Linde PLC vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? Linde PLC trades at $512 (market cap $236.74B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $515 (market cap $74.42B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 3.2× Northrop Grumman Corporation's market cap, and Northrop Grumman Corporation pays the higher dividend (1.79%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LIN | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $236.74B | $74.42B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $546.64 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $389.38 | $496.02 |
Enterprise Value | $259.10B | $88.65B |
Dividend Yield | 1.25% | 1.79% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Linde (LIN) trades at $512.05, down 0.2% on the day, with strong fundamentals including 20.44% net income margin and consistent earnings beats. The stock shows bearish technical signals but maintains robust profitability with revenue growth to $34.0B in 2025. Recent Q1 2026 results showed EPS of $4.33 beating estimates, while analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with 89% buy ratings and a $564.80 price target.
LIN presents a compelling long-term investment with premium valuation metrics offset by exceptional profitability and dividend growth. Key risks include elevated debt levels (debt-to-asset ratio rising to 31.63% in 2025) and potential margin pressure from economic cycles. The current technical weakness may offer entry points for investors seeking quality industrial exposure with sustainable growth prospects.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $524.14, up 0.49% with a bearish technical signal despite strong fundamentals. The company shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $6.14 exceeding expectations of $6.06. Recent news highlights defense budget optimism and a $312.3M Navy contract for electronic warfare systems. Technical indicators show RSI at oversold levels near support at $518, while moving averages signal bearish momentum.
The investment outlook remains positive with analyst consensus at Buy (57% of 35 analysts) and a $655 price target representing 25% upside. Risks include execution challenges in defense programs and potential margin pressure. Strong cash flow generation and a $96B backlog support long-term growth, though near-term technical weakness may present entry opportunities for patient investors.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Northrop Grumman is a defense contractor that is diversified across short-cycle and long-cycle businesses. The firm's segments include aeronautics, mission systems, defense services, and space systems. The company's aerospace segment creates the fuselage for the massive F-35 program and produces various piloted and autonomous flight systems. Mission systems creates a variety of sensors and processors for defense hardware. The defense systems segment is a long-range missile manufacturer. Finally, the company's space systems segment produces various space structures, sensors, and satellites.
Read more on NOC →