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IFF vs. LIN: Intl Flavors & Fragrances vs. Linde Stock Comparison

How do Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) 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

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN) both belong to the Chemicals industry, though IFF is classified under Specialty Chemicals while LIN falls under Industrial Gases.

Company profile comparison for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
Profile ItemIFFLIN
NameInternational Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.Linde plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustrySpecialty ChemicalsIndustrial Gases
Market Capitalization20.69 billion USD236.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateDecember 17, 1974June 17, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

IFF
LIN
GSPC
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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) 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 Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
Total Return (1Y)40.13%25.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)8.28%11.48%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-8.71%10.50%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

IFF
LIN
GSPC
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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) 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 Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)36.26%19.00%
Beta (5Y)0.880.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.66%-22.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.88M2.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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IFF 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 Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.991.12
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.711.65

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) reports a negative ROE of -7.37%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Linde (LIN) reports 17.72%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IFF

Materials industry group

-7.37%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
IFF
-7.37%
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) 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 Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.68%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

IFF

Materials industry group

1.68%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
IFF
1.68%
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 9.53% and Linde (LIN) at 27.97% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

IFF

Materials industry group

9.53%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
IFF
9.53%
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
ROE (TTM)-7.37%17.72%
ROA (TTM)2.18%7.17%
Net Margin (TTM)1.68%19.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.53%27.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)36.27%47.86%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Linde (LIN) at 2.97% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at -5.17% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) 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 Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at -248.42% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
Revenue Growth (YoY)-5.17%2.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-4.34%0.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)-248.42%7.27%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--21.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.87 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Linde (LIN) at 0.86 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for LIN.

IFF

Materials industry group

1.87

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
IFF
1.87
Q1
1.45
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 0.51 and Linde (LIN) at 0.65 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

IFF

Materials industry group

0.51

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
IFF
0.51
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.870.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.510.65
Net Debt / EBITDA3.511.65

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.85% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Linde (LIN) at 1.21% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, IFF the richer one.

IFF

Materials industry group

1.85%

Max
4.52%
IFF
1.85%
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 62.26% and Linde (LIN) at 41.83% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

IFF

Materials industry group

62.26%

Max
83.62%
IFF
62.26%
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.85%1.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)62.26%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 Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 236.06 is richer still, above its industry range.

IFF

Materials industry group

236.06

IFF
236.06
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.91 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.

IFF

Materials industry group

1.91

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
IFF
1.91
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) at 1.56 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.

IFF

Materials industry group

1.56

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
IFF
1.56
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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Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Intl Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIFFLIN
P/E Ratio (TTM)236.0634.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.916.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.566.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-10.66%1.77%