Financial Performance - Fourth-quarter 2024 net income was $1,725 million, with diluted earnings per share of $3.60, representing increases of 12% and 14% respectively compared to the prior year[1]. - Fourth-quarter sales were $8,282 million, flat year-over-year, but underlying sales increased by 2% when excluding negative currency impact[2]. - Adjusted operating profit for the fourth quarter was $2,480 million, up 9% year-over-year, with an adjusted operating profit margin of 29.9%, an increase of 250 basis points[3]. - For the full year 2024, sales totaled $33.0 billion, flat compared to 2023, while adjusted operating profit was $9.7 billion, a 7% increase year-over-year[5]. - Operating profit for Q4 2024 rose to $2,270 million, a 12% increase from $2,028 million in Q4 2023, with year-to-date operating profit at $8,635 million compared to $8,024 million in the previous year[27]. - Net income for Q4 2024 was $1,725 million, up from $1,543 million in Q4 2023, resulting in a year-to-date net income of $6,565 million compared to $6,199 million[30]. - Basic earnings per share for Q4 2024 increased to $3.63 from $3.19 in Q4 2023, with year-to-date earnings per share rising to $13.71 from $12.70[27]. - Reported diluted EPS for 2024 was $13.62, an increase of 8% compared to 2023[38]. - Adjusted diluted EPS for 2024 reached $15.51, reflecting a 9% increase from the previous year[38]. Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns - The company generated operating cash flow of $9.4 billion in 2024 and returned $7.1 billion to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks[6]. - Cash dividends per share for Q4 2024 were $1.39, up from $1.275 in Q4 2023, with year-to-date dividends increasing to $5.56 from $5.10[27]. - Free Cash Flow (FCF) for 2024 was $1,559 million, slightly down from $1,665 million in 2023[46]. Segment Performance - Americas segment sales for the fourth quarter were $3,609 million, a 1% increase year-over-year, with operating profit margin at 31.9%[8]. - EMEA segment sales were $2,059 million, down 2% year-over-year, but operating profit margin improved to 33.3%, up 400 basis points[11]. - The Americas segment reported sales of $3,609 million in Q4 2024, up from $3,583 million in Q4 2023, contributing to a year-to-date total of $14,442 million compared to $14,304 million[32]. Balance Sheet and Capital Expenditures - Total assets as of December 31, 2024, were $80,147 million, a slight decrease from $80,811 million in 2023[29]. - Total liabilities increased to $40,659 million in 2024 from $39,716 million in 2023, while total equity decreased to $39,475 million from $41,082 million[29]. - Capital expenditures for Q4 2024 were $1,250 million, compared to $1,151 million in Q4 2023, with year-to-date capital expenditures at $4,497 million versus $3,787 million[30]. Future Outlook - For 2025, the company expects adjusted diluted earnings per share to be in the range of $16.15 to $16.55, indicating a growth of 4% to 7% compared to the prior year[7]. - First-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share guidance is projected to be between $3.85 and $3.95, representing a growth of 3% to 5% year-over-year[7]. - The company anticipates further growth in the upcoming quarters, supported by strategic initiatives and market expansion efforts[36]. - The estimated currency headwind for 2025 is projected to be around 4%[38]. Cost Management - The company implemented a cost reduction program, resulting in charges of $145 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $40 million in 2023[30]. - The company has implemented a cost reduction program, contributing an additional $145 million to the operating profit[36]. Adjusted Metrics - Adjusted net income for the year to date is $7.475 billion, with a reported net income of $6.565 billion[37]. - Adjusted operating margin improved to 29.5%, up from 27.6% in the previous year[36]. - Adjusted EBITDA for 2024 was $12,819 million, representing 38.8% of sales[38]. - Reported sales for 2024 totaled $33,005 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 38.8%[38]. - Adjusted income from equity investments is reported at $242 million, reflecting a significant increase[37]. Capital Structure - Net debt as of December 31, 2024, was $16,773 million, a decrease from $17,075 million in 2023[48]. - Adjusted net debt increased to $16.769 billion in Q4 2024 from $15.466 billion in Q1 2024[50]. - Total reported capital decreased from $55.804 billion in Q3 2023 to $55.700 billion in Q1 2024[50]. - Linde plc shareholders' equity was $38.092 billion in Q4 2024, down from $39.720 billion in Q3 2023[50].

Core Viewpoint - Linde plc is expected to report its fourth-quarter 2024 results on February 6, with various factors influencing its performance, including previous earnings results and market conditions. Group 1: Previous Performance - In the last reported quarter, Linde's earnings were $3.94 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.89, primarily due to higher pricing in the Americas segment [2] - Linde has consistently beaten the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the last four quarters, with an average surprise of 1.84% [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter earnings per share is $3.93, reflecting a 9.47% improvement from the same quarter last year [2] Group 2: Revenue Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter revenues is $8.36 billion, indicating a year-over-year increase of 0.65% [3] Group 3: Influencing Factors - Long-term contracts with major on-site clients are expected to positively impact Linde's performance in the fourth quarter, particularly from its Americas business unit, which is estimated to generate an operating profit of $1.15 billion, up from $1.07 billion in the previous year [4] - Economic slowdowns in Europe and China may have negatively affected industrial output and demand for industrial gases, potentially impacting Linde's revenues [5] - Rising energy prices due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are likely to have further pressured margins [5] Group 4: Engineering Segment Performance - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the operating profit of the Engineering business unit is $106 million, down from $119 million a year ago, indicating challenges in this segment [6] Group 5: Earnings Predictions - The current model does not predict an earnings beat for Linde, with an Earnings ESP of -0.68% and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7]

In its upcoming report, Linde (LIN) is predicted by Wall Street analysts to post quarterly earnings of $3.93 per share, reflecting an increase of 9.5% compared to the same period last year. Revenues are forecasted to be $8.36 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 0.7%.The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has undergone a downward revision of 1.4% in the past 30 days, bringing it to its present level. This represents how the covering analysts, as a whole, have reassessed their initial estim ...

Key Points - Jason Hall and Tyler Crowe have no positions in any of the stocks mentioned [1] - The Motley Fool holds positions in and recommends Linde [1] - Jason Hall is affiliated with The Motley Fool and may receive compensation for promoting its services [1]

Company Overview - Linde plc (LIN) is the seventh largest firm in the industrial gases industry by market share and revenue, with approximately $33 billion in revenue as of 2023 [3] - The stock has shown steady growth over the past 10 years, indicating a strong long-term growth trajectory [3] Industry Position - Linde plc holds a significant position in the industrial gases industry, ranking seventh by market share and revenue [3] Financial Performance - The company's revenue stands at approximately $33 billion as of 2023, reflecting its substantial market presence [3] Stock Performance - Linde plc's stock has experienced consistent growth over the past decade, suggesting a robust investment opportunity [3]

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Analyst Background - The analyst has 15 years of professional experience in equity markets and was a former Associate at a $10 billion hedge fund [1] - Holds a First-Class Honours degree in Financial Economics from the University of London and is a CFA Level III candidate [1] - Described as an avid reader and a Berkshire Hathaway enthusiast [1] Disclosure Information - The analyst has no stock, option, or derivative positions in any mentioned companies and no plans to initiate such positions within the next 72 hours [2] - The article expresses the analyst's own opinions and is not receiving compensation other than from Seeking Alpha [2] - No business relationship exists with any company whose stock is mentioned in the article [2] Seeking Alpha's Position - Seeking Alpha emphasizes that past performance is no guarantee of future results and does not provide investment recommendations or advice [3] - The views expressed in the article may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole [3] - Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker, or US investment adviser, and its analysts include both professional and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified [3]

Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) Q3 2024 Earnings Conference Call October 31, 2024 9:00 AM ET Company Participants Juan Pelaez - Head, IR Sanjiv Lamba - CEO Matt White - CFO Conference Call Participants Mike Leithead - Barclays Vincent Andrews - Morgan Stanley Duffy Fischer - Goldman Sachs David Begleiter - Deutsche Bank Peter Clark - Bernstein Jeff Zekauskas - JPMorgan Steve Byrne - Bank of America Stephen Richardson - Evercore ISI Mike Sison - Wells Fargo John McNulty - BMO Capital Markets Patrick Cunningham - Citi ...

Linde plc (LIN) reported third-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.94, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.89. The bottom line improved from the year-ago quarter’s figure of $3.63.Total quarterly revenues of $8.36 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.38 billion. However, the top line increased from the year-ago quarter’s $8.16 billion.The solid quarterly earnings were driven by higher pricing from the Americas segment, partially offset by lower contributions from ...

Linde (LIN) reported $8.36 billion in revenue for the quarter ended September 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 2.5%. EPS of $3.94 for the same period compares to $3.63 a year ago.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.38 billion, representing a surprise of -0.27%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +1.29%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $3.89.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how th ...