Element Solutions Inc vs Linde plc, two Chemicals stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Where ESI and LIN diverge most: on fcf yield, ESI reads -1.6% and LIN reads 2.2%; on net margin, ESI reads 5.3% and LIN reads 20.4%. The rest of the comparable metrics sit closer together. What LIN's price implies is a bet that sits within the historical range (whole-company basis). The bull and bear cases for each are in their full reports below.
| Metric | ESI | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $36.67 | $478.46 |
| Market cap | $8.9B | $222.3B |
| Sector | Chemicals | Chemicals |
| Stage | Growth | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | — | +18.4% |
| P/E | 59.1 | 30.9 |
| P/B | 3.25 | 5.47 |
| P/S | 3.19 | 6.27 |
| EV/EBITDA | 20.3 | 18.6 |
| Revenue growth | +13.4% | +6.6% |
| Gross margin | 38.4% | — |
| Operating margin | 13.3% | 27.5% |
| Net margin | 5.3% | 20.4% |
| Return on equity | 5.4% | 17.8% |
| Return on assets | 2.6% | 8.2% |
| Return on invested capital | 5.3% | 10.8% |
| FCF yield | -1.6% | 2.2% |
| Dividend yield | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Debt / equity | 0.75 | 0.69 |
| Current ratio | 2.68 | 0.88 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 2.33 | 3.56 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 5 / 9 | 7 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.