— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
The three biggest Lehigh Valley-based companies had a good day in the markets Tuesday, with two reaching 52-week highs.
Air Products reached $297.53, its high for the last 52 weeks, before closing up $3.66 at $295.71. The Upper Macungie Township-based industrial gas company (NYSE: APD) has been rising steadily. Its current market capitalization is $65.7 billion.
Allentown-based PPL Corp. rose to $33.02, its high for the last 52 weeks, although it closed down 26 cents for the day at $32.58. Still, the energy company (NYSE: PPL) has been rising since the beginning of July.
Shift4 Payments did not quite reach a high, but did trade at $87.73 before closing at $86.97, up 45 cents. The payment processer (NYSE: FOUR), with headquarters in Upper Saucon Township, has been gaining since early August.
Shift4 reached its 52-week high of $92.30 when the company was considering buyout offers.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 83.57 today to 42,208.22.
Also locally, Bethlehem-based OraSure Technologies fell 11 cents to $4.30. The maker of diagnostic kits (NASDAQ: OSUR) has a market capitalization of $320.6 million, about 1/24th of Shift4’s $7.7 billion.
In Berks County, Carpenter Technology, a maker of metal alloys, traded at a 52-week high of $161.14. At 4 p.m., Carpenter (NYSE: CRS) settled at $159.89, up $2.07 for the day.
Also locally, Freshpet (NASDAQ: FRPT) was close to a high. The maker of pet foods is based in Secaucus, New Jersey, but has operations in Hanover Township (Northampton County).
Freshpet’s closing price was $140.44.
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 