Linde plc

Linde is the world's largest industrial gas company, supplying oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and specialty gases to customers in healthcare, chemicals, electronics, food and heavy industry. Formed from the 2018 merger of Praxair and the former Linde, it operates under long-term, take-or-pay contracts that give it unusually stable, inflation-linked revenues. With the combined history of its predecessors, Linde has raised its dividend for decades, supported by resilient cash flows and disciplined pricing. The yield is low because the shares command a premium, and capital is also returned via ongoing buybacks. A high score reflects one of the most dependable dividend-growth records in the industrials sector, grounded in a defensive, contract-backed business.