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LIN vs. SQM: Linde vs. Sociedad Química y Minera Stock Comparison

How do Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) 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 Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) both belong to the Chemicals industry, though LIN is classified under Industrial Gases while SQM falls under Specialty Chemicals.

Linde (LIN) trades as ordinary local shares, while Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) 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 Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
Profile ItemLINSQM
NameLinde plcSociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. ADR
Country/RegionUnited KingdomChile
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial GasesSpecialty Chemicals
Market Capitalization236.54 billion USD16.43 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateJune 17, 1992September 21, 1993
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LIN
SQM
GSPC
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), 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 Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
Total Return (1Y)25.64%19.41%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.48%7.76%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.50%1.46%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LIN
SQM
GSPC
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM), 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 Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)19.00%47.10%
Beta (5Y)0.671.10
Max Drawdown (5Y)-22.82%-69.69%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.05M953.31K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LIN and SQM 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 Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.120.32
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.650.49

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 21.82% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Linde (LIN) at 17.72% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for SQM.

LIN

Materials industry group

17.72%

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

SQM

Materials industry group

21.82%

Max
52.88%
SQM
21.82%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Linde (LIN) at 19.34% and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 20.62% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

LIN

Materials industry group

19.34%

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

SQM

Materials industry group

20.62%

Max
38.66%
SQM
20.62%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 48.82% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Linde (LIN) at 27.97%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

LIN

Materials industry group

27.97%

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

SQM

Materials industry group

48.82%

Max
66.70%
SQM
48.82%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
ROE (TTM)17.72%21.82%
ROA (TTM)7.17%11.55%
Net Margin (TTM)19.34%20.62%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.97%48.82%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.86%42.17%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Linde (LIN) at 2.97% and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 1.05% 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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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Linde (LIN) at 7.27% and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at -14.16% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.97%1.05%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.62%-24.68%
EPS Growth (YoY)7.27%-14.16%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)21.08%-46.80%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.61 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

SQM

Materials industry group

2.61

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
SQM
2.61
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Linde (LIN) at 0.65 and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 0.61 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

LIN

Materials industry group

0.65

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

SQM

Materials industry group

0.61

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
SQM
0.61
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.862.61
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.650.61
Net Debt / EBITDA1.650.32

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.55% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Linde (LIN) at 1.21% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, SQM the richer one.

LIN

Materials industry group

1.21%

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

SQM

Materials industry group

2.55%

Max
4.52%
SQM
2.55%
Q3
1.85%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 21.19% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Linde (LIN) at 41.83% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

LIN

Materials industry group

41.83%

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

SQM

Materials industry group

21.19%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
SQM
21.19%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.21%2.55%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)41.83%21.19%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 11.84 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Linde (LIN) at 34.21 sits in the richer quartile — a clear split in what investors pay for each dollar of trailing earnings.

LIN

Materials industry group

34.21

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

SQM

Materials industry group

11.84

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
SQM
11.84
Min
3.93
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.44 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.

LIN

Materials industry group

6.53

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

SQM

Materials industry group

2.44

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
SQM
2.44
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) at 2.60 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

SQM

Materials industry group

2.60

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
SQM
2.60
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Linde (LIN) vs. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Linde (LIN) and Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM)
MetricLINSQM
P/E Ratio (TTM)34.2111.84
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.532.44
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.002.60
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.77%15.94%