Linde, Praxair confirm merger talks

Aug. 16, 2016 – Industrial gas makers Linde AG and Praxair have confirmed they are in talks about a possible merger.

Linde, based in Munich, Germany, says in a statement Tuesday that the talks are preliminary and that “it is currently not foreseeable whether there will be any kind of transaction.”

Praxair, headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut, had a similar statement and both companies described the potential deal as a merger.

Linde share traded up 11 per cent on the day at 154.70 euros in Europe while Praxair rose 5.4 per cent to $124.44 on the New York Stock Exchange.

The companies sell gases used in a wide range of applications including manufacturing, food processing and the oil and gas industry.