Valued at a market cap of $218.5 billion, Linde plc (LIN) operates as a leading industrial gas and engineering company globally. Based in Woking, United Kingdom, the company serves sectors including chemicals, food and beverage, manufacturing, healthcare, and clean energy. 

Companies valued at $200 billion or more are generally described as “mega-cap stocks”, and Linde fits this criterion perfectly. The company provides critical gas solutions and technologies that support production efficiency and sustainability. With operations in various countries, Linde plays a key role in the global industrial supply chain.

The shares of Linde have dropped 4.8% from its 52-week high of $487.49. However, LIN stock has fallen marginally over the past three months, a less pronounced decline than the broader Dow Jones Industrials Average's ($DOWI) 3.7% drop.

Longer term, LIN stock has surged 10.9% on a YTD basis, whereas DOWI has decreased marginally. Nevertheless, shares of Linde soared nearly 8% over the past 52 weeks, slightly underperforming the Dow Jones’ 8.7% gain over the same time frame. 

From late January to early April, the stock traded above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, but it has recently shown increased volatility.

Linde stock fell 1.1% following the release of its Q1 2025 results on May 1. The company reported sales of $8.1 billion, flat year-over-year. Underlying sales rose 1%, driven by a 2% increase in pricing, partially offset by a 1% decline in volumes due to softer demand from the manufacturing and metals & mining sectors. Revenue from the Americas segment rose 3%, while sales in the APAC and EMEA regions declined. Adjusted EPS came in at $3.95, marking a 5.3% increase from the year-ago quarter. 

Looking ahead to fiscal 2025, the company expects adjusted EPS to range between $16.20 and $16.50, representing a 4% to 6% increase compared to the prior year. 

Moreover, when compared, rival DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (DD) has lagged behind LIN. DD has fallen 9.6% on a YTD basis and edged down 16% over the past 52 weeks.

Despite LIN’s underperformance relative to the Dow, analysts have a bullish outlook. With 24 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is “Strong Buy,” and it is currently trading below the mean price target of $501.05.