Linde plc (LIN) Cash Flow Statement
Where LIN’s cash came from and went, 2025
December 31, 2025 · U.S. dollars- Cash from operations
- $10.35B +9.8% vs 2024
- Capital expenditures
- $5.26B 15.5% of revenue
- Free cash flow
- $5.09B 15.0% margin
- Returned to shareholders
- $7.41B 146% of free cash flow
- Change in cash
- $206.0M cash at year-end $5.06B
Drawn to scale: where the cash came from and how it was used. Hover for values.
LIN operating cash flow, capex and free cash flow
LIN cash flow trends, 2016–2025
| Metric | Trend | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating cash flow | $2.77B2016 | $10.35B2025 | +15.8%/yr | |
| Capital expenditures | $1.47B2016 | $5.26B2025 | +15.3%/yr | |
| Free cash flow | $1.31B2016 | $5.09B2025 | +16.3%/yr | |
| Free cash flow margin | 12.4%2016 | 15.0%2025 | +2.6 pts | |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.802016 | 1.492025 | −0.31 | |
| Stock-based compensation | $39.0M2016 | $133.0M2025 | +14.6%/yr | |
| Dividends paid | $856.0M2016 | $2.81B2025 | +14.1%/yr | |
| Share buybacks (net) | $228.0M2016 | $4.60B2025 | +39.6%/yr | |
| Capex / revenue | 13.9%2016 | 15.5%2025 | +1.6 pts |
Change is the average annual growth (CAGR) or the difference between the first and latest year.
LIN cash flow by activity
LIN net income vs operating cash flow
Operating cash flow above net income usually means earnings are backed by cash (depreciation and stock-based pay are non-cash expenses).
LIN cash flow statement
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||
| Net income | $6.94B | $6.57B | $6.20B | $4.28B | $3.96B | $2.62B | $2.27B | $4.29B | $1.31B | $1.54B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $3.76B | $3.78B | $3.82B | $4.20B | $4.63B | $4.63B | $4.67B | $1.83B | $1.18B | $1.12B |
| Stock-based compensation | $133.0M | $160.0M | $141.0M | $107.0M | $128.0M | $133.0M | $95.0M | $62.0M | $59.0M | $39.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$313.0M | −$1.07B | −$483.0M | −$153.0M | $1.07B | $236.0M | −$88.0M | $202.0M | −$92.0M | $46.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$174.0M | −$11.0M | −$368.0M | $425.0M | −$66.0M | −$188.0M | −$766.0M | −$2.68B | $582.0M | $28.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $10.35B | $9.42B | $9.30B | $8.86B | $9.72B | $7.43B | $6.19B | $3.70B | $3.04B | $2.77B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$5.26B | −$4.50B | −$3.79B | −$3.17B | −$3.09B | −$3.40B | −$3.68B | −$1.88B | −$1.31B | −$1.47B |
| Investments (net) | — | −$4.64B | −$4.33B | −$3.09B | −$3.01B | −$2.99B | $1.13B | $5.34B | −$1.31B | −$1.77B |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$460.0M | $4.50B | $3.44B | $3.17B | $3.09B | $3.40B | $3.74B | $1.88B | $1.31B | $1.47B |
| Cash from investing activities | −$5.72B | −$4.64B | −$4.67B | −$3.09B | −$3.01B | −$2.99B | $1.19B | $5.34B | −$1.31B | −$1.77B |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$2.81B | −$2.65B | −$2.48B | −$2.34B | −$2.19B | −$2.03B | −$1.89B | −$1.17B | −$901.0M | −$856.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$4.60B | −$4.48B | −$3.96B | −$5.17B | −$4.61B | −$2.46B | −$2.66B | −$599.0M | −$12.0M | −$228.0M |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $2.91B | $3.17B | $1.06B | $4.47B | −$514.0M | $1.31B | −$1.26B | −$2.91B | −$771.0M | $357.0M |
| Shares issued | $23.0M | $31.0M | $37.0M | $36.0M | $50.0M | $47.0M | $72.0M | $77.0M | $0 | $0 |
| Other financing | −$76.0M | −$420.0M | −$57.0M | −$88.0M | −$323.0M | −$220.0M | −$3.25B | −$400.0M | $28.0M | $84.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | −$4.55B | −$4.36B | −$5.40B | −$3.09B | −$7.59B | −$3.35B | −$8.99B | −$5.00B | −$1.66B | −$643.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $206.0M | $186.0M | −$772.0M | $2.61B | −$931.0M | $1.05B | −$1.77B | $3.99B | $93.0M | $377.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $5.06B | $4.85B | $4.66B | $5.44B | $2.82B | $3.75B | $2.70B | $4.60B | $617.0M | $524.0M |
| Free cash flow | $5.09B | $4.93B | $5.52B | $5.69B | $6.64B | $4.03B | $2.51B | $1.82B | $1.73B | $1.31B |
| Free cash flow margin | 15.0% | 14.9% | 16.8% | 17.1% | 21.6% | 14.8% | 8.9% | 12.3% | 15.1% | 12.4% |
| Capex / revenue | 15.5% | 13.6% | 11.5% | 9.5% | 10.0% | 12.5% | 13.0% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 13.9% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.49 | 1.44 | 1.50 | 2.07 | 2.46 | 2.83 | 2.72 | 0.86 | 2.32 | 1.80 |
| Jun '26 | Mar '26 | Dec '25 | Sep '25 | Jun '25 | Mar '25 | Dec '24 | Sep '24 | Jun '24 | Mar '24 | Dec '23 | Sep '23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating activities | ||||||||||||
| Net income | $1.93B | $1.86B | $1.57B | $1.93B | $1.73B | $1.71B | $1.90B | $1.55B | $1.66B | $1.67B | $1.54B | $1.60B |
| Depreciation & amortization | $963.0M | $951.0M | $950.0M | $961.0M | $942.0M | $910.0M | $913.0M | $960.0M | $958.0M | $949.0M | $949.0M | $959.0M |
| Stock-based compensation | $19.0M | $41.0M | $31.0M | $45.0M | $46.0M | $42.0M | $40.0M | $42.0M | $40.0M | $38.0M | $39.0M | $36.0M |
| Change in working capital | −$403.0M | −$616.0M | $162.0M | $472.0M | −$427.0M | −$520.0M | $71.0M | $1.20B | −$600.0M | −$597.0M | $52.0M | $35.0M |
| Other non-cash items | −$236.0M | $7.0M | $314.0M | −$459.0M | −$82.0M | $22.0M | −$112.0M | −$1.02B | −$132.0M | −$101.0M | $144.0M | −$111.0M |
| Cash from operating activities | $2.27B | $2.24B | $3.03B | $2.95B | $2.21B | $2.16B | $2.81B | $2.73B | $1.93B | $1.95B | $2.73B | $2.52B |
| Investing activities | ||||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | −$1.44B | −$1.34B | −$1.46B | −$1.28B | −$1.26B | −$1.27B | −$1.25B | −$1.07B | −$1.13B | −$1.05B | −$1.15B | −$948.0M |
| Investments (net) | — | — | — | −$1.43B | −$1.46B | −$1.37B | −$1.38B | −$957.0M | −$1.27B | −$1.04B | −$1.23B | −$946.0M |
| Acquisitions & other investing | −$220.0M | −$42.0M | −$3.0M | $1.28B | $1.26B | $1.27B | $1.25B | $1.07B | $1.13B | $1.05B | $1.15B | $948.0M |
| Cash from investing activities | −$1.66B | −$1.38B | −$1.46B | −$1.43B | −$1.46B | −$1.37B | −$1.38B | −$957.0M | −$1.27B | −$1.04B | −$1.23B | −$946.0M |
| Financing activities | ||||||||||||
| Dividends paid | −$738.0M | −$741.0M | −$698.0M | −$701.0M | −$704.0M | −$708.0M | −$659.0M | −$662.0M | −$665.0M | −$669.0M | −$616.0M | −$620.0M |
| Share repurchases & issuance (net) | −$871.0M | −$807.0M | −$1.39B | −$989.0M | −$1.11B | −$1.11B | −$1.33B | −$667.0M | −$1.44B | −$1.04B | −$1.03B | −$1.16B |
| Net borrowing (repayment) | $1.98B | −$336.0M | $994.0M | $78.0M | $346.0M | $1.49B | $539.0M | $93.0M | — | — | — | $869.0M |
| Shares issued | $19.0M | $3.0M | $3.0M | $5.0M | $4.0M | $11.0M | $3.0M | $7.0M | $5.0M | $16.0M | $8.0M | $4.0M |
| Other financing | −$70.0M | −$87.0M | $73.0M | −$175.0M | $99.0M | −$73.0M | −$159.0M | −$44.0M | $1.29B | $1.03B | $861.0M | −$59.0M |
| Cash from financing activities | $321.0M | −$1.97B | −$1.02B | −$1.78B | −$1.37B | −$388.0M | −$1.61B | −$1.27B | −$808.0M | −$668.0M | −$780.0M | −$964.0M |
| Summary | ||||||||||||
| Net change in cash | $939.0M | −$1.10B | $547.0M | −$277.0M | −$508.0M | $444.0M | −$337.0M | $561.0M | −$222.0M | $184.0M | $770.0M | $537.0M |
| Cash at end of period | $4.90B | $3.96B | $5.06B | $4.51B | $4.79B | $5.29B | $4.85B | $5.19B | $4.63B | $4.85B | $4.66B | $3.89B |
| Free cash flow | $833.0M | $898.0M | $1.57B | $1.67B | $954.0M | $891.0M | $1.56B | $1.67B | $796.0M | $906.0M | $1.58B | $1.57B |
| Free cash flow margin | 9.0% | 10.2% | 17.9% | 19.4% | 11.2% | 11.0% | 18.8% | 19.9% | 9.6% | 11.2% | 19.0% | 19.3% |
| Capex / revenue | 15.5% | 15.3% | 16.6% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 15.7% | 15.1% | 12.8% | 13.7% | 12.9% | 13.9% | 11.6% |
| Operating cash flow / net income | 1.18 | 1.21 | 1.93 | 1.53 | 1.28 | 1.27 | 1.48 | 1.76 | 1.16 | 1.17 | 1.77 | 1.57 |
Negative numbers are cash paid out. Quarterly columns are labeled by the month the quarter ended. Figures in U.S. dollars as reported; data from EODHD.
LIN cash generation
In fiscal 2025 (ended December 31, 2025), Linde generated $10.3 billion of cash from operations (up 9.8%) and spent $5.3 billion on capital expenditures, leaving free cash flow of $5.1 billion, 15.0% of revenue. It returned $7.4 billion to shareholders through dividends ($2.8 billion) and net share buybacks ($4.6 billion). Cash and equivalents rose by $206.0 million over the year.
Related: LIN income statement, LIN balance sheet, LIN dividend history. See the LIN stock overview for the latest quote and news.
LIN cash flow FAQ
What is Linde's free cash flow?
Linde's free cash flow was $5.1 billion in fiscal 2025: $10.3 billion of operating cash flow minus $5.3 billion of capital expenditures It was $4.9 billion a year earlier..
How much cash does Linde generate from operations?
Linde generated $10.3 billion of cash from operating activities in fiscal 2025, 1.49 times its net income of $6.9 billion.
How much does Linde spend on capital expenditures?
Linde spent $5.3 billion on capital expenditures in fiscal 2025, 15.5% of revenue, compared with $4.5 billion the year before.
How much stock does Linde buy back?
Linde spent $4.6 billion on net share repurchases in fiscal 2025.
How much does Linde pay in dividends?
Linde paid $2.8 billion in dividends in fiscal 2025, 55.2% of free cash flow.