Bubble or no bubble, this is the best stock for AI exposure: analyst
Investing.com - UBS has reiterated its Buy rating on Linde (NASDAQ:LIN) with a price target of $500.00, maintaining its positive outlook on the industrial gas company. The target represents a 21% upside from Linde’s current price of $414.02, though InvestingPro data suggests the stock is slightly overvalued based on its proprietary Fair Value model.
UBS analyst Joshua Spector recently upgraded Linde from Neutral to Buy, citing expectations that the company’s adjusted earnings per share can return to growth rates exceeding 10% over the next year. This aligns with the broader analyst community’s positive view, as Linde maintains a Strong Buy consensus recommendation of 1.52 according to InvestingPro data.
The firm believes this growth will materialize as Linde overcomes current headwinds from lower base volumes year-over-year and declining prices in helium and rare gases.
UBS expects that as these challenges subside, Linde stock will see its multiple return to average levels, compared to its current approximate 10% discount.
The research note also mentioned potential longer-term catalysts, including anticipated help from global industrial production growth and greater backlog start-ups in 2027 and beyond, which could potentially drive adjusted EPS growth to the low-teens percentage range.
In other recent news, Linde PLC reported its third-quarter 2025 earnings, surpassing expectations with earnings per share of $4.21, slightly above the forecasted $4.18. However, the company’s revenue fell short of projections, recording $8.6 billion compared to the anticipated $8.61 billion. Despite these mixed results, Seaport Global Securities upgraded Linde’s stock rating from Neutral to Buy, setting a price target of $500, highlighting a recovery in volume and solid quarterly results. Meanwhile, BMO Capital lowered its price target for Linde to $490 due to concerns about the company’s growth not meeting its usual 10% earnings per share increase. Bernstein also adjusted its price target from $519 to $516, maintaining an Outperform rating while noting Linde’s consistent earnings performance. These recent developments reflect varied analyst perspectives on Linde’s future prospects amidst its financial performance.
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