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APD vs. LIN: Air Products and Chemicals vs. Linde Stock Comparison

How do Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN) are both classified in the Industrial Gases sub-industry within the broader Chemicals industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
Profile ItemAPDLIN
NameAir Products and Chemicals Inc.Linde plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial GasesIndustrial Gases
Market Capitalization67.88 billion USD236.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 17, 1980June 17, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

APD
LIN
GSPC
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
Total Return (1Y)23.26%25.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)8.49%11.48%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.43%10.50%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

APD
LIN
GSPC
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.21%19.00%
Beta (5Y)0.670.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-31.77%-22.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.06M2.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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APD and LIN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.751.12
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.141.65

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 3.19% and Linde (LIN) at 17.72% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

APD

Materials industry group

3.19%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
APD
3.19%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

LIN

Materials industry group

17.72%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
LIN
17.72%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Linde (LIN) at 19.34% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 4.10%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

APD

Materials industry group

4.10%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
APD
4.10%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

LIN

Materials industry group

19.34%

Max
38.66%
LIN
19.34%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 17.68% and Linde (LIN) at 27.97% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

APD

Materials industry group

17.68%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
APD
17.68%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

LIN

Materials industry group

27.97%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
LIN
27.97%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
ROE (TTM)3.19%17.72%
ROA (TTM)4.80%7.17%
Net Margin (TTM)4.10%19.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)17.68%27.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)31.58%47.86%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Linde (LIN) at 2.97% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at -0.52% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Linde (LIN) at 7.27% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at -110.30% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
Revenue Growth (YoY)-0.52%2.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.77%0.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)-110.30%7.27%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--21.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 1.07 and Linde (LIN) at 0.86 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

APD

Materials industry group

1.07

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
APD
1.07
Min
0.16

LIN

Materials industry group

0.86

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
LIN
0.86
Min
0.16
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Linde (LIN) at 0.65 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 1.06 uses more debt funding than most peers.

APD

Materials industry group

1.06

Max
1.98
APD
1.06
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

LIN

Materials industry group

0.65

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
LIN
0.65
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.070.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.060.65
Net Debt / EBITDA3.611.65

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 2.33% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Linde (LIN) at 1.21% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, APD the richer one.

APD

Materials industry group

2.33%

Max
4.52%
APD
2.33%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LIN

Materials industry group

1.21%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
LIN
1.21%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 75.66% and Linde (LIN) at 41.83% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

APD

Materials industry group

75.66%

Max
83.62%
APD
75.66%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LIN

Materials industry group

41.83%

Max
83.62%
LIN
41.83%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.33%1.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)75.66%41.83%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on trailing earnings: Linde (LIN) at 34.21 sits in the richer P/E ratio quartile, and Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 127.55 is richer still, above its industry range.

APD

Materials industry group

127.55

APD
127.55
Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

LIN

Materials industry group

34.21

Max
59.00
LIN
34.21
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 5.23 and Linde (LIN) at 6.53 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

APD

Materials industry group

5.23

Max
9.62
APD
5.23
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

LIN

Materials industry group

6.53

Max
9.62
LIN
6.53
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Air Products and Chemicals (APD) at 4.76 and Linde (LIN) at 6.00 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

APD

Materials industry group

4.76

Max
6.59
APD
4.76
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

LIN

Materials industry group

6.00

Max
6.59
LIN
6.00
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Air Products and Chemicals (APD) and Linde (LIN)
MetricAPDLIN
P/E Ratio (TTM)127.5534.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)5.236.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.766.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-0.28%1.77%