LIN vs. GE

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

LIN (Linde plc) and GE (General Electric Company) are both stocks. LIN operates in Specialty Chemicals (Basic Materials), while GE operates in Specialty Industrial Machinery (Industrials). Over the past 5 years, LIN returned 13.08%/yr vs 36.95%/yr for GE. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

LIN vs. GE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Linde plc (LIN) and General Electric Company (GE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, LIN achieves a 18.48% return, which is significantly higher than GE's 4.70% return.

LIN

• 1D: -1.18%
• 1M: 2.10%
• YTD: 18.48%
• 6M: 29.74%
• 1Y: 7.61%
• 3Y*: 13.07%
• 5Y*: 13.08%
• 10Y*: —

GE

• 1D: -1.82%
• 1M: 8.38%
• YTD: 4.70%
• 6M: 12.43%
• 1Y: 26.65%
• 3Y*: 56.82%
• 5Y*: 36.95%
• 10Y*: 9.67%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

LIN vs. GE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
LIN Linde plc	18.48%	3.22%	3.18%	27.66%	-4.39%	33.39%	25.88%	39.04%	-5.26%
GE General Electric Company	4.70%	85.73%	64.83%	95.71%	-10.92%	9.69%	-2.73%	54.00%	-32.86%

Correlation

The correlation between LIN and GE is 0.07, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.07
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.24
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 1, 2018	0.35

Over the past year, the correlation between LIN and GE has dropped to 0.07 - well below their long-term average of 0.35, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Fundamentals

Market Cap LIN : $234.05B GE : $337.88B
EPS LIN : $15.16 GE : $8.15
PE Ratio LIN : 33.11 GE : 39.51
PEG Ratio LIN : 1.65 GE : 0.01
PS Ratio LIN : 6.81 GE : 7.08
PB Ratio LIN : 6.07 GE : 18.71
Total Revenue (TTM) LIN : $34.66B GE : $48.35B
Gross Profit (TTM) LIN : $15.94B GE : $16.84B
EBITDA (TTM) LIN : $12.31B GE : $11.01B

Return for Risk

LIN vs. GE — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

LIN

LIN Risk / Return Rank: 52
LIN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
LIN Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
LIN Omega Ratio Rank: 47
LIN Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
LIN Martin Ratio Rank: 54

GE

GE Risk / Return Rank: 66
GE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
GE Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
GE Omega Ratio Rank: 62
GE Calmar Ratio Rank: 67
GE Martin Ratio Rank: 70

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

LIN vs. GE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Linde plc (LIN) and General Electric Company (GE). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	LIN	GE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.45	0.85	-0.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.75	1.32	-0.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	1.17	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.40	1.28	-0.89
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.12	3.45	-2.33
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

LIN vs. GE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LIN Sharpe Ratio is 0.45, which is lower than the GE Sharpe Ratio of 0.85. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LIN and GE, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	LIN	GE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.45	0.85	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.63	1.20	-0.56
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.27	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.71	0.32	+0.39

Drawdowns

LIN vs. GE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LIN drawdown since its inception was -32.59%, smaller than the maximum GE drawdown of -85.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LIN and GE.

Drawdown Indicators

	LIN	GE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.59%	-85.53%	+52.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.18%	-20.85%	+1.67%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.18%	-21.36%	+2.18%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.82%	-44.94%	+22.12%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-81.18%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.72%	-6.72%	+4.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.43%	-25.79%	+20.36%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.80%	7.78%	-0.98%

Volatility

LIN vs. GE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Linde plc (LIN) is 5.16%, while General Electric Company (GE) has a volatility of 9.71%. This indicates that LIN experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	LIN	GE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.16%	9.71%	-4.55%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.47%	26.76%	-13.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.98%	31.41%	-14.43%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.74%	31.02%	-10.28%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.07%	36.33%	-12.26%

Dividends

LIN vs. GE - Dividend Comparison

LIN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.24%, more than GE's 0.48% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GE General Electric Company	0.48%	0.47%	0.67%	0.25%	0.38%	0.34%	0.37%	4.12%	4.89%	4.81%	2.94%	2.95%
LIN Linde plc	1.24%	1.41%	1.33%	1.24%	1.43%	1.22%	1.46%	1.64%	0.53%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Financials

LIN vs. GE - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Linde plc and General Electric Company over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

LIN - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Linde plc reported a gross profit of 4.26B and revenue of 8.78B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 48.5%.

GE - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Electric Company reported a gross profit of 3.85B and revenue of 12.39B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 31.0%.

LIN - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Linde plc reported an operating income of 3.26B and revenue of 8.78B, resulting in an operating margin of 37.2%.

GE - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Electric Company reported an operating income of 1.70B and revenue of 12.39B, resulting in an operating margin of 13.7%.

LIN - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Linde plc reported a net income of 1.86B and revenue of 8.78B, resulting in a net margin of 21.2%.

GE - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, General Electric Company reported a net income of 1.94B and revenue of 12.39B, resulting in a net margin of 15.6%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both LIN and GE in my portfolio?

LIN and GE have a correlation of 0.07, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, LIN or GE?

GE has higher volatility (9.71%) compared to LIN (5.16%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LIN dropped -32.59% vs GE's -85.53%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.85 vs 0.45), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.