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LIN vs. STLD: Linde vs. Steel Dynamics Stock Comparison

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

Company profile comparison for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
Profile ItemLINSTLD
NameLinde plcSteel Dynamics, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited KingdomUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsMetals & Mining
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial GasesSteel
Market Capitalization236.54 billion USD31.70 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateJune 17, 1992November 22, 1996
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LIN
STLD
GSPC
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Steel Dynamics (STLD). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
Total Return (1Y)25.64%52.02%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)11.48%29.83%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.50%30.20%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LIN
STLD
GSPC
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD), 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 Steel Dynamics (STLD). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Steel Dynamics (STLD) has an aggressive beta of 1.46, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Linde (LIN) is defensive at 0.67 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)19.00%36.62%
Beta (5Y)0.671.46
Max Drawdown (5Y)-22.82%-32.20%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.05M1.06M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LIN and STLD 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 Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.121.30
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.651.92

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 20.81% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Linde (LIN) at 17.72% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for STLD.

LIN

Materials industry group

17.72%

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

STLD

Materials industry group

20.81%

Max
52.88%
STLD
20.81%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): 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 Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 8.82%, 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%

STLD

Materials industry group

8.82%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
STLD
8.82%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 27.97% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.46% 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%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.46%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
STLD
15.46%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
ROE (TTM)17.72%20.81%
ROA (TTM)7.17%9.45%
Net Margin (TTM)19.34%8.82%
Operating Margin (TTM)27.97%15.46%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.86%15.90%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Linde (LIN) at 2.97% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.63% 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. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Linde (LIN) at 7.27% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at -18.80% 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. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.97%3.63%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.62%-6.53%
EPS Growth (YoY)7.27%-18.80%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)21.08%-27.45%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.15 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

STLD

Materials industry group

3.15

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
STLD
3.15
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
Min
0.16
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Linde (LIN) at 0.65 and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.45 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

STLD

Materials industry group

0.45

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
STLD
0.45
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.863.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.650.45
Net Debt / EBITDA1.651.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Linde (LIN) at 1.21% and Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 0.94% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

LIN

Materials industry group

1.21%

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

STLD

Materials industry group

0.94%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
STLD
0.94%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 15.44% 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%

STLD

Materials industry group

15.44%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
STLD
15.44%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.21%0.94%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)41.83%15.44%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 16.46 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

STLD

Materials industry group

16.46

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
STLD
16.46
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 1.43 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

STLD

Materials industry group

1.43

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
STLD
1.43
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Steel Dynamics (STLD) at 3.23 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

STLD

Materials industry group

3.23

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
STLD
3.23
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Linde (LIN) vs. Steel Dynamics (STLD): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Linde (LIN) and Steel Dynamics (STLD)
MetricLINSTLD
P/E Ratio (TTM)34.2116.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.531.43
P/B Ratio (MRQ)6.003.23
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.77%1.36%