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Stock Comparison · Structural lead, mixed market

Linde vs Union Pacific: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with Linde carrying a narrow edge on valuation. Union Pacific still has the edge on valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-07-05

The page question resolves through valuation, where Union Pacific Corporation holds the stronger read even though the broader score still favours Linde plc.

Trajectory Similarity
0.70
Moderately similar
Peer-set rank: #5
within Linde plc's functional peer set

These two companies are linked by measured long-term financial trajectory similarity within the selected peer universe.

This level of similarity points to a meaningful structural match, though not a tight one.

The strongest overlap appears in revenue stability and investment intensity.

Similarity drivers
revenue stabilityinvestment intensity
How to read the score
0.85–1.00 · Very similar0.70–0.84 · Similar0.55–0.69 · Moderately similarbelow 0.55 · Loose match
Peer-Relative Score
LIN
Linde plc
67
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
UNP
Union Pacific Corporation
66
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

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 UNP Profitability 79 75 Stability 79 59 Valuation 50 75 Growth 63 45 LIN UNP
Gap Ranking
#1 Valuation +25
#2 Stability +20
#3 Growth +18
#4 Profitability +4
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for LIN and UNP Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer LINUNP Relative valuation Structural strength

Linde plc looks stronger, but the price setup still looks more supportive for Union Pacific Corporation.

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

Entry today — historical context

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

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY LIN Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 0 pct gap UNP Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 99th
LIN (99th percentile) and UNP (99th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

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

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Valuation
Both rank well on valuation, but Union Pacific Corporation still sits higher.
Stability
On stability, the same pattern holds: both rank well, but Linde plc still sits higher.
Valuation — Dominant Gap
LIN
50
UNP
75
Gap+25in favour of UNP

The peer-relative valuation gap is wide, with the stronger side also looking meaningfully cheaper.

What else supports the lead

Stability still reinforces the same direction, which makes the lead look broader across the profile.

What this means for the comparison

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

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

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

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Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how LIN and UNP 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.