Baxter International Inc vs Linde PLC — how do they compare? Baxter International Inc trades at $21.78 (market cap $11.26B), while Linde PLC trades at $521.43 (market cap $241.59B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 21.5× Baxter International Inc's market cap, and Linde PLC pays the higher dividend (1.22%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BAX | LIN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.26B | $241.59B |
Sector | Health | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $29.22 | $546.64 |
52-Week Low | $15.80 | $389.38 |
Enterprise Value | $18.93B | $263.95B |
Dividend Yield | 0.92% | 1.22% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Baxter International (BAX) trades at $22.57, down 0.22% on the day, with mixed technical signals showing a bullish moving average trend but neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 earnings beat with $0.36 EPS versus $0.31 expected, though net income margin remains negative at -9.7%. Recent news highlights upcoming Q2 earnings call and sustainability initiatives, while analyst consensus sits at $22.67 price target with 42% buy ratings.
BAX faces fundamental challenges with negative profitability metrics and volatile cash flow, but valuation appears reasonable with P/S of 1.02. The stock offers potential upside to analyst targets if operational improvements materialize, though investors must weigh high debt levels and inconsistent earnings performance against turnaround prospects in the medical technology sector.
Linde (LIN) trades at $522.54, down 1.37% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $560. The company reported strong Q1 2026 EPS of $4.33, beating estimates, and maintains robust profitability with a net income margin of 20.44%. Recent news highlights sustainability leadership and strategic growth, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 34.75 suggest premium pricing.
The stock offers steady growth potential driven by earnings beats and dividend consistency, but faces risks from rising debt levels and macroeconomic pressures. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly bullish with 85.7% buy ratings, indicating confidence in Linde's operational strength and future performance, though investors should monitor debt trends and competitive dynamics.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Baxter offers a variety of medical instruments and supplies to caregivers. It enhanced its portfolio of hospital-focused offerings by acquiring Hillrom in late 2021. Legacy Baxter offers tools to help patients with acute and chronic kidney failure. It also sells a variety of injectable therapies for use in care settings, such as IV pumps, and administrative sets.
Read more on BAX →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 →