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LIN vs. LYB: Linde vs. LyondellBasell Industries Stock Comparison

How do Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) 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

Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) both belong to the Chemicals industry, though LIN is classified under Industrial Gases while LYB falls under Commodity Chemicals.

Company profile comparison for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
Profile ItemLINLYB
NameLinde plcLyondellBasell Industries N.V.
Country/RegionUnited KingdomNetherlands
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial GasesCommodity Chemicals
Market Capitalization236.54 billion USD19.63 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJune 17, 1992April 28, 2010
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LIN
LYB
GSPC
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB), 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 Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
Total Return (1Y)25.64%49.52%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.48%-7.11%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.50%-1.68%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LIN
LYB
GSPC
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB), 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 Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)19.00%42.84%
Beta (5Y)0.670.32
Max Drawdown (5Y)-22.82%-55.35%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.05M3.62M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LIN and LYB 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 Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.121.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.651.63

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 17.72% and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 12.18% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

LIN

Materials industry group

17.72%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
LIN
17.72%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

LYB

Materials industry group

12.18%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
LYB
12.18%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): 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 LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 4.05%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

LIN

Materials industry group

19.34%

Max
38.66%
LIN
19.34%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

LYB

Materials industry group

4.05%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
LYB
4.05%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 27.97% and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 13.40% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

LIN

Materials industry group

27.97%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
LIN
27.97%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

LYB

Materials industry group

13.40%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
LYB
13.40%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
ROE (TTM)17.72%12.18%
ROA (TTM)7.17%5.36%
Net Margin (TTM)19.34%4.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.97%13.40%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.86%14.56%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Linde (LIN) at 2.97% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at -9.71% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): 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 LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at -156.39% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.97%-9.71%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.62%-15.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)7.27%-156.39%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)21.08%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 1.78 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.

LIN

Materials industry group

0.86

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
LIN
0.86
Min
0.16

LYB

Materials industry group

1.78

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
LYB
1.78
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): 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 LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 1.21 uses more debt funding than most peers.

LIN

Materials industry group

0.65

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
LIN
0.65
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

LYB

Materials industry group

1.21

Max
1.98
LYB
1.21
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.861.78
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.651.21
Net Debt / EBITDA1.652.47

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Linde (LIN) at 1.21% pays an industry-typical yield; LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 5.58% 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.

LIN

Materials industry group

1.21%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
LIN
1.21%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LYB

Materials industry group

5.58%

LYB
5.58%
Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 41.83% and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 83.29% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

LIN

Materials industry group

41.83%

Max
83.62%
LIN
41.83%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

LYB

Materials industry group

83.29%

Max
83.62%
LYB
83.29%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.21%5.58%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)41.83%83.29%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 14.70 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Linde (LIN) at 34.21 sits in the richer quartile — LIN needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

LIN

Materials industry group

34.21

Max
59.00
LIN
34.21
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

LYB

Materials industry group

14.70

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
LYB
14.70
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 0.61 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Linde (LIN) at 6.53 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

LIN

Materials industry group

6.53

Max
9.62
LIN
6.53
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

LYB

Materials industry group

0.61

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
LYB
0.61
Min
0.00
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) at 1.74 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.

LIN

Materials industry group

6.00

Max
6.59
LIN
6.00
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

LYB

Materials industry group

1.74

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
LYB
1.74
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Linde (LIN) vs. LyondellBasell Industries (LYB): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Linde (LIN) and LyondellBasell Industries (LYB)
MetricLINLYB
P/E Ratio (TTM)34.2114.70
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.530.61
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.001.74
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.77%9.06%