Linde PLC vs NetApp Inc. — how do they compare? Linde PLC trades at $490.19 (market cap $227.01B), while NetApp Inc. trades at $198.87 (market cap $39.00B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 5.8× NetApp Inc.'s market cap, and Linde PLC pays the higher dividend (1.3%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LIN | NTAP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $227.01B | $39.00B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Technology |
52-Week High | $546.64 | $198.72 |
52-Week Low | $389.38 | $94.11 |
Enterprise Value | $250.13B | $38.14B |
Dividend Yield | 1.3% | 1.05% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Linde (LIN) trades at $490.53, up 0.11% on the day, with a bearish technical signal despite strong fundamentals. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates, with Q2 2026 EPS of $4.50 surpassing expectations. Revenue grew to $34.0B in 2025, with a net income margin of 20.43%. Analysts maintain a strong buy consensus with a $553.60 price target, highlighting robust profitability and dividend growth.
Outlook remains positive due to earnings momentum and sustainability leadership, but risks include elevated valuation multiples and rising debt-to-asset ratio. The stock offers steady income with a $1.60 dividend, yet technical weakness near support at $489 warrants caution for near-term volatility.
NetApp (NTAP) trades at $189.52, down 1.02% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong support at $186. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $2.43, beating estimates, and maintains robust profitability with an 18.43% net margin. Recent acquisitions of JetStream Software and DataPelago aim to enhance AI infrastructure capabilities, driving positive sentiment amid rising cloud demand.
Outlook remains favorable with consistent earnings beats and strategic AI investments, but risks include high valuation multiples (P/E 29.85) and competitive pressures. Analysts show mixed sentiment with a $170.73 consensus target, suggesting cautious optimism. Institutional holdings reflect confidence, though debt levels have risen to 29.89% of assets, warranting monitoring.
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 →NetApp is a leading provider of enterprise data management and storage solutions. The company's three operating business units are products, software maintenance, and hardware maintenance. NetApp transitioned from a data center storage firm to a company with software data management solutions for multicloud environments. The California-headquartered company sells globally and has approximately 10,000 employees.
Read more on NTAP →