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

Linde plc is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($8.8B vs $5.7B, roughly 1.5× Sherwin-Williams). Linde plc runs the higher net margin — 17.5% vs 9.4%, a 8.0% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Sherwin-Williams posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (6.8% vs 5.8%). Over the past eight quarters, Linde plc's revenue compounded faster (4.0% CAGR vs -4.9%).

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.

Sherwin-Williams is an American paints and coatings company based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is primarily engaged in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of paints, coatings, floorcoverings, and related products with operations in over 120 countries. As of 2024, it is the largest coatings company in the world by revenue.

LIN vs SHW — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
LIN
LIN
1.5× larger
LIN
$8.8B
$5.7B
SHW
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
SHW
SHW
+1.0% gap
SHW
6.8%
5.8%
LIN
Higher net margin
LIN
LIN
8.0% more per $
LIN
17.5%
9.4%
SHW
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
LIN
LIN
Annualised
LIN
4.0%
-4.9%
SHW

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Revenue
$8.8B
$5.7B
Net Profit
$1.5B
$534.7M
Gross Margin
49.1%
Operating Margin
23.0%
Net Margin
17.5%
9.4%
Revenue YoY
5.8%
6.8%
Net Profit YoY
-11.3%
6.1%
EPS (diluted)
$3.28
$2.15

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
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
$5.7B
Q4 25
$8.8B
$5.6B
Q3 25
$8.6B
$6.4B
Q2 25
$8.5B
$6.3B
Q1 25
$8.1B
$5.3B
Q4 24
$8.3B
$5.3B
Q3 24
$8.4B
$6.2B
Q2 24
$8.3B
$6.3B
Net Profit
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
$534.7M
Q4 25
$1.5B
$476.8M
Q3 25
$1.9B
$833.1M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$754.7M
Q1 25
$1.7B
$503.9M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$480.1M
Q3 24
$1.6B
$806.2M
Q2 24
$1.7B
$889.9M
Gross Margin
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
49.1%
Q4 25
48.5%
Q3 25
49.2%
Q2 25
49.4%
Q1 25
48.2%
Q4 24
48.6%
Q3 24
49.1%
Q2 24
48.8%
Operating Margin
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
Q4 25
23.0%
11.4%
Q3 25
27.5%
16.7%
Q2 25
27.7%
15.6%
Q1 25
26.9%
12.3%
Q4 24
27.4%
11.6%
Q3 24
25.0%
21.4%
Q2 24
26.4%
22.5%
Net Margin
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
9.4%
Q4 25
17.5%
8.5%
Q3 25
22.4%
13.1%
Q2 25
20.8%
12.0%
Q1 25
20.6%
9.5%
Q4 24
20.8%
9.1%
Q3 24
18.5%
13.1%
Q2 24
20.1%
14.2%
EPS (diluted)
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
$2.15
Q4 25
$3.28
$1.91
Q3 25
$4.09
$3.35
Q2 25
$3.73
$3.00
Q1 25
$3.51
$2.00
Q4 24
$3.61
$1.90
Q3 24
$3.22
$3.18
Q2 24
$3.44
$3.50

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$5.1B
$216.9K
Total DebtLower is stronger
$20.7B
$11.7M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$38.2B
$4.4M
Total Assets
$86.8B
$26.4M
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.54×
2.64×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
$216.9K
Q4 25
$5.1B
$207.2M
Q3 25
$4.5B
$241.5M
Q2 25
$4.8B
$269.8M
Q1 25
$5.3B
$199.8M
Q4 24
$4.8B
$210.4M
Q3 24
$5.2B
$238.2M
Q2 24
$4.6B
$200.0M
Total Debt
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
$11.7M
Q4 25
$20.7B
$9.7B
Q3 25
$18.6B
$9.7B
Q2 25
$19.7B
$9.0B
Q1 25
$17.6B
$9.0B
Q4 24
$15.3B
$9.2B
Q3 24
$17.5B
$9.2B
Q2 24
$16.9B
$9.0B
Stockholders' Equity
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
$4.4M
Q4 25
$38.2B
$4.6B
Q3 25
$38.6B
$4.4B
Q2 25
$38.5B
$4.4B
Q1 25
$38.0B
$4.1B
Q4 24
$38.1B
$4.1B
Q3 24
$39.2B
$4.2B
Q2 24
$38.2B
$3.8B
Total Assets
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
$26.4M
Q4 25
$86.8B
$25.9B
Q3 25
$86.0B
$26.2B
Q2 25
$86.1B
$25.4B
Q1 25
$82.7B
$24.6B
Q4 24
$80.1B
$23.6B
Q3 24
$82.5B
$24.0B
Q2 24
$80.2B
$23.7B
Debt / Equity
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
2.64×
Q4 25
0.54×
2.10×
Q3 25
0.48×
2.18×
Q2 25
0.51×
2.04×
Q1 25
0.46×
2.17×
Q4 24
0.40×
2.28×
Q3 24
0.45×
2.22×
Q2 24
0.44×
2.39×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

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

Metric
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$3.0B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$1.6B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
17.9%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
16.6%
2.4%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.98×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$5.1B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$3.0B
$1.1B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$1.3B
Q2 25
$2.2B
$1.1B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$-61.1M
Q4 24
$2.8B
$934.5M
Q3 24
$2.7B
$1.1B
Q2 24
$1.9B
$1.2B
Free Cash Flow
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.6B
$862.1M
Q3 25
$1.7B
$1.1B
Q2 25
$954.0M
$931.1M
Q1 25
$891.0M
$-250.4M
Q4 24
$1.6B
$634.5M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$839.4M
Q2 24
$796.0M
$952.0M
FCF Margin
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
Q4 25
17.9%
15.4%
Q3 25
19.4%
17.5%
Q2 25
11.2%
14.7%
Q1 25
11.0%
-4.7%
Q4 24
18.8%
12.0%
Q3 24
19.9%
13.6%
Q2 24
9.6%
15.2%
Capex Intensity
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
2.4%
Q4 25
16.6%
4.1%
Q3 25
14.8%
3.1%
Q2 25
14.8%
2.9%
Q1 25
15.7%
3.6%
Q4 24
15.1%
5.7%
Q3 24
12.8%
3.8%
Q2 24
13.7%
4.0%
Cash Conversion
LIN
LIN
SHW
SHW
Q1 26
Q4 25
1.98×
2.29×
Q3 25
1.53×
1.57×
Q2 25
1.25×
1.47×
Q1 25
1.29×
-0.12×
Q4 24
1.63×
1.95×
Q3 24
1.76×
1.33×
Q2 24
1.16×
1.35×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

LIN
LIN

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

SHW
SHW

Segment breakdown not available.

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