vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Colgate-Palmolive (CL) and Linde plc (LIN). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Linde plc is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($8.8B vs $5.2B, roughly 1.7× Colgate-Palmolive). Linde plc runs the higher net margin — 17.5% vs -0.7%, a 18.1% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Linde plc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (5.8% vs 5.8%). Linde plc produced more free cash flow last quarter ($1.6B vs $1.3B). Over the past eight quarters, Linde plc's revenue compounded faster (4.0% CAGR vs 1.6%).

The Colgate-Palmolive Company, commonly known as Colgate-Palmolive, is an American multinational consumer products company headquartered on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The company specializes in the production, distribution, and provision of household, health care, personal care, and veterinary products.

Linde is a global multinational chemical company and the world's largest industrial gas supplier by market share and revenue. Founded by German scientist and engineer Carl von Linde in 1879 in Wiesbaden, Germany, the company is now headquartered in Woking, United Kingdom, and registered in Ireland as Linde plc. Linde plc was formed in 2018 through the merger of Linde AG and Praxair, which was founded in 1907 in the United States as Linde Air Products Company.

CL vs LIN — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LIN
LIN
1.7× larger
LIN
$8.8B
$5.2B
CL
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LIN
LIN
+0.1% gap
LIN
5.8%
5.8%
CL
Higher net margin
LIN
LIN
18.1% more per $
LIN
17.5%
-0.7%
CL
More free cash flow
LIN
LIN
$296.0M more FCF
LIN
$1.6B
$1.3B
CL
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LIN
LIN
Annualised
LIN
4.0%
1.6%
CL

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q4 FY2025

Metric
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Revenue
$5.2B
$8.8B
Net Profit
$-36.0M
$1.5B
Gross Margin
60.2%
Operating Margin
1.7%
23.0%
Net Margin
-0.7%
17.5%
Revenue YoY
5.8%
5.8%
Net Profit YoY
-104.9%
-11.3%
EPS (diluted)
$-0.04
$3.28

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$5.2B
$8.8B
Q3 25
$5.1B
$8.6B
Q2 25
$5.1B
$8.5B
Q1 25
$4.9B
$8.1B
Q4 24
$4.9B
$8.3B
Q3 24
$5.0B
$8.4B
Q2 24
$5.1B
$8.3B
Q1 24
$5.1B
$8.1B
Net Profit
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$-36.0M
$1.5B
Q3 25
$735.0M
$1.9B
Q2 25
$743.0M
$1.8B
Q1 25
$690.0M
$1.7B
Q4 24
$738.0M
$1.7B
Q3 24
$737.0M
$1.6B
Q2 24
$731.0M
$1.7B
Q1 24
$683.0M
$1.6B
Gross Margin
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
60.2%
Q3 25
59.4%
Q2 25
60.1%
Q1 25
60.8%
Q4 24
60.3%
Q3 24
61.1%
Q2 24
60.6%
Q1 24
60.0%
Operating Margin
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
1.7%
23.0%
Q3 25
20.6%
27.5%
Q2 25
21.1%
27.7%
Q1 25
21.9%
26.9%
Q4 24
21.5%
27.4%
Q3 24
21.2%
25.0%
Q2 24
21.6%
26.4%
Q1 24
20.7%
25.9%
Net Margin
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
-0.7%
17.5%
Q3 25
14.3%
22.4%
Q2 25
14.5%
20.8%
Q1 25
14.1%
20.6%
Q4 24
14.9%
20.8%
Q3 24
14.6%
18.5%
Q2 24
14.5%
20.1%
Q1 24
13.5%
20.1%
EPS (diluted)
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$-0.04
$3.28
Q3 25
$0.91
$4.09
Q2 25
$0.91
$3.73
Q1 25
$0.85
$3.51
Q4 24
$0.89
$3.61
Q3 24
$0.90
$3.22
Q2 24
$0.89
$3.44
Q1 24
$0.83
$3.35

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.4B
$5.1B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$7.8B
$20.7B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$54.0M
$38.2B
Total Assets
$16.3B
$86.8B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
145.17×
0.54×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$1.4B
$5.1B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$4.5B
Q2 25
$1.2B
$4.8B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$5.3B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$4.8B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$5.2B
Q2 24
$1.1B
$4.6B
Q1 24
$1.1B
$4.8B
Total Debt
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$7.8B
$20.7B
Q3 25
$18.6B
Q2 25
$19.7B
Q1 25
$17.6B
Q4 24
$7.0B
$15.3B
Q3 24
$17.5B
Q2 24
$16.9B
Q1 24
$15.2B
Stockholders' Equity
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$54.0M
$38.2B
Q3 25
$856.0M
$38.6B
Q2 25
$702.0M
$38.5B
Q1 25
$363.0M
$38.0B
Q4 24
$212.0M
$38.1B
Q3 24
$435.0M
$39.2B
Q2 24
$123.0M
$38.2B
Q1 24
$230.0M
$38.8B
Total Assets
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$16.3B
$86.8B
Q3 25
$17.5B
$86.0B
Q2 25
$17.5B
$86.1B
Q1 25
$16.6B
$82.7B
Q4 24
$16.0B
$80.1B
Q3 24
$16.8B
$82.5B
Q2 24
$16.5B
$80.2B
Q1 24
$16.6B
$80.3B
Debt / Equity
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
145.17×
0.54×
Q3 25
0.48×
Q2 25
0.51×
Q1 25
0.46×
Q4 24
33.04×
0.40×
Q3 24
0.45×
Q2 24
0.44×
Q1 24
0.39×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.5B
$3.0B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$1.3B
$1.6B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
24.4%
17.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
3.4%
16.6%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.98×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$3.6B
$5.1B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$1.5B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$2.9B
Q2 25
$884.0M
$2.2B
Q1 25
$600.0M
$2.2B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$2.8B
Q3 24
$1.2B
$2.7B
Q2 24
$990.0M
$1.9B
Q1 24
$681.0M
$2.0B
Free Cash Flow
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
$1.3B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.1B
$1.7B
Q2 25
$776.0M
$954.0M
Q1 25
$476.0M
$891.0M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.6B
Q3 24
$1.0B
$1.7B
Q2 24
$873.0M
$796.0M
Q1 24
$555.0M
$906.0M
FCF Margin
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
24.4%
17.9%
Q3 25
21.6%
19.4%
Q2 25
15.2%
11.2%
Q1 25
9.7%
11.0%
Q4 24
21.9%
18.8%
Q3 24
20.5%
19.9%
Q2 24
17.3%
9.6%
Q1 24
11.0%
11.2%
Capex Intensity
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
3.4%
16.6%
Q3 25
3.0%
14.8%
Q2 25
2.1%
14.8%
Q1 25
2.5%
15.7%
Q4 24
3.7%
15.1%
Q3 24
2.7%
12.8%
Q2 24
2.3%
13.7%
Q1 24
2.5%
12.9%
Cash Conversion
CL
CL
LIN
LIN
Q4 25
1.98×
Q3 25
1.72×
1.53×
Q2 25
1.19×
1.25×
Q1 25
0.87×
1.29×
Q4 24
1.72×
1.63×
Q3 24
1.58×
1.76×
Q2 24
1.35×
1.16×
Q1 24
1.00×
1.20×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

CL
CL

Other$3.0B58%
Pet Nutrition$1.2B23%
Oral Personal And Home Care$1.0B20%

LIN
LIN

Other$4.9B56%
Packaged Gas$1.6B19%
Merchant$1.2B14%
On Site$950.0M11%
Other Distribution Methods$64.0M1%

Related Comparisons