AZN vs. LIN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AZN and LIN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
AZN trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, LIN is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | AZN | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AstraZeneca PLC | Linde plc |
| Country | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Materials |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Chemicals |
| Market Capitalization | 248.57 billion USD | 226.35 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | May 12, 1993 | June 17, 1992 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AZN and LIN by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.76% | 0.42% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 13.24% | 3.15% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 2.43% | 5.40% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -10.56% | 3.04% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.84% | 4.88% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 13.41% | 15.30% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.15M | 1.55M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.48M | 1.73M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 22.35% | 12.82% |
| Beta | 1.01 | 0.96 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
AZN
19.84%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.90%
- Q1
- 5.63%
- Min
- -9.96%
AZN’s Return on Equity of 19.84% is on par with the norm for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
LIN
17.46%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 26.17%
- Q3
- 13.48%
- Median
- 8.13%
- Q1
- 2.52%
- Min
- -11.86%
In the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry, LIN’s Return on Equity of 17.46% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
AZN
14.68%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 17.73%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 5.99%
- Min
- -7.73%
AZN’s Net Profit Margin of 14.68% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
LIN
20.20%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 21.80%
- Q3
- 9.57%
- Median
- 4.44%
- Q1
- 1.14%
- Min
- -11.30%
A Net Profit Margin of 20.20% places LIN in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
AZN
20.04%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 41.53%
- Q3
- 23.00%
- Median
- 16.24%
- Q1
- 9.24%
- Min
- -6.94%
AZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 20.04% is around the midpoint for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
LIN
26.75%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 27.33%
- Q3
- 13.97%
- Median
- 8.08%
- Q1
- 4.46%
- Min
- -8.10%
An Operating Profit Margin of 26.75% places LIN in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.84% | 17.46% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.76% | 8.10% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.68% | 20.20% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 20.04% | 26.75% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 82.07% | 48.45% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
AZN
0.86
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.49
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.74
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.11
AZN’s Current Ratio of 0.86 falls into the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
LIN
0.93
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 3.38
- Q3
- 2.23
- Median
- 1.73
- Q1
- 1.39
- Min
- 0.55
LIN’s Current Ratio of 0.93 falls into the lower quartile for the Chemicals industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
AZN
0.73
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 2.44
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
AZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.73 is typical for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
LIN
0.67
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 1.65
- Q3
- 0.94
- Median
- 0.65
- Q1
- 0.41
- Min
- 0.00
LIN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.67 is typical for the Chemicals industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
AZN
9.51
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 44.18
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.82
- Min
- -42.71
AZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.51 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
LIN
33.09
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 56.43
- Q3
- 26.33
- Median
- 9.38
- Q1
- 3.10
- Min
- -9.39
LIN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 33.09 is in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.86 | 0.93 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.67 | 0.70 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.73 | 0.67 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.51 | 33.09 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
AZN
2.00%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.98%
- Q3
- 3.32%
- Median
- 2.13%
- Q1
- 0.14%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Yield of 2.00% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
LIN
1.21%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 6.56%
- Q3
- 4.04%
- Median
- 2.47%
- Q1
- 1.45%
- Min
- 0.00%
LIN’s Dividend Yield of 1.21% is in the lower quartile for the Chemicals industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
AZN
59.51%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 165.20%
- Q3
- 90.59%
- Median
- 49.13%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 59.51% is within the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
LIN
40.71%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 181.25%
- Q3
- 95.01%
- Median
- 53.52%
- Q1
- 26.59%
- Min
- 0.00%
LIN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 40.71% is within the typical range for the Chemicals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.00% | 1.21% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 59.51% | 40.71% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
AZN
29.72
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 42.51
- Q3
- 26.88
- Median
- 19.11
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
A P/E Ratio of 29.72 places AZN in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
LIN
33.69
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 42.94
- Q3
- 29.77
- Median
- 20.37
- Q1
- 14.27
- Min
- 6.19
A P/E Ratio of 33.69 places LIN in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
AZN
4.36
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.00
AZN’s P/S Ratio of 4.36 aligns with the market consensus for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
LIN
6.80
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 4.36
- Q3
- 2.23
- Median
- 1.01
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.16
With a P/S Ratio of 6.80, LIN trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Chemicals industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
AZN
4.74
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.96
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.46
- Min
- 0.60
AZN’s P/B Ratio of 4.74 is within the conventional range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
LIN
5.73
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 4.92
- Q3
- 2.56
- Median
- 1.54
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.30
At 5.73, LIN’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Chemicals industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 29.72 | 33.69 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.36 | 6.80 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 4.74 | 5.73 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 30.13 | 44.62 |