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BALL vs. LIN: Ball vs. Linde Stock Comparison

How do Ball (BALL) 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

Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN) both fall under the Materials industry group, but BALL is classified in Containers & Packaging while LIN is classified in Chemicals.

Company profile comparison for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
Profile ItemBALLLIN
NameBall CorporationLinde plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustryMetal, Glass & Plastic ContainersIndustrial Gases
Market Capitalization17.16 billion USD236.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973June 17, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BALL
LIN
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
Total Return (1Y)38.59%25.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.78%11.48%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.75%10.50%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BALL
LIN
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.54%19.00%
Beta (5Y)0.940.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.87%-22.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.12M2.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BALL 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 Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.251.12
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.021.65

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.49% 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.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.49%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
BALL
9.49%
Median
8.76%
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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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) at 3.52%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.52%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
BALL
3.52%
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.67% and Linde (LIN) at 27.97% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.67%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
BALL
9.67%
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
ROE (TTM)9.49%17.72%
ROA (TTM)4.65%7.17%
Net Margin (TTM)3.52%19.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.67%27.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.84%47.86%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ball (BALL) at 11.58% and Linde (LIN) at 2.97% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) at -74.62% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.58%2.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.53%0.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)-74.62%7.27%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.62%21.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ball (BALL) at 1.04 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.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.04

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
BALL
1.04
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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Ball (BALL) 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 Ball (BALL) at 1.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.33

Max
1.98
BALL
1.33
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.040.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.330.65
Net Debt / EBITDA3.451.65

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 1.20% and Linde (LIN) at 1.21% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
BALL
1.20%
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Ball (BALL) at 40.20% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Linde (LIN) at 41.83% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BALL

Materials industry group

40.20%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
BALL
40.20%
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.20%1.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)40.20%41.83%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 33.13 and Linde (LIN) at 34.21 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

33.13

Max
59.00
BALL
33.13
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Ball (BALL) at 1.13 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Linde (LIN) at 6.53 sits in the pricier quartile — LIN costs more per dollar of sales.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.13

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
BALL
1.13
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Ball (BALL) at 3.02 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Linde (LIN) at 6.00 carries an above-peer premium to book — LIN is pricier on assets.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.02

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
BALL
3.02
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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Ball (BALL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ball (BALL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricBALLLIN
P/E Ratio (TTM)33.1334.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.136.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.026.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.54%1.77%