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Akzo Nobel N.V. vs Linde: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Linde holds the cleaner structural position, with the lead spread across stability and growth. Akzo Nobel still has the edge on valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is currently leaning toward Akzo Nobel, which does not confirm the structural lead. That leaves a split case: the structural lead stays with Linde, but the market is not currently confirming it.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Peer scores are normalised within each company's primary universe (AKZA.AS: STOXX 600, LIN: Nasdaq 100).

Updated 2026-08-16

The clearest separation starts in stability, but growth adds another real layer to the result. The overall score gap is 24 points in favour of Linde plc.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Chemicals

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. AKZA.AS and LIN share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Akzo Nobel and Linde each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
AKZA.AS
Akzo Nobel N.V.
49
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: STOXX 600
vs
LIN
Linde plc
73
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: Nasdaq 100

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: AKZA.AS vs LIN Profitability 46 76 Stability 18 81 Valuation 77 65 Growth 45 75 AKZA.AS LIN
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +63
#2 Growth +30
#3 Profitability +30
#4 Valuation +12
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for AKZA.AS and LIN Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer AKZA.ASLIN Relative valuation Structural strength

The price setup looks more supportive for Linde plc, but Akzo Nobel N.V. still has the stronger structure.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where AKZA.AS and LIN each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY AKZA.AS Neutral · below norm 0th 50th 100th 24 pct gap LIN Elevated · near norm 0th 50th 100th 67th 91st
Today AKZA.AS sits in the upper-middle of its own 5-year history (67th percentile), while LIN sits higher in its own history (91st). Within each stock's own 5-year context, AKZA.AS is at a historically more favourable entry position than LIN. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
On stability, Linde plc ranks near the top of the group; Akzo Nobel N.V. sits in the weaker half.
Growth
On growth, the same pattern holds: both are strong, but Linde plc still leads clearly.
Stability — Dominant Gap
AKZA.AS
18
LIN
81
Gap+63in favour of LIN

The clearest distance comes from a steadier profile over time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for Akzo Nobel, with a forward P/E that is 10.2 turns lower there.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both stability and growth — though valuation still provides a counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the AKZA.AS vs LIN comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar stability-driven comparisons

Explore how AKZA.AS and LIN each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.