ARKAY Arkema (PK)

Air Products & Chemicals Inc. (APD) announced that it will showcase advanced proprietary electron attachment (EA) technology for soldering applications at the IPC APEX Expo, scheduled to be held in San Diego, Calif., from Feb 19-21.

The company will demonstrate the advantages of EA activated hydrogen over plasma-based and flux-based processes for cleaning soldering surfaces during electronics assembly and packaging. The advantages of EA activated hydrogen include improved solder wetting, lower reflow temperature, decreased overall voiding tendency, and no flux residue-related problems.

Air Products will also highlight the results of a study conducted on EA technology titled "Fluxless Die Attach by Activated Forming Gas." The study illustrates that high quality dye attach with zero or near-zero voids can be attained with the use of EA.

The company will display its entire range of technologies that include use of nitrogen reflow for Head-in-Pillow defect reduction and Air Products Inert Wave Soldering technology. These will cater to the electronics packaging and assembly customers and enable them to increasing productivity and minimize costs.

Air Product came out with its first-quarter fiscal 2013 (ended Dec 31, 2012) results last month. The results were encouraging as both revenues and adjusted earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimates. The company’s adjusted earnings from continued operations of $1.30 a share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Consolidated net income from continuing operation increased 22.6% year over year to $276.9 million.

Revenues rose 10.4% year over year to $2,562.4 million, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,471 million. Sales were aided by higher volumes in the Tonnage Gases, Equipment and Energy divisions and acquisitions.

For fiscal 2013, Air Products plans to take a number of steps including cost control measures, restructuring actions, price improvements and volume growth. The company expects that its recent strategic moves will position it for future growth and profitability despite the modest economic backdrop.

Air Products retains a short-term (1 to 3 months) Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Other companies in the chemical industry worth considering are Arkema S.A. (ARKAY), PetroLogistics LP (PDH) and BASF SE (BASFY). While Arkema and PetroLogistics retain Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), BASF holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
 

 
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