LIN
Linde plc Materials - Industrial Gases Investor Relations →
Linde plc (LIN) closed at $448.24 as of 2026-02-02, trading 14.4% above its 200-week moving average of $391.91. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 16.8% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 65, indicating neutral momentum.
Over the past 1707 weeks of data, LIN has crossed below its 200-week moving average 16 times. On average, these episodes lasted 10 weeks. Historically, investors who bought LIN at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +20.9%.
With a market cap of $210.2 billion, LIN is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 1.7%. Return on equity stands at 18.0%, a solid level. The stock trades at 5.4x book value.
LIN is a Dividend Aristocrat, having increased its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years. The current yield is 131.00%. The company has been aggressively buying back shares, reducing its share count by 7.0% over the past three years.
Over the past 32.8 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in LIN would have grown to $10441, compared to $2755 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 15.2% vs 10.6% for the index — confirming LIN as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -9.5% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: LIN vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After LIN Crosses Below the Line?
Across 16 historical episodes, buying LIN when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +21.4% after 12 months (median +27.0%), compared to +6.8% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 88% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +37.2% vs +7.9% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment LIN crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
LIN has crossed below its 200-week MA 16 times with an average 1-year return of +20.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1993 | Oct 1993 | 22 | 8.7% | +30.0% | +9839.8% |
| Aug 1998 | Oct 1998 | 9 | 17.3% | +34.5% | +3874.9% |
| Nov 1998 | Apr 1999 | 22 | 19.1% | +19.3% | +3626.4% |
| Sep 1999 | Sep 1999 | 1 | 3.4% | -10.4% | +3361.3% |
| Oct 1999 | Oct 1999 | 1 | 0.0% | -17.7% | +3226.0% |
| Jan 2000 | Apr 2000 | 13 | 23.5% | +0.7% | +3408.7% |
| May 2000 | Aug 2000 | 13 | 16.8% | +20.1% | +3288.3% |
| Sep 2000 | Dec 2000 | 16 | 25.8% | +16.1% | +3275.4% |
| Jan 2001 | Jan 2001 | 3 | 6.0% | +25.6% | +3225.3% |
| Feb 2001 | Feb 2001 | 1 | 1.4% | +38.1% | +3235.1% |
| Sep 2001 | Oct 2001 | 2 | 11.4% | +45.0% | +3637.3% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 3 | 14.5% | +37.9% | +921.8% |
| Nov 2008 | Feb 2009 | 12 | 14.2% | +44.0% | +951.7% |
| Feb 2009 | Mar 2009 | 5 | 13.9% | +24.6% | +879.4% |
| Jul 2015 | Apr 2016 | 38 | 14.1% | +7.1% | +379.4% |
| May 2016 | Jun 2016 | 7 | 2.9% | +18.9% | +373.9% |
| Average | 10 | — | +20.9% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02