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IP vs. LIN: International Paper vs. Linde Stock Comparison

How do International Paper (IP) 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

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

Company profile comparison for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
Profile ItemIPLIN
NameInternational Paper Co.Linde plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustryPaper & Plastic Packaging Products & MaterialsIndustrial Gases
Market Capitalization18.29 billion USD236.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962June 17, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

IP
LIN
GSPC
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International Paper (IP) 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 International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
Total Return (1Y)-2.70%25.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)6.64%11.48%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.14%10.50%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.71%19.00%
Beta (5Y)0.960.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.61%-22.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)5.09M2.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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IP 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 International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.161.12
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.241.65

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative ROE of -22.30%; 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.

IP

Materials industry group

-22.30%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
IP
-22.30%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports a negative net margin of -14.32%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Linde (LIN) reports 19.34%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IP

Materials industry group

-14.32%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
IP
-14.32%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both International Paper (IP) at 5.89% and Linde (LIN) at 27.97% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

IP

Materials industry group

5.89%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
IP
5.89%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
ROE (TTM)-22.30%17.72%
ROA (TTM)1.60%7.17%
Net Margin (TTM)-14.32%19.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)5.89%27.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)29.78%47.86%

Growth

Revenue Growth

International Paper (IP) at 49.25% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Linde (LIN) at 2.97% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for IP.

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International Paper (IP) 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 International Paper (IP) at -542.68% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
Revenue Growth (YoY)49.25%2.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.75%0.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)-542.68%7.27%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--21.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both International Paper (IP) at 0.99 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.

IP

Materials industry group

0.99

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
IP
0.99
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both International Paper (IP) at 0.79 and Linde (LIN) at 0.65 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

IP

Materials industry group

0.79

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
IP
0.79
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.990.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.790.65
Net Debt / EBITDA2.401.65

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Linde (LIN) at 1.21% pays an industry-typical yield; International Paper (IP) at 5.40% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

IP

Materials industry group

5.40%

IP
5.40%
Max
4.52%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

International Paper (IP) reports payout ratio above 100% at 402.17%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Linde (LIN) reports 41.83%, ranking against industry peers normally.

IP

Materials industry group

402.17%

IP
402.17%
Max
83.62%
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
Dividend Yield (TTM)5.40%1.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)402.17%41.83%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Linde (LIN) trades at 34.21 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while International Paper (IP) has no P/E ratio this period.

IP

Materials industry group

--

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
IP
--

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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): IP does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; LIN is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

International Paper (IP) at 0.76 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.

IP

Materials industry group

0.76

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
IP
0.76
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

International Paper (IP) at 1.39 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.

IP

Materials industry group

1.39

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
IP
1.39
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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International Paper (IP) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for International Paper (IP) and Linde (LIN)
MetricIPLIN
P/E Ratio (TTM)--34.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.766.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.396.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)12.53%1.77%