Linde plc LIN is set to report second-quarter 2026 results on July 31, before the opening bell.
Let us delve into the factors that are likely to have influenced the performance of this global industrial gas producer. However, before that, it would be worth reviewing LIN’s performance in the previous quarter.
LIN’s Highlights of Q1 Earnings & Surprise History
In the last reported quarter, Linde’s earnings of $4.33 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.27, driven by stronger pricing and higher volumes from the Americas segment and increased APAC segment volumes.
Linde’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 1.03%. This is depicted in the graph below:
Linde PLC Price and EPS Surprise
Linde PLC price-eps-surprise | Linde PLC Quote
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings per share (EPS) is pegged at $4.49, with two upward and no downward revisions over the past seven days. The bottom-line estimate implies an improvement of 9.8% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter revenues is pegged at $8.96 billion, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 5.5%.
Factors to Note for LIN
Linde is a global leader in the production of industrial gases, such as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and others, which are used across several end markets, including healthcare, manufacturing, chemicals & energy and food & beverage, in multiple geographies.
The company is expected to have sustained a stable performance in the to-be-reported quarter, supported by its long-term, take-or-pay contracts with major on-site clients. Linde is expected to have benefited from its operations across several resilient end markets, such as healthcare and food & beverage. Moreover, LIN’s strong project backlog is also expected to have contributed positively to its earnings.
However, challenges are likely to have persisted, particularly due to weaker industrial activity in Europe, which may have dampened growth across cyclical end markets like Chemicals & Energy and Manufacturing. Moreover, the Middle East conflict may have further weighed on manufacturing activity in the region, resulting in softer demand for Linde's products and affecting the EMEA segment results.
These factors are anticipated to have affected demand and pricing dynamics, potentially hampering Linde’s quarterly performance.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for operating profit in the Americas segment is pegged at $1.3 billion, up from $1.21 billion reported in the second quarter of 2025.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for operating profit from the Engineering business unit is pinned at $94 million for the second quarter, up from $90 million recorded a year ago.
LIN's Earnings Whispers
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Linde this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the chances of an earnings beat. That is not the case here, as you will see below.
Earnings ESP : Linde’s Earnings ESP is -0.10%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank : The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3.
Stocks to Consider
Here are some other stocks that you may want to consider, as these, too, have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this reporting cycle.
The Chemours Company CC is a major provider of performance chemicals that are used in end-products and processes across a host of industries. The company has an Earnings ESP of +27.17% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Chemours Company is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on Aug. 4. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 43 cents per share, which suggests a 25.9% decline from the prior-year reported figure.
Huntsman Corporation HUN manufactures diversified organic chemical products and markets them to a wide range of industrial and consumer customers. The company currently has an Earnings ESP of +4.31% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Huntsman is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on July 30. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HUN’s earnings is pegged at 6 cents per share, indicating a 130% increase from the prior-year reported figure.
Minerals Technologies Inc. MTX is involved in the production and marketing of a wide range of specialty mineral, mineral-based and synthetic mineral products. The company currently has an Earnings ESP of +5.52% and a Zacks Rank #2.
Minerals Technologies is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 earnings on July 30. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MTX’s earnings is pegged at $1.64 per share, indicating a 5.8% increase from the prior-year reported figure.
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Linde PLC (LIN): Free Stock Analysis Report
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).