Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
The analysis is provided exclusively for informational purposes and should not be considered professional investment advice. Before investing, please conduct personal in-depth research and utmost due diligence, as there are many risks associated with the trade, including capital loss.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
3M Company (NYSE:MMM – Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of “Hold” by the fourteen analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $175.7857.
Several equities analysts have weighed in on MMM shares. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of 3M in a report on Wednesday. HSBC upped their price target on 3M from $175.00 to $185.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 22nd. Barclays lowered their price objective on 3M from $190.00 to $185.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, April 1st. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of 3M in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of 3M from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $178.00 to $180.00 in a research report on Friday, July 17th.
Read Our Latest Research Report on MMM
Key Stories Impacting 3M Here are the key news stories impacting 3M this week:
Positive Sentiment: 3M beat Wall Street’s Q2 expectations, posting adjusted EPS of $2.40 versus estimates around $2.24-$2.25 and revenue of $6.5 billion versus about $6.4 billion expected, signaling stronger-than-expected demand and execution. Article Title Positive Sentiment: The company raised 2026 guidance, increasing adjusted EPS outlook to $8.80-$8.95 from $8.50-$8.70, which suggests management is seeing continued momentum and better profitability ahead. Article Title Positive Sentiment: Management pointed to stronger pricing, cost reductions, and resilient demand in Safety & Industrial and Transportation & Electronics, supporting the view that margins and cash flow are improving. Article Title Neutral Sentiment: Analysts have started adjusting forecasts higher after the results, but views remain mixed, so the earnings beat is helping sentiment even as some firms keep cautious ratings. Article Title Negative Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada lifted its price target but kept an underperform rating, reflecting concern that the stock may already be pricing in much of the recovery. Article Title 3M Stock Down 0.0% MMM opened at $170.72 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.63. The stock has a market cap of $89.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.32, a PEG ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.02. 3M has a twelve month low of $139.34 and a twelve month high of $177.41. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $157.47 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $156.25.
3M (NYSE:MMM – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 21st. The conglomerate reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.25 by $0.15. 3M had a net margin of 11.90% and a return on equity of 115.87%. The company had revenue of $6.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.40 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.16 EPS. 3M’s quarterly revenue was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. 3M has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.800-8.950 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that 3M will post 8.88 earnings per share for the current year.
3M Dividend Announcement The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 12th. Investors of record on Friday, May 22nd were issued a $0.78 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 22nd. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.8%. 3M’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 55.42%.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of 3M during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. EQ Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of 3M during the 4th quarter valued at $40,000. Sfam LLC bought a new stake in shares of 3M during the 4th quarter valued at $45,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC lifted its holdings in 3M by 32.1% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 292 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Finally, West Paces Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in 3M during the 2nd quarter worth about $49,000. 65.25% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
About 3M (Get Free Report)
3M Company, originally founded in 1902 as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is a diversified global technology and manufacturing firm headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. Over its history the company has expanded from mineral mining into a broad portfolio of industrial, safety, healthcare and consumer products, building a reputation for applied science and product innovation across many end markets.
3M’s businesses span a wide range of product categories including adhesives and tapes, abrasives, filtration and separation technologies, personal protective equipment such as respirators, medical and dental products, industrial and automotive solutions, and a suite of consumer brands (for example, well-known office and home products).
See Also Five stocks we like better than 3M Could Truth API Become Trump Media’s First Meaningful Revenue Driver? Small Caps Are Crushing the S&P 500—3 Stocks Still Worth Buying Moog Is More Than a Missile Maker, and Wall Street Is Noticing A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play
Receive News & Ratings for 3M Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for 3M and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
« PREVIOUS HEADLINECostco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts
NEXT HEADLINE »Navient Corporation (NASDAQ:NAVI) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Reduce” by Analysts
3M Company (NYSE:MMM) on Tuesday reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised its full-year guidance.
The company posted adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $2.25. Revenue rose 2.4% year over year to $6.50 billion, topping expectations of $6.41 billion.
3M increased its 2026 adjusted earnings forecast to a range of $8.80 to $8.95 per share from its prior outlook of $8.50 to $8.70. The new range is above the Wall Street consensus estimate of $8.75.
The company also updated its full-year revenue outlook to a range of $23.19 billion to $25.37 billion, compared with analysts’ estimate of $25.15 billion.
3M shares fell 2.5% to trade at $168.72 on Wednesday.
These analysts made changes to their price targets on 3M following earnings announcement.
RBC Capital analyst Deane Dray maintained the stock with an Underperform rating and raised the price target from $123 to $132. Citigroup analyst Andrew Kaplowitz maintained the stock with a Neutral and raised the price target from $166 to $183. Considering buying MMM stock? Here’s what analysts think:
Photo via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Key Takeaways 3M topped Q2 estimates, posted 5.4% organic growth and raised EPS guidance to $8.80-$8.95.Commercial execution, pricing, cross-selling and lower attrition helped 3M outgrow macro trends.3M launched 92 products in Q2 and is scaling EBO for Azure data centers and other hyperscalers. 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) used its second-quarter earnings call to argue that its improvement is becoming more structural, not just cyclical. Management emphasized that commercial execution, faster product launches and tighter operations are now reinforcing one another.
That framing mattered because 3M also raised full-year guidance after posting adjusted EPS of $2.40 on $6.5 billion of revenues, both ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The EPS surprise was 5.70%, while revenues topped expectations by 1.60%.
MMM Raises the Stakes for 2026Chairman and CEO William Brown said the biggest message from the quarter was that 3M’s strategy is producing more consistent results. He pointed to 5.4% organic growth, adjusted operating margin of 24.9% and adjusted free cash flow of $1.3 billion as evidence the business is moving with more discipline.
Management also raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $8.80 to $8.95 from $8.50 to $8.70. The company now expects adjusted total sales growth of more than 4.5%, adjusted organic sales growth of more than 3.5% and adjusted operating cash flow of $5.8 billion to $6.0 billion.
Chief financial officer Anurag Maheshwari said the stronger outlook reflects better sales momentum, productivity gains and capital deployment, with working-capital progress helping lift the cash forecast by $100 million.
3M Says Execution is Driving OutgrowthBrown repeatedly argued that 3M’s growth is being driven more by internal actions than by a friendlier macro backdrop. He highlighted sales force effectiveness, cross-selling, pricing governance and lower customer attrition as the main contributors so far.
In Q&A, a Vertical Research Partners analyst pressed on whether the company’s roughly 2x-macro growth algorithm is sustainable. Brown answered that 3M expects to be about $450 million above macro this year, up from the company’s earlier expectation of roughly $340 million to $350 million.
That exchange stood out because management sounded confident that the growth engine is broadening. Brown said commercial excellence has led the improvement so far, but innovation should contribute more in the back half of 2026 and even more in 2027.
MMM Pushes Innovation and Data CentersInnovation was one of the clearest themes on the call. Brown said 3M launched 92 new products in the quarter and 176 in the first half, keeping the company on track for more than 350 launches this year and more than 1,000 by 2027.
The highest-profile strategic announcement was 3M’s partnership with Microsoft around expanded beam optics, or EBO, for Azure data centers. Brown described the technology as faster to install and more durable than conventional fiber connections, while management said 3M is scaling capacity and building an ecosystem around the product.
Asked by Melius Research about the size of the opportunity, Brown said EBO revenues are running at about $40 million to $50 million this year, compared with a roughly $1 billion market that 3M sees growing to $2 billion by 2028. He said deeper trials with other hyperscalers are underway.
3M Finds Strength Across Industrial MarketsMaheshwari said the quarter’s growth was broad-based geographically and stronger than expected through the period. Orders rose about 10% in the quarter, backlog was up close to 20% year over year and the company entered the second half with good visibility.
Safety and Industrial was the standout, with 8.2% organic sales growth. Management tied that strength to new product launches, better account coverage, lower churn and cross-selling, while Transportation and Electronics also posted 5.9% growth.
The softer area remained consumer, where second-quarter sales fell 2.1%. Brown said retailer inventory tightening in late June offset healthy point-of-sale trends, though management expects that pressure to normalize in the second half as back-to-school stocking improves.
MMM Balances Margin Gains and Cost PressureMargins were another point of emphasis. Maheshwari said adjusted operating margin reached 24.9%, the highest level 3M has posted, helped by stronger volume and continued productivity on both supply chain and general and administrative costs.
At the same time, management did not present the quarter as frictionless. Maheshwari said tariff impacts and stranded costs remained headwinds, while oil-related inflation is now expected to be $150 million to $175 million this year, up from $125 million previously.
Brown said 3M expects pricing to offset those oil costs on a dollar basis, even if margins still absorb some pressure. He also said the company still sees a path toward high-40% gross margin over time as transformation and network simplification continue.
3M Leaves the Call With a Firmer ToneThe call’s tone was notably more assertive than defensive. Management described 3M as ahead of its Investor Day commitments on growth, margins, earnings and cash, while pointing to commercial execution, innovation and transformation as the next legs of the story.
Just as important, analyst questions centered less on near-term volatility and more on durability, scaling opportunities and how much of the recent improvement can carry into 2027. Management’s answers consistently framed the quarter as part of a longer operating reset already in motion.
Zacks Signals Point to Mixed Style TraitsMMM carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which indicates favorable earnings estimate revision trends and generally supportive near-term prospects. Under the Zacks framework, Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 stocks tend to offer the strongest setup, while the rank remains the first screen investors should watch. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The Style Scores are more mixed, with a Value Score of D, Growth Score of C, Momentum Score of A and VGM Score of D. That combination points to stronger momentum characteristics than value or blended style appeal at the moment. The Zacks Rank can still change as analysts update estimates following the quarter’s results.
Horizon Gold Ltd (ASX:HRN, OTC:HZGLF) has confirmed a financially robust development pathway for its 100%-owned Gum Creek Gold Project in Western Australia, with a definitive feasibility study targeting first production in the second half of 2028.
The open-pit study outlines average production of 98,000 ounces of gold per annum during the first five years and total recovered production of 880,000 ounces across an initial 10-year mine life.
Based on a gold price of A$5,500 per ounce, Gum Creek is forecast to generate A$1.85 billion in pre-tax free cash flow, a pre-tax net present value of A$1.31 billion and an internal rate of return of 53.1%.
Pre-production capital is estimated at A$350 million, including mine development, a new processing plant, supporting infrastructure and contingency. The project has an estimated all-in sustaining cost of A$2,995 per ounce and a 23-month payback period from first production.
Board advances project toward investment decision Horizon’s board has endorsed the DFS and approved Gum Creek’s progression into the execution phase, targeting a final investment decision in the second quarter of 2027.
Planned work includes completing the approvals pathway, progressing detailed engineering, engaging engineering, procurement and construction contractors, appointing key members of the owner’s team and advancing major equipment and supply tenders.
Plant construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027, subject to financing and environmental approvals, followed by an estimated 12-month construction period.
"The completion of this Definitive Feasibility Study is a defining milestone for Horizon Gold, confirming Gum Creek as a robust, simple and technically de-risked development project ready to advance quickly toward a Final Investment Decision," managing director and chief executive Scott Williamson said.
"Gum Creek is one of the most advanced undeveloped gold projects in Western Australia, and this study underpins a clear pathway to production in 2028. We're proud of the work our team has put into this DFS, and we look forward to progressing towards FID in Q2 2027 as we advance Gum Creek towards production and continue our exciting exploration across the belt."
Open-pit plan underpinned by maiden reserve The DFS is based on conventional open-pit mining of free-milling ore from seven priority deposits and processing through a new 2.4-million-tonne-per-annum gravity and carbon-in-leach plant.
The production target comprises 25.1 million tonnes at 1.19 g/t gold for 962,000 contained ounces, of which around 880,000 ounces are expected to be recovered.
It is predominantly supported by a maiden probable ore reserve of 18.2 million tonnes at 1.24 g/t gold for 728,000 ounces.
The processing plant is designed for average gold recoveries of 91.5% and includes the capacity to expand to 3 million tonnes per annum as additional ore sources are developed.
Underground and sulphide upside The current DFS excludes several opportunities that could increase production or extend the project’s operating life.
These include 9.3 million tonnes of sulphide mineralisation grading 2.3 g/t gold for 698,000 ounces, including the Wilsons underground deposit, which hosts 400,000 ounces at 4.31 g/t gold.
Horizon is also assessing higher-grade, free-milling underground resources at Swan, Swift and Kingfisher, where existing underground infrastructure could reduce the capital required to restart mining.
The company is investigating toll treatment, joint venture and partnership opportunities that may provide lower-capital pathways to early production ahead of the full-scale project.
Next steps Horizon will now progress Gum Creek through the execution phase, with a final investment decision targeted for the second quarter of 2027.
Near-term priorities include completing remaining environmental and heritage surveys, securing regulatory approvals, advancing detailed engineering and engaging an EPC contractor for the proposed processing plant.
The company also plans to expand the existing accommodation camp, begin site and road upgrades, appoint key project personnel and advance procurement of long-lead equipment, including the ball mill, power generators and switchgear.
Horizon is working with financial adviser Orimco to assess project funding options, with formal engagement with Australian and international financial institutions expected to begin following the DFS release.
Subject to financing and approvals, major construction is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2027, paving the way for first gold in the second half of 2028
About Horizon Gold Horizon Gold is focused on developing the Gum Creek Gold Project, around 115 kilometres southeast of Meekatharra in Western Australia.
The project covers about 720 square kilometres of the Gum Creek greenstone belt and hosts a mineral resource of 37.97 million tonnes at 1.89 g/t gold for 2.30 million ounces.
Gum Creek has previously produced more than 1 million ounces of gold and retains existing roads, an airstrip, accommodation and other infrastructure from earlier mining operations.
Novo Resources Corp (TSX:NVO, OTCQX:NSRPF, ASX:NVO, FRA:1NOR) has confirmed a significant hydrothermal alteration system at its Wyloo Polymetallic Project in Western Australia’s Pilbara, following maiden reverse circulation drilling that returned high-grade silver and antimony mineralisation from surface.
The 16-hole, 2,615-metre program at the Wyloo SE prospect delivered a standout intercept of 9 metres at 92 g/t silver and 1,280 ppm antimony from surface, including 1 metre at 460 g/t silver and 1,425 ppm antimony from 2 metres.
Drilling also encountered broad zinc mineralisation, including 3 metres at 3.6% zinc, with a peak one-metre assay of 6.5% zinc, within a wider 27-metre mineralised halo.
Drilling validates Wyloo exploration model The program tested mapped quartz-sulphide veining and the northeast-southwest-trending Tasha Fault Zone across seven drill sections.
Novo identified strong sericite and chlorite alteration zones of up to 20 metres thick, accompanied by sulphide mineralisation and highly anomalous arsenic.
Silver, antimony and zinc mineralisation has now been recorded across a 230-metre strike length, supporting the company’s interpretation that Wyloo SE forms part of a broader mineralised system rather than an isolated occurrence.
Novo Pilbara and Onslow District tenure showing significant prospects and location of the Wyloo Project in the southern Pilbara.
Vera anomaly expands project footprint Surface sampling southeast of the drilling has also identified the Vera prospect, where a coherent antimony-arsenic soil anomaly extends for about 600 metres and is up to 270 metres wide.
Peak soil assays returned 803 ppm antimony and 1,265 ppm arsenic, while rock-chip sampling produced results of up to 3.5% antimony, 33.2 g/t silver, 1.4% zinc and 2.1% lead.
Novo said the anomaly remains open to the north and east, significantly extending the prospective footprint beyond the current Wyloo SE drilling area.
The nearby Kavira prospect is another priority, hosting a 2.5-kilometre by 800-metre antimony stream-sediment anomaly beneath extensive transported cover.
Toolunga project expanded around IOCG targets Novo has also increased its Toolunga Copper-Gold Project footprint from 1,520 square kilometres to 2,242 square kilometres through new tenement applications and optioned ground.
Reprocessed magnetic and gravity datasets have defined three high-priority iron oxide copper-gold-style targets at Lobster, Ironstone Bore and Mount Minnie.
The Lobster target covers an 8-kilometre by 4-kilometre magnetic-gravity complex, while Ironstone Bore contains an untested 2.5-kilometre by 2-kilometre anomaly. Mount Minnie hosts coincident geophysical targets and historical rock-chip results of up to 755 ppm copper.
Next steps Novo is undertaking hyperspectral analysis and geological modelling at Wyloo SE to identify vectors for follow-up drilling.
Further mapping, soil sampling and rock-chip work is planned at Vera during the third quarter of 2026, while an aircore drilling program at Kavira is targeted for the fourth quarter, subject to approvals.
At Toolunga, fieldwork will begin after the relevant tenements are granted, including ground gravity surveys, geochemical sampling and 3D modelling ahead of potential RC drilling.
Seven assay results from the company’s separate Cronus gold drilling program also remain pending, with results expected shortly.
4:20pm: Chip rally lifts stocks Wall Street finished sharply higher on Tuesday, with semiconductor stocks leading a broad-based rally despite fresh geopolitical and trade concerns.
The Nasdaq paced the gains, climbing 329 points, or 1.3%, to 25,837 as investors piled back into chipmakers after recent weakness. The S&P 500 rose 66 points, or 0.9%, to 7,509, while the Dow Jones added 385 points, or 0.7%, to close at 52,225.
Technology shares were the standout performers as optimism returned to the semiconductor sector, helping offset concerns over escalating tensions in the Middle East and new US tariffs targeting Canadian imports.
Investors appeared willing to look beyond the latest geopolitical headlines, instead focusing on a busy stretch of corporate earnings that could set the tone for markets through the rest of the week.
The spotlight now turns to Wednesday's earnings calendar, one of the busiest of the season. Before the opening bell, investors will hear from Philip Morris, GE Vernova and AT&T. After markets close, attention will shift to Big Tech, with Alphabet, Tesla and IBM all scheduled to report results.
3:40pm: Proactive news headlines Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd (TSX-V:GMG, OTCQX:GMGMF) signed an exclusive global memorandum of understanding with Alstom to develop and commercialize graphene-based products for rail HVAC systems. Namibia Critical Metals (TSX-V:NMI, OTCQB:NMREF) secured approval for up to C$11 million in additional funding to advance the definitive feasibility study for its Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Project and awarded key metallurgical contracts to SGS Canada. ReElement Technologies Corporation, majority-owned by American Resources Corp (NASDAQ:AREC), hired 13 new employees to support the commissioning and expansion of its rare earth refining operations in Indiana. Silver Range Resources Ltd (TSX-V:SNG, OTC:SLRRF, FRA:8SR) identified two gold-bearing feeder structures at its East Goldfield property in Nevada that it believes could become future drill targets following recent exploration and geophysical work. 2:30pm: Market movers Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) said a summer software update will expand Grok AI voice controls to include tasks such as making phone calls, playing music and adjusting vehicle functions while adding self-driving statistics and smarter navigation features to the Tesla app. Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (NYSE:MGY) announced a $4 billion agreement to acquire WildFire Energy, a deal that will significantly expand its South Texas operations and more than double its footprint in the Giddings field. Utz Brands (NYSE:UTZ) agreed to be acquired by Germany's Intersnack Group in a $2.9 billion deal that will take the snack maker private through a $14.25 per share all-cash offer. Nebius Group NV (NASDAQ:NBIS) shares surged after Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA, XETRA:NVD) disclosed a 9.3% passive stake in the company, reflecting an existing investment that includes shares and prefunded warrants rather than new capital. Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL, XETRA:HAL) reported second-quarter earnings that beat analyst expectations, but its shares fell after the company warned that the oilfield services market is weakening faster than anticipated. Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd (TSX-V:GMG, OTCQX:GMGMF) signed an exclusive global memorandum of understanding with Alstom to develop and commercialize graphene-based products for rail HVAC systems. Hasbro Inc (NASDAQ:HAS) raised its full-year revenue and profit outlook after stronger-than-expected second-quarter results driven by record sales of its Magic: The Gathering trading card franchise. Namibia Critical Metals (TSX-V:NMI, OTCQB:NMREF) secured approval for up to C$11 million in additional funding to advance the definitive feasibility study for its Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Project and awarded key metallurgical contracts to SGS Canada. 3M Co (NYSE:MMM) raised its full-year earnings guidance after reporting second-quarter earnings and revenue that exceeded Wall Street expectations. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) increased its full-year 2026 profit forecast after reporting better-than-expected second-quarter earnings and revenue despite one-time charges related to its electric vehicle realignment. ReElement Technologies Corporation, majority-owned by American Resources Corp (NASDAQ:AREC), hired 13 new employees to support the commissioning and expansion of its rare earth refining operations in Indiana. 12:15pm: Tesla rolls out software updates Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) said it will roll out a new software update this summer that lets its Grok AI assistant make phone calls, play music, adjust cabin climate and open the glovebox by voice command.
The update also allows drivers to view and share self-driving statistics through Tesla's mobile app, and gives Navigation the ability to suggest routine destinations and prioritize routes drivers have previously taken.
Other features include the ability to set a desired arrival battery level from the app, upload custom vehicle wraps without a USB drive, and lock rear display controls from the front screen. Tesla's in-car Caraoke feature will add scoring and saved high scores.
11:00am: AI rally faces reality Some analysts are wondering whether market expectations have already been pushed too high.
Linh Tran, Market Analyst at XS.com, believes what we’re seeing is “more than ordinary profit-taking.”
“With valuations already reflecting much of the optimism surrounding artificial intelligence, the market is no longer satisfied with earnings simply beating forecasts,” Tran wrote.
“Investors now expect companies to keep raising their revenue outlooks, preserve profit margins and prove that the enormous amount of capital being committed to AI infrastructure can generate adequate economic returns.”
Still, Tran believes the market’s long-term uptrend remains intact, but investors may face a more selective environment ahead. A measured pullback could be constructive by easing valuation concerns and setting the stage for a healthier continuation of the rally, the analyst added.
9:55am: Investors look past trade worries Stocks opened higher Tuesday morning, with the Nasdaq leading the charge as chip stocks bounced back and investors digested a fresh batch of corporate earnings.
The Nasdaq climbed 0.7% to 25,687, while the S&P 500 gained 0.4% to 7,468 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.2% to 51,924.
Technology shares regained momentum after recent pressure on semiconductor names, helping to steady markets as investors look ahead to a busy stretch of earnings from major companies.
Corporate results offered another boost to sentiment. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results, posting revenue of $48.03 billion versus the $46.61 billion expected by analysts. The automaker also delivered adjusted earnings per share of $3.57, ahead of the $3.19 consensus estimate, while adjusted EBIT came in at $3.94 billion compared with expectations of $3.7 billion.
Industrial giant 3M Co (NYSE:MMM) also topped forecasts, reporting second-quarter revenue of $6.5 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.40, ahead of estimates of $6.4 billion and $2.24, respectively. The company said adjusted operating margins improved to 24.9% and raised its full-year 2026 adjusted outlook.
Investors were also keeping an eye on the labour market after data from ADP showed private-sector hiring slowed for a fourth consecutive week. Employers added an average of 16,500 jobs per week in the four weeks through July 4, down from 24,250 three weeks earlier, suggesting some cooling in employment conditions.
Trade tensions remained in focus as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the possibility of a 50% tariff on Canada, describing the move as “just reciprocity.”
“Any sustained dip-buying could help turn the tide and push the broader market to the upside,” said Paolo Broccardo, CEO at BankPro. “Strong earnings and resilient guidance could reinforce confidence in the sector, while any disappointment may revive selling pressure.”
8:30am: Fresh US-Canada trade tensions Wall Street looks set for a stronger start on Tuesday, with technology stocks once again leading the way as investors prepare for another busy day of corporate earnings and keep a close eye on trade developments.
Ahead of the opening bell, Nasdaq futures were up 1.3%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.4%. Dow Jones futures were more modestly higher, rising 0.2%.
Chip stocks were back in favor after another wave of buying in the sector. Nvidia ticked higher in pre-market trading after the AI chip giant disclosed it had taken a stake in neocloud provider Nebius, adding fresh momentum to a group that has been driving much of the market's gains this year.
Investors will also be digesting a new escalation in trade tensions. President Donald Trump announced a fresh round of 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, including beer, hockey sticks, milk and chemicals, with the measures set to take effect in 30 days. The White House said the move was in response to what it described as discriminatory Canadian trade practices, raising the prospect of another round of retaliatory measures between the two countries.
One notable exception was Canadian crude oil, which was spared from the new tariffs. Oil prices eased slightly Tuesday morning after surging in recent sessions as renewed fighting involving Iran pushed Brent crude back toward the $90-a-barrel mark, its highest level since mid-June.
The earnings calendar also picks up pace before the market opens, with General Motors, Halliburton and 3M all scheduled to report quarterly results, helping set the tone ahead of this week's closely watched reports from several Big Tech heavyweights.
Organic Growth: 5.4% in Q2.Operating Margin: 24.9%, up 40 basis points.Earnings Per Share (EPS): $2.40, up 11%.Free Cash Flow: $1.3 billion with 107% conversio
Summary3M Company delivered a Q2 '26 beat and raise, driven by operational improvements and strength in Safety & Industrial and Transport & Electronics segments.MMM is scaling its Expanded Beam Optical, or EBO, technology, targeting durable growth from rising global data center and fiber optics demand, supported by a Microsoft partnership.Despite consumer market headwinds, I expect industrials strength and new product launches to sustain margin-accretive growth, justifying a Buy rating.I maintain a Buy rating and $183.55/share price target (13.78x eFY27 EV/aEBITDA) for MMM stock, citing operational momentum and long-term optics opportunity. akinbostanci/E+ via Getty Images
3M Company (MMM) reported a robust close to Q2 ’26 with a beat and raise across the top- and bottom-line. With an emerging growth strategy in the optics market, 3M may be in the early stages
7.56K Followers
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of META either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
3M delivered strong Q2 results, beating EPS and revenue estimates, and raised FY 2026 guidance, sparking a 6% earnings-day rally. I maintain a "Hold" rating as MMM trades near intrinsic value; valuation appears fair, and technicals suggest sideways action in the near term. Q2 growth was driven by General Industrial, Safety, and Electronics, offsetting Consumer weakness; 3M launched 92 new products and returned $1.4 billion to shareholders.
Key Takeaways 3M topped Q2 earnings and revenue estimates as organic sales grew across key industrial markets.MMM saw strong Safety & Industrial and Transportation & Electronics growth, offsetting Consumer weakness.3M raised its 2026 adjusted EPS outlook and expects revenue growth above 4.5% with free cash flow over 100%. 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 results, wherein both earnings and revenues surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
3M delivered adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.27 by 5.7%. The bottom line increased 11% year over year.
The company reported net revenues (on a GAAP basis) of $6.5 billion in the quarter. The metric increased 2.4% year over year. Organic sales increased 2.3%. Foreign currency translation had a positive impact of 0.7% while acquisitions/divestitures had a negative impact of 0.6%.
MMM’s adjusted net revenues of $6.5 billion topped the consensus estimate of $6.4 billion and grew 5.5%. On an adjusted basis, organic revenues increased 5.4% year over year. The results were supported by strength in general industrial, safety and electronics end markets.
Region-wise, adjusted organic sales in the Latin Americas rose 5.4% year over year, other Asia adjusted organic sales increased 2.9% and China adjusted organic sales increased 9.2%. Adjusted organic sales from businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa grew 2.3%.
3M’s Q2 Segmental ResultsRevenues from Safety and Industrial totaled $3.09 billion, up 8.2% year over year, driven by strength in industrial specialties, adhesives, abrasives and electrical markets. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s revenues was pegged at $3.02 billion. While organic revenues increased 8.2% and foreign currency translation had a 1.3% favorable impact, divestitures had an adverse impact of 1.3%.
Revenues from Transportation & Electronics totaled $2.07 billion, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 6.2%. The results were driven by strength across semiconductor, aerospace and data center markets. The consensus estimate for the segment’s revenues was pegged at $2.01 billion. The segment’s organic sales increased 5.9%. Foreign currency translation had a 0.5% favorable impact, while divestiture had an adverse impact of 0.2% on revenues.
Revenues from the Consumer segment decreased 1.8% year over year to $1.25 billion. The consensus estimate for the segment’s revenues was pegged at $1.29 billion. Organic sales decreased 2.1% while movements in foreign currencies had a positive impact of 0.3%.
MMM’s Margin Profile3M’s cost of sales increased 4.7% year over year to $3.82 billion. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased 16.3% to $1.06 billion. Research, development and related expenses increased 4.9% year over year to $302 million.
In the second quarter, 3M reported an operating income of $984 million, down 13.7% from the year-ago period. The operating margin contracted to 15.1% from 18%, due to higher operating expenses.
MMM’s adjusted operating income increased 7.2% year over year to $1.62 billion. The adjusted operating margin was 24.9% compared with 24.5% in the year-ago quarter.
3M’s Balance Sheet & Cash FlowExiting the second quarter of 2026, 3M had cash and cash equivalents of $2.96 billion compared with $5.24 billion at the end of December 2025. Long-term debt was $10.90 billion at the end of the quarter compared with $10.93 billion at the end of December 2025.
3M generated net cash of $986 million in operating activities against $954 million cash used in the year-ago quarter. Capital used for purchasing property, plant and equipment increased 7.2% to $223 million.
Adjusted free cash flow at the end of the quarter was $1.35 billion, up 5% year over year. Adjusted free cash flow conversion was 107% in the quarter.
In the first six months of 2026, 3M rewarded its shareholders with dividend payouts of $0.8 billion and share repurchases totaled $3 billion.
MMM’s 2026 GuidanceFor 2026, MMM expects adjusted earnings to be in the range of $8.80-$8.95 per share compared with $8.50-$8.70 projected earlier. The midpoint of the guided range is about $8.875, which reflects an increase from earnings of $8.06 per share reported in 2025.
Adjusted total revenue growth is projected to be above 4.5%. The company expects the adjusted free cash flow conversion rate to be more than 100%, with adjusted operating cash flow of $5.8-$6.0 billion.
Zacks Rank & Other Key PicksThe company currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some other top-ranked stocks from the same space are discussed below:
Duluth Holdings (DLTH - Free Report) presently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Duluth’s earnings surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average earnings surprise was 107.5%. In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for DLTH’s fiscal 2027 bottom line has increased 45.8%.
Grupo Cibest S.A. (CIB - Free Report) presently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. Grupo Cibest’s earnings surpassed the consensus estimate twice and missed on the other two occasions in the trailing four quarters. The average earnings surprise was 0.3%. In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CIB’s 2026 earnings has increased 2.9%.
Vince Holding (VNCE - Free Report) currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. Vince Holding’s earnings topped the consensus estimate thrice and missed once in the trailing four quarters. The average earnings surprise was 635.7%. In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for VNCE’s fiscal 2027 earnings has increased 59.5%.
3M NYSE: MMM delivered a beat-and-raise quarter before the market opened on July 21. The initial reaction from investors is bullish, with the stock surging 9% after trading began. The earnings beat was more of the same for a company that’s taken many steps to improve efficiency in the past 12 months. The revenue beat was what investors have been waiting for, making the bear case harder to defend.
3M Today
$170.26 +11.15 (+7.00%)
As of 02:54 PM Eastern
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
52-Week Range$139.34▼
$177.41Dividend Yield1.83%
P/E Ratio32.82
Price Target$169.43
The best part of the Q2 2026 earnings report may have been the company’s forward guidance. 3M raised its full-year guidance for revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and free cash flow. The estimates for EPS of $8.80 to $8.95 and FCF of $4.7 billion to $4.9 billion would represent growth of around 10% and 20%, respectively. Both of which are ahead of the company’s average over the last few years.
Get 3M alerts:
That’s where the short-term and long-term outlook for MMM diverge. Most formulas model significantly less growth. But averages are backward-looking, which is the core of the issue. MMM stock has surged, but it looks expensive compared to its history. Investors, however, tend to look towards the future.
Industrial and China Demand Powered the Quarter3M's adjusted organic sales grew 5.4% year over year. That growth was concentrated in the parts of the business investors care most about.
Safety and Industrial, the company’s largest segment, posted adjusted organic growth of roughly 8% for the quarter, led by strength in industrial adhesives and tapes and personal safety products.
Transportation and Electronics grew organically by nearly 6%.
The Consumer segment was the lone soft spot, posting a modest organic decline.
That's a familiar pattern for 3M this year: industrial and electronics demand is doing the heavy lifting while its consumer division stays sluggish.
Geographically, China stood out. Adjusted organic sales grew by double digits for the quarter. That’s meaningful given how much of the bear case on industrials this year has hinged on weakness in China demand. If that strength holds, it undercuts one of the more persistent worries about 3M's growth runway.
Adjusted operating margin expanded 40 basis points to 24.9%. That continues a trend of efficiency gains that management has been building toward for several quarters. It's not a dramatic jump, but consistency here matters more than a single big number.
3M also used the report to highlight a handful of partnerships aimed at newer growth areas: a deal with Microsoft Corp. NASDAQ: MSFT to deploy 3M's optical technology in AI data centers, a long-term agreement with Airbus on aircraft insulation, and an AI-powered customer service tool called Ask 3M. None of these will move the needle on this quarter's numbers, but they're the kind of forward-looking additions management likes to point to when making the case that 3M is more than a legacy industrial name.
3M Is Rebuilding Its Dividend After the 2024 Cut3M cut its dividend in 2024 after spinning off its healthcare business. That was a bigger story than having the payout cut in half. 3M was a Dividend King, a title that made MMM a set-it-and-forget-it choice for income investors.
Many of those investors walked away from 3M after the cut. But the company has been taking steps to win those investors back. The company increased its dividend in 2025 and again in February. The payout of 78 cents per share is well below the pre-cut level of $1.51, but it’s up more than 10% from the post-cut level of 70 cents per share.
MMM Stock Tests Key Resistance After Earnings Breakout3M's chart tells two stories at once, and today's earnings reaction is forcing them to collide. MMM has spent the last three months in a textbook ascending channel. That can be seen with higher lows in May, higher lows again in June, and now a fresh push toward the top of that channel. That's the bullish structure. Buyers have been in control since the April low near $145.
But zoom out further, and MMM has also just completed a round trip. The post-earnings surge to near $172 puts the stock back at the same level it touched at its February high—the last time it tried this level, it failed and fell nearly 20% into April. That history is why this retest matters more than a typical breakout attempt.
The difference is the catalyst. This earnings breakout is being fueled by a genuinely strong quarter across the board. That's a fundamentally different setup than February's failed breakout, which happened without a comparable catalyst. This time, buyers have a reason to defend the highs.
RSI Signals Overbought Conditions, But the Trend Remains BullishThe RSI reading of 70 puts MMM squarely in overbought territory, and the stock is trading well above its 50-day moving average near $156. That gap between price and trend typically resolves one of two ways: a sideways digestion, or a pullback toward the moving average.
Neither outcome breaks the bullish structure. A pullback that holds above the channel's rising trendline, likely in the $160-$165 zone, would reinforce the higher-lows pattern rather than undermine it. That's the healthiest version of "overbought": a pause that resets momentum without giving back the structural gains.
Will Analyst Upgrades Keep 3M Stock Moving Higher?Overall MarketRank™75th Percentile
Analyst RatingHold
Upside/Downside2.3% Downside
Short Interest LevelHealthy
Dividend StrengthModerate
News Sentiment0.34 Insider TradingN/A
Proj. Earnings Growth7.55%
See Full Analysis
Overall, this was a good quarter for 3M, but a lot of the company’s growth appears to be priced in. Investors looking to get involved may want to wait for a better entry point, which could come in the days following the earnings report.
That said, overbought readings after an 8% gap almost always cool off. The real question is whether Wall Street analysts follow the earnings beat with upgraded price targets. The post-earnings spike has pushed MMM slightly above its consensus price target of $169.43.
Sell-side re-ratings, not chart patterns, are usually what turn a one-day earnings pop into a sustained re-rating of the stock. Until that happens, this breakout is unconfirmed, resting on a single catalyst rather than a broader shift in how the Street values 3M.
Should You Invest $1,000 in 3M Right Now?Before you consider 3M, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and 3M wasn't on the list.
While 3M currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Tesla, Nvidia, and Google helped shape the last era of market growth, but the next wave could come from a new group of companies. Inside this report, you’ll find 7 stocks that could play a major role in the next tech-driven market boom.
3M Company (MMM) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 21, 2026 9:00 AM EDT
Company Participants
Chinmay Trivedi - Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Financial Planning & Analysis
William Brown - CEO & Chairman
Anurag Maheshwari - CFO & Executive VP
Conference Call Participants
Jeffrey Sprague - Vertical Research Partners, LLC
Scott Davis - Melius Research LLC
Amit Mehrotra - UBS Investment Bank, Research Division
Nigel Coe - Wolfe Research, LLC
Chigusa Katoku - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Christopher Snyder - Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Nicole DeBlase - Deutsche Bank AG, Research Division
Piyush Avasthy - Citigroup Inc., Research Division
Deane Dray - RBC Capital Markets, Research Division
Brett Linzey - Mizuho Securities USA LLC, Research Division
Laurence Alexander - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Welcome to the 3M Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]
As a reminder, this call is being recorded Tuesday, July 21, 2026. I would now like to turn the call over to Chinmay Trivedi, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Financial Planning and Analysis at 3M.
Chinmay Trivedi
Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Financial Planning & Analysis
Thank you. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our quarterly earnings conference call. With me today are Bill Brown, 3M's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; and Anurag Maheshwari, 3M's Chief Financial Officer. Bill and Anurag will make some formal comments, then we will take your questions. Please note that today's earnings release and slide presentation accompanying this call are posted on the homepage of our Investor Relations website at 3m.com.
Please turn to Slide 2 and take a moment to read the forward-looking statements. During today's conference call, we'll be making certain predictive statements that reflect our current views about 3M's future performance and financial results. These statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations
U.S. stocks traded higher midway through trading, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 350 points on Tuesday.
The Dow traded up 0.70% to 52,204.49 while the NASDAQ climbed 1.30% to 25,838.45. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.82% to 7,504.18.
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Information technology shares jumped by 2% on Tuesday.
In trading on Tuesday, consumer staples stocks fell by 0.9%.
Top Headline
3M Company (NYSE:MMM) shares jumped over 9% on Tuesday after the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised its full-year guidance.
The company posted adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $2.25. Revenue rose 2.4% year over year to $6.50 billion, topping expectations of $6.41 billion.
Equities Trading UP
Equities Trading DOWN
Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 2.1% to $84.97 while gold traded up 1.4% at $4,071.30.
Silver traded up 3.9% to $59.290 on Tuesday, while copper rose 2.8% to $6.5200.
Euro zone
European shares were mostly higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 rose 0.3%, while Spain’s IBEX 35 Index rose 0.6% London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.5%, Germany’s DAX gained 0.3%, while France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.1%.
Asia Pacific Markets
Asian markets closed mixed on Tuesday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 gaining 3.26%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index falling 0.04%, China’s Shanghai Composite rising 1.79% and India’s BSE Sensex falling 0.31%.
Economics
U.S. Redbook Index rose by 7.8% year-over-year in the week ending July 18.
Photo via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Namibia Critical Metals (TSX-V:NMI, OTCQB:NMREF) announced that the Joint Management Committee overseeing the Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Project in Namibia has approved the next phase of work for the project's definitive feasibility study (DFS), including up to approximately C$11 million in additional funding to advance completion of the study.
The company also announced the award of its first major metallurgical and geometallurgical contracts under the expanded DFS program to SGS Canada, which will carry out testing and process development work.
According to the company, the approved programs mark the transition of the Lofdal project into full DFS execution. The work is intended to validate the complete processing flowsheet from run-of-mine ore through to the production of separate light and heavy rare earth carbonate products, while generating engineering and operating data to support updated plant design and project financing.
A key objective of the expanded metallurgical program is to evaluate the production of higher-value intermediate rare earth products in Namibia. Rather than exporting mineral concentrates for further processing, the program will assess integrated hydrometallurgical processing to produce separate light rare earth carbonate (LREC) and heavy rare earth carbonate (HREC) products.
The company stated that this approach aligns with Namibia's goal of increasing domestic beneficiation of critical minerals while supporting industrial development and long-term economic value creation.
Namibia CEO Darrin Campbell said the approval of additional DFS funding will support a comprehensive metallurgical development program designed to reduce processing risks and provide engineering data required for detailed design and project financing.
"Equally important, these programs move Lofdal beyond conventional mineral concentrate production toward higher-value mixed and separated rare earth products,” Campbell said. “This work supports Namibia's vision of developing downstream critical mineral industries while strengthening secure and diversified supply chains for Japan and other allied economies.”
Under the approved work program, approximately 30 tonnes of representative ore will undergo continuous pilot-scale flotation testing to validate the processing flowsheet, optimize operating conditions and produce concentrate for downstream hydrometallurgical processing.
A continuous hydrometallurgical pilot plant will also be established to demonstrate the complete processing flowsheet, including acid bake, leaching, impurity removal, solvent extraction and precipitation. The campaign is expected to produce mixed rare earth carbonate followed by separate light and heavy rare earth carbonate products.
Additional laboratory and pilot-scale solvent extraction work will focus on optimizing the separation of light and heavy rare earth elements and identifying opportunities to improve operating economics through lower reagent consumption.
The expanded program also includes a geometallurgical campaign involving 98 representative samples from across the Lofdal deposit to refine geometallurgical domains and develop predictive processing models for mine planning and process optimization.
The company said the work is expected to validate pilot-scale processing performance, generate engineering design criteria for the process plant, optimize recoveries and operating costs, support environmental permitting activities and further de-risk the processing component of the Lofdal project ahead of completion of the definitive feasibility study.
Shares of Namibia Critical Metals (TSX-V:NMI, OTCQB:NMREF) jumped over 14% at the open in Toronto before settling to trade around C$0.18 by midmorning.
Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd (TSX-V:GMG, OTCQX:GMGMF) has signed a global exclusive memorandum of understanding (MOU) with French rail manufacturer Alstom to test and develop graphene products for the rail industry, with an initial focus on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Under the agreement, GMG and Alstom will collaborate on evaluating, developing and commercializing graphene-based products for rail HVAC applications. The MOU is global and exclusive, according to the company.
Alstom is focused exclusively on the rail industry, producing products and services including high-speed and regional trains, metros, trams, signalling systems and rail infrastructure.
GMG CEO Craig Nicol said that the agreement provides an opportunity to introduce the company's graphene technology into the rail sector.
"Rail systems demand the highest standards of performance, durability and efficiency — and we believe graphene is uniquely positioned to deliver meaningful improvements across a range of applications,” Nicol said. “We look forward to working closely with the Alstom team to develop and commercialise graphene products that will help shape the future of rail."
GMG non-executive chairman and director Jack Perkowski described the agreement as a significant milestone for the company and said it could create an additional source of revenue.
"The fact that a company of Alstom's scale and technical sophistication has chosen to partner exclusively with GMG to evaluate develop and commercialize graphene-based products for the rail industry is a powerful validation of our technology and our team's capabilities,” Perkowski said. “This arrangement has the potential to open a new revenue stream for GMG and reinforces our strategy of targeting large, established industries where graphene's unique properties can deliver measurable, real-world impact."
Shares of GMG added 2.3% on Tuesday morning at C$2.19 in Toronto.
11:00am: AI rally faces reality Some analysts are wondering whether market expectations have already been pushed too high.
Linh Tran, Market Analyst at XS.com, believes what we’re seeing is “more than ordinary profit-taking.”
“With valuations already reflecting much of the optimism surrounding artificial intelligence, the market is no longer satisfied with earnings simply beating forecasts,” Tran wrote.
“Investors now expect companies to keep raising their revenue outlooks, preserve profit margins and prove that the enormous amount of capital being committed to AI infrastructure can generate adequate economic returns.”
Still, Tran believes the market’s long-term uptrend remains intact, but investors may face a more selective environment ahead. A measured pullback could be constructive by easing valuation concerns and setting the stage for a healthier continuation of the rally, the analyst added.
9:55am: Investors look past trade worries Stocks opened higher Tuesday morning, with the Nasdaq leading the charge as chip stocks bounced back and investors digested a fresh batch of corporate earnings.
The Nasdaq climbed 0.7% to 25,687, while the S&P 500 gained 0.4% to 7,468 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.2% to 51,924.
Technology shares regained momentum after recent pressure on semiconductor names, helping to steady markets as investors look ahead to a busy stretch of earnings from major companies.
Corporate results offered another boost to sentiment. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results, posting revenue of $48.03 billion versus the $46.61 billion expected by analysts. The automaker also delivered adjusted earnings per share of $3.57, ahead of the $3.19 consensus estimate, while adjusted EBIT came in at $3.94 billion compared with expectations of $3.7 billion.
Industrial giant 3M Co (NYSE:MMM) also topped forecasts, reporting second-quarter revenue of $6.5 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.40, ahead of estimates of $6.4 billion and $2.24, respectively. The company said adjusted operating margins improved to 24.9% and raised its full-year 2026 adjusted outlook.
Investors were also keeping an eye on the labour market after data from ADP showed private-sector hiring slowed for a fourth consecutive week. Employers added an average of 16,500 jobs per week in the four weeks through July 4, down from 24,250 three weeks earlier, suggesting some cooling in employment conditions.
Trade tensions remained in focus as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the possibility of a 50% tariff on Canada, describing the move as “just reciprocity.”
“Any sustained dip-buying could help turn the tide and push the broader market to the upside,” said Paolo Broccardo, CEO at BankPro. “Strong earnings and resilient guidance could reinforce confidence in the sector, while any disappointment may revive selling pressure.”
8:30am: Fresh US-Canada trade tensions Wall Street looks set for a stronger start on Tuesday, with technology stocks once again leading the way as investors prepare for another busy day of corporate earnings and keep a close eye on trade developments.
Ahead of the opening bell, Nasdaq futures were up 1.3%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.4%. Dow Jones futures were more modestly higher, rising 0.2%.
Chip stocks were back in favor after another wave of buying in the sector. Nvidia ticked higher in pre-market trading after the AI chip giant disclosed it had taken a stake in neocloud provider Nebius, adding fresh momentum to a group that has been driving much of the market's gains this year.
Investors will also be digesting a new escalation in trade tensions. President Donald Trump announced a fresh round of 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, including beer, hockey sticks, milk and chemicals, with the measures set to take effect in 30 days. The White House said the move was in response to what it described as discriminatory Canadian trade practices, raising the prospect of another round of retaliatory measures between the two countries.
One notable exception was Canadian crude oil, which was spared from the new tariffs. Oil prices eased slightly Tuesday morning after surging in recent sessions as renewed fighting involving Iran pushed Brent crude back toward the $90-a-barrel mark, its highest level since mid-June.
The earnings calendar also picks up pace before the market opens, with General Motors, Halliburton and 3M all scheduled to report quarterly results, helping set the tone ahead of this week's closely watched reports from several Big Tech heavyweights.
3M Co (NYSE:MMM) shares rose about 9% in early trade on Tuesday after the industrial conglomerate reported second-quarter adjusted earnings and revenue above Wall Street expectations and increased its full-year 2026 earnings guidance.
The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.40 for the quarter, ahead of the consensus estimate of $2.24 and up 11% from a year earlier.
Revenue totaled $6.5 billion, exceeding expectations of about $6.4 billion, with adjusted organic sales growth of 5.4% year over year.
On a GAAP basis, net sales increased 2.4% from the prior year, while operating margin declined to 15.1% from 18%. GAAP earnings per share rose to $1.78 from $1.34 a year earlier.
Adjusted operating income margin improved 40 basis points year over year to 24.9%.
"We delivered a strong second quarter, exceeding expectations with mid-single-digit sales growth, robust operating margins of about 25%, and double-digit EPS growth, reflecting the progress we're making on our strategic priorities and building a higher-performing company," 3M CEO William Brown said in a statement.
"As a result of our strong first-half performance and continued momentum, we are increasing our full-year guidance and remain confident in our ability to create long-term value for shareholders," Brown added.
Looking ahead, 3M raised its full-year 2026 adjusted earnings per share guidance to a range of $8.80 to $8.95, up from its previous forecast of $8.50 to $8.70.
The company continues to expect adjusted total sales growth of more than 4.5%, reflecting adjusted organic sales growth of more than 3.5%, and projects adjusted operating income margin expansion of 70 to 80 basis points.
It also reaffirmed expectations for adjusted operating cash flow of $5.8 billion to $6 billion and adjusted free cash flow conversion of more than 100%.
For the quarter ended June 2026, 3M (MMM - Free Report) reported revenue of $6.5 billion, up 5.6% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.40, compared to $2.16 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of +1.65% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.39 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.27, the EPS surprise was +5.73%.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.
Here is how 3M performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Net Sales- Safety and Industrial business- Total: $3.09 billion compared to the $3.02 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +8.2% year over year.Adjusted Net Sales- Transportation and Electronics: $2.07 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.01 billion.Net Sales- Consumer business- Total: $1.25 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $1.29 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -1.8%.Adjusted operating income- Consumer: $252 million compared to the $271.73 million average estimate based on two analysts.Adjusted operating income- Transportation and Electronics: $503 million versus $485.15 million estimated by two analysts on average.Adjusted operating income- Safety and Industrial: $859 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $809.96 million.View all Key Company Metrics for 3M here>>>
Shares of 3M have returned -2.5% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -0.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.
3M MMM shares rallied about 10% on Tuesday after the industrial conglomerate reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings and raised its full-year profit forecast, citing pricing actions, cost reductions and resilient demand across key industrial businesses.
The company also said it expects price increases to fully offset a larger inflation hit from rising oil prices, offering investors confidence that margins will remain protected despite elevated input costs.
Maplewood, Minnesota-based 3M reported adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share for the second quarter, comfortably ahead of analysts' expectations of $2.25, according to LSEG data.
Revenue rose 2.4% year over year to $6.5 billion, exceeding Wall Street estimates of $6.4 billion.
The company's largest division, Safety and Industrial, posted more than 8% sales growth from a year earlier, supported by healthy demand for electrical products, adhesives, abrasives and industrial specialities.
Roofing granules also returned to growth during the quarter.
The Transportation and Electronics segment recorded nearly 6% sales growth as strength in semiconductor and data center markets offset continued weakness in automotive demand.
3M raised its full-year adjusted earnings guidance to between $8.80 and $8.95 per share, up from its previous forecast of $8.50 to $8.70.
The company said higher prices are expected to fully offset the impact of oil-driven inflation, which it now estimates will reduce annual profit by between $150 million and $175 million.
That compares with its earlier projection of a $125 million cost impact.
Manufacturers have been facing renewed cost pressures after oil prices climbed to their highest levels in more than a month amid escalating US-Iran tensions and concerns about disruptions to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
Chief Executive William Brown's strategy of cutting costs, introducing new products, improving customer service and implementing price increases has helped cushion margins despite persistent inflation and uneven demand across parts of the industrial economy.
Analysts remain constructiveAhead of the earnings release, JPMorgan raised its December 2026 price target on 3M to $180 from $178, arguing the company is entering a phase where revenue growth should increasingly support earnings expansion.
The stock is currently trading at $175.
Analyst Chigusa Katoku said improving growth momentum, supported by stronger short-cycle industrial indicators and expanding AI and data center demand, should drive the next leg of earnings growth.
The bank expects strong order trends, a growing backlog and improving demand across all three business segments to support accelerating growth during the second half of 2026.
Bernstein SocGen Group also lifted its price target ahead of the earnings announcement, increasing it to $140 from $131 while maintaining an Underperform rating.
However, the stock has already crossed the target.
The brokerage cited improving growth prospects tied to data center revenue and a broader recovery in short-cycle industrial markets, although the shares are already trading well above its revised target.
Target the Red-Hot Spin-Off and Merger Space With These ETFs3M NYSE: MMM reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter results, with executives citing gains from commercial execution, new product introductions and productivity initiatives as the company raised its full-year outlook for sales, earnings and free cash flow.
Chairman and CEO Bill Brown said 3M delivered organic growth of 5.4% in the quarter, adjusted operating margin of 24.9%, adjusted earnings per share of $2.40 and free cash flow of $1.3 billion. Adjusted EPS rose 11% from the prior year, while free cash flow conversion was 107%. The company returned $1.4 billion to shareholders during the quarter, including $400 million in dividends and $1 billion in share repurchases.
Get 3M alerts:
MarketBeat Week in Review – 04/20 - 04/24“Our results today exceeded our expectations, demonstrate the progress we’re making to build a higher performing company, and continue to give us confidence we’re on the right path forward,” Brown said.
Guidance Raised After Strong First Half Chief Financial Officer Anurag Maheshwari said the company’s first-half performance gave management confidence to raise its 2026 outlook. 3M now expects organic growth of greater than 3.5% for the year, up from its prior expectation of 3%. Adjusted EPS guidance was increased to a range of $8.80 to $8.95, compared with the previous range of $8.50 to $8.70. The new range implies year-over-year EPS growth of 9% to 11%.
3M Stock Pulls Back, But Catalysts Point to New Highs3M also raised its free cash flow forecast by $100 million to a range of $4.7 billion to $4.9 billion, with expected conversion above 100%.
Maheshwari said the revised guidance reflects stronger sales growth, productivity gains and the company’s capital deployment strategy. He noted that oil-related inflation is now expected to be $150 million to $175 million, up from $125 million previously, but said the impact is expected to be offset by pricing actions implemented in the second quarter.
For the second half, the updated guidance implies organic sales growth in the high 3% range or better, which Maheshwari described as more than two times the macro environment, along with operating margin expansion of about 100 basis points from the prior year.
Industrial Businesses Lead Growth Safety & Industrial was the strongest-performing business group, with organic sales growth of 8.2% in the quarter. Maheshwari said the segment benefited from commercial excellence initiatives and the ramp-up of new product launches. He said the company delivered double-digit growth across electrical markets, industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives, and industrial specialties.
Transportation and Electronics grew 5.9% in the quarter, helped by backlog conversion, commercial execution and account management. Semiconductor, aerospace and data center businesses grew double digits, while commercial branding and transportation grew approximately 5%. Auto was flat in a soft market, and consumer electronics declined in the low single digits.
The Consumer segment, which represents about 20% of sales, declined 2.1% in the quarter and 1.7% in the first half. Maheshwari said U.S. point-of-sale trends were positive for much of the year, but inventory tightening at several key retailers in the second half of June offset that momentum.
Brown said inventory levels in the Safety & Industrial and Transportation & Electronics businesses were normal. In Consumer, he said the retailer pullback was isolated to a few customers and amounted to about one week of supply. He said 3M expects Consumer performance to normalize in the third quarter as retailers stock for the back-to-school season, with the business expected to be flat to up slightly in the second half.
Innovation and Commercial Execution Remain Central Themes Brown said 3M is rebuilding its innovation engine and expects to launch more than 350 new products this year. The company launched 92 products in the second quarter, up 44% from a year earlier, bringing the first-half total to 176.
Brown said 3M is on track to nearly triple the number of new products introduced this year compared with three years ago and to launch more than 1,000 products by 2027. He also said the company is reducing development cycle time by about 20% and expects artificial intelligence to help accelerate movement from idea generation to development and production.
Commercial initiatives also contributed to growth, according to management. Brown said cross-selling produced $110 million of booked opportunities, with another $120 million in the pipeline. During the question-and-answer session, he said customer attrition improved by about 200 basis points, primarily in Safety & Industrial, although he said attrition remains too high.
Brown said 3M expects to be about $450 million above macro growth for the full year, compared with a prior expectation of roughly $340 million to $350 million.
Data Center Opportunity Draws Attention Executives highlighted 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical, or EBO, technology as a potential growth opportunity in data centers. Brown said Microsoft became the first hyperscaler to deploy 3M’s patented EBO technology in Azure data centers.
Brown described EBO as a durable, dust-resistant and vibration-resistant fiber optic connection technology. He said testing with a hyperscaler showed it can reduce by about 85% the time to install circuits and generate revenue in a data center. He said the company has about 100 patents in the area and 50 pending.
Brown said revenue from EBO is expected to be in the $40 million to $50 million range this year, but the opportunity could scale to four or five times that amount, or more, over the next several years depending on adoption and 3M’s ability to expand production. He said the total addressable market for EBO technologies is about $1 billion this year and could grow to $2 billion by 2028.
He added that 3M is working with contract manufacturers and other ecosystem participants, noting that the company does not expect to be successful as a sole provider. Brown said 3M has formed a multi-supplier agreement with 44 players across the ecosystem, including hyperscalers, chip manufacturers and connector manufacturers.
Portfolio and Productivity Actions Continue Brown said 3M is continuing to shift from a holding company model toward a more integrated operating company model. He said the next phase involves simplifying and standardizing core processes, reducing complexity in the factory and distribution network, and reshaping the portfolio.
The company closed the acquisition of Madison Fire & Rescue on July 1 and consolidated it with its Scott SCBA business into a new majority-owned joint venture. Brown said 3M received $700 million in cash as part of the transaction. The joint venture generates $800 million in revenue, grows at a high-single-digit rate and has margins above the company average, according to Brown.
On productivity, Brown said cost of poor quality improved 60 basis points year over year, while overall equipment effectiveness improved 140 basis points. He cited a production improvement effort at 3M’s New Ulm facility, which makes cable accessories for electrical markets, as an example of operational discipline. Brown said the work center achieved record production levels in June and delivered $13 million of incremental revenue.
Maheshwari said second-quarter adjusted operating profit increased $110 million, or $0.16 per share, including a $240 million benefit from sales growth and productivity. That was partially offset by $30 million of investments and $110 million from tariff impacts and stranded cost headwinds. He said 3M has not received any tariff refunds to date.
Executives said 3M continues to track ahead of the commitments outlined at its investor day, including growth above macro, operating margin expansion, earnings growth and shareholder returns. Brown said the company remains in the “early innings” of its value creation effort, but said momentum is building.
About 3M (NYSE:MMM)3M Company, originally founded in 1902 as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is a diversified global technology and manufacturing firm headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota. Over its history the company has expanded from mineral mining into a broad portfolio of industrial, safety, healthcare and consumer products, building a reputation for applied science and product innovation across many end markets.
3M's businesses span a wide range of product categories including adhesives and tapes, abrasives, filtration and separation technologies, personal protective equipment such as respirators, medical and dental products, industrial and automotive solutions, and a suite of consumer brands (for example, well-known office and home products).
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in 3M Right Now?Before you consider 3M, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and 3M wasn't on the list.
While 3M currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Nuclear energy is entering a new growth cycle as rising power demand, expanding data centers, and renewed policy support bring the sector back into focus. After strong gains in recent years, the most impactful phase of nuclear investment may still be ahead. This report highlights seven nuclear energy stocks positioned across the value chain—combining near-term revenue with long-term upside as next-generation technologies scale. Click the link below to unlock the full list.
3M (MMM) has seen a significant rise in its stock price following a strong Q2 performance, surpassing both earnings and adjusted sales expectations. More notabl
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Q2 GAAP sales of $6.5 billion, up 2.4%; operating margin of 15.1%, down 290 bps; EPS of $1.78, up 33%, all YoY Adjusted sales of $6.5 billion with organic growth of 5.4% YoY Adjusted operating margin of 24.9%, up 40 bps YoY Adjusted EPS of $2.40, up 11% YoY Q2 operating cash flow of $1.0 billion with adjusted free cash flow of $1.3 billion 2026 adjusted EPS guidance increased from $8.50 - $8.70 to $8.80 - $8.95 , /PRNewswire/ -- 3M (NYSE: MMM) today reported second-quarter results.
"We delivered a strong second quarter, exceeding expectations with mid-single-digit sales growth, robust operating margins of about 25%, and double-digit EPS growth, reflecting the progress we're making on our strategic priorities and building a higher-performing company," said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. "As a result of our strong first-half performance and continued momentum, we are increasing our full-year guidance and remain confident in our ability to create long-term value for shareholders. I want to thank the 3M team for their disciplined execution, dedication, and relentless focus on delivering innovative solutions for our customers."
Second-quarter highlights:
Q2 2026
Q2 2025
GAAP EPS
$ 1.78
$ 1.34
Special items:
Loss on business divestitures
0.61
—
(Increase) decrease in value of Solventum ownership
(0.60)
0.01
Net costs for significant litigation and PFAS exit
0.44
0.79
Transformation costs
0.15
—
Business acquisition-related costs
0.02
—
Manufactured PFAS products
—
0.02
Adjusted EPS
$ 2.40
$ 2.16
Memo:
GAAP operating income margin
15.1 %
18.0 %
Adjusted operating income margin
24.9 %
24.5 %
GAAP EPS of $1.78 and operating margin of 15.1%. Adjusted EPS of $2.40, up 11% year-on-year. Adjusted operating income margin of 24.9%, an increase of 40 basis points year-on-year.
Sales of $6.5 billion, up 2.4% year-on-year with organic sales up 2.3% year-on-year. Adjusted sales of $6.5 billion, up 5.5% year-on-year with adjusted organic sales up 5.4% year-on-year. 3M returned $1.4 billion to shareholders via dividends and share repurchases. Cash from operations of $1.0 billion. Adjusted free cash flow of $1.3 billion. Strategic and operational highlights
The following are recently announced highlights:
3M and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership to advance AI data center infrastructure and enterprise transformation. Microsoft becomes the first announced hyperscale cloud provider to deploy 3M Expanded Beam Optics (EBO) technology. Microsoft is a member of the EBO Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) which 3M helped establish to support standardization and broader industry adoption of EBO technology. 3M and Airbus signed a long-term agreement to deliver advanced insulation technologies for the A220, improving cabin comfort while supporting aircraft performance and efficiency. 3M has entered a multi‑year global partnership as the Cadillac Formula 1® Team's Official Material Science Partner, leveraging advanced materials, manufacturing and testing to accelerate car development, enhance performance and streamline operations in one of the most demanding racing environments. 3M launched Ask 3M, an AI digital assistant powered by AWS that gives customers fast, self-service access to technical expertise, enabling more efficient evaluation of materials, product comparisons, and resolution of application challenges. As a part of NASA's Artemis II mission, the crew of the Orion capsule used 3M™ PELTOR™ ComTac™ VI Tactical Headsets for communication. These headsets are designed to enable communication in extreme environments and are one way 3M is supporting next-generation space exploration. Updated full-year 2026 guidance1
3M updated its full-year 2026 guidance given the company's performance in the first half of the year.
Adjusted total sales growth2 of >4.5 percent, reflecting adjusted organic sales growth2 of >3.5 percent. Adjusted operating income margin expansion2 of 70 bps to 80 bps. Adjusted EPS2 in the range of $8.80 to $8.95. Adjusted operating cash flow2 of $5.8 to $6.0 billion, contributing to >100 percent adjusted free cash flow conversion2. 1Guidance does not yet reflect the acquisition of Madison Fire & Rescue, which closed on July 1, 2026.
2As further discussed at 5 within the "Supplemental Financial Information Non-GAAP Measures" sections, 3M cannot, without unreasonable effort, forecast certain items required to develop meaningful comparable GAAP financial measures and, therefore, does not provide them on a forward-looking basis reflecting these items.
Conference call
3M will conduct an investor teleconference at 9 a.m. ET (8 a.m. CT) today. Investors can access this conference via the following:
Live webcast at https://investors.3M.com Webcast replay at https://investors.3m.com/financials/quarterly-earnings Consolidated financial statements and supplemental financial information non-GAAP measures
View the Financial Statement Information on 3M's website: https://investors.3m.com/financials/quarterly-earnings
Forward-looking statements
Certain statements in this document, as well as other filings we make with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and other written and oral information we release are considered "forward-looking statements" under the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended ("PSLRA"). Forward-looking statements may appear throughout this document and are typically identified by the words "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "can," "continue," "could," "estimate," "evaluate," "expect," "forecast," "future," "goal," "guidance," "impact," "initial," "intend," "likely," "may," "outlook," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "probable," "project," "seek," "should," "strategy," "target," "will," "would," and other words that are similar to, or have the opposite meanings, of those words.
All forward-looking statements are intended to enjoy the protection of the PSLRA's safe harbor for forward-looking statements, as well as the protections provided by other securities laws. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.
Although the Company believes it has a reasonable basis for the forward-looking statements it makes, those statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations of future events and trends that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Changes in those assumptions, expectations, or other factors could produce materially different results. The most important risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ from the Company's forward-looking statements include:(1) worldwide economic, political, regulatory, international trade, geopolitical, tariffs, and retaliatory countermeasures, capital markets, and other external conditions, (2) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates, (3) liabilities and contingencies related to PFAS, including liabilities related to claims, lawsuits, and government regulatory proceedings concerning various PFAS-related products and chemistries, as well as risks related to the Company's exit of PFAS manufacturing and work to discontinue use of PFAS across its product portfolio, (4) risks related to the PWS Settlement to resolve claims by public water suppliers in the United States regarding PFAS, as well as risks related to ongoing PFAS-related settlements and claims, (5) legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the Company's reports on Form 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, as well as compliance risks related to legal or regulatory requirements, government contract requirements, policies and practices, or other matters that require or encourage the Company or its customers, suppliers, vendors, or channel partners to conduct business in a certain way, (6) competitive conditions and customer preferences, (7) the timing and market acceptance of new product and service offerings, (8) the availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials and energy due to shortages, increased demand and wages, tariffs, supply chain interruptions, or natural or other disasters, (9) unanticipated problems or delays when implementing new business systems and solutions, including with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the Company's information or operational technology infrastructure, (10) use of artificial intelligence technologies, (11) the impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other strategic events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, (12) operational execution, including the extent to which the Company can realize the benefits of planned productivity improvements, as well as the impact of organizational restructuring activities, (13) financial market risks that may affect the Company's funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans, (14) the Company's credit ratings and its cost of funding, (15) tax-related external conditions, including changes in tax rates, laws, or regulations, (16) matters relating to the Company's Aearo Entities, Combat Arms Earplugs Settlement, and related products, and (17) matters relating to the spin-off of Solventum, the Company's former Health Care business, into an independent public company.
Those risks, uncertainties, and other factors are further described in Part I, Item 1A, "Risk Factors" of the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. For additional information concerning factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's forward-looking statements, see the Company's reports on Form 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K filed with the SEC from time to time.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
Please note that the company announces material financial, business and operational information using the 3M investor relations website, SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. The company also uses the 3M News Center and social media to communicate with our customers and the public about the company, products and services and other matters. It is possible that the information 3M posts on the News Center and social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, the company encourages investors, the media and others interested in 3M to review the information posted on 3M's News Center and the social media channels such as @3M or @3MNews.
Americký průmyslový konglomerát 3M zveřejnil hospodářské výsledky za druhé čtvrtletí roku 2026. Očištěný zisk na akcii překonal odhady analytiků a společnost zároveň zvýšila celoroční výhled očištěného zisku na akcii i organického růstu tržeb.
Výsledky společnosti 3M (MMM) za 2Q 2026 2Q 2026 Konsensus 2Q 2026 2Q 2025 Tržby (mld. USD) 6,50 6,40 6,34 Čistý zisk (mld. USD) 0,93 -- 0,72 Očištěný zisk na akcii (EPS, USD/akcie) 2,40 2,25 2,16 Výsledky za 2Q Tržby meziročně vzrostly o 2,4 % na 6,5 mld. USD. Očištěné tržby, které nezahrnují vyráběné PFAS produkty, vzrostly o 5,5 % na 6,5 mld. USD, přičemž organický růst dosáhl 5,4 %.
Očištěná provozní marže dosáhla 24,9 %, což je nad odhadem 24,7 % a zároveň nárůst o 40 bazických bodů oproti loňským 24,5 %. Provozní marže činila 15,1 %, meziročně pokles o 290 bazických bodů.
Tržby podle segmentů, zdroj: 3M
Provozní hotovostní tok dosáhl 1 mld. USD, nad odhadem 777,8 mil. USD. Očištěný volný hotovostní tok činil 1,3 mld. USD.
Výhled na FY 2026 Firma zvýšila výhled pro celý rok 2026 a nyní predikuje:
Očištěný zisk na akcii 8,80–8,95 USD (dříve: 8,50–8,70 USD). Organický růst tržeb nad 3,5 % (dříve: přibližně 3 %). Očištěný celkový růst tržeb nad 4,5 %. Očištěný provozní hotovostní tok 5,8–6 mld. USD. Rozšíření očištěné provozní marže o 70 až 80 bazických bodů. Výhled zatím nezohledňuje akvizici společnosti Madison Fire & Rescue, která byla dokončena 1. července.
Komentář vedení William Brown, předseda představenstva a generální ředitel 3M, uvedl: „Zaznamenali jsme silné druhé čtvrtletí, kdy jsme překonali očekávání díky růstu tržeb ve středních jednociferných číslech, solidní provozní marži kolem 25 % a dvouciferným růstem zisku na akcii, což odráží pokrok, kterého dosahujeme v našich strategických prioritách a při budování výkonnější společnosti. V důsledku silné výkonnosti v první polovině roku a pokračující dynamiky zvyšujeme celoroční výhled a zůstáváme přesvědčeni o naší schopnosti dlouhodobě vytvářet hodnotu pro akcionáře.“
Návrat kapitálu akcionářům Společnost za čtvrtletí vrátila akcionářům celkem 1,4 mld. USD formou dividend a zpětných odkupů akcií.
Akcie 3M Akcie 3M (MMM) v předburzovní fázi obchodování rostou o 6,22 % na 169 USD.
Akcie 3M Co (MMM) před výsledky uzavřely na 159,11 USD Ukazatel Ukazatel Kapitalizace (mld. USD) 83,0 P/E 17,4 Vývoj za letošní rok (%) -0,6 Očekávané P/E 18,2 52týdenní minimum (USD) 139,3 Prům. cílová cena (USD) 174,9 52týdenní maximum (USD) 177,4 Dividendový výnos (%) 1,9 Zdroj: 3M, Bloomberg
3M Company (NYSE:MMM) will release earnings for its second quarter before the opening bell on Tuesday, July 21.
Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings of $2.25 per share, up from $2.16 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for 3M’s quarterly revenue is $6.41 billion. It reported $6.16 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.
Ahead of quarterly earnings, JP Morgan analyst Chigusa Katoku, on Friday, upgraded 3M from Neutral to Overweight and raised the price target from $178 to $180.
With the recent buzz around 3M, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company’s dividends too. As of now, 3M has an annual dividend yield of 1.95%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of 78 cents per share ($3.12 a year).
To figure out how to earn $500 monthly from 3M, we start with the yearly target of $6,000 ($500 x 12 months).
Next, we take this amount and divide it by 3M’s $3.12 dividend: $6,000 / $3.12 = 1,923 shares.
So, an investor would need to own approximately $307,372 worth of 3M, or 1,923 shares to generate a monthly dividend income of $500.
Assuming a more conservative goal of $100 monthly ($1,200 annually), we do the same calculation: $1,200 / $3.12 = 385 shares, or $61,538 to generate a monthly dividend income of $100.
Note that dividend yield can change on a rolling basis, as the dividend payment and the stock price both fluctuate over time.
The dividend yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend payment by the current stock price. As the stock price changes, the dividend yield will also change.
For example, if a stock pays an annual dividend of $2 and its current price is $50, its dividend yield would be 4%. However, if the stock price increases to $60, the dividend yield would decrease to 3.33% ($2/$60).
Conversely, if the stock price decreases to $40, the dividend yield would increase to 5% ($2/$40).
Further, the dividend payment itself can also change over time, which can also impact the dividend yield. If a company increases its dividend payment, the dividend yield will increase even if the stock price remains the same. Similarly, if a company decreases its dividend payment, the dividend yield will decrease.
MMM Price Action: Shares of 3M fell by 1.2% to close at $159.84 on Friday.
Photo via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Key Takeaways 3M is expected to post Q2 revenues of $6.38B, up 3.6%, with EPS projected to rise 5.1% year over year.MMM's Safety and Industrial unit is expected to benefit from strong demand across key industrial markets.3M's restructuring may aid margins, though higher R&D and operating costs remain a headwind. 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 21, before market open.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MMM’s second-quarter revenues is pegged at $6.38 billion, indicating growth of 3.6% from the prior-year quarter’s figure. The consensus mark for earnings is pinned at $2.27 per share, which increased 1.3% in the past 60 days. The figure indicates growth of 5.1% from the year-ago quarter's figure.
The company delivered better-than-expected results in each of the trailing four quarters, the earnings surprise being 4.6% on average. In the last reported quarter, its earnings of $2.14 per share beat the consensus estimate of $2.02 by 5.9%.
Let’s see how things have shaped up for 3M this earnings season.
Factors to Note Ahead of MMM’s Q2 Results3M’s Safety and Industrial segment’s results are expected to perform well, driven by strength across personal safety, industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives and electrical markets. Stable demand for electrical infrastructure products like medium voltage cable accessories and insulation tapes is likely to have been a tailwind as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the segment’s second-quarter revenues is pegged at $3.03 billion, indicating approximately a 6.1% increase from the year-ago number.
Solid momentum in the aerospace and defense, commercial branding and automotive markets is likely to have supported 3M‘s Transportation and Electronics segment’s performance. Also, strength in the commercial branding and automotive markets, driven by demand for new products and expanding sales coverage, is proving beneficial for the segment as well.
Healthy demand across the home and auto care business is expected to have benefited the Consumer segment’s performance in the second quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues from the Consumer segment is pegged at $1.29 billion, indicating an increase of 1.4% year over year. However, persistent weakness in the packaging and expression and home improvement businesses is likely to mar the segment’s results.
Nevertheless, 3M has undertaken structural reorganization actions that include streamlining its geographic footprint, simplifying the supply chain and optimizing manufacturing operations. These actions are expected to have supported margins in the to-be-reported quarter.
However, MMM’s performance has been negatively impacted by high costs and expenses. The company’s solid investments in research and development (R&D) are expected to have pushed up its operating expenses.
Earnings WhispersOur proven model predicts an earnings beat for MMM this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is the case here, as elaborated below.
Earnings ESP: MMM has an Earnings ESP of +0.76% as the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $2.29 per share, higher than the Most Accurate Estimate of $2.27. You can uncover the best stocks before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: 3M presently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Other Stocks to ConsiderHere are some other companies, which according to our model, have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in this reporting cycle.
Crane Company (CR - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +4.73% and a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. The company is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 28.
Crane’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the preceding four quarters, the average surprise being 11.3%.
Ingersoll Rand Inc. (IR - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.61% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 30.
Ingersoll Rand’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters while matching the mark in two, the average surprise being 2.4%.
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +0.31% and a Zacks Rank of 3 at present. The company is slated to release second-quarter 2026 results on July 28.
Illinois Tool’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 2.8%.
Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.
Considering buying MMM stock? Here’s what analysts think:
Photo via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Analysts on Wall Street project that 3M (MMM - Free Report) will announce quarterly earnings of $2.27 per share in its forthcoming report, representing an increase of 5.1% year over year. Revenues are projected to reach $6.38 billion, increasing 3.6% from the same quarter last year.
Over the past 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been adjusted upward by 0.5% to its current level. This demonstrates the covering analysts' collective reassessment of their initial projections during this period.
Prior to a company's earnings announcement, it is crucial to consider revisions to earnings estimates. This serves as a significant indicator for predicting potential investor actions regarding the stock. Empirical research has consistently demonstrated a robust correlation between trends in earnings estimate revision and the short-term price performance of a stock.
While investors typically use consensus earnings and revenue estimates as a yardstick to evaluate the company's quarterly performance, scrutinizing analysts' projections for some of the company's key metrics can offer a more comprehensive perspective.
Bearing this in mind, let's now explore the average estimates of specific 3M metrics that are commonly monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts.
The collective assessment of analysts points to an estimated 'Net Sales- Total Safety and Industrial business segment' of $3.03 billion. The estimate indicates a change of +6.1% from the prior-year quarter.
Based on the collective assessment of analysts, 'Net Sales- Total Consumer business segment' should arrive at $1.29 billion. The estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +1.4%.
Analysts expect 'Operating Income (non-GAAP measures)- Consumer' to come in at $272.04 million. The estimate is in contrast to the year-ago figure of $268.00 million.
The combined assessment of analysts suggests that 'Operating Income (non-GAAP measures)- Transportation and Electronics' will likely reach $485.18 million. The estimate compares to the year-ago value of $479.00 million.
Analysts forecast 'Operating Income (non-GAAP measures)- Safety and Industrial' to reach $809.88 million. Compared to the current estimate, the company reported $738.00 million in the same quarter of the previous year.
View all Key Company Metrics for 3M here>>>
Shares of 3M have demonstrated returns of +0.8% over the past month compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +0.5% change. With a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), MMM is expected to beat the overall market performance in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.
Passive income has a way of quieting the noise. Whether markets are grinding higher, correcting hard, or drifting sideways, a dividend check lands in your account on the schedule the company sets, regardless of what the stock is doing. For investors building a paycheck that arrives without a shift, without a client, and without a manager, dividend equities offer something real estate and private credit cannot: instant liquidity alongside cash flow.
That flexibility matters more when the underlying business is a 120-year-old industrial with global scale, entrenched brands, and a fresh operational reset. 3M (NYSE:MMM | MMM Price Prediction) produces more than 60,000 products under brands including Scotch, Post-it, and Command, and its dividend has been a fixture of income portfolios for generations. The question for buyers today is what a meaningful position actually pays, and whether the payout can hold.
We screened our 24/7 Wall St. dividend equity research database and ran the math on one specific position size that income investors ask about constantly: 1,000 shares of 3M.
The 1,000-Share Math on 3M Current Share Price: $160.53 Current Quarterly Dividend: $0.78 Forward Annual Dividend: $3.12 per share Forward Yield: roughly 1.94% Cost of 1,000 shares: $160,530 Annual Passive Income: $3,120 That $3,120 arrives in four roughly equal quarterly installments, with payment dates consistently falling on the 12th of March, June, September, and December. It is a modest headline yield by high-income standards, and the coverage and trajectory underneath it are what matter.
Why the Aristocrat Label Now Carries an Asterisk 3M spent decades as one of the market’s marquee Dividend Aristocrats, raising its payout every year for more than six decades. That streak broke in 2024. Following the Solventum spin-off, the quarterly dividend was reset from $1.51 in Q1 2024 to $0.70 in Q2 2024, alongside a $17.3875 special dividend paid on April 1, 2024 tied to the separation.
Purists no longer count MMM as an uninterrupted Aristocrat, though the company continues to be treated as a dividend blue chip by most income indexes.
The recovery arc is visible in the check itself. The quarterly rate has climbed from $0.70 in 2024, to $0.73 in 2025, to $0.78 in 2026. Two consecutive annual raises after a reset is exactly the pattern a rebuilding payer wants to establish.
SoFi Active Invest is offering a limited-time promotion. Open an account, fund it with $50 or more, and you could receive up to $1,000 in complimentary stock for Active Invest accounts. See for yourself by clicking here now.
Can the $3,120 Hold? Coverage is the reason to take this payout seriously. CEO William Brown has guided full-year 2026 adjusted EPS to $8.50 to $8.70 against a $3.12 dividend, and the company is targeting adjusted operating cash flow of $5.6 billion to $5.8 billion with adjusted free cash flow of $4.6 billion to $4.8 billion.
3M has posted four consecutive quarterly EPS beats, most recently delivering Q1 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.14 on $6.03 billion in revenue with a 23.8% adjusted operating margin.
Capital return is aggressive relative to the dividend line. 3M sent $2.41 billion back to shareholders in Q1 2026 alone through dividends and buybacks, on top of $4.8 billion returned across full-year 2025. Institutions are voting with size: institutional ownership sits at 77.5% of the float.
The offsetting concern is litigation. 3M made $3.5 billion in net pre-tax cash payments tied to PFAS in 2025 and faces a new lawsuit from the New York Attorney General over PFAS contamination, alongside ongoing Combat Arms earplug obligations. Those liabilities are the reason the payout was reset in the first place, and they remain the single largest variable in this dividend’s forward path.
The Bottom Line on 1,000 Shares A 1,000-share position in 3M requires roughly $160,530 at today’s price and produces about $3,120 in annual passive income at the current quarterly rate. That is a blended yield near 1.94%, backed by a payout ratio comfortably under 40% of guided 2026 adjusted earnings.
For an income investor, the interesting math is the trajectory: two raises since the reset, expanding margins, and free cash flow that dwarfs the dividend leave room for the next hike. The reinvestment case for dividends is compounding, and a growing payout compounds twice: once through the shares purchased, and again through the raises those shares eventually collect.
Want Up To $1,000? SoFi Is Giving New Active Invest Users Free StockLooking to grow your money but unsure where to begin? SoFi Active Invest is offering a limited-time promotion—open an account, fund it with $50 or more, and you could receive up to $1,000 in complimentary stock for Active Invest accounts.
From $0 commission trading to fractional shares and automated investing, this app is designed to simplify investing for everyone, whether you’re just starting or already experienced. Its easy to sign up and secure your bonus.
MMM stock is moving. See the chart and price action here. Doctors and regulators continue to recommend properly fitted NIOSH‑approved N95 respirators for people who must be outside in smoky conditions, alongside HEPA‑based air purifiers and sealed indoor environments, to cut exposure to fine PM2.5 particles linked to respiratory and cardiovascular stress.
California’s wildfire smoke standard, for example, requires employers to provide N95s voluntarily once PM2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) climbs above 151 and mandates respirator use above 500, effectively hard‑wiring recurring institutional demand whenever fire seasons intensify.
For traders, the setup is focused on tactical upside around severe fire headlines, where 3M’s protective‑equipment franchise, air‑quality plays and select purifier brands can see short bursts of demand and sentiment as consumers scramble for N95s and clean‑air solutions.
Some other stocks to watch include:
Photo: lev radin / Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
3M (MMM) is scheduled to report second-quarter earnings before the open on Tuesday, July 21. According to Zacks Research, analysts expect earnings of $2.27 per share on $6.38 billion in revenue, representing year-over-year growth of 5.1%.
The industrial giant is heading into earnings with fresh momentum, up 2.6% to trade at $160.45 today and helping boost the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) after announcing a strategic partnership with Microsoft (MSFT) to advance AI data center infrastructure and enterprise transformation. The shares have seen quite a bit of volatility since their February 12 five-year peak of $177.41, rebounding off the 50-day moving average this past week after a rejection at $170. Today’s pop also has MMM inching into positive territory for 2026.
Daily Chart of MMM Since July 2025 with 50-Day Moving Average
LSEG Workspace
Options traders are pricing in a 6.6% post-earnings move on Tuesday, slightly below the stock’s average post-earnings swing of 7.2% over the last eight quarters. MMM has finished four of its last eight post-earnings sessions higher, though it dropped 1.9% following its April report.
Options bears have been building their positions over the last 10 weeks. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), 3M’s 50-day put/call volume ratio of 1.13 ranks higher than 98% of readings from the past year, signaling an unusually high appetite for puts among options traders. Sentiment appears to be shifting today, however, as 21,000 calls have been exchanged so far – quadruple the call volume MMM typically sees at this point.
Analyst sentiment is mixed. Of the 18 brokerages covering 3M, nine carry a "strong buy" rating, while seven recommend "hold" and two say "strong sell." With the stock back in rally mode and AI optimism providing a fresh catalyst, investors will be eyeing the company’s earnings for clues as to whether that momentum can continue.
Options are understandably expensive heading into the event, per the stock’s Schaeffer’s Volatility Index (SVI) of 34% sitting in the 64th percentile of its annual range. However, it’s worth noting that 3M’s Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) comes in at 10 out of 100. In other words, the stock has consistently realized lower volatility than its options have priced in over the past 12 months, making it a premium selling candidate.
New kid-friendly collection supports hands-on creativity, crafting and building for children ages four and up
, /PRNewswire/ -- Scotch™ Brand has launched Scotch® Kids Tape to help children create, craft and share their creativity.
Designed for kids ages four and up, Scotch® Kids Tape supports crafting, decorating and building projects for young creators. The new line encourages children to confidently apply their imagination and bring their biggest ideas to life with simple materials and without the mess of glue.
Scotch™ Brand has launched Scotch® Kids Tape to help children create, craft and share their creativity.
The new kid-friendly collection supports hands-on creativity, crafting and building for children ages four and up. "Kids are natural creators, builders and problem-solvers," said Amanda Dauphiniais, vice president, Global Product Strategy at 3M. "With the Scotch Kids collection, we're giving children tools designed for hands-on creativity while giving parents a trusted, less-mess solution for everyday projects."
Scotch® Kids Tape will help kids:
Dream it: Turn their creative ideas into real-world projects Make it: Build and craft with tools designed for little hands Tape it: Finish projects that stick without the mess of glue Share it: Add personal style and display creations with pride From cards and posters to creative builds and colorful decorations, Scotch Kids gives children their own tools for hands-on creativity away from digital screens. For more information about Scotch Kids, visit ScotchBrand.com/kids and view the collection launch video here.
About Scotch™ Brand
For more than 100 years, Scotch™ Brand has been leader in adhesive solutions, helping consumers tackle everyday tasks at home, school and work. As the #1 most trusted home and office tape brand*, Scotch™ Brand is designed for crafting and organization to packaging and repairs, with products designed to make life easier while empowering creativity and innovation. * based on Brand Health Survey
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
Key Takeaways 3M's Consumer segment adjusted organic revenues fell 1.3% year over year in first-quarter 2026.MMM faces weak retail, housing, packaging and expression demand amid muted consumer spending.3M is emphasizing cost optimization, portfolio efficiency and innovation to navigate soft demand. 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) has been experiencing persistent weakness in its Consumer segment. The segment’s adjusted organic revenues declined 1.3% year over year in the first quarter of 2026. Muted consumer discretionary spending has continued to weigh on consumer retail markets, creating a significant headwind over the past several quarters.
Consumer-focused businesses globally are facing a challenging macroeconomic environment due to inflationary pressure, muted discretionary spending and changing buying patterns. These headwinds have affected demand for everyday household and personal-use products, limiting growth opportunities for the company’s consumer operations. Weakness in housing-related activity has also weighed on the home improvement business, an important revenue contributor for the segment. At the same time, demand for the packaging and expression products also remained low in the first quarter.
Consumer-focused businesses worldwide continue to operate in a challenging macroeconomic environment due to inflationary pressures, lower discretionary spending and changing purchasing behavior. These factors have weighed on demand for household and personal-use products, limiting growth prospects for the company's consumer operations. Weakness in housing-related activity has also continued to pressure the home improvement business, which is a key revenue contributor for the segment. Also, demand for packaging and expression products remained muted in the first quarter.
Despite near-term challenges, 3M is benefiting from a broad portfolio of products and established brands across multiple consumer categories. The company is focusing on operational efficiency, portfolio optimization and innovation to navigate soft demand conditions while protecting margins. A gradual recovery in consumer spending, coupled with easing macroeconomic pressures, could help improve demand across its consumer-facing businesses.
While soft demand for consumer products remains a near-term headwind, 3M's focus on cost optimization and its diversified business portfolio are expected to support growth.
Segmental Snapshot of MMM’s PeersAmong 3M’s major peers, The Procter & Gamble Company’s (PG - Free Report) Fabric & Home Care segment generated revenues of $7.4 billion in the third quarter of fiscal 2026. The Procter & Gamble segment’s results were up 7% year over year. The Procter & Gamble segment also delivered 3% organic sales growth in the quarter.
MMM’s another peer, Avery Dennison Corporation’s (AVY - Free Report) Materials Group reported sales of $1.65 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 11.4% year over year. Avery Dennison’s segment sales rose 3.6%, excluding currency, and 1.9% organically. Avery Dennison’s segment’s mid-single-digit volume/mix growth was partly offset by deflation-related price reductions.
The Zacks Rundown for MMMShares of 3M have gained 1.6% in the past three months against the industry’s decrease of 26%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, 3M is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 17.11X, above the industry average of 11.83X. MMM carries a Value Score of D.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MMM’s earnings for 2026 has increased 0.3% in the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
MMM stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
ST. PAUL, Minn., July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 3M (NYSE: MMM) today announced the following investor event:
Second-quarter 2026 earnings conference call on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 8 a.m. CT. This event will be webcast live and a replay will be available on 3M's Investor Relations website at http://investors.3M.com.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
Students aged 11 to 14 recognized for innovative robotics, safety and climate solutions; earn chance at title of "America's Top Young Scientist"
, /PRNewswire/ -- 3M and Discovery Education today announced the 10 finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation's premier middle school science competition. Now in its 19th year, the annual challenge invites students in fifth through eighth grade to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to develop real-world solutions.
3M and Discovery Education have announced the 10 finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, the nation’s premier middle school science competition. Each of the 10 finalists receive an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist and at the final event in October, they have the chance to win a $25,000 grand prize and the title of "America's Top Young Scientist." They will work alongside their 3M scientist mentors throughout the summer to gain hands-on experience that will advance the development of their solution.
The top 10 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists are as follows (in alphabetical order by last name):
Ahmed Abdelsalam, Cambridge, Mass., Darby Vassall Upper School, Cambridge Public Schools Aaisha Asif, Sarasota, Fla., Pine View, Sarasota County Schools Raji Doshi, Farmington, Conn., Talcott Mountain Academy, Private School Aiden Jo, Houston, Texas, The Village School, Houston Independent School District Roy Kim, Beaverton, Ore., Whitford Middle School, Beaverton School District Arika Kundu, Shorewood, Minn., Minnetonka Middle School East, Minnetonka Public Schools Sharvi Mahajan, San Diego, Calif., Bernardo Heights Middle School, Poway Unified School District Millie Pradawong, Fairfax, Va., Thoreau Middle School, Fairfax County Naboshree Santra, Oviedo, Fla., Jackson Heights Middle School, Seminole County Public Schools Abigail Stein, Nashville, Tenn., Harding Academy, Nashville Independent Schools "The 3M Young Scientist Challenge brings together student curiosity, scientific thinking and 3M mentorship to turn promising ideas into real solutions," said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. "3M is focused on helping these young innovators strengthen their ideas and apply science in ways that can make a meaningful impact."
This year's 10 finalists, aged 11 to 14, each spotted an everyday problem, developed an innovative solution, and pitched their project through a one- to two-minute entry video. Their proposals align to two of 3M's 49 technology platforms, including Climate Tech and Safety. An esteemed group of judges, including 3M scientists and leaders in education from across the country, evaluated the entries based on creativity, scientific knowledge and communication effectiveness.
"The finalists of this year's 3M Young Scientist Challenge prove you can be a scientist at any age," said Brian Shaw, chief executive officer at Discovery Education. "Each remarkable student pursued their curiosity with persistence, turning an idea into an innovation. We cannot wait to see where their ideas take them."
Next steps in the competition
Each of the 10 finalists will participate in an exclusive summer mentorship program with a 3M scientist. These mentors will provide guidance and advice to help advance each finalist's solution. Then, on October 12-13, all 10 finalists will gather at the 3M Innovation Center in St. Paul, Minn., to go head-to-head in the final interactive competition.
At this final event, each finalist will participate in a series of live challenges before presenting their final project and answering questions from a panel of judges. At the close of the competition, one finalist will be named the grand prize winner, receiving $25,000 and the title of America's Top Young Scientist.
Previous competition winners and alumni achievements
Previous challenge finalists and 3M scientists have created solutions for a wide variety of real-world problems, including cybersecurity, coral reef health, water conservation, food safety, energy consumption, air pollution and transportation efficiency. Former America's Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents and founded nonprofits. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge winners, finalists and mentors, who take part in networking opportunities and more. Past honors include:
Gitanjali Rao became TIME's first-ever Kid of the Year in 2020 Liam McCarty was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2022 Heman Bekele was TIME's 2024 Kid of the Year Learning resources for all educators and students
The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is complemented by Young Scientist Lab, a free digital resource program from 3M and Discovery Education that gives every student, regardless of background, access to standards-aligned, hands-on science experiences designed to spark curiosity and build STEM skills. Students, teachers and families of all skill levels can explore, transform and innovate the world around them. Young Scientist Lab resources are also available through Discovery Education Experience, the essential companion for engaged PreK-12 classrooms.
To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet the 2026 finalists, visit YoungScientistLab.com.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is a global education technology leader whose innovative solutions empower educators and progress student learning. Discovery Education's solutions have served more than 100 million students globally, supporting effective teaching and learning in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and in 100+ countries and territories. The company's portfolio includes award-winning core and supplemental curriculum, high-quality standards-aligned content, and AI-enabled teaching and learning tools. Solutions span math, science, literacy, social studies, and career-connected learning, including instructionally-aligned content developed through one-of-a-kind partnerships with industry leaders to bring real-world relevance into every lesson. Learn more at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
Nation's premier middle school science competition recognizes innovation student solutions across robotics, safety and climate technology
, /PRNewswire/ -- 3M and Discovery Education today announced the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge's 37 State Merit Winners and four Honorable Mention recipients. As the nation's premier middle school science competition, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge features outstanding innovations from young scientists who demonstrate the power of science to improve the world.
3M and Discovery Education have announced the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge’s 37 state merit winners and four honorable mention recipients. As the nation’s premier middle school science competition, the 3M Young Scientist challenge recognizes outstanding innovations from young scientists who demonstrate the power of science to improve the world. To enter the competition, students in fifth through eighth grade may submit a brief video explaining their original idea to solve an everyday problem using science. The videos are evaluated for creativity, scientific knowledge and communication skills. This year's entries featured solutions in a variety of categories, including robotics, home improvement, automotive, safety, AR/VR and climate technology.
"The 3M Young Scientist Challenge highlights how students use science and creativity to solve real-world problems, said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. "At 3M, we're focused on supporting these young innovators as they develop their ideas and apply them in ways that can deliver measurable impact."
Each year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge recognizes a grand prize winner, 10 finalists, four Honorable Mentions and up to 51 State Merit Winners – in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The 37 State Merit Winners and 4 Honorable Mention recipients for this year's competition were selected based on their passion for science and innovation, and superb communication skills. Each State Merit Winner receives special recognition on the challenge website, along with a prize pack.
The 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge State Merit Winners are listed below in alphabetical order by state:
[Alaska] Sage Riley Brothers, Homeschooled, N/A [Arizona] Akshay Lakshminarasimhan, BASIS Scottsdale, BASIS Charter Schools Inc. [California] Kyle Xu, The Harker School - Middle School Campus, Campbell Union School District [Colorado] Vedanth Raju, Aurora Quest K-8, Aurora Public Schools [Connecticut] Cayden Joseph, Engineering and Science University Magnet School, New Haven Public Schools [Delaware] Reena Vaishnavi Neetipalli, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Red Clay Consolidated School District [Florida] Arshiya Ghosh, Starkey Ranch K-8, Pasco County [Georgia] Siddhant Mahapatra, Dodgen Middle School, Cobb County School District [Hawaii] James Beecroft, Our Savior Lutheran School, Aiea, Hawaii [Iowa] Leen Idrees, Southeast Middle School, Iowa City Community School District [Illinois] Kyrha Shah, Gordon Gregory Middle School, Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204 [Indiana] Aarsh Sahu, Creekside Middle School, Carmel Clay Schools [Kansas] Vidhi Mishra, California Trail Middle School, Olathe Public Schools [Kentucky] Liam Baldwin, Belfry Middle School, Pike County Schools [Massachusetts] Yaroslava Kazakova, Plymouth South Middle School, Plymouth Public Schools [Maryland] Krish Janoria, Hallie Wells Middle School, Montgomery County Public Schools [Maine] Ryder Tu, Reeds Brook Middle School, Regional School Unit 22 [Michigan] Adhrit Mishra, Avondale GATE Magnet School, Avondale [Minnesota] Agastya Pande, Chippewa Middle School, Mounds View Public Schools [Missouri] TingMing Tsai, Ladue Middle School, Ladue School District [North Carolina] Prakhar Purohit, The Math and Science Academy of Apex, The Math and Science Academy of Apex (Charter school in Wake County - NCES District ID 3700482) [Nebraska] Vihaan Manikya, Millard North Middle School, Millard Public Schools [New Hampshire] Sharwin Balagurumoorthy, Homeschooled, N/A [New Jersey] Nithya Tammana, Monroe Township Middle School, Monroe Township School District [New York] Sofia Allyson Ignacio, Hillside Grade School, New Hyde Park - Garden City City Park Union Free School District [Ohio] Harshith Nelabhotla, Strongsville Middle School, Strongsville City School District [Oklahoma] Umar Aslam, Casady, Oklahoma County [Oregon] Albert Liu, Willamette Valley Academy, Beaverton – Private School [Pennsylvania] Ahana Paul, Downingtown Middle School, Downingtown Area School District [South Carolina] Amita Barik, Sterling School Charles Townes Center, Greenville County School District [Tennessee] Anisha Nachnani, University School of Nashville, Davidson County [Texas] Timothy Chong, St. Mark's School of Texas, Dallas – Private School [Utah] Rohan Damarla, Challenger School, Lehi – Private School [Virginia] Ishanvi Sakharpe, Old Donation School, Virginia Beach City Public Schools [Washington] Kapish Arora, Maywood Middle School, Issaquah School District [Wisconsin] Aarav Malinowski, Wisconsin Hills Middle School, Elmbrook [West Virginia] Preethi Nethi, West Virginia Academy, Monongalia Each year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge also recognizes select entrants with an Honorable Mention award. These individuals were selected for their unique and innovative concepts and effective communication skills. The four 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge Honorable Mention recipients are as follows in alphabetical order by last name:
Darsh Goel, Mountain House, Calif., Peter Hansen Elementary, Lammersville Unified School District Kishan Kumar, Sammamish, Wash., Basis Independent Bellevue, Bellevue Ayan Roychowdhury, Menlo Park, Calif., Sacred Heart Schools, San Mateo Ashwin Sundaresan, San Diego, Calif., Oak Valley Middle School, Poway Unified School District "When students see how science connects to the world around them, they stop memorizing and start believing they can make a difference," said Brian Shaw, chief executive officer at Discovery Education. "The 3M Young Scientist Challenge gives young people the real-world relevance that fuels deep STEM learning and the persistence to see an idea through. Congratulations to every student honored this year. The world is better for the creativity and determination you bring."
Previous 3M Young Scientist Challenge winners
Now in its 19th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire and challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discover real-world solutions. America's Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, appeared on Forbes 30 Under 30 list and exhibited at the White House Science Fair. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge winners, finalists and mentors, who take part in networking opportunities and more.
Learning resources for all educators and students
The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is complemented by Young Scientist Lab, a free digital resource program from 3M and Discovery Education that gives every student access to standards-aligned, hands-on science experiences designed to spark curiosity and build STEM skills. Students, teachers and families of all skill levels can transform and innovate the world around them. Young Scientist Lab resources are also available through Discovery Education Experience, the essential companion for engaged PreK-12 classrooms.
To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet the 2026 competitors, visit YoungScientistLab.com.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is a global education technology leader whose innovative solutions empower educators and progress student learning. Discovery Education's solutions have served more than 100 million students globally, supporting effective teaching and learning in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and in 100+ countries and territories. The company's portfolio includes award-winning core and supplemental curriculum, high-quality standards-aligned content, and AI-enabled teaching and learning tools. Solutions span math, science, literacy, social studies, and career-connected learning, including instructionally-aligned content developed through one-of-a-kind partnerships with industry leaders to bring real-world relevance into every lesson. Learn more at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – June 26, 2026 – Today, Zacks Equity Research 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) , Griffon Corp. (GFF - Free Report) , GPGI, Inc. (GPGI - Free Report) and Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (PPHC - Free Report)
The Zacks Diversified Operations industry is benefiting from solid momentum in the manufacturing sector and strength across the aerospace and defense industries. Growth in commercial aviation and steady demand in the home and building product markets are key catalysts for the industry’s growth.
However, supply-chain issues have been weighing on the performance of some industry players. 3M Company, Griffon Corp., GPGI, Inc. and Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. are a few industry participants that are likely to capitalize on the opportunities.
About the IndustryThe Zacks Diversified Operations industry includes companies that operate in various end markets, including oil & gas, industrial, electronics, power, aviation, technology, finance, healthcare, chemical, non-residential construction and transportation. Such companies manufacture and provide equipment and solutions, including bioprocessing products, molecular testing-related products, gas and steam turbines, generators, commercial jet engines and engineered fluid-process equipment.
Industry players also provide related services to a large customer base. A few companies offer services in the agriculture, marine and telecommunications markets and are engaged in providing environmental and safety solutions. The diversified market operators have a vast global presence, with exposure in the United States, Japan, India, China, Canada and other countries.
Major Trends Shaping the Future of the Diversified Operations IndustryStrength in the Manufacturing Sector:The industry has been benefiting from an increase in manufacturing activities. After witnessing a contraction in economic activities for 10 successive months till December 2025, the manufacturing sector expanded for the fifth consecutive month in May. Per the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) report, the Manufacturing Purchasing Manager’s Index touched 54% in May. A figure more than 50% indicates an expansion in manufacturing activity. Also, the New Orders Index expanded, registering 56.8% in the same month.
Robust Aerospace and Defense Markets:The prospects of multi-sector companies primarily depend on the operating conditions of several end markets. Some factors that currently favor the industry are healthy demand from the aerospace, defense and governmental sectors and infrastructure development. Industry players with exposure to the commercial aviation markets are poised to gain from healthy growth in air transport flight hours. Also, solid demand for several products and equipment in the consumer and professional, and home and building product markets bodes well for some industry participants.
Investments in Innovation & Technological Advancements:The industry participants’ constant focus on innovation, product upgrades and the development of new products to stay competitive in the market should drive growth. With the gradual development of business models and cutting-edge technologies, several industry players have been banking on digitizing their business operations for a while now. Digitization enables industry participants to boost their competitiveness through enhanced operational productivity, product quality and better cost management.
Supply-Chain Disruptions:Supply-chain disruptions, especially related to the availability of electrical and electronic components, have been concerning for the industry participants of late. The latest ISM report’s Supplier Deliveries Index reflects slower deliveries for the seventh straight month in June. Supply-chain issues, if not controlled, might hinder the growth of diversified operation companies, going forward.
Zacks Industry Rank Suggests Strong ProspectsThe Zacks Diversified Operations industry, housed within the broader Zacks Conglomerates sector, currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #100. This rank places it in the top 40% of 247 Zacks industries.
The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates robust prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than two to one.
Given the bullish near-term prospects of the industry, we will present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio. However, it is worth taking a look at the industry’s shareholder returns and current valuation first.
Industry Lags the S&P 500In the past year, the Zacks Diversified Operations industry has underperformed the S&P 500 composite. The industry has declined 5.8% against the S&P 500 Index’s 23.3% rise.
Industry's Current ValuationOn the basis of forward P/E (F12M), which is a commonly used multiple for valuing diversified operations stocks, the industry is currently trading at 15.49X compared with the S&P 500’s 21.02X.
Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 17.56X and as low as 10.38X, with a median of 14.26X.
4 Diversified Operations Stocks Leading the PackGPGI: Based in Saint Somerset, NJ, GPGI provides metal payment cards, secure authentication solutions and engineered injection molding equipment and aftermarket services for the food, packaging, medical and consumer products markets worldwide. The company is benefiting from its diversified portfolio, with market-leading business CompoSecure driving growth. Solid momentum in the Husky business also bodes well.
Though shares of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company have lost 0.6% in the past year, they rose 13% in the past month. Its earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing two quarters, the average surprise being 25.6%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
3M: Based in St. Paul, MN, 3M operates as a diversified technology firm. It has manufacturing operations across the globe and serves a diversified customer base throughout the world. The company stands to gain from strong momentum in the Safety and Industrial segment, driven by strength in personal safety, industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives and electrical markets. Solid momentum in the semiconductor, data center, aerospace and defense, commercial branding and automotive markets is aiding its Transportation and Electronics segment.
Shares of this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company have soared 10.1% in the past year. Its earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 4.6%.
Griffon:Based in New York, Griffon engages in the manufacture and sale of a broad range of consumer, professional, home and building products, including garage doors, shutters, home organization products and outdoor living products. GFF is benefiting from resilient repair and remodeling demand across its Clopay operations. Increase in demand for rolling steel door and grille products in commercial construction markets also remains supportive.
The Zacks Rank #2 company’s shares surged 31.9% in the past year. GFF has delivered better-than-expected results in three of the trailing four quarters while missing the mark in one, the average surprise being 3.3%.
Public Policy Holding: Situated in Washington, Public Policy Holding is engaged in providing government relations, public affairs, corporate communications and compliance consulting services to its clients. PPHC is gaining from strength in its Government Relations Consulting segment, driven by stable pricing of retainer contracts both at the U.S. Federal and State levels. Solid momentum in the Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Consulting segment has also been proving beneficial.
This Zacks Rank #2 company’s 2026 earnings estimate remained steady in the past 60 days. The company delivered better-than-expected results in each of the trailing two quarters, the average surprise being 2.1%.
Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.
Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.
See Stocks Free >>
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch/
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Key Takeaways 3M's Safety & Industrial segment posted 3.2% adjusted organic sales growth in Q1 2026.MMM's segment margin rose 100 bps on volumes, productivity and capital discipline.3M expects about 3% organic sales growth and EPS of $8.50-$8.70 in 2026. 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) continues to gain from the strong momentum in its Safety & Industrial segment, a key contributor to its growth. An increase in demand across personal safety, industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives and electrical has been aiding the segment’s momentum. Sales in the personal safety, industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives and electrical markets collectively increased in the mid-single-digit range in the first three months of 2026.
A rise in demand for electrical infrastructure products like medium voltage cable accessories and insulation tapes also supported performance. The segment’s adjusted organic sales grew 3.2% year over year in the first quarter. Its adjusted operating margin also improved 100 basis points year over year, supported by higher sales volumes, productivity initiatives and disciplined capital allocation. However, continued investments aimed at business expansion and tariffs partially offset the results. Weakness in the roofing granules business is also concerning for 3M.
Backed by strong operational execution, 3M has provided a positive outlook for 2026. The company expects adjusted organic sales growth of about 3% year over year and projects adjusted earnings in the range of $8.50-$8.70 per share, indicating continued earnings growth from 2025 levels.
Segmental Snapshot of MMM’s PeersAmong 3M’s major peers, Honeywell International Inc. (HON - Free Report) is witnessing solid momentum in its Building Automation segment, driven by ongoing strength in both the building solutions and building products businesses. In the first quarter of 2026, Honeywell’s segment’s revenues increased 11% year over year. It contributed approximately 20.6% to Honeywell’s total revenues during the quarter.
MMM’s another peer, Carlisle Companies Incorporated’s (CSL - Free Report) Carlisle Construction Materials segment decreased 5.1% year over year in the first quarter of 2026. Carlisle’s segment’s revenues were offset by the weakness in the new construction market. It contributed approximately 72.2% of Carlisle’s total revenues during the quarter.
The Zacks Rundown for MMMShares of 3M have gained 10% in the past year against the industry’s decrease of 4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, 3M is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 18.40X, above the industry average of 15.78X. MMM carries a Value Score of D.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MMM’s earnings for 2026 has increased a penny in the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
MMM stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways MMM signed a long-term deal with Airbus to supply insulation systems for A220 cabins.MMM's thermal solutions aim to improve aircraft efficiency on Airbus A220 jets.MMM acoustic materials are designed to cut noise and enhance cabin comfort. 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) recently entered into a long-term supply agreement with Airbus to enhance passenger comfort and improve aircraft performance on Airbus A220. The deal reflects both companies' focus on improving aircraft performance and passenger comfort.
Based in Netherlands, Airbus manufactures, designs and supplies products, services and solutions across the commercial aviation, helicopter, defense and space industries. The company serves both civil and military markets.
Inside the HeadlinesPer the deal, 3M will supply cutting-edge thermal and acoustic insulation systems for the A220 cabin. The thermal insulation solutions are designed to improve aircraft efficiency. On the other hand, the acoustic materials will help reduce engine and airframe noise, thereby improving cabin comfort for the crew and the passengers.
The agreement builds on the long-standing partnership between 3M and Airbus across a range of aerospace programs. This collaboration is expected to strengthen 3M's position in the aerospace market while supporting the development of more efficient aircraft and enhanced passenger experiences. Going forward, 3M and Airbus will work together on future innovations designed to improve passenger comfort and address airlines' operational goals.
MMM’s Zacks Rank3M is poised to benefit from solid momentum in the Safety and Industrial unit, driven by strength in the industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives and electrical markets. Strength in the semiconductor, aerospace and defense markets is aiding the Transportation and Electronics unit. Solid operational execution, restructuring savings and spending discipline are supporting the margin performance.
In the past six months, this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company’s shares have risen 1% against the industry’s 1.4% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Other Stocks to ConsiderSome other top-ranked companies are discussed below:
GPGI, Inc. (GPGI - Free Report) currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
GPGI delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 25.6%. In the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2026 earnings has remained steady.
Luxfer Holdings PLC (LXFR - Free Report) presently sports a Zacks Rank of 1. Luxfer Holdings’ earnings surpassed the consensus estimate in each of the trailing four quarters. The average earnings surprise was 25.5%.
In the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for LXFR’s 2026 earnings has increased 7.1%.
Griffon Corporation (GFF - Free Report) currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. GFF delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 3.3%.
In the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Griffon’s fiscal 2026 earnings has remained steady.
Summary3M Company remains a Hold as latest reports keep revealing a mixed set of catalysts.On the positive side, operational turnaround supports continued EPS recovery with tangible margin boost and promising product launches.Despite innovation momentum, MMM's limited exposure to AI-related markets and ongoing legal issues pose significant downside risks.Trading at an 18.6x FWD P/E, MMM is also overpriced compared to its historical norms and/or relative to its growth projections.I do much more than just articles at Envision Early Retirement: Members get access to model portfolios, regular updates, a chat room, and more. Learn More »Sitewide Sale 2026: Get 20% Off wellesenterprises/iStock Editorial via Getty Images
MMM Stock: 2025 Turnaround Updates I last covered 3M (MMM) in July of 2025 in an article titled “3M Company: Still Adjusting To Spinoff Of Solventum.” I gave it a Hold rating, citing growth uncertainty and
20.71K Followers
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
New digital assistant helps customers evaluate 3M materials, compare options and solve application challenges
, /PRNewswire/ -- 3M has launched Ask 3M, a new AI-powered digital assistant that gives industrial customers direct, self-service access to 3M technical expertise. Available now at ask.3m.com, the tool helps users evaluate 3M materials, compare options, and address application challenges more efficiently.
"Our customers rely on 3M for deep application expertise and collaborative problem-solving across a wide range of industries," said Chris Goralski, Group President, Safety and Industrial Business Group, 3M. "Ask 3M extends that expertise in a new way, giving customers faster, more direct access to the information they need to evaluate options and make decisions."
3M has launched Ask 3M, a new AI-powered digital assistant that gives industrial customers direct, self-service access to 3M technical expertise. Available now at ask.3m.com, the tool helps users evaluate 3M materials, compare options, and address application challenges more efficiently.
3M has launched Ask 3M, a new AI-powered digital assistant that gives industrial customers direct, self-service access to 3M technical expertise. Available now at ask.3m.com, the tool helps users evaluate 3M materials, compare options, and address application challenges more efficiently. Ask 3M's responses are built on verified documentation and application knowledge across the company's 49 technology platforms. The conversational AI experience currently focuses on industrial adhesives and tapes, with plans to expand into additional categories over time.
Customers can ask questions in plain language and receive quick answers on topics such as finding the right 3M adhesive or tape for specific applications, locating information on 3M products, and identifying recommended methods for solving problems. By simplifying product discovery and technical exploration, Ask 3M supports a smoother, more self-directed experience for finding information and choosing a suitable 3M solution.
During Ask 3M's testing and development phase, a production engineer in the industrial manufacturing sector used the tool to address an active engineering challenge: bonding polypropylene thermoplastic to insulation foam in a sheet metal assembly within a 24-hour cure window.
"It took a very basic question and it helped us unfold all the other needs in order to pinpoint a product," he said. "It's definitely a tool that we would use on a daily basis."
Questions can cover both 3M product information and specific application challenges, such as:
Which structural adhesive can bond carbon fiber and aluminum sheeting? Compare details of 3M VHB Tape 5952 and Adhesive Transfer Tape 468MP. How do I use 3M Scotch-Weld DP420NS Black? Ask 3M's conversational interface will feel familiar to users of AI chat tools, but its answers are grounded in verified 3M documentation, company expertise, and validated product knowledge -- not open internet data. It also links product suggestions to authorized 3M distributors and allows users to download source documents directly in the conversation.
Every day, customers rely on 3M materials and technologies to help keep their operations moving. By reducing delays that often come with time-consuming conversations, site visits, or extended email follow-up, Ask 3M expands access to 3M expertise through a faster, self-service customer experience.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
3M Co (NYSE:MMM) has provided an upbeat assessment of its second quarter performance and demand trends during investor meetings last week, ahead of the release of its report for the period on July 28, according to Bank of America analysts.
Bank of America wrote that the company expressed a constructive view on the second quarter and the remainder of the year, supported by continued order strength and higher backlog levels.
According to the bank, backlog coverage has risen to roughly 27% to 29% of the next quarter's sales, compared with a more typical range of 23% to 24%.
The bank wrote that 3M expects second-quarter organic sales growth to be "solidly" above 3%, noting that sustained order momentum suggests there was limited customer pre-buying in the first quarter.
Demand conditions vary across the company's businesses. Bank of America wrote that 3M Co (NYSE:MMM)ntinues to see strength in its Safety & Industrial Business Group, aided by pricing actions and internal execution, while roofing granules and auto aftermarket markets remain weak.
In the Transportation & Electronics Business Group, weakness in automotive and consumer electronics markets is being offset by growth in data centers, semiconductors and aerospace and defense applications. Consumer point-of-sale trends are stabilizing but remain soft overall.
Bank of America said 3M's margin outlook remains supported by productivity initiatives and price-cost discipline, with additional tailwinds expected through 2027. Based on current pricing and cost dynamics, the company no longer expects to use a previously discussed contingency worth $0.05 to $0.15 per share.
The bank also highlighted growth opportunities tied to 3M's optical intellectual property portfolio, noting that the company has increased its estimate for the total addressable market to $2 billion from $1 billion cited during its first-quarter earnings report.
Following the meetings, Bank of America reiterated its ‘Buy’ rating on 3M and raised its 2026 earnings per share estimate by $0.10 to $8.80.
The bank’s analysts also increased its second-quarter EPS forecast by $0.02 to $2.28, reflecting an expectation for 4.0% organic growth, up from a previous estimate of 3.2%.
Expanded collaboration will support thermal and acoustic insulation solutions to enhance the A220 passenger experience
, /PRNewswire/ -- 3M and Airbus, a leading aircraft manufacturer, have signed a long-term supply agreement to help drive the continued advancement of passenger comfort and aircraft performance on the Airbus A220. The agreement underscores both companies' commitment to innovation in aircraft design and passenger experience.
3M and Airbus announce agreement to advance A220 passenger comfort and aircraft performance through advanced insulation technology. 3M will provide advanced thermal and acoustic insulation solutions for the aircraft cabin. The thermal materials will help improve the aircraft's operational performance, while the acoustic insulation will be integrated throughout the cabin to absorb and reduce engine and airframe noise, creating a more pleasant environment for passengers and crew.
"Our long-term agreement with Airbus reflects the value of deep collaboration in bringing advanced materials science to the future of aviation," said Eric Forbes, vice president of Aerospace and Defense at 3M. "Together, we are helping enhance both comfort and performance through technologies that passengers can feel directly in the cabin and that airlines can rely on across the life of the aircraft."
3M maintains a longstanding collaboration with Airbus across a broad portfolio of value-added solutions, drawing on its global scale and materials science platform to support programs that extend beyond the A220. Looking ahead, 3M will continue working closely with Airbus teams around the world on future innovations that enhance both the onboard passenger experience and the operational needs of airlines.
About 3M
3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.
Investors in 3M Company (MMM - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Jun 18, 2026 $65 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.
What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.
What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for 3M shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, 3M is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Diversified Operations industry that ranks in the Bottom 40% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter has moved from $2.23 per share to $2.24 in that period.
Given the way analysts feel about 3M right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.
Two Aristocrats That Stumbled Off the Pedestal For decades, AT&T (NYSE: T | T Price Prediction) and 3M (NYSE: MMM) were the kind of stocks retirees built portfolios around. Both raised dividends every year for decades. Both lost their crowns through messy corporate breakups.
AT&T’s media detour ended badly. After buying DirecTV and Time Warner, the company spun WarnerMedia into Warner Bros. Discovery in April 2022 and cut the quarterly dividend from $0.52 to $0.2775, a 46.6% reduction. CEO John Stankey has since refocused AT&T on converged 5G and fiber, closing the Lumen Mass Markets fiber acquisition in February 2026.
3M’s fall was slower and more painful. Mounting liabilities from Combat Arms Earplugs lawsuits and PFAS “forever chemicals” dragged the stock down for years. The April 2024 spin-off of healthcare unit Solventum brought a dividend reset and ended one of the longest aristocrat streaks on record. New CEO William Brown’s 3M eXcellence turnaround has produced four straight EPS beats.
What $1,000 Actually Became AT&T Total Return Horizon Ending Value Total Return S&P 500 1 Year $998 −0.23% $1,292 (29.20%) 5 Year $1,477 47.65% $1,694 (69.43%) 10 Year $1,598 59.76% $3,449 (244.93%) Price-adjusted return. Includes the WarnerMedia spin distribution.
3M Total Return Horizon Ending Value Total Return S&P 500 1 Year $1,079 7.85% $1,292 (29.20%) 5 Year $1,042 4.18% $1,694 (69.43%) 10 Year $1,435 43.53% $3,449 (244.93%) Price-adjusted return. Includes the Solventum distribution.
Both stocks underperformed the S&P 500 dramatically over a decade. Reinvested dividends would meaningfully improve AT&T’s tally given its long stretch as a high-yielder, but neither comes close to the index. Holding through the 2018 to 2023 grind required patience most investors do not have.
What to Do Today Putting $1,000 into AT&T today would be the choice for income and stability. The Q1 2026 earnings report — $31.51 billion in revenue and $0.57 adjusted EPS — plus the $45 billion shareholder return commitment through 2028 and a 4.24% yield at an 8 P/E, make this a credible cash-return story. Investors may want to avoid it if rising leverage from the $23 billion EchoStar spectrum deal pushes net debt past management’s comfort zone.
3M looks attractive for investors who trust Brown’s margin expansion, with 2026 guidance of $8.50 to $8.70 adjusted EPS, and PFAS manufacturing finally exited. The residual $10.3 billion PFAS settlement obligations and the risk that Combat Arms tail liabilities turn into fresh charges would be reasons for investors to step away.
The verdict: AT&T’s risk/reward looks tighter and more visible. 3M is the higher-variance bet on an industrial turnaround that is working but not finished. Neither owes long-term holders a comeback, and that is the lesson. Aristocrat status describes the past.
