Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) vs Vulcan Materials Company (VMC)
APD leads on 9 of 16 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Vulcan Materials Company across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
APD
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
$281.62Basic Materials
VMC
Vulcan Materials Company
$286.47Basic Materials
Total return — APD vs VMC
growth of $100 · last 30yAPD +950.4%VMC +1391.3%VMC compounded faster
APD VMC
APD vs VMC: by the numbers
- •APD is the larger company ($62.71B vs $37.17B market cap).
- •APD trades at the lower earnings multiple (29.79 vs 34.06 P/E).
- •APD converts more revenue to profit (16.91% vs 13.88% net margin).
- •VMC grew revenue faster over the past five years (10.56% vs 6.12% CAGR).
- •APD pays the higher dividend yield (2.55% vs 0.71%).
Which is better, APD or VMC?
Metric tally: APD 9 · VMC 7It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueAPD(lower P/E)
GrowthVMC(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeAPD(higher dividend yield)
QualityVMC(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | APD | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 29.79● | 34.06 |
| Forward P/E | 19.71● | 26.49 |
| P/S ratio | 5.04 | 4.69● |
| P/B ratio | 4.01● | 4.47 |
| PEG ratio | 1.40● | 1.90 |
| EV / EBITDA | 17.66 | 16.47● |
| FCF yield | 1.76% | 2.95%● |
Profitability
| Metric | APD | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 31.98%● | 27.61% |
| Operating margin | 18.41% | 20.62%● |
| Net margin | 16.91%● | 13.88% |
| ROE | 13.47% | 13.22% |
| ROIC | -1.82% | 8.02%● |
Dividends
| Metric | APD | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 2.55%● | 0.71% |
| Payout ratio | — | 24.79% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | APD | VMC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 6.12% | 10.56%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 16.58%● | 13.07% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 6.54%● | 5.93% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 1.21% | 11.33%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, APD or VMC?
- It depends on your goal. value: APD (lower P/E); growth: VMC (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: APD (higher dividend yield); quality: VMC (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, APD leads 9 to 7.
- Is APD or VMC cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, APD is cheaper: APD trades at a 29.79 P/E and VMC at 34.06.
- Which has grown faster, APD or VMC?
- Over the past five years, VMC grew revenue faster — APD at a 6.12% CAGR versus VMC at 10.56%.
- Does APD or VMC pay a bigger dividend?
- APD yields 2.55% and VMC yields 0.71% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is APD or VMC more profitable?
- APD runs the higher net margin — APD at 16.91% versus VMC at 13.88%.
- Which has been the better investment, APD or VMC?
- Over the past 10-year, VMC delivered the higher annualized total return — APD at 10.26% versus VMC at 10.45%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Air Products and Chemicals P/E ratioVulcan Materials P/E ratioAir Products and Chemicals dividend yieldVulcan Materials dividend yieldAir Products and Chemicals ROEVulcan Materials ROEAir Products and Chemicals operating marginVulcan Materials operating marginAir Products and Chemicals revenue growthVulcan Materials revenue growthAir Products and Chemicals free cash flowVulcan Materials free cash flow
Air Products and Chemicals & Vulcan Materials 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 13, 2026.