Chemicals' current ROIC % is 6.61%. The Chemicals industry median ROIC % is 4.46. Air Products and Chemicals' value of 6.61% is 48.4% above this industry median. Overall, Air Products and Chemicals has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Air Products and Chemicals' ROIC % compare to ECL and SHW?
Air Products and Chemicals' ROIC % of 6.61% can be compared against companies in the Chemicals industry. The industry median ROIC % is 4.46. Air Products and Chemicals' value of 6.61% is 48.4% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROIC % for a Chemicals company?
The median ROIC % among Chemicals companies is 4.46, based on 1,586 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROIC % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROIC % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Air Products and Chemicals's current ROIC % of 6.61% is 48.4% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high ROIC % mean?
A high ROIC % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on invested capital is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period invested capital. View historical data on Air Products and Chemicals and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median ROIC % is 4.46 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Air Products and Chemicals's current ROIC % is 6.61%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Air Products and Chemicals stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Air Products and Chemicals (APD) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $283.79, compared to a current price of $279.93 — trading 1.4% below its estimated fair value. The current ROIC % is 6.61% and 48.4% above the Chemicals industry median of 4.46. Air Products and Chemicals' overall GF Score™ is 79/100 with 5 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROIC % calculated?
ROIC % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Air Products and Chemicals (APD), the current ROIC % is 6.61% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Air Products and Chemicals (APD) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Air Products and Chemicals stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $279.93 is trading 1.4% below its estimated GF Value™ of $283.79.
GuruFocus considers Air Products and Chemicals to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for APD:
ROIC %: 6.61%
GF Value™: $283.79 vs. price of $279.93 (1.4% below fair value)
Industry Position: 48.4% above the Chemicals median
No single metric tells the full story. See the APD stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Since its founding in 1940, Air Products has become one of the leading industrial gas suppliers globally, with operations in 50 countries and 19,000 employees. The company is the world's largest supplier of hydrogen and helium. It has a unique portfolio serving customers across industries, including chemicals, energy, healthcare, metals, and electronics. Air Products generated roughly $12 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025.
79GF Score
Get the complete analysis for APD
ROIC % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
APD has been successfully added to your 
