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

Waste Management is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($6.2B vs $8.8M, roughly 709.1× Linde plc). On growth, Linde plc posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (8.2% vs 3.5%). Waste Management produced more free cash flow last quarter ($981.0M vs $898.0K). Over the past eight quarters, Waste Management's revenue compounded faster (7.4% CAGR vs -96.7%).

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.

Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste, together with monitoring and regulation of the waste management process and waste-related laws, technologies, and economic mechanisms.

LIN vs WM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
WM
WM
709.1× larger
WM
$6.2B
$8.8M
LIN
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
LIN
LIN
+4.8% gap
LIN
8.2%
3.5%
WM
More free cash flow
WM
WM
$980.1M more FCF
WM
$981.0M
$898.0K
LIN
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
WM
WM
Annualised
WM
7.4%
-96.7%
LIN

Income Statement — Q1 FY2026 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Revenue
$8.8M
$6.2B
Net Profit
$723.0M
Gross Margin
48.5%
Operating Margin
27.8%
17.9%
Net Margin
11.6%
Revenue YoY
8.2%
3.5%
Net Profit YoY
EPS (diluted)
$3.98
$1.79

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
WM
WM
Q1 26
$8.8M
$6.2B
Q4 25
$8.8B
$6.3B
Q3 25
$8.6B
$6.4B
Q2 25
$8.5B
$6.4B
Q1 25
$8.1B
$6.0B
Q4 24
$8.3B
$5.9B
Q3 24
$8.4B
$5.6B
Q2 24
$8.3B
$5.4B
Net Profit
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$723.0M
Q4 25
$1.5B
$742.0M
Q3 25
$1.9B
$603.0M
Q2 25
$1.8B
$726.0M
Q1 25
$1.7B
$637.0M
Q4 24
$1.7B
$598.0M
Q3 24
$1.6B
$760.0M
Q2 24
$1.7B
$680.0M
Gross Margin
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
48.5%
Q4 25
41.5%
Q3 25
40.5%
Q2 25
40.3%
Q1 25
39.4%
Q4 24
39.7%
Q3 24
39.4%
Q2 24
39.1%
Operating Margin
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
27.8%
17.9%
Q4 25
23.0%
18.3%
Q3 25
27.5%
15.3%
Q2 25
27.7%
17.9%
Q1 25
26.9%
16.8%
Q4 24
27.4%
15.6%
Q3 24
25.0%
20.0%
Q2 24
26.4%
18.7%
Net Margin
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
11.6%
Q4 25
17.5%
11.8%
Q3 25
22.4%
9.4%
Q2 25
20.8%
11.3%
Q1 25
20.6%
10.6%
Q4 24
20.8%
10.1%
Q3 24
18.5%
13.5%
Q2 24
20.1%
12.6%
EPS (diluted)
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$3.98
$1.79
Q4 25
$3.28
$1.83
Q3 25
$4.09
$1.49
Q2 25
$3.73
$1.80
Q1 25
$3.51
$1.58
Q4 24
$3.61
$1.49
Q3 24
$3.22
$1.88
Q2 24
$3.44
$1.69

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

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

Metric
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$4.0M
$158.0M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$24.7M
$22.9B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$40.1M
$10.0B
Total Assets
$86.3M
$45.7B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.62×
2.28×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$4.0M
$158.0M
Q4 25
$5.1B
$201.0M
Q3 25
$4.5B
$175.0M
Q2 25
$4.8B
$440.0M
Q1 25
$5.3B
$216.0M
Q4 24
$4.8B
$414.0M
Q3 24
$5.2B
$614.0M
Q2 24
$4.6B
$172.0M
Total Debt
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$24.7M
$22.9B
Q4 25
$20.7B
$22.2B
Q3 25
$18.6B
$22.5B
Q2 25
$19.7B
$23.1B
Q1 25
$17.6B
$22.9B
Q4 24
$15.3B
$22.5B
Q3 24
$17.5B
$16.0B
Q2 24
$16.9B
$16.5B
Stockholders' Equity
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$40.1M
$10.0B
Q4 25
$38.2B
$10.0B
Q3 25
$38.6B
$9.5B
Q2 25
$38.5B
$9.2B
Q1 25
$38.0B
$8.7B
Q4 24
$38.1B
$8.3B
Q3 24
$39.2B
$8.0B
Q2 24
$38.2B
$7.5B
Total Assets
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$86.3M
$45.7B
Q4 25
$86.8B
$45.8B
Q3 25
$86.0B
$45.6B
Q2 25
$86.1B
$45.7B
Q1 25
$82.7B
$44.5B
Q4 24
$80.1B
$44.6B
Q3 24
$82.5B
$34.7B
Q2 24
$80.2B
$34.0B
Debt / Equity
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
0.62×
2.28×
Q4 25
0.54×
2.22×
Q3 25
0.48×
2.36×
Q2 25
0.51×
2.51×
Q1 25
0.46×
2.65×
Q4 24
0.40×
2.73×
Q3 24
0.45×
2.00×
Q2 24
0.44×
2.21×

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
WM
WM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.5B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$898.0K
$981.0M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
10.2%
15.8%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
2.08×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$4.2B
$3.4B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$1.5B
Q4 25
$3.0B
$1.7B
Q3 25
$2.9B
$1.6B
Q2 25
$2.2B
$1.5B
Q1 25
$2.2B
$1.2B
Q4 24
$2.8B
$1.5B
Q3 24
$2.7B
$1.4B
Q2 24
$1.9B
$1.2B
Free Cash Flow
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
$898.0K
$981.0M
Q4 25
$1.6B
$810.0M
Q3 25
$1.7B
$816.0M
Q2 25
$954.0M
$813.0M
Q1 25
$891.0M
$377.0M
Q4 24
$1.6B
$396.0M
Q3 24
$1.7B
$577.0M
Q2 24
$796.0M
$487.0M
FCF Margin
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
10.2%
15.8%
Q4 25
17.9%
12.8%
Q3 25
19.4%
12.7%
Q2 25
11.2%
12.6%
Q1 25
11.0%
6.3%
Q4 24
18.8%
6.7%
Q3 24
19.9%
10.3%
Q2 24
9.6%
9.0%
Capex Intensity
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
Q4 25
16.6%
14.1%
Q3 25
14.8%
12.0%
Q2 25
14.8%
11.4%
Q1 25
15.7%
13.8%
Q4 24
15.1%
18.9%
Q3 24
12.8%
13.9%
Q2 24
13.7%
12.3%
Cash Conversion
LIN
LIN
WM
WM
Q1 26
2.08×
Q4 25
1.98×
2.29×
Q3 25
1.53×
2.64×
Q2 25
1.25×
2.13×
Q1 25
1.29×
1.90×
Q4 24
1.63×
2.53×
Q3 24
1.76×
1.79×
Q2 24
1.16×
1.70×

Financial Flow Comparison

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

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