Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) vs Vale S.A. (VALE)
VALE leads on 11 of 16 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Vale S.A. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 24, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
APD
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
$282.45Basic Materials
VALE
Vale S.A.
$15.31Basic Materials
Total return — APD vs VALE
growth of $100 · last 24yAPD +493.9%VALE +580.4%VALE compounded faster
APD VALE
APD vs VALE: by the numbers
- •VALE is the larger company ($65.29B vs $62.90B market cap).
- •VALE trades at the lower earnings multiple (23.20 vs 29.88 P/E).
- •APD converts more revenue to profit (16.91% vs 7.06% net margin).
- •APD grew revenue faster over the past five years (6.12% vs -2.82% CAGR).
- •VALE pays the higher dividend yield (6.64% vs 2.54%).
Which is better, APD or VALE?
Metric tally: APD 5 · VALE 11It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueVALE(lower P/E)
GrowthAPD(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeVALE(higher dividend yield)
QualityVALE(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 29.88 | 23.20● |
| Forward P/E | 19.74 | 7.89● |
| P/S ratio | 5.05 | 1.66● |
| P/B ratio | 4.02 | 1.79● |
| PEG ratio | 1.40 | — |
| EV / EBITDA | 17.71 | 8.00● |
| FCF yield | 1.76% | 5.12%● |
Profitability
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 31.98% | 34.52%● |
| Operating margin | 18.41% | 27.84%● |
| Net margin | 16.91%● | 7.06% |
| ROE | 13.47%● | 7.62% |
| ROIC | -1.82% | 6.85%● |
Dividends
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.54% | 6.64%● |
| Payout ratio | — | 175.15% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | APD | VALE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 6.12%● | -2.82% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 16.58%● | -10.50% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 6.54%● | -26.26% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 1.93% | 2.25%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, APD or VALE?
- It depends on your goal. value: VALE (lower P/E); growth: APD (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: VALE (higher dividend yield); quality: VALE (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, VALE leads 11 to 5.
- Is APD or VALE cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, VALE is cheaper: APD trades at a 29.88 P/E and VALE at 23.20.
- Which has grown faster, APD or VALE?
- Over the past five years, APD grew revenue faster — APD at a 6.12% CAGR versus VALE at -2.82%.
- Does APD or VALE pay a bigger dividend?
- APD yields 2.54% and VALE yields 6.64% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is APD or VALE more profitable?
- APD runs the higher net margin — APD at 16.91% versus VALE at 7.06%.
- Which has been the better investment, APD or VALE?
- Over the past 10-year, VALE delivered the higher annualized total return — APD at 10.33% versus VALE at 20.10%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Air Products and Chemicals P/E ratioVale P/E ratioAir Products and Chemicals dividend yieldVale dividend yieldAir Products and Chemicals ROEVale ROEAir Products and Chemicals operating marginVale operating marginAir Products and Chemicals revenue growthVale revenue growthAir Products and Chemicals free cash flowVale free cash flow
Air Products and Chemicals & Vale appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 24, 2026.