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NEXA vs LIN
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Chemicals - Specialty
NEXA vs LIN — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Industrial Materials | Chemicals - Specialty |
| Market Cap | $2.21B | $232.56B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $2.98B | $34.66B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $133M | $7.13B |
| Gross Margin | 19.7% | 46.0% |
| Operating Margin | 13.1% | 28.8% |
| Forward P/E | 7.6x | 28.1x |
| Total Debt | $1.83B | $26.99B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $516M | $5.06B |
NEXA vs LIN — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexa Resources S.A. (NEXA) | 100 | 414.9 | +314.9% |
| Linde plc (LIN) | 100 | 248.0 | +148.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: NEXA vs LIN
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
NEXA carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure.
- Rev growth 8.2%, EPS growth 164.5%, 3Y rev CAGR -0.4%
- 8.2% revenue growth vs LIN's 3.0%
- Lower P/E (7.6x vs 28.1x)
LIN is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and long-term compounding.
- Dividend streak 6 yrs, beta 0.24, yield 1.2%
- 376.9% 10Y total return vs NEXA's 10.1%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.24, Low D/E 67.9%, current ratio 0.88x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 8.2% revenue growth vs LIN's 3.0% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (7.6x vs 28.1x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 20.6% margin vs NEXA's 4.4% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.24 vs NEXA's 1.52, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 1.5% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs LIN's 1.2% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +215.0% vs LIN's +13.6% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 8.3% ROA vs NEXA's 2.7%, ROIC 11.3% vs 12.6% |
NEXA vs LIN — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
NEXA vs LIN — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LIN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LIN is the larger business by revenue, generating $34.7B annually — 11.6x NEXA's $3.0B. LIN is the more profitable business, keeping 20.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NEXA's 4.4%. On growth, NEXA holds the edge at +20.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.0B | $34.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $728M | $12.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $133M | $7.1B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $45M | $5.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +19.7% | +46.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.1% | +28.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +4.4% | +20.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +1.5% | +14.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +20.9% | +8.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +151.4% | +13.4% |
Valuation Metrics
NEXA leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 16.7x trailing earnings, NEXA trades at a 51% valuation discount to LIN's 34.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, NEXA's 4.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LIN's 20.0x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.2B | $232.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.5B | $254.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.72x | 34.40x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 7.58x | 28.12x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.36x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 4.60x | 20.04x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.74x | 6.84x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.72x | 5.92x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 42.61x | 45.70x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LIN leads this category, winning 5 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
LIN delivers a 17.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $18 in annual profit, vs $11 for NEXA. LIN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.68x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NEXA's 1.42x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +11.0% | +17.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.7% | +8.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.6% | +11.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +11.2% | +13.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.42x | 0.68x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.3B | $21.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $516M | $5.1B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.8B | $27.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.20x | 34.52x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
NEXA leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in LIN five years ago would be worth $17,813 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $17,284 for NEXA. Over the past 12 months, NEXA leads with a +215.0% total return vs LIN's +13.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NEXA at 41.6% vs LIN's 12.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +90.2% | +17.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +215.0% | +13.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +183.7% | +41.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +72.8% | +78.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +10.1% | +376.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +41.6% | +12.4% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — NEXA and LIN each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
LIN is the less volatile stock with a 0.24 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NEXA's 1.52 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NEXA currently trades 99.3% from its 52-week high vs LIN's 96.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.52x | 0.24x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.84 | $521.28 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $4.44 | $387.78 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.3% | +96.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.3 | 50.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — NEXA and LIN each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NEXA as "Hold" and LIN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 7.5% upside for LIN (target: $540) vs -33.6% for NEXA (target: $11). For income investors, NEXA offers the higher dividend yield at 1.55% vs LIN's 1.20%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $11.10 | $539.71 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 10 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.5% | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 6 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.26 | $6.00 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.0% |
LIN leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). NEXA leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 2 tied.
NEXA vs LIN: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NEXA or LIN a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Nexa Resources S.
A. (NEXA) is the stronger pick with 8. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 0% for Linde plc (LIN). Nexa Resources S. A. (NEXA) offers the better valuation at 16. 7x trailing P/E (7. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Linde plc (LIN) a "Buy" — based on 28 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — NEXA or LIN?
On trailing P/E, Nexa Resources S.
A. (NEXA) is the cheapest at 16. 7x versus Linde plc at 34. 4x. On forward P/E, Nexa Resources S. A. is actually cheaper at 7. 6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NEXA or LIN?
Over the past 5 years, Linde plc (LIN) delivered a total return of +78.
1%, compared to +72. 8% for Nexa Resources S. A. (NEXA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LIN returned +376. 9% versus NEXA's +10. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — NEXA or LIN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Linde plc (LIN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
24β versus Nexa Resources S. A. 's 1. 52β — meaning NEXA is approximately 534% more volatile than LIN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Linde plc (LIN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 68% versus 142% for Nexa Resources S. A. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — NEXA or LIN?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Nexa Resources S.
A. (NEXA) is pulling ahead at 8. 2% versus 3. 0% for Linde plc (LIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Nexa Resources S. A. grew EPS 164. 5% year-over-year, compared to 7. 1% for Linde plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, LIN leads at 0. 6% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — NEXA or LIN?
Linde plc (LIN) is the more profitable company, earning 20.
3% net margin versus 4. 4% for Nexa Resources S. A. — meaning it keeps 20. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LIN leads at 26. 3% versus 13. 7% for NEXA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LIN leads at 43. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
07Is NEXA or LIN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Nexa Resources S.
A. (NEXA) trades at 7. 6x forward P/E versus 28. 1x for Linde plc — 20. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LIN: 7. 5% to $539. 71.
08Which pays a better dividend — NEXA or LIN?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Nexa Resources S. A. (NEXA) offers the highest yield at 1. 5%, versus 1. 2% for Linde plc (LIN).
09Is NEXA or LIN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Linde plc (LIN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
24), 1. 2% yield, +376. 9% 10Y return). Nexa Resources S. A. (NEXA) carries a higher beta of 1. 52 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LIN: +376. 9%, NEXA: +10. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
10What are the main differences between NEXA and LIN?
Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: NEXA is a small-cap deep-value stock; LIN is a large-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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