Linde plc (LIN) Stock

Linde plc trades at a P/E ratio of 33.68, which is above the market average of approximately 20. This premium valuation suggests investors expect above-average growth or the company has competitive advantages justifying the higher multiple. Looking ahead, the forward P/E of 28.25 is lower than the current P/E, indicating analysts expect earnings to grow over the next year. The PEG ratio of 2.57 indicates a premium valuation even accounting for growth.

With a beta of 0.98, Linde plc is less volatile than the overall market. This means when the market moves up or down by 10%, this stock typically moves less than 10% in the same direction. Lower beta stocks are often preferred by conservative investors seeking stability. The price-to-book ratio of 5.74 shows investors value the company above its book value, which often reflects intangible assets or growth prospects.

Linde plc achieves a profit margin of 20.00%, meaning it retains $20.00 from every $100 in revenue after all expenses. This is an impressive margin, indicating strong pricing power and efficient cost management that allows the company to generate substantial profits. The operating margin of 28.30% reveals how efficiently the company runs its core business operations before interest and taxes. With ROE at 17.00% and ROA at 6.96%, the company generates strong returns on invested capital.

Linde plc's revenue grew by 0.10% year-over-year, showing steady progress in growing the business. This positive trajectory indicates the company maintains competitive positioning in its markets. Earnings increased by 4.80% year-over-year, outpacing revenue growth through improved margins. These growth metrics should be evaluated against INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS industry averages for proper context.

Linde plc offers a dividend yield of 1.29%, paying $5.67 per share annually. This modest yield below 2% suggests the company prioritizes growth investments over current income. While the dividend provides some return, investors are likely attracted more by capital appreciation potential than income generation. To receive the next dividend, shares must be purchased before the ex-dividend date of 6/4/2025.

The dividend sustainability can be assessed through the payout ratio - Linde plc pays $5.67 per share in dividends against earnings of $13.77 per share, resulting in a payout ratio of 41.18%. This balanced payout between 30-60% suggests a sustainable dividend policy that allows both shareholder returns and business reinvestment. The dividend appears well-covered by earnings. The next dividend payment is scheduled for 6/18/2025.

Linde plc has a market capitalization of $218.32B, classifying it as a mega-cap stock (over $200B). These are the largest, most established companies globally, typically offering stability and liquidity but with more modest growth potential. Mega-caps often pay dividends and weather economic downturns better than smaller companies. With 470.72M shares outstanding, the company's ownership is relatively concentrated. As a major player in the INDUSTRIAL INORGANIC CHEMICALS industry, it competes with other firms in this sector.

Linde plc's book value per share is $80.70, while the current stock price is $472.89, resulting in a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 5.86. This high P/B ratio indicates significant intangible assets, strong brand value, or high growth expectations. Technology and consumer brand companies often trade at elevated P/B ratios due to intellectual property and competitive advantages not reflected on the balance sheet. As a common stock, this represents equity ownership with voting rights.

28 analysts cover LIN with 64% recommending buy/strong buy ratings. Analyst predictions have mixed reliability - studies show consensus rarely beats market returns consistently. The mixed views reflect uncertainty about the outlook. The consensus target of $492.73 implies 4.2% upside, but targets are often adjusted to follow price moves rather than predict them.

Current analyst recommendations:6 Strong Buy, 12 Buy, 9 Hold, 1 Sell, 0The bullish tilt suggests optimism about future prospects, though investors should conduct independent research.Remember that analyst opinions often lag price movements and can be influenced by investment banking relationships.

RSI data is not available for this stock.

MACD and moving average data are not available for this stock.