LIN
Linde plc Materials - Industrial Gases Investor Relations →
Linde plc (LIN) closed at $488.15 as of 2026-03-20, trading 23.1% above its 200-week moving average of $396.45. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 24.5% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 74, LIN is in overbought territory.
Trading volume is running at 1.6x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (0.75 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 1713 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 $226.2 billion, LIN is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 2.1%. Return on equity stands at 17.8%, a solid level. The stock trades at 5.9x 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 5.8% over the past three years.
Over the past 32.9 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in LIN would have grown to $11409, compared to $2594 for the S&P 500. That represents an annualized return of 15.5% vs 10.4% for the index — confirming LIN as a market-beating investment and the kind of quality company where buying during 200-week moving average touches has historically been rewarded.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -3.7% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
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% | +10761.2% |
| Aug 1998 | Oct 1998 | 9 | 17.3% | +34.5% | +4243.4% |
| Nov 1998 | Apr 1999 | 22 | 19.1% | +19.3% | +3971.9% |
| Sep 1999 | Sep 1999 | 1 | 3.4% | -10.4% | +3682.1% |
| Oct 1999 | Oct 1999 | 1 | 0.0% | -17.7% | +3534.3% |
| Jan 2000 | Apr 2000 | 13 | 23.5% | +0.7% | +3734.0% |
| May 2000 | Aug 2000 | 13 | 16.8% | +20.1% | +3602.4% |
| Sep 2000 | Dec 2000 | 16 | 25.8% | +16.1% | +3588.3% |
| Jan 2001 | Jan 2001 | 3 | 6.0% | +25.6% | +3533.5% |
| Feb 2001 | Feb 2001 | 1 | 1.4% | +38.1% | +3544.3% |
| Sep 2001 | Oct 2001 | 2 | 11.4% | +45.0% | +3983.8% |
| Oct 2008 | Oct 2008 | 3 | 14.5% | +37.9% | +1016.5% |
| Nov 2008 | Feb 2009 | 12 | 14.2% | +44.0% | +1049.1% |
| Feb 2009 | Mar 2009 | 5 | 13.9% | +24.6% | +970.2% |
| Jul 2015 | Apr 2016 | 38 | 14.1% | +7.1% | +423.8% |
| May 2016 | Jun 2016 | 7 | 2.9% | +18.9% | +417.8% |
| Average | 10 | — | +20.9% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LIN below its 200-week moving average?
No. Linde plc (LIN) is currently 23.1% above its 200-week moving average of $396.45. It would need to fall to $396.45 to cross below the line.
What is LIN's 200-week moving average price?
Linde plc's 200-week moving average is $396.45 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when LIN drops below its 200-week moving average?
LIN has crossed below its 200-week moving average 16 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +20.9%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 10 weeks on average.
Is LIN a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about LIN as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 74 (overbought). Free cash flow yield is 2.1%. Return on equity is 17.8%. Price-to-book is 5.9x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does LIN compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 32.9 years, $100 invested in LIN would have grown to $11409, compared to $2594 for the S&P 500. That's 15.5% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. LIN has outperformed the broader market over this period.
Does LIN pay a dividend?
Yes. Linde plc currently pays a dividend yield of 131.00%. It is also a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning it has raised its dividend for 25 or more consecutive years.
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 week of 2026-03-20