Linde plc (LIN) Stock Analysis — Fair Value, Risk & Moat Rating
NMS · Basic Materials · Specialty Chemicals
Is Linde plc a safe investment right now?
Linde plc's Altman Z-Score of 3.91 places it in the safe zone. Our fair value estimate is $457.92 (Fairly Valued). Moat rating: 3.7/5 stars.
Could Linde plc go bankrupt? Altman Z-Score analysis
Z-Score of 3.91 is above 3.0, indicating the company is financially healthy by this metric.
- Below 1.8 — Distress Zone (high bankruptcy risk)
- 1.8 to 3.0 — Gray Zone (elevated uncertainty)
- Above 3.0 — Safe Zone (financially healthy)
What drives LIN's Z-Score?
| Component | Formula | Value | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · Working Capital / Total Assets | WC / TA | -0.0216 | 1.2 | -0.03 |
| B · Retained Earnings / Total Assets | RE / TA | 0.1913 | 1.4 | 0.27 |
| C · EBIT / Total Assets | EBIT / TA | 0.1078 | 3.3 | 0.36 |
| D · Market Cap / Total Liabilities | MCap / TL | 4.8688 | 0.6 | 2.92 |
| E · Revenue / Total Assets | Rev / TA | 0.3915 | 1.0 | 0.39 |
How has LIN's financial health changed over time?
| Year | Z-Score | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4.56 | Safe |
| 2023 | 4.32 | Safe |
| 2024 | 4.36 | Safe |
| 2025 | 3.91 | Safe |
Source: Calculated from LIN's latest 10-K filing on SEC EDGAR.
What is Linde plc actually worth?
How we calculated this
| Input | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Predicted EPS (α) | $15.90 | Proprietary blend of reported actuals + analyst consensus, weighted by α |
| Last Year EPS | $14.61 | Annual report (SEC EDGAR) |
| Analyst Consensus EPS (This Year) | $17.84 | 25 analysts consensus |
| Trailing P/E | 33.9x | Current market pricing |
| Fair P/E (β discount) | 28.8x | Trailing PE adjusted by value discount factor β, hard-capped |
| Earnings Trend (γ) | Growing | Directional signal: predicted vs trailing EPS |
Wall Street Reference: Analyst consensus target price is $523.89 (25 analysts). This is shown for reference only and is not used in our valuation model.
Source: Earnings data from SEC EDGAR filings. Market data via Yahoo Finance.
Does Linde plc have a durable competitive advantage?
Moat rating: 3.7/5.
What makes up LIN's moat score?
ROIC Stability
ROIC variability over the past decade. Score: 4/5.
Gross Margin Trend
Gross margin trajectory over the past decade. Score: 4/5.
Switching Costs
Estimated customer lock-in based on margin level. Score: 3/5.
How stable is LIN's return on invested capital?
| Year | ROIC | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 9.9% | — |
| 2023 | 14.2% | Rising |
| 2024 | 15.2% | Stable |
| 2025 | 14.3% | Stable |
Source: ROIC calculated from SEC EDGAR filings.
Is Linde plc's dividend safe?
Can Linde plc afford its dividend?
Payout ratio is 41.1%. FCF covers the dividend 2.4x. 35 consecutive years of payments.
Linde plc's key financial metrics
| Metric | Latest | 1Y Ago | 3Y Ago | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $34.0B | $33.0B | $33.4B | Stable |
| Net Income | $6.9B | $6.6B | $4.1B | Rising |
| Free Cash Flow | $5.1B | $4.9B | $5.7B | Declining |
| Gross Margin | 48.8% | 48.1% | 41.7% | Rising |
Recent events that affect our LIN analysis
LIN earnings report scheduled
Upcoming report. Consensus EPS estimate: $4.27. Revenue estimate: $8.60B. Our current Fair Value: $457.92 — a significant beat or miss could shift this estimate.
LIN analyst consensus: 78% bullish (21 of 27 analysts)
4 Strong Buy, 17 Buy, 4 Hold, 1 Sell, 1 Strong Sell. Consensus target: $523.89 (5.9% upside). Compare with our independent Fair Value: $457.92.
LIN paid $1.6000/share dividend
Dividend Safety Grade: A. Payout ratio: 41.1%.
LIN filed annual report (10-K)
Annual filing with full-year financials. Our Altman Z-Score, Moat, and Fair Value models are derived from this data. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN beat EPS estimates by 0.5%
Reported EPS: $4.20 vs estimate $4.18. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $457.92 (7.4% below current price).
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN paid $1.5000/share dividend
Dividend Safety Grade: A. Payout ratio: 41.1%.
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN beat EPS estimates by 0.8%
Reported EPS: $4.21 vs estimate $4.18. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $457.92 (7.4% below current price).
LIN filed quarterly report (10-Q)
Quarterly update with interim financials. May signal changes to earnings trajectory and balance sheet health. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN paid $1.5000/share dividend
Dividend Safety Grade: A. Payout ratio: 41.1%.
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN beat EPS estimates by 1.4%
Reported EPS: $4.09 vs estimate $4.04. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $457.92 (7.4% below current price).
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed quarterly report (10-Q)
Quarterly update with interim financials. May signal changes to earnings trajectory and balance sheet health. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN paid $1.5000/share dividend
Dividend Safety Grade: A. Payout ratio: 41.1%.
LIN beat EPS estimates by 0.7%
Reported EPS: $3.95 vs estimate $3.92. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $457.92 (7.4% below current price).
LIN filed quarterly report (10-Q)
Quarterly update with interim financials. May signal changes to earnings trajectory and balance sheet health. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN paid $1.5000/share dividend
Dividend Safety Grade: A. Payout ratio: 41.1%.
LIN filed annual report (10-K)
Annual filing with full-year financials. Our Altman Z-Score, Moat, and Fair Value models are derived from this data. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
LIN beat EPS estimates by 1.2%
Reported EPS: $3.97 vs estimate $3.92. Earnings strength supports our Fair Value of $457.92 (7.4% below current price).
LIN filed 8-K (material event)
8-K filings disclose material events — acquisitions, leadership changes, or guidance revisions that may affect valuation. View on SEC EDGAR →
Common questions about Linde plc
What is Linde plc stock price today?
Linde plc (LIN) stock price is $494.62 as of the latest market close, traded on the NASDAQ exchange.
What does Linde plc do?
Linde plc operates as an industrial gas company worldwide. It offers atmospheric gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and rare gases; and process gases, such as hydrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, electronic gases, specialty gases, and acetylene. It also engages in designing and constructing of turnkey process plants for third-party customers, as well as for the gas businesses in various locations comprising air separation, hydrogen, synthesis, olefin, and natural gas plants.
What is Linde plc market cap?
Linde plc has a market capitalization of $229.20B, classifying it as a mega-cap stock in the Basic Materials sector.
What sector and industry is LIN in?
Linde plc operates in the Basic Materials sector, specifically within the Specialty Chemicals industry. It trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol LIN.
Is LIN stock overvalued or undervalued?
Based on our valuation model, Linde plc trades 8.0% above our fair value estimate — potentially overvalued.
- FairValueLabs Fair Value: $457.92
- Current Price: $494.62
- Valuation Zone: Fairly Valued
What is LIN stock forecast and analyst target price?
Based on 25 Wall Street analysts, the consensus price target for Linde plc is $523.89, implying upside of 5.9% from the current price.
- Analyst High Target: $580.00
- Analyst Low Target: $381.00
Note: Analyst targets are shown for reference and are not used in our valuation model.
Is Linde plc revenue and earnings growing?
Here are the analyst consensus growth estimates for Linde plc:
- Revenue growth (current year est.): 4.9%
- EPS growth (current year est.): 8.4%
- Revenue growth (next year est.): 5.1%
- EPS growth (next year est.): 9.4%
What are Linde plc's key financial metrics?
| Metric | Latest | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $34.0B | Stable |
| Net Income | $6.9B | Rising |
| Free Cash Flow | $5.1B | Declining |
| Gross Margin | 48.8% | Rising |
What is LIN's P/E ratio?
The price-to-earnings ratio measures how much investors pay per dollar of earnings:
- Trailing P/E (last 12 months): 33.9x
- Forward P/E (next 12 months est.): 25.3x
- FairValueLabs Fair P/E: 28.8x
How volatile is LIN stock?
Linde plc has a beta of 0.79, meaning it is less volatile than the broader market. A beta above 1.0 indicates higher price swings relative to the S&P 500, while below 1.0 suggests more stability.
How much cash and debt does Linde plc have?
Linde plc's balance sheet shows:
- Total Cash: $5.06B
- Total Debt: $28.07B
- Net Cash Position: $-23.01B
A positive net cash position means the company holds more cash than debt, reducing financial risk.
What is Linde plc's free cash flow?
Linde plc generated $4.79B in trailing twelve-month free cash flow (from $10.35B in operating cash flow). Free cash flow represents the cash available for dividends, buybacks, and debt reduction after all capital expenditures.
Does Linde plc pay a dividend, and is it safe?
Yes, Linde plc pays a regular dividend. Here are the key metrics:
- Dividend Yield: 1.2%
- Payout Ratio: 41.1%
- Consecutive Years Paid: 35
- 5-Year Dividend Growth: -17.7%
- FairValueLabs Safety Grade: A
Is Linde plc at risk of going bankrupt?
Linde plc's Altman Z-Score is 3.91, placing it in the safe zone (above 3.0) — bankruptcy risk is low. The Z-Score uses five balance sheet ratios to predict bankruptcy probability within two years.
Does Linde plc have a durable competitive advantage?
Linde plc scores 3.7/5 stars (Solid moat · eroding) in our moat analysis:
- ROIC Stability: 4/5
- Gross Margin Trend: 4/5
- Switching Costs: 3/5
A score above 3.5 suggests meaningful pricing power and a defensible market position.
What is LIN's return on equity (ROE)?
Linde plc's return on equity is 17.8%. ROE measures how efficiently a company generates profits from shareholder equity. An ROE above 15% is generally considered strong, while below 10% may signal inefficiency.
How do I buy LIN stock?
LIN shares can be purchased through any brokerage account that provides access to the NASDAQ. Common steps:
- Open an account with a broker (e.g., Fidelity, Schwab, Interactive Brokers)
- Search for ticker symbol LIN
- Place a market or limit order for your desired number of shares
This is not investment advice. Always do your own research before buying any stock.
Is LIN a value stock or speculative?
FairValueLabs classifies Linde plc as Value Investment. It exhibits consistent profitability, reasonable valuation, and financial stability — characteristics of a traditional value investment.
Who is the CEO of Linde plc?
The current CEO of Linde plc is Mr. Sanjiv Lamba.
What is LIN's earnings per share (EPS)?
Earnings per share measures the company's profit allocated to each outstanding share:
- Trailing EPS (last 12 months): $14.59
- Forward EPS (next 12 months est.): $19.52
- Analyst consensus EPS (this year): $17.84
- Analyst consensus EPS (next year): $19.52
Other Basic Materials companies analyzed by FairValueLabs
FairValueLabs Disclaimer
All valuations, scores, ratings, and classifications on this page are produced by the FairValueLabs internal valuation system. They do not represent actual market value, guaranteed outcomes, or professional investment advice. These are analytical estimates for educational and research purposes only.
This is not financial advice. All data is sourced from SEC EDGAR public filings. Always consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Last updated: Apr 22, 2026. Data sources: SEC EDGAR (financial statements), Yahoo Finance (market data, analyst consensus). Data may not reflect the most recent quarter.
LIN analysis methodology: How we calculate fair value, Z-Scores, and moat ratings