Core Viewpoint - Linde plc is expected to report its second-quarter 2025 results on August 1, with earnings per share estimated at $4.03 and revenues at $8.35 billion, reflecting a year-over-year improvement in earnings and revenues [1][3][9]. Group 1: Q1 Performance and Expectations - In the previous quarter, Linde's earnings were $3.95 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.93, driven by higher pricing and increased volumes from the Americas segment [2]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings per share is $4.03, indicating a 4.68% improvement from the prior-year quarter [2]. - The expected revenue for the second quarter is $8.35 billion, which represents a year-over-year increase of 1.04% [3]. Group 2: Market Position and Performance Factors - Linde is a global leader in industrial gas production, serving various end markets including healthcare, manufacturing, and chemicals & refining [4]. - The company is anticipated to maintain stable performance due to long-term contracts with major on-site clients and operations in resilient end markets such as healthcare and food and beverages [5]. - However, challenges may arise from tariffs and changes in trade policies, which could slow down industrial activity globally, particularly affecting demand in markets like China and Europe [6]. Group 3: Segment Performance Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for operating profit in the Americas segment is $1.19 billion, an increase from $1.16 billion in the second quarter of 2024 [7]. - The operating profit estimate for the Engineering business unit is $100 million, up from $96 million a year ago [7]. - These factors are expected to influence demand and pricing dynamics, potentially impacting Linde's quarterly performance [7].

Group 1 - The global chemical industry is experiencing stagnation, characterized by a down cycle due to oversupply and weak demand, with the top 50 companies' sales remaining nearly flat for two consecutive years [1][2] - BASF leads the ranking with sales of $70.612 billion, followed by Sinopec at $58.131 billion and Dow at $42.964 billion, with total sales for the top 50 companies amounting to $1.014 trillion, a slight decrease of 0.07% from the previous year [1] - The profits of the top 50 companies reached $56.8 billion in 2024, an increase of 8.1% compared to 2023, following a significant drop of 44.1% in the previous year [1][3] Group 2 - Capital expenditures for the top 50 companies increased by 3.5% to $73 billion, while R&D spending rose by 3.0% to $12.3 billion, indicating a slight recovery in executive confidence [2] - Many companies are downsizing operations, particularly in Europe, due to high energy and other costs, with companies like LyondellBasell and Dow closing or selling facilities [2] - The profitability of the petrochemical sector is mixed, with some companies like ExxonMobil and SABIC showing profit growth, while others like LyondellBasell and Dow experienced declines [3]

Core Viewpoint - Wall Street anticipates a year-over-year increase in earnings for Linde, with expectations of higher revenues impacting stock price based on actual results compared to estimates [1][2]. Company Summary - Linde is expected to report quarterly earnings of $4.03 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of +4.7% [3]. - Revenue projections stand at $8.35 billion, indicating a 1% increase from the previous year [3]. - The consensus EPS estimate has been revised down by 0.05% over the last 30 days, suggesting a slight reassessment by analysts [4]. Earnings Surprise Prediction - The Most Accurate Estimate for Linde is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, resulting in an Earnings ESP of +0.43%, indicating a bullish outlook from analysts [12]. - Linde holds a Zacks Rank of 3, suggesting a moderate expectation of beating the consensus EPS estimate [12]. - Historically, Linde has surpassed consensus EPS estimates in the last four quarters, with a recent surprise of +0.51% [13][14]. Industry Context - In the Zacks Chemical - Specialty industry, Quaker Chemical is expected to report earnings of $1.82 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decrease of -14.6% [18]. - Quaker Chemical's revenue is projected at $463.19 million, down 0.1% from the previous year, with a recent EPS estimate revision of -1.2% [19]. - Quaker Chemical has an Earnings ESP of -1.84% and a Zacks Rank of 3, making it challenging to predict an earnings beat [20].

Core Insights - Linde plc (LIN) plans to construct a new air separation unit (ASU) in Brownsville, TX, and expand capacity at its existing ASU in Mims, FL, to strengthen its position in the U.S. space industry [1][2][9] - The new ASU in Texas is expected to begin operations in Q1 2026, supplying liquid oxygen, nitrogen, and argon for space exploration [3] - The expansion in Mims, FL, is projected to start operations in Q1 2027, enhancing production of critical gases for rocket launches [3][4] Industry Position - Linde has a long-standing involvement in the U.S. space program, dating back to the Apollo program, and continues to play a crucial role in modern space exploration [4] - In 2024, Linde supported approximately 100 successful rocket launches, highlighting its significance in the space exploration sector [4][9]

Investment Returns - The total return on the Fund's net asset value for the first half of 2025 was 2.3%, with dividends and capital gains reinvested [1] - The S&P Energy Sector and the S&P 500 Materials Sector had returns of 0.8% and 6.0%, respectively, while the benchmark (S&P 500 Energy Sector 80% and S&P 500 Materials Sector 20%) returned 1.8% [1] - The total return on the Fund's market price for the same period was 3.1% [1] Annualized Comparative Returns - For the 1-year period, the Fund's net asset value (NAV) decreased by 2.2%, while the market price increased by 1.7% [4] - Over 3 years, the NAV returned 10.7% and the market price returned 12.3% [4] - The 5-year returns were 21.2% for NAV and 22.1% for market price, while the 10-year returns were 6.1% for NAV and 6.8% for market price [4] Net Asset Value - As of June 30, 2025, the Fund's net assets were $634.74 million, down from $689.99 million a year earlier [6] - The number of shares outstanding increased to 26,888,697 from 25,453,641 [6] - The net asset value per share decreased to $23.61 from $27.11 [6] Largest Equity Portfolio Holdings - The top ten equity holdings accounted for 62.9% of net assets, with Exxon Mobil Corporation at 22.7% and Chevron Corporation at 11.5% [7] - Other significant holdings included ConocoPhilips (5.3%), Linde plc (4.7%), and EOG Resources, Inc. (3.8%) [7] Industry Weightings - The Fund's net assets were allocated primarily to the energy sector, with Integrated Oil & Gas at 35.1% and Exploration & Production at 19.8% [9] - Other allocations included Storage & Transportation (11.6%), Chemicals (13.6%), and Metals & Mining (3.6%) [10]

Group 1 - Seven German Fortune 500 companies, including BMW, Allianz, Siemens, and Linde Gas, participated in the China (Sichuan) - Bavaria Economic and Cultural Cooperation Exchange Conference held in Munich, Germany [1] - A total of 33 signed projects were reached, with a cumulative amount exceeding 9.082 billion yuan, including six key projects signed on-site [1][2] - The signed projects cover various fields such as goods trade, service trade, industrial investment, cultural tourism, and traditional Chinese medicine [1][2] Group 2 - The Chengdu High-tech Zone Management Committee signed an industrial gas investment cooperation agreement with Germany's Messer Group, which will provide purification and supply equipment for BOE's production line, supporting the development of Sichuan's electronic information industry [2] - Sichuan Runzhao Food Co., Ltd. reached a cooperation agreement with Germany's N25 Caviar Trading Company to promote Sichuan Runzhao's caviar products in high-end consumption scenarios in Europe, leveraging N25's established sales network [2] - In the first five months of this year, the trade import and export volume between Sichuan and Germany reached 10.42 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth rate of 10.1%, making Germany an important trade partner and investment source for Sichuan in the EU [2]

Group 1 - Linde plc has entered a long-term agreement to supply industrial gases to Blue Point Number One, a joint venture for a low-carbon ammonia plant in Louisiana, which will produce 1.4 million metric tons of low-carbon ammonia annually [1][5] - Linde will invest over $400 million to build and operate a new air separation unit (ASU) for the Blue Point project, expected to be the largest along the Mississippi River corridor, with operations starting in 2029 [2][8] - The new ASU will be Linde's third advanced unit supporting an autothermal reforming ammonia plant, enhancing its industrial gas network in a region with increasing demand for decarbonization and clean energy [3] Group 2 - Stakeholders, including CF Industries' COO, emphasize Linde's critical role in establishing a reliable low-carbon ammonia supply chain, highlighting its expertise [4] - The Blue Point ammonia facility is positioned to significantly contribute to the global demand for clean ammonia, which is essential for decarbonizing energy and industrial sectors [5]

Group 1: Overview of Overseas Business in US Stocks - Approximately 30% of revenue for S&P 500 companies comes from overseas, while small companies (represented by Russell 2000) have about 20%[2] - Technology (51%), materials (38%), healthcare (35%), and communications (34%) have the highest exposure to overseas business[2] - S&P 500 companies generally have a higher overseas revenue share and profit margins compared to domestic operations, with Apple having 57% of its revenue from overseas and a profit margin of 42%[2] Group 2: Industry-Specific Insights - The technology sector has the largest overseas revenue share, exceeding 50%, while materials, healthcare, and communications also show significant overseas revenue contributions[4] - Major companies in the technology sector, such as Apple (57%) and Nvidia (56%), have overseas revenue shares above the industry average of 51%[5] - In the communications sector, companies like Alphabet (46%) and Meta (56%) also exceed the industry average of 34% for overseas revenue[5] Group 3: Growth and Profitability Trends - Non-US revenue growth for S&P 500 companies is generally higher than total revenue growth, indicating a reliance on overseas markets[10] - The communications sector shows the highest growth in overseas revenue, consistently outpacing total revenue growth since 2017[10] - Profit margins for overseas operations in certain sectors, such as consumer staples and technology, are higher than domestic margins, with an average overseas profit margin of 33% for technology[11] Group 4: China Market Dependency - Among S&P 500 companies disclosing Chinese revenue, technology and communications sectors have a higher dependency, with 25% of their revenue coming from China, above the overall average of 17%[4] - Recent trends show that revenue growth from China for these sectors has slowed compared to overall growth, potentially due to US restrictions on technology exports to China[4]

Core Insights - Linde (NASDAQ: LIN) is a global leader in the industrial gases sector, showcasing resilience amid challenging macroeconomic conditions such as tariffs and inflation [1]. Company Performance - The company has demonstrated strength against current macroeconomic trends that have negatively impacted many other firms [1]. Investment Strategy - The focus is on identifying sustainable growth stocks across various sectors, emphasizing valuation, management quality, and macroeconomic trends [1].

Core Viewpoint - Linde plc is expected to benefit from the construction of new manufacturing facilities in the U.S., particularly due to the impact of TSMC's Phoenix facility, leading to a positive outlook for the company's business growth [1]. Company Analysis - Linde plc has been reiterated with a Buy rating, indicating confidence in its growth potential and market position [1]. - The company is positioned well in niche markets, which are anticipated to experience strong growth [1]. Investment Strategy - The investment approach focuses on fundamental, bottom-up analysis with a long-term perspective, emphasizing quality growth-oriented companies [1]. - A target of achieving a 15% annual return is set, with a diversified portfolio of 15-20 stocks to manage risk effectively [1].