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LIN

Linde plc


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2026Q1 Review (Claude)

2026Q1 Preview

LIN | Earnings Review

Linde plc | 2026 Q1 reported May 1, 2026 BMO | Analysis date: May 5, 2026 | Daloopa company_id 467
Sales
$8.78B (+8.2% YoY)
8Q-high; FX +5%, acq +1%, underlying +3% (price +2%, vol +1%); volume turned positive first time in 8Q post-cycle
Adj EPS Beat
+$0.02 / +0.5%
$4.33 vs $4.31 Street; +10% YoY (+5% ex-FX); 8/8 L8Q beat streak (avg surprise +$0.04 / +0.9%); back to historical double-digit algo
Adj Op Margin
30.0% (record)
+50 bps QoQ; +110 bps from Q1'24; tight 29.5-30.1% band across 9Q; FY26 mgmt suggests margin expansion >40-60bps stated range
FY26 Guide
RAISED FLOOR ($17.60-17.90)
Floor +$0.20 vs prior; +7-9% mid (~$17.75 ~$0.05-0.10 light vs ~$17.80-17.84 Street); helium upside + electronics fab wins explicitly EXCLUDED = pure optionality
Quintessential beat-and-raise from the gold-standard EPS compounder; helium re-rating is a free option carved out of guide. Sales $8.78B +8.2% YoY (8Q high); FX +5%, acq +1%, underlying +3% (price +2%, vol +1%) — global base volumes turned positive in Q1, first time post-cycle. Adj EPS $4.33 beat $4.31 Street by +$0.02 / +0.5%, extending an unbroken 8/8 L8Q beat streak (avg surprise +$0.04 / +0.9%). EPS +10% YoY / +5% ex-FX = back to the historical double-digit algorithm after running 5-7% through FY25 macro slog. Adj op margin 30.0% record (+50 bps QoQ; +110 bps vs Q1'24); 11+ year EPS compounding track record intact. After-tax ROC 12.2% (steady). Guide: RAISED FLOOR $0.20 to $17.60-$17.90 (+7-9%); FY26 mid ~$17.75 ~$0.05-0.10 light vs ~$17.80-17.84 Street (deliberately conservative — held ceiling unchanged citing geopolitical fog). Q2'26 EPS $4.40-$4.50 (+8-10%). Helium upside + incremental electronics fab wins explicitly EXCLUDED from guide = pure optionality. Helium reversal is a HIGH-severity contradiction: full pivot from "long medium term" oversupply (Q2-Q4'25 framing) to "acute global shortage" Q1'26 — Strait of Hormuz/Qatar damage + Russia-China political; spot prices reportedly doubled; LIN 85-90% contracted; new contracts being signed at higher prices; pricing already lifting late-Q1. Segment scorecard: Americas leading (Sales +9.8%, Op Profit +11.9% YoY); EMEA quality strong (margin ~36%, OP +8.6% YoY despite flat revenue); APAC mix softening (margin -130 bps YoY); Engineering revenue -8.5% YoY but intake +24% YoY = potential turn. Backlogs near multi-year highs: $7.1B SOG (sale-of-gas) projected to carry "8 handle" by YE'26; $9.9B project backlog. >$1B currently deployed in ultra-high-purity plants for advanced fabs (TSMC AZ ramping, Samsung TX/Korea 2026). Electronics +10% Q1'26. Hyperscaler construction explicitly cited as driving U.S. hard-goods double-digit growth. Capital allocation: $800M repurchased Q1; dividend +7% (33rd consecutive year increase); 9 bolt-on M&A deals; fortress balance sheet positioned for opportunistic buyback acceleration. EU thread is concerning: Q2'25 Germany €1T stimulus optimism → Q1'26 industrial production permanently relocating to Americas ("on-site customers literally relocating to advantaged feedstock"); EU needs catalyst (import restrictions or IRA execution) — neither imminent. Phillips 66 Sweeny ATR/TNS slipped from late-2026 to Q1'27 (subcontractor environment); only nitrogen portion contributes in 2026. Woodside ATR/TNS sequestration also slipped from 2026 phased to Q1'27. 5 contradictions identified: (1) HIGH — Helium oversupply → acute shortage flip in one quarter (geopolitically driven); (2) MEDIUM — Backlog $7B → potential $8B handle (forward visibility on conversion); (3) MEDIUM — EU Germany stimulus optimism vs Q1'26 structural production shift to Americas; (4) MEDIUM — China "bottoming out" Q4'25 → just "stable" Q1'26; (5) LOW-MEDIUM — Woodside slipped 2026 → Q1'27. Watch items: (1) Helium realization through pricing — pure FY26 upside; (2) Electronics SOG signings ramp toward "8-handle" backlog; (3) Americas Q2 base-volume durability now positive; (4) EU OP margin trajectory ~36% (the structural EU thread); (5) Engineering intake +24% YoY signals potential 2H reversal of revenue softness. Read: gold-standard compounder doing what it does best — algorithm intact and re-accelerating; Q1'26 marks the cyclical turn (volume positive for first time post-cycle); helium is unguided upside option; backlog visibility deepest in years; EU structural risk only meaningful concern. Surprise-beat magnitude has compressed to "penny beats" cadence — Street has caught up but the underlying business remains best-in-class.
Key Metrics Trends
Metric Q1 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 Q3 2025 Q4 2025 Q1 2026
Americas sales $3.6B $3.7B $3.6B $3.6B $3.7B $3.8B $3.8B $3.9B $4.0B
Americas sales YoY % - - - - +3.0% +4.3% +6.3% +7.6% +9.8%
EMEA sales $2.1B $2.1B $2.1B $2.1B $2.0B $2.2B $2.2B $2.2B $2.2B
EMEA sales YoY % - - - - -2.9% +3.4% +3.2% +5.8% +6.9%
APAC sales $1.6B $1.7B $1.7B $1.7B $1.5B $1.7B $1.7B $1.7B $1.7B
APAC sales YoY % - - - - -3.3% -0.1% +1.5% +3.5% +10.5%
Engineering sales $539M $544M $611M $628M $565M $551M $519M $615M $517M
Engineering sales YoY % - - - - +4.8% +1.3% -15.1% -2.1% -8.5%
Total sales $8.1B $8.3B $8.4B $8.3B $8.1B $8.5B $8.6B $8.8B $8.8B
Total sales YoY % - - - - +0.1% +2.8% +3.1% +5.8% +8.2%
Americas op profit $1.1B $1.2B $1.2B $1.1B $1.1B $1.2B $1.2B $1.2B $1.3B
Americas op profit YoY % - - - - +4.5% +4.3% +4.0% +4.5% +11.9%
EMEA op profit $687M $704M $703M $686M $722M $780M $781M $772M $784M
EMEA op profit YoY % - - - - +5.1% +10.8% +11.1% +12.5% +8.6%
APAC op profit $447M $474M $497M $500M $451M $490M $490M $502M $477M
APAC op profit YoY % - - - - +0.9% +3.4% -1.4% +0.4% +5.8%
Adj segment op profit $2.3B $2.4B $2.5B $2.5B $2.4B $2.6B $2.6B $2.6B $2.6B
Adj segment op profit YoY % - - - - +4.1% +5.5% +3.3% +4.2% +7.9%
Adjusted Op Margin % 28.9% 29.3% 29.6% 29.9% 30.1% 30.1% 29.7% 29.5% 30.0%
Adjusted Op Margin % YoY chg (bps) - - - - +120 +80 +10 -40 -10
Reported Diluted EPS $3.35 $3.44 $3.22 $3.60 $3.51 $3.73 $4.09 $3.26 $3.98
Reported Diluted EPS YoY % - - - - +4.8% +8.4% +27.0% -9.4% +13.4%
After-tax ROC % 12.0% 12.1% 12.1% 12.3% 12.3% 12.2% 12.6% 12.1% 12.2%
After-tax ROC % YoY chg (bps) - - - - +30 +10 +50 -20 -10
_Trajectory: Constructive — algorithm intact and re-accelerating into Q1'26. Volume turned positive (+1%) for the first time in the 8-quarter window after persistent -1% drag; price/mix held its durable +2% cadence; FX flipped from -3% headwind to +5% tailwind; reported sales growth printed an 8Q-high +8.2% YoY; adj operating margin recaptured 30.0% (within tight 29.5%-30.1% band across the entire window); adj EPS growth re-accelerated to +10% — back to the historical double-digit algorithm. The "weak-macro-proof" 11+ year EPS compounder thesis is consistent: all 9 quarters delivered positive YoY adjusted EPS growth despite negative volumes through most of 2024-2025. Q4'25 GAAP margin trough (23.0%) was charge-driven, not operational — adj margin held 29.5%. Sales $8,100M Q1'24$8,781M Q1'26; adj op margin 28.9% → 30.0% (+110 bps); adj EPS growth path 10/8/9/11/5/6/7/6/10%. Verdict: cyclical turn confirmed Q1'26 — first volume-positive quarter post-cycle; backlog conversion + helium re-rating + electronics fab pipeline support continued double-digit EPS growth into FY27._

Beat/Miss

Guidance

Catalysts

Street Q&A

Contradictions

Read-Throughs

This Quarter vs Consensus
MetricConsensusActualVarianceRead
Sales~$8.65B$8.78B+$130M / +1.5%Beat — 8Q high YoY
Reported Sales YoY+8.2%8Q high
Underlying Sales (ex-FX/acq)+3% (price +2%, vol +1%)Volume positive first time post-cycle
Adj EPS$4.31$4.33+$0.02 / +0.5%Beat — 8/8 L8Q streak
Adj EPS YoY+10% (+5% ex-FX)Back to double-digit algo
Adj Op Margin~29.7%30.0%+30 bpsRecord; +50 bps QoQ
Operating Profit$2.6B+8% YoYBeat
Americas Sales$4,025M+9.8% YoYLeading region
EMEA Op Profit$784M+8.6% YoY (~36% margin)Quality despite flat rev
APAC Margin28.0% (vs 29.3% PY)-130 bpsMix softening
Engineering Intake+24% YoYPotential turn signal
L8Q Adj EPS beat rate8/8 = 100%Unbroken streak
L4Q surprise magnitude+$0.02-$0.04 (compressing)Penny-beats cadence
Pattern: Unbroken 8-quarter Adj EPS beat streak; magnitude compressing to "beat-by-a-penny" cadence. LIN extended to 8/8 L8Q beats with avg surprise +$0.04 / +0.9%. Recent 4Q surprise magnitude has compressed toward $0.02 as Street has narrowed — mgmt has clearly reset to a tighter beat cadence post-recovery. Q1'26 +$0.02 beat reflects FX translation tailwind on top of in-line operational results — quality of beat is mixed but underlying is durable. Mgmt's variance commentary: "Operational excellence + accretive contract pricing on price/mix; volume turned positive in Q1 first time post-cycle; ESS (Electronics Sale of Gas) project tailwind continues; Americas accelerating; helium pricing flipping favorable late-Q1." $0.20 floor raise to FY26 EPS guide ($17.60-$17.90 from prior $17.40+) reinforces the beat-and-raise pattern, but mgmt held the ceiling unchanged citing geopolitical fog (Iran, Qatar, Russia, China political) — deliberately conservative.
Guidance Deep Dive
MetricPrior (Q4'25)New (Q1'26)ΔRead
FY26 EPS Range$17.40-$17.90$17.60-$17.90Floor +$0.20Floor raise; ceiling held
FY26 EPS Mid$17.65$17.75+$0.10~$0.05-0.10 light vs $17.80-17.84 Street
FY26 EPS Growth+5-9%+7-9% (incl 1% FX)Floor raisedTighter range
FY26 Margin Expansion40-60 bpsLikely above 40-60 bpsHigherNew disclosure
Helium upsideExcludedEXCLUDED — pure optionalityMaintainedFree option
Electronics fab wins (incremental)ExcludedEXCLUDED — pure optionalityMaintainedFree option
Economic improvement assumedNoneNoneConservativeSandbag-biased
FY26 FCF / CapexStrongStrong; project capex steadyMaintained
FY26 Buyback$14B 2025; on track 2026$800M Q1; on trackOn paceAlgorithmic
Dividend (33rd year increase)+7%+7%MaintainedConsecutive
Q2'26 EPS$4.40-$4.50+8-10% (incl 1% FX)+8-10% growth
SOG backlog target YE'26"8 handle" (from $7.1B)Forward indicatorSigning momentum
Project backlog$9.9B$9.9B (near record)MaintainedLong-cycle visibility
Phillips 66 Sweeny ATR/TNSLate 2026Q1 2027 (slipped)DelayedSubcontractor environment
Woodside ATR/TNS sequestration2026 phasedQ1 2027 (slipped)Delayed
Tone: "Quintessentially Linde" — quietly confident, deliberately conservative. Mgmt held FY26 EPS ceiling unchanged despite the Q1 beat and helium re-rating optionality, citing geopolitical fog (Iran/Qatar Strait of Hormuz, Russia-China political). Volume turned positive first time post-cycle. Backlog signaling "8 handle" by YE'26. Risk caveats: (1) Helium pricing trajectory excluded from guide — pure upside (HIGH-severity contradiction with Q2-Q4'25 oversupply framing); (2) EU industrial production permanently relocating to Americas ("on-site customers literally relocating to advantaged feedstock") — needs catalyst (import restrictions or IRA execution) neither imminent; (3) China "stable" not "bottoming out" (Q4'25 framing softened); (4) Woodside + Sweeny project slips from 2026 to Q1'27 (subcontractor labor constraints — Gulf Coast EPC tight); (5) Engineering revenue -8.5% but intake +24% = 2H reversal possible. Watch: (1) Helium realization in pricing through Q2-Q3 — pure FY26 upside; (2) Electronics SOG signing ramp toward $8B backlog; (3) EMEA OP margin durability ~36% (the structural EU thread); (4) Americas base-volume durability now that volumes have turned positive; (5) APAC margin recovery from -130 bps drag. Beat-and-raise cadence intact; ceiling discipline reflects geopolitical caution, not lack of operational confidence.
Upcoming Catalysts
#CatalystTimingWhat to WatchRead
1Electronics SOG backlog adds + AI/semi fab rampsThrough YE'26 → 2027 startupsSOG backlog $7.1B → "8 handle" by YE'26; >$1B in active UHP plant builds for advanced fabs (TSMC AZ ramping, Samsung TX/Korea 2026); Electronics +10% Q1'26HIGH — multi-quarter visibility
2Helium re-rating from Hormuz/Qatar shockQ2-Q4 2026Spot prices reportedly doubled; LIN 85-90% contracted with broad sourcing; pricing already lifting in late-Q1; mgmt explicitly excluded helium upside from FY26 guide → pure optionality; new long-term contracts at higher pricesPure optionality
3Capital return + accelerated buybackFY26 ongoing$800M Q1 buyback; dividend +7% (33rd year); 9 bolt-on M&A deals; fortress balance sheet positioned for opportunistic accelerationAlgorithmic
4Hyperscaler construction industrial gas demandMulti-yearU.S. hard-goods double-digit growth driven by hyperscaler construction explicitly cited; AMZN/MSFT/GOOGL/META capex ~$700B 2026Demand pull
5Engineering intake +24% YoY → revenue turn2H'26Intake leads revenue 4-6 quarters; potential 2H'26 reversal of revenue softness (-8.5% Q1'26)Lead indicator positive
6Phillips 66 Sweeny ATR/TNS startupQ1 2027 (slipped from late 2026)Only nitrogen portion contributes in 2026; full ATR contribution 2027; subcontractor environmentSlipped
7Woodside ATR/TNS sequestrationQ1 2027 (slipped from 2026 phased)Australia LNG; carbon sequestration optionalitySlipped
8Clean hydrogen DOE hub awardsFY26-FY28U.S. clean hydrogen hubs progressing; LIN positioned as a key player; less-bullish on near-term ramp post-policy uncertaintyWatching
9EMEA structural production shift to AmericasMulti-yearOn-site customers "literally relocating to advantaged feedstock"; positive for Americas, negative for EMEA OP profit (currently $784M / 36% margin)Bifurcated
10China industrial recoveryFY26-FY27Q4'25 "bottoming out" softened to Q1'26 "stable"; APAC margin -130 bpsNEUTRAL
11Healthcare & DME policy headwindFY26U.S. home oxygen players hit by late-25 policy changeMild headwind
12M&A bolt-onsOngoing9 deals Q1; fortress balance sheet supports continued tuck-insOptionality
13ROC inflection above 12.5%FY26-FY27After-tax ROC 12.2% Q1'26; multi-year 100 bps improvement potential as backlog convertsAlgorithmic
Street Q&A
#Analyst (Firm)TopicMgmt ResponseQuality
1VariousHelium supply / FY26 guide optionality85-90% contracted; FY26 guide fully excludes helium upside; pricing already lifting late-Q1; new long-term contracts being signed at higher prices; full reversal from Q2-Q4'25 "long medium term" oversupply framingWell Answered — pure optionality
2VariousProject backlog / Electronics pipeline$7.1B SOG → potential "8-handle" by YE'26; >$1B in active UHP plant builds; high-confidence on imminent new electronics signings; Woodside ATR/TNS slipped to Q1 2027Well Answered
3VariousGeographic divergence — Americas vs EMEAAmericas leading (+9.8% sales, +11.9% OP); base volumes turned positive globally first time post-cycle; EMEA awaiting catalyst (import restrictions or IRA); structural production migration to U.S. Gulf CoastWell Answered
4VariousFY26 ceiling held / margin expansion above 40-60 bpsHeld citing geopolitical fog (Iran, Qatar, Russia-China political); margin expansion likely above stated 40-60 bps range — new disclosureWell Answered — disciplined
5VariousQ2 volume cadenceVolumes turned positive Q1 first time post-cycle; expectation for continuation but explicitly not quantified — framework onlyPartial — framework, no number
6VariousEMEA pricing magnitude / OP margin trajectoryOP margin ~36% (highest of regions); pricing modest but durable; EU structural concerns long-termPartial — framework, no magnitude
7VariousCommercial space industrial gas opportunitySpaceX/Blue Origin/RKLB beneficiaries; market sizing not quantifiedPartial — qualitative
8VariousChina stability / APAC margin recoveryChina "stable" — softened from Q4'25 "bottoming out"; APAC mix softeningWell Answered — candid
9VariousEngineering intake +24% / revenue turn timingIntake leads revenue 4-6 quarters; potential 2H'26 reversalWell Answered
10VariousCapital return pace / dividend cadence$800M Q1 buyback; dividend +7% (33rd year); fortress balance sheet supports opportunistic acceleration; 9 bolt-on M&AWell Answered
11VariousPhillips 66 Sweeny slip + Gulf Coast laborSlipped late-2026 → Q1 2027; subcontractor environment; Gulf Coast EPC labor constrained (XOM Baytown blue-H2 also slipped)Well Answered — exogenous
12VariousHealthcare DME policy impactU.S. home oxygen policy headwind; modest impact on Americas mixWell Answered
13VariousHyperscaler / data center industrial gas demandU.S. hard-goods double-digit growth; AMZN/MSFT/GOOGL/META construction explicitly driving demandWell Answered — direct
14VariousHelium contract structure (85-90% contracted)Broad sourcing; new contracts at materially higher prices; structural shortage now baseline assumptionWell Answered
Contradictions
#TopicSeverityStatement AStatement BWhy it's a tension
1Helium oversupply → acute shortage flip in one quarterHIGHQ2-Q4'25: "Long medium term" oversupply framing — helium pricing soft, capacity additions exceeding demandQ1'26: "Acute global shortage" — Strait of Hormuz/Qatar damage + Russia-China political; spot prices reportedly doubled; pricing already lifting late-Q1Full reversal in one quarter. Driven exogenously by geopolitical events (not LIN's controllable narrative). Creates incremental upside not in guide; signals weak forward visibility on commodity-like exposures. Pure optionality FY26.
2EU Germany stimulus optimism vs Q1'26 structural production migrationMEDIUMQ2'25: Germany €1T stimulus optimism; EU industrial recovery thesisQ1'26: "On-site customers literally relocating to advantaged feedstock" (U.S. Gulf Coast); EU production permanently shifting; needs catalyst (import restrictions or IRA execution) — neither imminentStructural read for EU industrial gas peers (Air Liquide, Messer). EMEA OP profit ($784M / 36% margin) at risk over multi-year. Most worrying structural read of all the contradictions.
3Backlog $7B → potential $8B handle visibilityMEDIUMThroughout FY25: SOG backlog ~$6-7B, conversion-led EPS algoQ1'26: "8 handle" by YE'26 expectedForward visibility on conversion vs signing timing. New electronics fab wins are central to this — visibility deepest in years but execution risk on >$1B UHP plant builds.
4China "bottoming out" → just "stable"MEDIUMQ4'25: China "bottoming out"; recovery in sightQ1'26: "Stable" — softer framingAPAC margin -130 bps; China industrial demand recovery delayed. Mild walk-back.
5Woodside ATR/TNS slipped 2026 → Q1'27LOW-MEDIUMThrough FY25: Woodside contributing 2026 phasedQ1'26: Slipped to Q1'27Modest impact on FY26 segment profit; Phillips 66 Sweeny also slipped same direction. Gulf Coast EPC labor constrained — exogenous.
6EPS algorithm now running below stated 8-12% ex-macro rangeLOWLT algorithm: 8-12% ex-macro EPS growthFY25: 5-7% growth; Q1'26 reaccelerated to 10% but FY26 guide implies 7-9% incl. 1% FX = 6-8% ex-FXHelium + engineering segment cited as drags; algorithm intact but compressed cyclically. Reaccel signal positive.
Indirect Read-Throughs
NameRelationshipWhat LIN signaledRead-through
Air Products (APD)Direct industrial gas peerSame helium re-rating dynamic; advanced fab pipeline; EMEA structural concernsPOSITIVE — helium tailwind
Air Liquide (AI.PA)Direct industrial gas peerSame helium dynamic; EU exposure most acute on structural production shift to U.S.MIXED — helium positive, EU structural negative
TSMC (TSM)Customer (TSMC AZ ramping)$1B+ active UHP plant builds for advanced fabs; AZ ramping; capex commitment confirmedPOSITIVE — capex pull-through
Samsung ElectronicsCustomer (TX, Korea 2026)Same — UHP plant builds for Samsung TX + Korea fabsPOSITIVE
Micron (MU)CustomerAI memory fabs in pipeline; LIN providing UHP gasPOSITIVE
Intel (INTC)Customer (notably absent)NOT in positive commentary — Ohio fab pipeline noticeably absent from electronics SOG narrativeNEGATIVE for INTC — mention by absence
Hyperscalers (AMZN/MSFT/GOOGL/META)Construction demand sourceU.S. hard-goods double-digit growth driven by hyperscaler construction explicitly citedPOSITIVE — capex narrative
GE Vernova (GEV) / Vertiv (VRT) / Eaton (ETN)Power infra adjacentsHyperscaler construction industrial gas pull = same demand pull through power infraPOSITIVE
Phillips 66 (PSX)Customer (Sweeny ATR/TNS)Sweeny slipped late-2026 → Q1'27 (subcontractor environment)MILD NEGATIVE — slip
ExxonMobil (XOM)Customer (Baytown blue-H2)Baytown ATR/sequestration also slipped from late-26 to Q1'27 — Gulf Coast EPC tightMILD NEGATIVE — same Gulf labor
Woodside (WDS)Customer (ATR/TNS sequestration)Slipped 2026 phased → Q1'27MILD NEGATIVE
Plug Power (PLUG) / Bloom Energy (BE)Clean H2 competitorsLIN guarded on near-term ramp post-policy uncertainty; H2 hubs progressing slowlyNEGATIVE
Russia / Qatar / Iran (geopolitics)Helium supplyHormuz/Qatar damage + Russia-China political = acute helium shortage, pricing doubledPOSITIVE for LIN/APD
U.S. Gulf Coast refining (PSX, XOM downstream)Beneficiary of EU production migrationOn-site customers relocating to advantaged feedstock; high Nelson complexity, slate flexPOSITIVE
Integrated steel mills (X, CLF) vs EAF (NUE, STLD)Industrial gas customersRead-through: integrated mills (oxygen-heavy) > EAFs (graphite-heavy) on industrial gas demand profileX/CLF favored over NUE/STLD
Healthcare DME / U.S. home oxygenHealthcare gas marketLate-25 policy change is a modest headwind on Americas mixNEGATIVE for U.S. home oxygen
Commercial space (SpaceX, Blue Origin, RKLB)BeneficiariesIndustrial gas demand for launch / propulsion; market sizing qualitativePOSITIVE — emerging demand
Messer / Nippon Sanso / Yingde GasesIndustrial gas peersSame global thesis; EMEA structural risk applies to Messer mostMIXED

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