PAAS vs LIN

For growth investors, Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is the stronger pick with 30. 6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 0% for Linde plc (LIN). Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) offers the better valuation at 22. 1x trailing P/E (12. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) a "Buy" — based on 24 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.

On trailing P/E, Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is the cheapest at 22. 1x versus Linde plc at 33. 8x. On forward P/E, Pan American Silver Corp. is actually cheaper at 12. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Pan American Silver Corp. wins at 0. 49x versus Linde plc's 1. 09x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Linde plc (LIN) delivered a total return of +73.

9%, compared to +71. 4% for Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LIN returned +375. 2% versus PAAS's +326. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Linde plc (LIN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

24β versus Pan American Silver Corp. 's 0. 74β — meaning PAAS is approximately 207% more volatile than LIN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 13% versus 68% for Linde plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is pulling ahead at 30. 6% versus 3. 0% for Linde plc (LIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Pan American Silver Corp. grew EPS 741. 9% year-over-year, compared to 7. 1% for Linde plc. Over a 3-year CAGR, PAAS leads at 35. 1% 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.

Pan American Silver Corp.

(PAAS) is the more profitable company, earning 27. 0% net margin versus 20. 3% for Linde plc — meaning it keeps 27. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PAAS leads at 32. 3% versus 26. 3% for LIN. 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 49x versus Linde plc's 1. 09x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) trades at 12. 4x forward P/E versus 27. 7x for Linde plc — 15. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PAAS: 29. 7% to $75. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Linde plc (LIN) offers the highest yield at 1. 2%, versus 0. 8% for Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS).

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, +375. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LIN: +375. 2%, PAAS: +326. 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.

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: PAAS is a mid-cap high-growth 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.