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With a YTD Return of 15.65% as of May 7, Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) is included among the 10 Best Stocks to Buy to Beat the S&P 500.

BMO Capital Stays Bullish on Linde (LIN) as RBC Capital Sees Room for Guidance Upside

On May 5, BMO Capital raised its price recommendation on Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) to $560 from $545. It reiterated an Outperform rating after the company posted a Q1 earnings beat. The firm sees Linde as a strong performer, supported by higher near-term pricing, steady demand growth in the US, and improving helium market conditions. According to the analyst, those factors could help the company outperform its 2026 outlook.

On the same day, RBC Capital also lifted its price goal on LIN to $570 from $552 while keeping an Outperform rating on the stock. The firm said Linde delivered a mostly in-line quarter, while its higher FY26 guidance pointed to expectations for low single-digit volume growth and high single-digit EPS growth. The analyst added that foreign exchange tailwinds are expected to ease in the second half of the year. RBC also noted that Linde did not factor helium improvement into its guidance. If helium conditions continue to improve, the company could trend toward the upper end of its FY26 guidance range of $17.60-$17.90.

Linde plc (NASDAQ:LIN) is a UK-based industrial gases and engineering company. Its operations are divided into the Americas, EMEA, APAC, and Engineering segments.

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