Linde plc (LIN)

In the past six months, Linde Plc's stock has been impacted by several events, including the declaration of a quarterly dividend of $1.50 per share, payable on December 17, 2025, and a dividend rate increase announced on April 29, 2025, raising the annual dividend rate from $5.56 to $6.00. Linde also reported strong second-quarter earnings for 2025, exceeding analyst expectations with an EPS of $4.90 and revenue of $8.5 billion and has set its full-year 2025 EPS target between $16.30 and $16.50. As of October 22, 2025, the share price was $449.92, reflecting a 5.76% decline from October 23, 2024. Institutional ownership has seen some fluctuations, with various firms adjusting their stakes in the company.

Demand for Linde Plc's products and services, particularly industrial gases like natural gas, exhibits seasonality. Natural gas demand typically experiences two seasonal peaks annually, with the most significant peak occurring during the winter months due to increased demand for heating and a secondary, smaller peak in the summer, driven by higher electricity generation for air conditioning. The "shoulder seasons" of spring and fall generally see lower demand for natural gas across many Northern Hemisphere markets.

Linde Plc is a global industrial gas and engineering company, the world's largest industrial gas supplier by market share and revenue, operating in the Basic Materials sector, specifically in the Chemicals industry. Linde manufactures and distributes atmospheric gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and rare gases, as well as process gases such as carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, electronic gases, specialty gases, and acetylene. Linde also designs and constructs equipment for industrial gas production, including air separation plants, natural gas plants, and hydrogen and synthesis gas plants, catering to diverse end markets, including healthcare, chemicals and energy, manufacturing, metals and mining, food and beverage, and electronics.

Linde Plc operates in over 100 countries across North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. Key operational regions include the United States, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, and Brazil. The company's headquarters are located in Woking, Surrey, UK, with its legal domicile in Dublin, Ireland.

Linde Plc has maintained its strong brand reputation as a leading global industrial gases and engineering company. The company's mission, "Making Our World More Productive," underscores its commitment to providing high-quality solutions that enhance customers' economic and environmental performance. Linde is actively involved in sustainable initiatives, including the production of clean hydrogen and the development of carbon capture systems, which are crucial for the energy transition. The appointment of current CEO Sanjiv Lamba to also serve as Chairman of the Board, effective January 31, 2026, following the planned retirement of Steve Angel, is a notable corporate development. No significant negative events affecting its brand reputation have been widely reported in the past year.

Linde Plc has a widely held ownership structure, with institutional investors holding a significant majority of its shares, ranging from 81.84% to 84%. Major institutional owners include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock, Inc., State Street Corp, Fmr Llc, Geode Capital Management, Llc, Capital World Investors, Invesco Qqq Trust, Series 1, and Price T Rowe Associates Inc /md/. Vanguard Group Inc. is noted as the largest individual Linde shareholder, owning 9.52% of the company. Individual retail investors hold approximately 17.89% of the shares, while Linde insiders own about 0.27%.