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Linde vs The Sherwin-Williams Company: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Linde carrying a narrow edge on stability. The Sherwin-Williams Company still has the edge on profitability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup broadly confirms the structural lead — Linde holds the more constructive position. That puts structure and market broadly in agreement — Linde's lead looks more confirmed than conflicted.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.

Updated 2026-04-05

The clearest score difference appears in stability.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Chemicals

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

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

Peer-Relative Score
LIN
Linde plc
74
Peer-Score
Signal qualityHigh
vs
SHW
The Sherwin-Williams Company
72
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium

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: LIN vs SHW Profitability 70 81 Stability 100 82 Valuation 59 56 Growth 79 70 LIN SHW
Gap Ranking
#1 Stability +18
#2 Profitability +11
#3 Growth +9
#4 Valuation +3
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for LIN and SHW Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer LINSHW Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup remains mixed because the stronger profile and the more supportive price setup do not sit on the same side.

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

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Stability
Both sit in the stronger range on stability, with Linde plc holding the higher position.
Profitability
On profitability, the edge still sits with The Sherwin-Williams Company, even though both profiles look solid.
Stability — Dominant Gap
LIN
100
SHW
82
Gap+18in favour of LIN

The clearest distance comes from a steadier profile over time.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Profitability still leans toward The Sherwin-Williams Company, so the lead is real without reading as one-way.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is visible, but a meaningful counterforce still keeps the result balanced.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

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

Explore full breakdown →
Similar stability-and-profitability comparisons

Explore how LIN and SHW 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.

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.