Core Insights - Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) is recognized as one of the top hydrogen and fuel cell stocks to invest in for 2026, with BMO Capital maintaining an Outperform rating and a price target of $501, citing strong growth potential [1] - Mizuho also reaffirmed an Outperform rating with a price target of $495, indicating a projected combined trendline EPS growth of 8-12%, driven by price and productivity enhancements as well as capital allocation measures [3] Company Overview - Linde plc is a global leader in industrial gases and engineering, operating the largest liquid hydrogen capacity and distribution system worldwide, with key products including green hydrogen, hydrogen refueling solutions, and innovative hydrogen storage and transportation technology [4] Financial Performance - Linde's recent business review suggests the company can sustain or exceed its EPS growth target of over 10%, with significant price and productivity benefits highlighted during discussions on AI [2] - The company's backlog has remained steady, with expectations for growth by the end of 2026 [3]

Core Insights - Linde is currently in Phase 9 of its 18-phase Adhishthana cycle, indicating potential risks are building beneath the surface [1] - The stock's recent behavior suggests rising downside pressure, making hedging increasingly important [1] Weekly Chart Analysis - Linde's stock formed a Cakra structure between Phases 4 and 8, which typically has bullish implications, but the recent setup deviated from this ideal [2][3] - The stock attempted multiple premature breakouts during the Cakra formation, weakening the integrity of the pattern [3] - Upon entering Phase 9, instead of a clean breakout, Linde experienced a breakdown, leading to a decline of over 15% since October 6 [5] Monthly Chart Analysis - On the monthly chart, Linde is in Phase 10, where a well-defined Cakra formed and broke out cleanly in Phase 9, resulting in a rally of over 193% [6] - The early part of Phase 10 supported bullish momentum, but recent pullbacks suggest potential structural changes [7] Structural Implications - The Himalayan Formation, which follows a Cakra breakout, consists of three legs: ascent, peak, and descent, with Phase 10 being critical for peak formation [8] - Linde marked its all-time high within Phase 10, raising the possibility of a structural peak being in place [10] Investor Outlook - With a Cakra breakdown on the weekly charts and signs of a potential peak on the monthly timeframe, Linde's risk profile has shifted [11] - Investors should consider hedging long exposure, as downside risks appear to be increasing [11] - New investors may want to wait for clearer confirmation of whether a peak has formed before initiating positions [11]

Core Insights - The article compares Quaker Chemical (KWR) and Linde (LIN) to determine which stock is more attractive to value investors [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Outlook - Quaker Chemical has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook, while Linde has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - The Zacks Rank emphasizes stocks with positive revisions to earnings estimates, suggesting that KWR has an improving earnings outlook [3] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - KWR has a forward P/E ratio of 19.57, compared to LIN's forward P/E of 26.08, indicating KWR may be undervalued [5] - KWR's PEG ratio is 1.56, while LIN's PEG ratio is significantly higher at 3.29, suggesting KWR offers better value relative to its expected EPS growth [5] - KWR's P/B ratio is 1.76, whereas LIN's P/B ratio is 4.99, further supporting KWR's valuation advantage [6] Group 3: Value Grades - KWR has a Value grade of A, while LIN has a Value grade of D, indicating that KWR is perceived as a better investment option for value investors [6]

Core Viewpoint - Linde plc is identified as a strong investment opportunity in the hydrogen sector, with UBS maintaining a Buy rating and a price target of $500 based on projected earnings growth and capital allocation strategies [1][2]. Group 1: Earnings and Growth Projections - UBS expects Linde's EPS to grow over 10% in the coming year, driven by 4-6% growth from management actions and another 4-6% from capital allocation, excluding macro growth benefits [1]. - With a 1-2% growth in industrial production, Linde's EPS growth could potentially rise into the low-to-mid teens, indicating strong future performance [2]. Group 2: Market Position and Backlog - Mizuho has lowered its price target for Linde to $495 from $520 but maintains an Outperform rating, citing stable project backlog and expected growth by the end of 2026 [3]. - Linde's focus on high-potential areas such as clean energy projects, electronics, and commercial space launches presents significant growth potential for the stock [3]. Group 3: Company Overview - Linde plc operates as a global industrial gases and engineering company, holding the largest liquid hydrogen capacity and distribution system worldwide [4]. - The company's primary products include green hydrogen produced through electrolysis, hydrogen refueling solutions, and advanced technologies for hydrogen storage and transportation [4].

Group 1 - Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) is recognized as one of the best non-US stocks to buy according to hedge funds, with a recent Buy rating from BMO Capital and a price target of $501 [1] - BMO Capital's bullish sentiment is supported by Linde's potential to maintain and exceed EPS growth of 10%, particularly in its core electrical segment and new space application areas [2] - Despite a share price decline of over 8% in the past six months, BMO views this as a buying opportunity [2] Group 2 - RBC Capital also reiterated a Buy rating after attending Linde's investor event, where management presented its Growth6 strategy aimed at supporting double-digit EPS growth despite macroeconomic challenges [3] - The Growth6 strategy is designed to be non-macro-dependent, addressing issues such as European de-industrialization and global trade restrictions [3] - RBC remains cautious due to weak industrial production, which could negatively impact EPS by 1%-3% due to volume headwinds [3]

Group 1 - Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) has experienced a significant pull-back of 20% from its highs in August to its lows last week, indicating a challenging period for the stock [1] - Despite being somewhat cyclical due to its industrial clients, Linde possesses strong pricing power and a consistent track record of earnings growth [1] - Recent insider buying and positive outcomes from investor and analyst meetings have contributed to a rebound in the stock price [1] Group 2 - Linde is recognized as a leading industrial gas company supplying atmospheric and process gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and specialty gases [2] - The company has faced a particularly difficult year, with notable declines in stock performance, prompting calls for more proactive communication from management [2] - While Linde is acknowledged for its long-term success, there are suggestions that certain AI stocks may present better investment opportunities with higher upside potential and lower downside risk [2]

Core Insights - Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) is facing challenges due to a weak European economy, with a reported 3% decline in sales volumes in its Europe, Middle East, and Africa business during the fiscal third quarter [2] - The company has guided its fourth quarter earnings per share to be between $4.10 and $4.20, which is below the $4.23 estimated by LSEG analysts [2] - UBS has maintained a Buy rating for Linde and set a price target of $500, while CICC has initiated coverage with a higher target of $510 and an Outperform rating [3] Company Performance - Linde's recent earnings report on October 31 indicated struggles in the European market, impacting overall sales [2] - The company is projected to accelerate its earnings per share growth from 6% in 2025 to 9% to 10% in 2026 according to UBS [3] Market Context - Jim Cramer highlighted the lack of industrial reshoring in the US as a concern for Linde, noting that industrial gas companies typically benefit from such trends [4] - Cramer expressed skepticism about the current state of reshoring, indicating that Linde has not seen the expected benefits from this economic shift [4]

Core Insights - Matt White, Executive Vice President and CFO of Linde, has joined the Board of Directors of Stoke Space, succeeding Steve Angel [1][2] - White brings over 20 years of leadership experience in global industrial and engineering companies, relevant to Stoke Space's goals [3] - Linde has been a key player in the U.S. space industry for over 60 years, recently announcing significant investments to expand production for rocket launches [5] Group 1: Leadership Changes - Matt White's appointment to the board is seen as a strategic move to leverage his extensive experience in industrial operations and project financing [6] - Steve Angel, the previous board member, provided crucial guidance during Stoke's development phase [6] Group 2: Company Background - Linde is recognized as the world's largest industrial gases and engineering company, overseeing global financial operations and large-scale capital programs [3] - The company has made new investments in Mims, Florida, and Brownsville, Texas, to enhance production capabilities for the space economy [5] Group 3: Strategic Importance - Stoke Space aims for full reusability in orbital launch, a transformative engineering challenge that aligns with Linde's expanding role in the U.S. space economy [6] - The collaboration between Linde and Stoke Space is expected to enhance infrastructure and reliability for sustained orbital access [6]

Core Insights - The State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) is a passively managed ETF launched on December 16, 1998, providing broad exposure to the Materials - Broad segment of the equity market [1][3] - The ETF has amassed over $5.26 billion in assets, making it one of the largest in its category [3] - XLB has a low expense ratio of 0.08%, making it the least expensive product in the space, with a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.91% [4] Fund Details - XLB seeks to match the performance of the Materials Select Sector Index, which represents the materials sector of the S&P 500 Index [3] - The ETF has a heavy allocation in the Materials sector, approximately 100% of the portfolio [5] - The top holding, Linde Plc (LIN), accounts for about 16.74% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings making up approximately 63.1% of total assets under management [6] Performance Metrics - Year-to-date, XLB has increased by roughly 8.48%, and it is up approximately 3.71% over the last year [7] - The fund has traded between $37.135 and $46.305 in the past 52 weeks, with a beta of 1.01 and a standard deviation of 16.82% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [7] Investment Alternatives - XLB holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum [8] - Other ETFs in the space include SPDR S&P Global Natural Resources ETF (GNR) and FlexShares Morningstar Global Upstream Natural Resources ETF (GUNR), with GNR having $3.70 billion in assets and GUNR having $5.62 billion [10]

Core Insights - Linde PLC (NASDAQ:LIN) triggered a Power Inflow signal at a price of $415.04, indicating a significant shift towards buying activity [2][3] - Following the alert, LIN's stock price rose to a post-alert high of $422.79, reflecting a bullish trend in both retail and institutional trading [4][7] - The Power Inflow signal is a proprietary indicator developed by TradePulse, highlighting strong buying momentum and suggesting a high probability of bullish price movement for the rest of the trading day [5][6] Performance Analysis - At the time of the Power Inflow alert, LIN was priced at $415.04, and the stock experienced an intraday gain of 1.87% by reaching $422.79 as of 2:45 PM EST [7] - The alert serves as an effective tool for traders, demonstrating the potential for immediate gains following the signal, especially during periods of declining stock prices [7] - The analysis emphasizes the value of order flow analytics in identifying bullish intraday activity and potential stock price reversals, offering traders advantageous buying opportunities [7]