Linde to pay advance '18 div to lay ground for Praxair merger
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FRANKFURT, Feb 19 (Reuters) - German industrial gases group Linde proposed a combined dividend of 7.00 euros ($8.68) share for 2017 and - as advance payment - for parts of 2018 to reconcile its dividend payment pattern with that of prospective merger partner Praxair.
The planned payout comprises 3.90 euros per share for 2017, up from 3.70 euros a year earlier, plus 3.10 euros for the first three quarters of 2018.
Linde has a policy of paying an annual dividend for the respective previous financial year, while Praxair makes quarterly dividend payments.
The two groups aim to wrap up the merger by an Oct. 24 deadline.
($1 = 0.8062 euros) (Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
