Air Products & Chemicals guides 4Q above Street

Air Products & Chemicals Inc., a specialty gas maker, on Wednesday guided for fiscal fourth-quarter income above Wall Street estimates.

For the period ending in September, the Allentown, Pa.-based company expects profit in a range of $1.37 to $1.42 per share. The outlook implies year-over-year earnings growth of 19 percent to 23 percent.

Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect, on average, earnings of $1.35 per share.

"We expect to continue to benefit from our very strong new business signings and the geographic diversity of our markets and portfolio of businesses," John McGlade, chairman, president and chief executive, said in a statement. "We are not, however, relying on growth and pricing alone. We will continue to focus relentlessly on driving productivity and reducing costs."