Linde (NASDAQ:LIN) Reaches New 52-Week High – What’s Next?

Shares of Linde PLC (NASDAQ:LIN) reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $522.89 and last traded at $519.1950, with a volume of 167531 shares. The stock had previously closed at $515.59.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Erste Group Bank raised shares of Linde from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Linde from $525.00 to $530.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Linde from $580.00 to $585.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Linde from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $560.00 target price on shares of Linde in a report on Tuesday, May 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $541.91.

Linde Trading Up 1.2%

The firm has a market cap of $238.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.23, a PEG ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 0.72. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $504.26 and its two-hundred day moving average is $471.14. The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50.

Linde (NASDAQ:LIN) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 1st. The basic materials company reported $4.33 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.27 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $8.78 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.60 billion. Linde had a net margin of 20.44% and a return on equity of 19.80%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $3.95 earnings per share. Linde has set its FY 2026 guidance at 17.600-17.900 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 4.400-4.500 EPS. Analysts predict that Linde PLC will post 17.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Linde Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 18th. Investors of record on Thursday, June 4th will be issued a $1.60 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 4th. This represents a $6.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. Linde’s payout ratio is 42.50%.

Institutional Trading of Linde

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services boosted its holdings in Linde by 8.5% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services now owns 17,136 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $8,495,000 after acquiring an additional 1,348 shares in the last quarter. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co bought a new stake in Linde in the first quarter valued at $230,000. Evansbrook LLC bought a new stake in Linde in the first quarter valued at $228,000. Wealthquest Corp boosted its holdings in Linde by 6.0% in the first quarter. Wealthquest Corp now owns 993 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $492,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Linde by 7.1% in the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 6,244 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $3,096,000 after acquiring an additional 414 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 82.80% of the company’s stock.

Linde Company Profile

Linde (NASDAQ: LIN) is a multinational industrial gases and engineering company that supplies gases, related technologies and services to a wide range of industries. The company traces its current form to the 2018 combination of Germany’s Linde AG and U.S.-based Praxair, creating one of the largest global providers of industrial, specialty and medical gases. Linde’s business model centers on production, processing and distribution of gases as well as the design and construction of the plants and equipment needed to produce them.

Core products and services include atmospheric and process gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and argon; hydrogen and helium; carbon dioxide; and a portfolio of higher‑value specialty and electronic gases.