Linde plc LIN is set to report third-quarter 2026 results on Oct. 29, 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 Q2 Earnings & Surprise History
In the last reported quarter, Linde’s earnings of $4.50 per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.49, driven by higher pricing, volume growth, favorable currency movements and acquisitions.
Linde’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 0.71%. This is depicted in the graph below:
Linde PLC Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Linde PLC price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Linde PLC Quote
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) is pegged at $4.52, with one upward and one downward revision over the past seven days. The bottom-line estimate implies an improvement of 7.4% from the figure reported in the prior-year quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter revenues is pegged at $9.2 billion, indicating a year-over-year improvement of 6.6%.
Factors to Note for LIN
Linde is a global leader involved in the production of industrial gases, such as oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and others, used across several end markets, including healthcare, manufacturing, electronics, chemicals & energy and food & beverage.
In the to-be-reported quarter, the company is expected to have sustained stable performance, supported by its long-term, take-or-pay contracts with major on-site clients. Linde’s operations across several resilient end markets, such as healthcare, food & beverage and electronics, are expected to have supported its earnings in the third quarter. Particularly, electronics is expected to become one of its fastest-growing end markets in the near term, driven by project start-ups and increased hardware demand associated with AI. Moreover, LIN’s growing project backlog is expected to have contributed positively to its earnings.
However, challenges are likely to have loomed, particularly due to labor cost inflation, which may have weighed on its margins. In addition, the Middle East conflict has impacted several Asia Pacific markets, particularly those highly dependent on importing hydrocarbons. Consequently, industrial activity is expected to have weakened in certain APAC markets, resulting in softer demand for Linde’s products in these regions.
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 $1.28 billion, up from $1.2 billion reported in the third quarter of 2025.
However, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for operating profit from the Engineering business unit is pinned at $95 million for the third quarter, lower than $101 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 +0.19%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank : The company currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
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.
Flotek Industries FTK specializes in green chemistry, which provides innovative solutions aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the energy industry. It currently has an Earnings ESP of +18.18% and a Zacks Rank #1.
Flotek Industries is scheduled to release third-quarter 2026 earnings on Nov. 3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at 22 cents per share, indicating an improvement of 10% from the prior-year reported figure. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Huntsman Corporation HUN manufactures diversified organic chemical products and markets the products to a wide range of industrial and consumer customers. The company currently has an Earnings ESP of +36.14% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Huntsman is scheduled to release third-quarter 2026 earnings on Nov. 2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HUN’s earnings is pegged at 7 cents per share, indicating a 333.3% increase from the prior-year reported figure.
Air Products and Chemicals APD is involved in producing and marketing industrial gases for a wide range of industries. It currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.44% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Air Products and Chemicals is scheduled to release third-quarter 2026 earnings on Nov. 5. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings is pegged at $3.60 per share, indicating an improvement of 6.2% from the prior-year reported figure.
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Linde PLC (LIN): Free Stock Analysis Report
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD): Free Stock Analysis Report
Huntsman Corporation (HUN): Free Stock Analysis Report
Flotek Industries, Inc. (FTK): Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).