LIN vs. RIO: Linde vs. Rio Tinto Stock Comparison

August 10, 2026

How do Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO) 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 Rio Tinto (RIO) both fall under the Materials industry group, but LIN is classified in Chemicals while RIO is classified in Metals & Mining.

Linde (LIN) trades as ordinary local shares, while Rio Tinto (RIO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Profile Item	LIN	RIO
Name	Linde plc	Rio Tinto Plc Sponsored ADR
Country/Region	United Kingdom	United Kingdom
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Metals & Mining
GICS Sub-Industry	Industrial Gases	Diversified Metals & Mining
Market Capitalization	225.87 billion USD	164.48 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	Nasdaq	NYSE
Listing Date	June 17, 1992	June 28, 1990
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LIN

RIO

GSPC

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO), 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 Rio Tinto (RIO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
Total Return (1Y)	5.78%	75.16%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	9.77%	23.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.38%	11.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LIN

RIO

GSPC

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO), 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 Rio Tinto (RIO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	18.85%	29.68%
Beta (5Y)	0.72	0.60
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-22.82%	-35.25%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.30M	2.73M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

LIN and RIO 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 Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.09	2.40
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	0.13	3.64

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 18.40% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 19.31% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

LIN

Materials industry group

18.40%

Max: 53.09%
LIN: 18.40%
Q3: 18.31%
Median: 6.54%
Q1: -7.36%
Min: -44.78%

RIO

Materials industry group

19.31%

Max: 53.09%
RIO: 19.31%
Q3: 18.31%
Median: 6.54%
Q1: -7.36%
Min: -44.78%

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Linde (LIN) at 20.44% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 19.59% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

LIN

Materials industry group

20.44%

Max: 35.87%
LIN: 20.44%
Q3: 14.51%
Median: 4.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.48%

RIO

Materials industry group

19.59%

Max: 35.87%
RIO: 19.59%
Q3: 14.51%
Median: 4.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.48%

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 28.12% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 28.05% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

LIN

Materials industry group

28.12%

Max: 66.92%
LIN: 28.12%
Q3: 27.96%
Median: 11.83%
Q1: 0.58%
Min: -39.87%

RIO

Materials industry group

28.05%

Max: 66.92%
RIO: 28.05%
Q3: 27.96%
Median: 11.83%
Q1: 0.58%
Min: -39.87%

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
ROE (TTM)	18.40%	19.31%
ROA (TTM)	7.16%	8.11%
Net Margin (TTM)	20.44%	19.59%
Operating Margin (TTM)	28.12%	28.05%
Gross Margin (TTM)	48.35%	29.75%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Linde (LIN) at 2.97% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 7.42% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Linde (LIN) at 7.27% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at -13.97% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
Revenue Growth (YoY)	2.97%	7.42%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	0.62%	1.24%
EPS Growth (YoY)	7.27%	-13.97%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	21.08%	-7.23%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Linde (LIN) at 0.88 and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 1.42 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

LIN

Materials industry group

0.88

Max: 6.25
Q3: 3.38
Median: 2.21
Q1: 1.45
LIN: 0.88
Min: 0.12

RIO

Materials industry group

1.42

Max: 6.25
Q3: 3.38
Median: 2.21
Q1: 1.45
RIO: 1.42
Min: 0.12

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Linde (LIN) at 0.69 and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 0.32 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

LIN

Materials industry group

0.69

Max: 2.03
Q3: 0.90
LIN: 0.69
Median: 0.44
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

RIO

Materials industry group

0.32

Max: 2.03
Q3: 0.90
Median: 0.44
RIO: 0.32
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.88	1.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.69	0.32
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.67	0.58

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Linde (LIN) at 1.27% pays an industry-typical yield; Rio Tinto (RIO) at 4.67% 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

1.27%

Max: 3.93%
Q3: 1.59%
LIN: 1.27%
Median: 0.12%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RIO

Materials industry group

4.67%

RIO: 4.67%
Max: 3.93%
Q3: 1.59%
Median: 0.12%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 40.00% and Rio Tinto (RIO) at 54.46% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

LIN

Materials industry group

40.00%

Max: 87.71%
LIN: 40.00%
Q3: 35.53%
Median: 7.61%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

RIO

Materials industry group

54.46%

Max: 87.71%
RIO: 54.46%
Q3: 35.53%
Median: 7.61%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.27%	4.67%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	40.00%	54.46%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Rio Tinto (RIO) at 13.50 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Linde (LIN) at 31.65 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for RIO, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

LIN

Materials industry group

31.65

Max: 61.94
Q3: 33.51
LIN: 31.65
Median: 21.84
Q1: 13.83
Min: 4.59

RIO

Materials industry group

13.50

Max: 61.94
Q3: 33.51
Median: 21.84
Q1: 13.83
RIO: 13.50
Min: 4.59

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Rio Tinto (RIO) at 2.66 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Linde (LIN) at 6.37 sits in the pricier quartile — LIN costs more per dollar of sales.

LIN

Materials industry group

6.37

Max: 10.66
LIN: 6.37
Q3: 4.75
Median: 1.99
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

RIO

Materials industry group

2.66

Max: 10.66
Q3: 4.75
RIO: 2.66
Median: 1.99
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Rio Tinto (RIO) at 2.51 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Linde (LIN) at 5.88 carries an above-peer premium to book — LIN is pricier on assets.

LIN

Materials industry group

5.88

Max: 8.66
LIN: 5.88
Q3: 4.38
Median: 2.57
Q1: 1.46
Min: -0.29

RIO

Materials industry group

2.51

Max: 8.66
Q3: 4.38
Median: 2.57
RIO: 2.51
Q1: 1.46
Min: -0.29

Linde (LIN) vs. Rio Tinto (RIO): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Linde (LIN) and Rio Tinto (RIO)
Metric	LIN	RIO
P/E Ratio (TTM)	31.65	13.50
P/S Ratio (TTM)	6.37	2.66
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	5.88	2.51
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.84%	2.19%