EARNINGS PER SHARE – LINDE PLC SHAREHOLDERS
Basic and Diluted earnings per share - Linde plc shareholders is computed by dividing Net income – Linde plc for the period by the weighted average number of either basic or diluted shares outstanding, as follows: 
202520242023
Numerator (Millions of dollars)
Net Income – Linde plc$6,898 $6,565 $6,199 
Denominator (Thousands of shares)
Weighted average shares outstanding468,673 477,998 487,656 
Shares earned and issuable under compensation plans815 775 535 
Weighted average shares used in basic earnings per share 469,488 478,773 488,191 
Effect of dilutive securities
Stock options and awards2,707 3,319 4,099 
Weighted average shares used in diluted earnings per share 472,195 482,092 492,290 
Basic Earnings Per Share$14.69 $13.71 $12.70 
Diluted Earnings Per Share$14.61 $13.62 $12.59 
    
The weighted-average of antidilutive securities excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share were 572 thousand and 268 thousand for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. There were no antidilutive securities in the respective 2023 period.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 25, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 26, 2025
2023Feb 28, 2024
2022Feb 28, 2023
2021Feb 28, 2022
2020Mar 1, 2021
2019Mar 2, 2020
2018Mar 18, 2019

About Earnings Per Share Disclosures

The earnings per share disclosure breaks down the calculation from net income to both basic and diluted EPS, revealing the full impact of a company's capital structure on per-share economics. The reconciliation between basic and diluted share counts exposes how many stock options, RSUs, convertible securities, and warrants are potentially dilutive to existing shareholders.

Key signals: a widening gap between basic and diluted shares indicates growing dilution from equity compensation or convertible instruments. Anti-dilutive securities excluded from the diluted calculation deserve attention — they represent latent dilution that will materialize if the stock price rises. Watch for the effect of share buybacks on per-share metrics: EPS growth driven primarily by repurchases rather than income growth signals weakening fundamentals. Compare year-over-year changes in the diluted share count against equity compensation expense to assess whether management is effectively managing dilution.