Introduction
The merger with the American company Praxair made Linde (NYSE:LIN) the world market leader for industrial gases, replacing its competitor Air Liquide. Even if Praxair once belonged to Linde (which was over 100 years ago), such a merger can quickly cause serious problems (see Bayer (OTCPK:BAYRY, OTCPK:BAYZF)/Monsanto).
However, after the merger was completed in 2018, it quickly became apparent that the two companies would successfully integrate. Still, investors who want to invest in Linde should know their thesis. Just saying that Linde is the market leader and will be active in future fields such as hydrogen is not enough. Linde shares are highly cyclical. The current level, therefore, offers considerable downside potential. In the long term, however, I am bullish.
The company
The roots of Linde and Praxair go back to 1870. The amazing thing is that Linde uses a product that has been around for thousands of years and is available to everyone: air.
Segments
Linde has created a strong position for itself in using this resource, which is essentially attributable to two business activities. The company is a leading supplier of medical and industrial gases. In medicine, the gases are used, for example, in endoscopy and ventilation. The food industry uses the gases for cooling and freezing groceries (nitrogen and carbon dioxide). You can also find the products in metallurgy (freshening steel with oxygen, heat treatment), in the rubber and plastics industry, construction industry, and other areas.
Besides that, Linde is active in consulting, marketing, and the construction of large-scale plants. The company performs logistical tasks such as the purchase of the necessary equipment up to the production and construction supervision.
Broken down, Linde has the following business segments. I have taken the following description from the 10-K filing and modified it for the sake of better readability:
Industrial Gases Products and Manufacturing Processes
Atmospheric gases are the highest volume products produced by Linde. Using air as its raw material, Linde produces oxygen, nitrogen, and argon through several air separation processes of which cryogenic air separation is the most prevalent. Rare gases, such as krypton, neon, and xenon, are also produced through cryogenic air separation.
Industrial Gases Distribution
(Video) Linde Stock Analysis | LIN Stock Earnings Q4 2022 Dividend StocksThere are three basic distribution methods for industrial gases: (i) on-site or tonnage; (ii) merchant or bulk liquid; and (iii) packaged or cylinder gases.
(i) On-site: Customers that require the largest volumes of the product (typically oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen) and that have a relatively constant demand pattern are supplied by cryogenic and process gas on-site plants. Linde constructs plants on or adjacent to these customers’ sites and supplies the product directly to customers by pipeline.
(ii) Merchant: The merchant business is generally associated with distributable liquid oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and helium. The deliveries generally are made from Linde’s plants by tanker trucks to storage containers at the customer's site which is owned and maintained by Linde and leased to the customer.
See AlsoL'Air Liquide Vs. Linde: Which Is The More Attractive Stock?Duell der Gas-Giganten: Warum ich nach dem DAX-Abschied die Hände von Linde lasse und mich auf Air Liquide konzentriere(iii) Packaged Gases: Customers requiring small volumes are supplied products in metal containers called cylinders, under medium to high pressure. Packaged gases include atmospheric gases, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, acetylene, and related products.
Engineering
Linde’s Engineering business has a global presence, with its focus on market segments such as olefin, natural gas, air separation, hydrogen, and synthesis gas plants. The company utilizes its own extensive process engineering know-how in the planning, project development, and construction of turnkey industrial plants and associated services.
Linde plants are used in a wide variety of fields: in the petrochemical and chemical industries, in refineries and fertilizer plants, to recover air gases, to produce hydrogen and synthesis gases, to treat natural gas, and to produce noble gases. The Engineering business either supplies plant components and services directly to the customer or to the industrial gas business of Linde which operates the plants on behalf of the customer under a long-term gases supply contract.
In short, the world as we know it would not work without Linde. Linde is an excellent example of how complex a simple principle (using air as a resource) can be. As is often the case in industrial production, economies of scale are enormously important. When benefiting from such economies, costs will be lower, and market barriers will be higher. Linde has this advantage and thus a moat that value investors like Warren Buffett love.
Sales split by end market and region
The company's size and its market position also become apparent when you look at the revenue splits. No market is more important than 20 percent (Healthcare) of revenues, which is very conservative. The three largest markets (Healthcare; Manufacturing; Chemicals & Refining) are relatively independent of each other, which also provides stability.
Source: Taken from 3Q2020 presentation, adjusted by the author
Digesting a merger with success
With the merger, many investors were afraid that it would do more harm than good. The new Linde was seen as a hybrid. A German and an American company merge, choose to be headquartered in Ireland and be managed from England. Besides, the companies had to work hard to get clearance from authorities. Linde had to give up almost all of its U.S. business, and Praxair was forced to sell its entire European business. In the meantime, however, it has become clear that the merger was a success. Below you can see how revenue increased from EUR 13 billion in 2018 to 25 EUR billion, while at the same time margins collapsed. A merger like this is costly. However, margins have improved (revenue declined due to COVID-19, of course).
Revenue and margins, www.dividendsstocks.cash
CEO Steve Angel is responsible for this. He is one of those managers who trim companies for efficiency (he was Executive Vice President at Praxair before the merger). So he's the right man for digesting a merger.
Outlook
It is clear that margins cannot be improved forever. Current board member Sanjiv Lamba could succeed Steve Angel as CEO and set new accents. Fundamentally, the prospects for Linde are reasonably good. After Air Liquide took over Airgas, the market is more or less oligopolistic following Linde and Praxair's merger. From the current comfortable situation, Linde can devote itself to the challenges of the future.
Stable balance sheet and stock repurchases
The financial foundation is stable. With a debt ratio of slightly above 40 percent, a conservative balance sheet, and an A2 rating (Moody's), I'm not worried on this front.
Debt to total assets and amortization power, www.dividendsstocks.cash
The solid balance sheet allows Linde to use available cash to buy outstanding shares. Linde announced that it intends to buy back shares worth up to USD 5, which follows the existing USD 6 billion buyback program, which expires on February 1.
Linde is one of the most promising candidates in the hydrogen market
Besides medicine (Linde's Lincare Holdings played an essential role in supplying oxygen during the COVID-19 pandemic), I see hydrogen in particular as a possible driver here. It is not even necessarily a question of whether hydrogen will become established in the automotive industry or not. Hydrogen emits no emissions when it is burned, making it an ideal substitute for coal, oil, and natural gas, not only in the automotive sector but also in other industries such as steel production (one of the most significant greenhouse gas emitters). Linde is active along the entire value chain - from generation and liquefaction to solutions for transport and storage. Linde generates more than USD 2 billion from these activities today and plans to multiply this amount in the future. The prospects are good. By 2040, the hydrogen market could even reach a volume of USD 380 billion.
Using economies of scale for further growth
Due to its oligopolistic position, Linde has competitive advantages here. Although other companies such trying to enter the market, Linde is likely to remain clearly one of the biggest players in transport and storage due to economies of scale. In this respect, I think it is likely that Linde will participate in the growth of hydrogen with at least stable market shares. This aspect also applies to Linde's other segments. Industries characterized by strong economies of scale tend toward "the winner takes it all" scenarios. So it doesn't come as a surprise that analysts expect Linde not only to increase profitability in the coming years but also to boost revenues from the current EUR 21.9 billion to EUR 29.1 billion in 2024.
Outlook regarding revenue and margins, www.dividendsstocks.cash
Prospect of higher dividend
Linde will use its increased profitability to further increase dividends and buy back shares. Just recently, the company increased its annual dividend by 10 percent to EUR 1.06. This corresponds to a yield of 1.7 percent. The payout ratio should be between 50 and 60 percent in the next few years which provides enough room for further increases in the upcoming years.
Quantities
Linde is currently valued at a P/E ratio of 56 and an adjusted P/E ratio of 31. Both are relatively high. The P/C ratio of 20 also indicates an overvaluation. However, if we look at the historical development, Linde's valuation has always been relatively high. Based on the average valuation multiples and the expected earnings and cash flows for 2024, there is still solid upside potential with an annual yield of 13.4 percent. Of course, this does not guarantee but is only based on a calculation using historical values and expected figures.
Fair value calculation, www.dividendsstocks.cash
Based on the current figures, there are indeed risks. Linde's share price is quite volatile in times of crisis and recession. I've marked the phases of stock price corrections in red in the graphic above. Please note: The course is shown logarithmically. The share price fell sharply, in some cases by up to 48 percent. These were, of course, excellent buying opportunities but certainly challenging times for short-term thinking investors. Therefore, a setback potential accompanies the current high valuation if the markets correct broadly or a recession does occur (even if there are currently few signs of this).
Conclusion
Overall, Linde is a very stable company with a good market position. The merger with Praxair has been successful. Hydrogen could unfold as a growth catalyst but is still in its infancy. In addition, the company benefits from economies of scale. For long-term investors that are also looking for growing dividends, Linde is still a good investment. Short-term investors should bear in mind that the share is highly volatile during recessions or market correction phases.
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Runner of the TEV Blog | Private InvestorI am a long-term oriented investor and in my early thirties. I hold a law degree and a doctorate in law and love investing and talking about my and others' investments. I regularly write about my research and investments on various investor platforms and the TEV Blog. **My articles represent my opinion only and in no way constitute professional investment advice. It is the responsibility of the reader to conduct their due diligence and seek investment advice from a licensed professional before making any investment decisions.**
Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
FAQs
Is LIN a good investment? ›
Out of 15 analysts, 10 (66.67%) are recommending LIN as a Strong Buy, 4 (26.67%) are recommending LIN as a Buy, 1 (6.67%) are recommending LIN as a Hold, 0 (0%) are recommending LIN as a Sell, and 0 (0%) are recommending LIN as a Strong Sell.
Is Linde PLC overvalued? ›Linde plc - Buy
Valuation metrics show that Linde plc may be overvalued. Its Value Score of D indicates it would be a bad pick for value investors. The financial health and growth prospects of LIN, demonstrate its potential to underperform the market. It currently has a Growth Score of B.
Linde Plc quote is equal to 350.560 USD at 2023-03-02. Based on our forecasts, a long-term increase is expected, the "LIN" stock price prognosis for 2028-02-25 is 393.158 USD. With a 5-year investment, the revenue is expected to be around +12.15%. Your current $100 investment may be up to $112.15 in 2028.
Is Linde a good dividend stock? ›Does Linde have sufficient earnings to cover their dividend? Yes, LIN's past year earnings per share was $8.24, and their annual dividend per share is $4.78. LIN's dividend payout ratio is 38.05% ($4.78/$8.24) which is sustainable.
Is it a good idea to invest in crypto RN? ›It should only be considered if you have a high risk tolerance, are in a strong financial position and can afford to lose any money you invest in it. If you choose to invest, it's important to maintain a diversified portfolio that includes several different types of investments to reduce your overall risk exposure.
Is Lin a dividend aristocrat? ›Dividend aristocrats are some of the most time-tested dividend blue-chips in America. But the world is full of top quality, and very dependable dividend growth powerhouses. BTI, ENB, NVS, SNY, FMS, RHHBY, MDT, CNI, and LIN are the 9 of the best global aristocrats you can buy in this bear market.
Who bought Linde? ›Praxair, Inc., Linde AG Complete $80 Billion Merger of Equals, Create Largest Industrial Gas Supplier. S&C represented Praxair, Inc.
What stock holds the most value? ›Berkshire Hathaway has the highest-priced shares of any U.S. company, and is also one of the largest companies in the world, consistently ranking in the top 10 by market value.
Should I sell Linde stock? ›Linde has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.76, and is based on 14 buy ratings, 2 hold ratings, and 1 sell rating.
How do you predict if a stock will go up? ›One of the biggest indicators of how a stock is going to perform in the future is the volume of trades. When a stock surges in volume, that, at the very least, means some type of interest increase is happening, and that can often correlate with events that will positively impact the future price.
How do you tell if a stock will go up? ›
We want to know if, from the current price levels, a stock will go up or down. The best indicator of this is stock's fair price. When fair price of a stock is below its current price, the stock has good possibility to go up in times to come.
How much dividend does LIN pay? ›Historical dividend payout and yield for Linde (LIN) since 1994. The current TTM dividend payout for Linde (LIN) as of February 14, 2023 is $4.68. The current dividend yield for Linde as of February 14, 2023 is 1.40%.
What is the highest paying dividend stock on the market? ›- V.F. Corporation (VFC)
- Devon Energy (DVN)
- Dow Inc. (DOW)
- International Business Machines (IBM)
- Verizon Communications (VZ)
- AT&T (T)
- Intel (INTC)
- Philip Morris International (PM)
- Pioneer Natural Resources Co. PXD. 6.73% 13.86%
- Altria Group Inc. MO. -1.48% 7.97%
- Verizon Communications Inc. VZ. -0.83% 6.74%
- Kinder Morgan Inc-DE. KMI. 0.11% 6.43%
- AT&T Inc. T. -2.23% 5.95%
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- Philip Morris International Inc. PM. -0.22% 5.15%
Palladium: The Best Buy in the Precious Metals Market in 2023.
Does Warren Buffett invest in precious metals? ›Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 24 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Warren Buffett does not invest in gold. He has invested almost $1 billion in silver, so the reason for his aversion is not simply a dislike for precious metals.
What metal holds the most value? ›- Rhodium (Rh) – $15,250/troy ounce.
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Has Intel ever cut its dividend? ›
The dividend reduction came as free cash flow “fell below our guard bands” in the fourth quarter, Intel Chief Executive Pat Gelsinger said during a call with analysts Wednesday. “In this environment, we came to the conclusion that the highest dividend payer shouldn't also be the highest capital investor,” Mr.
What is the highest paying Dividend Aristocrat? ›...
The top 7 dividend aristocrats list.
Symbol | Company Name | Dividend Yield |
---|---|---|
MMM | 3M Co. | 5.44% |
IBM | IBM Corp. | 5.15% |
O | Realty Income Corp. | 4.81% |
AMCR | Amcor plc | 4.39% |
Linde enjoys multiple competitive advantages. As a leader in industrial gases, the company enjoys economic scale and greater operational efficiency than its smaller competitors. In addition, Linde's financial resources allow the company to invest heavily in research and development.
Who are Linde competitors? ›Linde Group's top competitors include CarbonBridge, Proteum Energy, and Yingde Gases.
Who is bigger Linde or Air Liquide? ›L'Air Liquide has a stronger market share in Europe, which is its primary market, while Linde is more diversified in terms of geography and has a strong presence in North America and Asia.
Is Linde owned by Praxair? ›Two-plus years after it was first announced, the $86 billion merger between Praxair and Linde has been approved by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, clearing the last significant hurdle to creating the world's largest industrial gas supplier.
Which stocks to invest in 2023? ›- HDFC Bank.
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Company | Symbol | YTD % Stock Gain |
---|---|---|
Amazon.com | (AMZN) | 78.4% |
Netflix | (NFLX) | 53.9% |
MSCI | (MSCI) | 42.8% |
MarketAxess Holdings | (MKTX) | 32.3% |
...
Dividend Aristocrats, which are companies that have increased dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, are considered safe stocks.
- Berkshire Hathaway. ...
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- Vanguard High-Dividend Yield ETF. ...
- Procter & Gamble.
If you prefer to simply get the cash value from your company stock, selling as soon as you can might make the most sense. On the other hand, if you view your company stock as part of your larger investment plan, then holding it for some period of time could provide the best course of action for you.
Should I sell my stock if it goes down? ›
An investor may also continue to hold if the stock pays a healthy dividend. Generally though, if the stock breaks a technical marker or the company is not performing well, it is better to sell at a small loss than to let the position tie up your money and potentially fall even further.
Is it better to sell older stock? ›Understanding the capital gains tax rate is an important step for most investors. As a general rule if you have a profit from the sale of a stock you would want to sell those stocks that you have held for over 1 year first, (long term gain). The tax on long term gains are typically less than short term gains.
What is the most accurate stock predictor? ›In this case, CAPE stands for cyclically-adjusted-price-to-earnings ratio. In fact, it's the world's best stock market predictor. No other forecasting method is approved by peer-reviewed economic science.
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How do you know if a stock will keep falling? ›- Look For Increased Volume. As an investor or trader, there are clues you can use to determine if a stock is nearing a point bottom. ...
- Look For Prices To Reclaim Moving Averages. ...
- Confirm With Major Indicators. ...
- Look For a Higher Low. ...
- Bottom line.
Though there is no ideal time for holding stock, you should stay invested for at least 1-1.5 years. If you see the stock price of your share booming, you will have the question of how long do you have to hold stock? Remember, if it is zooming today, what will be its price after ten years?
What is the dividend history of Linde? ›Linde India Ltd. has declared 21 dividends since July 5, 2004. In the past 12 months, Linde India Ltd. has declared an equity dividend amounting to Rs 13.50 per share. At the current share price of Rs 3761.50, this results in a dividend yield of 0.36%. See all forthcoming dividends Check out stocks with top dividend.
What is Linde payout ratio? ›Type | Payout Ratio |
---|---|
Based on Trailing 12 Months of Earnings | 61.90% |
Based on This Year's Estimates | 38.87% |
Based on Next Year's Estimates | 36.08% |
Based on Cashflow | 23.04% |
How much is the Alaska dividend? ›
The 2022 Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) amount is $3,284. The taxable* amount of the 2022 PFD is $2,622. The portion of the 2022 PFD that is not taxable* is the energy relief portion of $662. The state's Federal Tax Identification number is 92-6001185.
What are the safest investments during a recession? ›While no investment is guaranteed to be recession-proof, some tend to perform better than others during downturns. These include health care and consumer staples stocks (or funds tracking those sectors), large-cap stocks and income investments.
What are the best investments during a recession? ›That said, if you have cash to invest, you may want to consider buying recession-friendly sectors such as consumer staples, utilities and healthcare. Stocks that have been paying a dividend for many years are also a good choice. These tend to be long-established companies that can withstand a downturn.
How much taxes do you pay on dividends? ›Qualified dividends are taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20%, depending on your income level and tax filing status. Ordinary (nonqualified) dividends and taxable distributions are taxed at your marginal income tax rate, which is determined by your taxable earnings.
Where to invest $500 dollars? ›An IRA or Roth IRA
Consider investing $500 in an individual retirement account (IRA), which gives you options, including stocks, bonds and mutual funds. If you don't have an IRA, $500 would easily get you started at many banks and credit unions. You can also open up IRAs at online brokerages and investment companies.
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LIN pays a dividend of $4.68 per share. LIN's annual dividend yield is 1.36%. Linde's dividend is lower than the US industry average of 2.15%, and it is lower than the US market average of 3.86%.
Should I invest in Enbridge? ›Valuation metrics show that Enbridge Inc may be fairly valued. Its Value Score of C indicates it would be a neutral pick for value investors. The financial health and growth prospects of ENB, demonstrate its potential to perform inline with the market. It currently has a Growth Score of C.
Should I invest in NextEra? ›NextEra Energy has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.67, and is based on 8 buy ratings, 4 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.
Should I invest in Gran Tierra Energy? ›
Gran Tierra Energy has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 3.00, and is based on 2 buy ratings, no hold ratings, and no sell ratings.
Is LIN a dividend aristocrat? ›Dividend aristocrats are some of the most time-tested dividend blue-chips in America. But the world is full of top quality, and very dependable dividend growth powerhouses. BTI, ENB, NVS, SNY, FMS, RHHBY, MDT, CNI, and LIN are the 9 of the best global aristocrats you can buy in this bear market.
How often does Linde pay dividends? ›Dividend Summary
The next Linde Plc dividend will go ex in 5 days for 127.5c and will be paid in 20 days. The previous Linde Plc dividend was 117c and it went ex 3 months ago and it was paid 3 months ago. There are typically 4 dividends per year (excluding specials), and the dividend cover is approximately 3.1.
Stock Price Forecast
The 18 analysts offering 12-month price forecasts for Enbridge Inc have a median target of 42.68, with a high estimate of 47.84 and a low estimate of 38.96. The median estimate represents a +11.35% increase from the last price of 38.33.
"Through 2025, we expect to grow EPS and EBITDA by a compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") of 4-6% driven by new contributions from our secured capital program, embedded revenue escalators and continued focus on productivity enhancements.
What is the price prediction for Enbridge stock? ›The average price target for Enbridge is C$59.69. This is based on 8 Wall Streets Analysts 12-month price targets, issued in the past 3 months. The highest analyst price target is C$73.60 ,the lowest forecast is C$53.00. The average price target represents 12.83% Increase from the current price of C$52.905.