Linde PLC vs Williams Companies Inc — how do they compare? Linde PLC trades at $490.21 (market cap $227.01B), while Williams Companies Inc trades at $72.66 (market cap $87.88B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 2.6× Williams Companies Inc's market cap, and Williams Companies Inc pays the higher dividend (2.92%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LIN | WMB | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $227.01B | $87.88B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Energy |
52-Week High | $546.64 | $79.40 |
52-Week Low | $389.38 | $56.51 |
Enterprise Value | $250.13B | $118.51B |
Dividend Yield | 1.3% | 2.92% |
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.
WMB trades at $70.4, down 1.9% on the day, amid a bearish technical signal. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates but raising full-year EBITDA guidance to $8.4 billion. Strong profitability is evident with a 25.18% net income margin and 24.02% ROE, though valuation ratios like P/E of 28.05 appear elevated. The recent $5.5 billion acquisition of Momentum Midstream aims to bolster growth in the Haynesville region.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus strongly bullish (79% buy ratings) and a $87.14 price target, implying significant upside. Risks include execution of the Momentum integration, volatile energy prices, and high debt levels. Cash flow stability from fee-based contracts supports the dividend, but net cash flow turned negative in 2026 forecasts.
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 →Williams is a midstream energy company that owns and operates the large Transco and Northwest pipeline systems and associated natural gas gathering, processing, and storage assets. In August 2018, the firm acquired the remaining 26% ownership of its limited partner, Williams Partners.
Read more on WMB →