Linde plc has reported its full-year and fourth-quarter 2024 financial results, showcasing steady growth and strong performance despite a challenging environment.

Full-Year Highlights:
- Sales: $33.0 billion, flat year-on-year (YoY), with underlying sales up 2%.
- Operating Profit: $8.6 billion, with adjusted operating profit reaching $9.7 billion, up 7%.
- Operating Profit Margin: 26.2%, with adjusted margin at 29.5%, improving by 190 basis points.
- Earnings Per Share (EPS): $13.62, up 8%; adjusted EPS $15.51, up 9% or 10% excluding foreign exchange (FX).
- Shareholder Returns: $7.1 billion returned via dividends and share repurchases.
- Project Backlog: $10.4 billion.

Fourth-Quarter Highlights:
- Sales: $8.3 billion, flat YoY, with underlying sales up 2%.
- Operating Profit: $2.3 billion, with adjusted operating profit of $2.5 billion, up 9%.
- Operating Profit Margin: 27.4%, with adjusted margin at 29.9%, increasing by 250 basis points YoY.
- EPS: $3.60, up 14%; adjusted EPS $3.97, up 11% or 13% excluding FX.

2025 Guidance:
- First-quarter adjusted EPS: $3.85 - $3.95, indicating 7%-9% growth excluding FX.
- Full-year adjusted EPS: $16.15 - $16.55, showing 8%-11% growth excluding FX.

CEO Sanjiv Lamba commented on the results, highlighting the company's resilience and the execution of its clean energy strategy, including a major product supply agreement, all contributing to the strong project backlog expected to fuel future earnings growth.