New York, Jan 24, 2026, 16:34 EST — Market closed
- On Friday, Linde shares closed roughly 1.3% higher, at $451.57.
- UBS stuck with its buy recommendation, while Seaport boosted its price target for Linde to $525.
- Investors are setting their sights on the Fed’s Jan. 28 decision and Linde’s earnings report due Feb. 5.
Linde plc shares ended Friday up roughly 1.3%, closing at $451.57. The industrial gases company gained fresh backing from brokers ahead of a packed market week.
Linde’s next moves are crucial, anchored in a defensive slice of industrials. The company supplies oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases to sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and electronics. These sales usually come through long-term contracts, helping steady cash flow during economic ups and downs.
That stability faces another test. Next week’s Federal Reserve meeting and a wave of major earnings reports might shake up rates and risk appetite — even hitting “boring” stocks known more for steady resilience than fast moves.
UBS analyst Joshua Spector stuck to his buy rating on Linde this week, maintaining a $500 target price and describing the stock as “attractive,” according to a MarketScreener report picked up by dpa-AFX. Remember, a price target reflects where a broker expects a stock to trade in the next 12 months, not a promise. 1
Seaport Global Securities bumped up its price target for Linde to $525 from $500, keeping a buy rating intact, MT Newswires reported in a note featured on MarketScreener. 2
Peers showed mixed results. Air Products and Chemicals slipped roughly 1.0% on Friday, closing at $261.35, highlighting that stock-specific factors still play a crucial role within the same industry.
Linde’s next major event will be its earnings release. The company plans to report fourth-quarter 2025 results by 6 a.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 5, followed by a conference call at 9 a.m. the same day. 3
Governance is shifting on its own timeline. According to a U.S. securities filing, board chair Stephen F. Angel will retire on Jan. 31. CEO Sanjiv Lamba is slated to assume the chairman role starting that day. 4
Traders are gearing up for volatility driven by policy moves and earnings reports. “Earnings are the driver,” said Chris Galipeau, senior market strategist at Franklin Templeton, in a note to Reuters ahead of the week, as focus shifts to the Fed’s Wednesday decision and a packed earnings schedule. 5
The trade could swing the other way. A sign of weakening industrial volumes or rising costs and currency pressures cutting into margins can quickly drag down a premium-priced industrial stock.
Attention on Linde stock turns to Monday’s reopening, followed by the Feb. 5 earnings release and conference call. Investors will zero in on the company’s outlook for demand and pricing power as 2026 approaches.
