ASML Holding NV vs Linde PLC — how do they compare? ASML Holding NV trades at $1,751.5 (market cap $688.66B), while Linde PLC trades at $530.66 (market cap $244.95B). The key difference: ASML Holding NV is far larger — about 2.8× Linde PLC's market cap, and Linde PLC pays the higher dividend (1.21%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ASML | LIN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $688.66B | $244.95B |
Sector | Technology | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $1.99K | $546.64 |
52-Week Low | $689.63 | $389.38 |
Enterprise Value | $682.20B | $267.30B |
Dividend Yield | 0.49% | 1.21% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ASML trades at $1,797.32, down 0.38% on the day, with technical indicators showing a bullish trend despite recent volatility. The company reported strong Q1 2026 earnings that beat expectations, with revenue reaching $32.67B in 2025 and net income margins of 29.71%. Analyst consensus remains strongly positive with 56.82% buy ratings and a $2,210 price target, though elevated valuation ratios (P/E 61.03) warrant caution.
ASML maintains a dominant position in advanced semiconductor equipment with robust profitability and growth prospects driven by AI infrastructure demand. Key risks include China export restrictions, competitive pressures, and high valuation multiples. The stock offers exposure to critical chip manufacturing technology but requires monitoring of earnings execution and geopolitical developments.
Linde (LIN) trades at $529.79, up 0.8% on the day, showing consistent earnings beats with Q1 2026 EPS of $4.33 surpassing estimates. The stock exhibits bullish technical signals with strong support at $521 and resistance at $529. Fundamentally, the company maintains robust profitability with a 20.44% net income margin and 18.49% ROE, though valuation metrics appear elevated with a P/E of 35.13. Recent news highlights sustainability leadership and Q1 earnings strength.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus strongly bullish (24 Buy, 4 Hold) and a $560 price target representing 5.7% upside. Key opportunities include sustained margin expansion and disciplined capital allocation returning $1.5B to shareholders. Primary risks include elevated valuation multiples and increasing debt-to-asset ratio reaching 31.63% in 2025, potentially limiting financial flexibility during economic downturns.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Founded in 1984 and based in the Netherlands, ASML is the leader in photolithography systems used in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Photolithography is the process in which a light source is used to expose circuit patterns from a photomask onto a semiconductor wafer. The latest technological advances in this segment allow chipmakers to continually increase the number of transistors on the same area of silicon, with lithography historically representing a meaningful portion of the cost of making cutting-edge chips. Chipmakers require next-generation EUV lithography tools from ASML to continue past the 5-nanometer process node. ASML's products are used at every major semiconductor manufacturer, including Intel, Samsung, and TSMC.
Read more on ASML →Linde is the largest industrial gas supplier in the world, with operations in over 100 countries. The firm's main products are atmospheric gases (including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon) and process gases (including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium), as well as equipment used in industrial gas production. Linde serves a wide variety of end markets, including chemicals, manufacturing, healthcare, and steelmaking. Linde generated approximately $31 billion in revenue and $5 billion in GAAP operating profit in 2021.
Read more on LIN →