Air Products Reports Fiscal 2023 Second Quarter GAAP EPS of $1.97 and Adjusted EPS of $2.74

Commenting on the results, Air Products' Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Seifi Ghasemi said, "Our team successfully drove pricing and volumes in our base business, delivering critical productivity, efficiency and sustainability benefits for our customers. The team also continued to advance our first-mover clean hydrogen mega projects that will decarbonize heavy transportation and industrial sectors globally. I am proud of the continued achievements of our team who delivered outstanding results despite the ongoing economic and geopolitical challenges in the world.”

Fiscal 2023 Second Quarter Results by Business Segment 

• Americas sales of $1,373 million were up 16 percent over the prior year on nine percent higher volumes and eight percent higher pricing, partially offset by one percent unfavorable currency. Operating income of $324 million increased 18 percent and adjusted EBITDA of $514 million increased 14 percent, in each case due to higher pricing and higher volumes, partially offset by higher costs. Operating margin of 23.6 percent increased 40 basis points primarily due to higher pricing, while adjusted EBITDA margin of 37.4 percent decreased 50 basis points.

• Asia sales of $814 million increased eight percent over the prior year, as seven percent higher volumes, five percent higher pricing and three percent higher energy cost pass-through more than offset seven percent unfavorable currency. Operating income of $233 million increased 14 percent and adjusted EBITDA of $350 million increased nine percent, in each case due to the favorable volumes and pricing, partially offset by higher costs and unfavorable currency. Operating margin of 28.6 percent increased 150 basis points and adjusted EBITDA margin of 43.0 percent increased 20 basis points.

• Europe sales of $753 million increased two percent over the prior year, driven by 11 percent higher pricing and three percent higher volumes, partially offset by six percent lower energy cost pass-through and six percent unfavorable currency. Operating income of $173 million increased 49 percent and adjusted EBITDA of $251 million increased 32 percent, in each case primarily driven by higher pricing. Operating margin of 23.0 percent increased 720 basis points and adjusted EBITDA margin of 33.3 percent increased 760 basis points.

• Middle East and India equity affiliates' income of $99 million increased 39 percent compared to the prior year, primarily due to the completion of the second phase of the Jazan project.

• Corporate and other sales of $215 million decreased 10 percent compared to the prior year, driven by lower sale of equipment activity. 

Outlook

Air Products provides adjusted EPS guidance on a continuing operations basis, excluding the impact of certain items that management believes are not representative of the Company's underlying business performance, such as the incurrence of costs for cost reduction actions and impairment charges, or the recognition of gains or losses on disclosed items. It is not possible, without unreasonable efforts, to predict the timing or occurrence of these events or the potential for other transactions that may impact future GAAP EPS. Similarly, it is not possible, without unreasonable efforts, to reconcile the forecasted capital expenditures to future cash used for investing activities because management is not able to identify the timing or occurrence of future investment activity, which is driven by management's assessment of competing opportunities at the time the Company enters into transactions. Furthermore, it is not possible to identify the potential significance of these events in advance, but any of these events, if they were to occur, could have a significant effect on the Company's future GAAP results. Management therefore is unable to reconcile, without unreasonable effort, the Company’s forecasted range of adjusted EPS or the capital expenditures to a comparable GAAP range.

Air Products expects full-year fiscal 2023 adjusted EPS guidance of $11.30 to $11.50, up 10 to 12 percent over prior year adjusted EPS. For the fiscal 2023 third quarter, Air Products' adjusted EPS guidance is $2.85 to $2.95, up 10 to 14 percent over fiscal 2022 third quarter adjusted EPS.

Effective beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023, management reviews adjusted EPS excluding the impact of non-service related components of the net periodic benefit/cost for the Company's defined benefit pension plans. The projected percentage increase in adjusted EPS for full year fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2023 third quarter is calculated using fiscal 2022 results recast on a consistent basis. Refer to the reconciliations of GAAP to non-GAAP historical results below for additional information.

Air Products continues to expect capital expenditures of $5.0 - $5.5 billion for full-year fiscal 2023.

Earnings Teleconference
Access the fiscal 2023 second quarter earnings teleconference scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on May 9, 2023 by calling 323-701-0225 and entering passcode 4444766 or by accessing the Event Details page on Air Products’ Investor Relations website.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 80 years focused on serving energy, environmental, and emerging markets. The Company has two growth pillars driven by sustainability. Air Products’ base business provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food. The Company also develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world's largest industrial gas and carbon-capture projects, supplying world-scale clean hydrogen for global transportation, industrial markets, and the broader energy transition. Additionally, Air Products is the world leader in the supply of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment, and globally provides turbomachinery, membrane systems and cryogenic containers.

The Company had fiscal 2022 sales of $12.7 billion from operations in over 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of about $65 billion. More than 21,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products’ higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and reimagine what's possible to address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about earnings and capital expenditure guidance, business outlook and investment opportunities. Forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. While forward-looking statements are made in good faith and based on assumptions, expectations and projections that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors, including, without limitation: the duration and impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic and efforts to contain its transmission, including the effect of these factors on our business, our customers, economic conditions and markets generally; changes in global or regional economic conditions, inflation and supply and demand dynamics in the market segments we serve, including demand for technologies and projects to limit the impact of global climate change; changes in the financial markets that may affect the availability and terms on which we may obtain financing; the ability to implement price increases to offset cost increases; disruptions to our supply chain and related distribution delays and cost increases; risks associated with having extensive international operations, including political risks, risks associated with unanticipated government actions and risks of investing in developing markets; project delays, contract terminations, customer cancellations, or postponement of projects and sales; our ability to safely develop, operate, and manage costs of large-scale and technically complex projects; the future financial and operating performance of major customers, joint ventures, and equity affiliates; our ability to develop, implement, and operate new technologies and to market products produced utilizing new technologies; our ability to execute the projects in our backlog and refresh our pipeline of new projects; tariffs, economic sanctions and regulatory activities in jurisdictions in which we and our affiliates and joint ventures operate; the impact of environmental, tax, safety, or other legislation, as well as regulations and other public policy initiatives affecting our business and the business of our affiliates and related compliance requirements, including legislation, regulations, or policies intended to address global climate change; changes in tax rates and other changes in tax law; safety incidents relating to our operations; the timing, impact, and other uncertainties relating to acquisitions and divestitures, including our ability to integrate acquisitions and separate divested businesses, respectively; risks relating to cybersecurity incidents, including risks from the interruption, failure or compromise of our information systems; catastrophic events, such as natural disasters and extreme weather events, public health crises, acts of war, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing civil war in Yemen, or terrorism; the impact on our business and customers of price fluctuations in oil and natural gas and disruptions in markets and the economy due to oil and natural gas price volatility; costs and outcomes of legal or regulatory proceedings and investigations; asset impairments due to economic conditions or specific events; significant fluctuations in inflation, interest rates, and foreign currency exchange rates from those currently anticipated; damage to facilities, pipelines or delivery systems, including those we own or operate for third parties; availability and cost of electric power, natural gas, and other raw materials; the success of productivity and operational improvement programs; and other risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 and subsequent filings we have made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in assumptions, beliefs, or expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances upon which any such forward-looking statements are based.