Linde plc (LIN)
Linde is a global giant that supplies the essential gases—like oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen—that keep industries from healthcare to manufacturing running.
Is Linde plc a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Linde is a global giant that supplies the essential gases—like oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen—that keep industries from healthcare to manufacturing running.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Linde becomes the dominant player in the global hydrogen economy.
Technological shifts make their current gas delivery model less relevant.
What does Linde plc do?
Think of Linde as the invisible backbone of modern industry; they capture, purify, and deliver gases that are vital for everything from welding steel to keeping hospital patients breathing. They make money through long-term contracts, often building their plants right next to their customers' factories to ensure a steady, reliable supply. Their push into 'green hydrogen' is worth following, as it could become a major growth engine while the world shifts toward cleaner energy sources.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and income, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.3% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 8% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 20% of sales into profit
- !High P/E of 31 - big growth is already priced in
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 18%)
- Dominant market position with high barriers to entry
- Very stable, long-term contract-based business model
- Strong profit margins compared to many industrial peers
- Value screens low (31/100)
- Global economic downturns reducing industrial gas demand
- Rising energy costs impacting production margins
- Regulatory changes affecting hydrogen project subsidies
What do Linde plc's numbers mean?
How much money does Linde plc make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Linde plc pay a dividend?
Yes - Linde plc currently pays a dividend of about 1.3% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Linde plc report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Linde plc is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-30 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-31 | $4.12 | $4.15 | In line |
| 2026-05-01 | $4.27 | $4.33 | Beat +1% |
| 2026-02-05 | $4.18 | $4.20 | In line |
| 2025-10-31 | $4.18 | $4.21 | In line |
| 2025-08-01 | $4.04 | $4.09 | Beat +1% |
| 2025-05-01 | $3.92 | $3.95 | In line |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Linde plc came in ahead of what analysts expected 2 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Corteva, Inc.What are the scenarios for Linde plc?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Linde plc?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Dominant market position with high barriers to entry
- Very stable, long-term contract-based business model
- Strong profit margins compared to many industrial peers
- High valuation multiples compared to the broader market
- Heavy reliance on large-scale industrial customers
- Significant capital expenditure required for new projects
- Global economic downturns reducing industrial gas demand
- Rising energy costs impacting production margins
- Regulatory changes affecting hydrogen project subsidies
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A sustained drop in global industrial output
- Failure to secure major contracts for new hydrogen infrastructure
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.