Aug 1 (Reuters) - Industrial gases maker Air Products

beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit on

Thursday, backed by higher prices for its products.

In 2022, following a surge in energy costs, companies such

as Air Products and its rival Linde raised their prices

to protect their margins. The companies have largely maintained

the upward pricing heading into the fiscal third quarter.

Shares of Air Products rose 7.6% in premarket trade.

In the Americas, Air Products' largest segment by revenue,

sales were down 2% at $1.2 billion due to lower volume and

unfavorable currency impact, which was partly offset by a 3%

rise in pricing.

Rebounding from a decline in the January-March quarter, U.S.

production at factories rose during the second quarter, helped

by an uptick in June.

Sales in Asia and Europe also declined but volume rose by 1%

in Europe.

Its corporate and other segment sales rose by 15% to $235

million, driven by higher liquefied natural-gas and other

equipment sales.

The company is focusing on its clean fuel business and had

said earlier in July it would sell its LNG process technology

and equipment business to Honeywell ( HON ) for $1.81 billion in

cash.

Air Products forecast fiscal fourth-quarter adjusted

earnings in the range of $3.33 to $3.63 per share, compared with

average analysts' estimate of $3.53, according to LSEG data.

The Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania-based company reported

adjusted net income of $3.20 per share for the three months

ended June 30, compared with average analysts' estimate of $3.03

per share.