Air Liquide Shares Drop 1.78% Despite Citi's Raised Target to 207 Euros

Positive Signal from Citi Amidst Stock Decline

Despite today's decline, Air Liquide received a positive signal from Citi, which raised its price target from 195 to 207 euros this Tuesday, while reiterating its buy recommendation. At the current price of 172.56 euros, this new target implies a potential revaluation of about 20%. This increase comes as the stock has shown a positive performance of 5.04% over three months, despite a slight dip of 1.26% over the past week and a decline of 2.3% over the year. The next important financial milestone for the group is set for April 28, with the publication of the first quarter 2026 revenue, followed by the general meeting scheduled for May 5. These dates will allow analysts to assess the operational trajectory of the world leader in industrial gases in an environment of sharply rising energy costs.

Stock Decline Partly Due to Energy Market Tensions

The decline in the stock this Tuesday is partly explained by the context of major tensions in the energy markets: oil prices are up nearly 10% while European natural gas has surged by about 25%, following military operations in Iran and the circumvention of the Strait of Hormuz by major shipping companies. For a company like Air Liquide, whose operations are highly energy-intensive, particularly in hydrogen production and air gas separation, the skyrocketing energy costs are a pressure factor on margins, even though the group historically has contractual mechanisms for passing on costs. Technically, the stock is trading above its 50 and 200-day moving averages, located at 163.27 and 171.30 euros respectively, which preserves the medium-term upward trend for now. The RSI is at 64, indicating a mid-range zone without an overbought signal. The most relevant resistance is at 179.50 euros: crossing this level would be necessary to reconnect with the upward momentum observed in recent weeks.