Matthew Dale

Matthew Dale from Bank of America questioned the sequential pricing trend, noting it didn't move up, and asked about Linde's confidence in continuing to increase pricing amidst a slower macroeconomic environment.

Answer

CFO Matt White explained that sequential pricing can vary due to contract anniversary and escalation timings, emphasizing that year-over-year pricing of 2% aligns with globally weighted inflation. CEO Sanjiv Lamba added that helium and rare gases, though a small portion of revenue, have been a drag on pricing, particularly in APAC.

Matthew Dale inquired about the sequential movement of pricing, noting it didn't move up, and asked about Linde's confidence in continuing to increase prices given the slower macroeconomic environment.

Answer

Matt White, CFO, explained that sequential pricing can vary due to timing differences in contract anniversaries and escalations, preferring to focus on the 2% year-over-year increase which aligns with global inflation. Sanjiv Lamba, CEO, added that helium and rare gases, particularly in APAC, have been a drag on pricing, though their overall impact on enterprise revenue is small.