3M stock: 3M lifts adjusted earnings outlook to USD 9.10-9.15

Published on 10/20/2026 at 15:40 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Q3 margin reached 26.20 percent. 3M stock costs EUR 146.00 on October 20, 2026, 0.34 percent below Xetra close.

Third-quarter margins and dates

3M raised adjusted 2026 earnings guidance to USD 9.10-9.15 on October 20, 2026.
Adjusted operating margin reached 26.20 percent in the third quarter of 2026.
3M stock costs EUR 146.00 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 3:32 p.m. CEST, 0.34 percent below the Xetra close of October 19, 2026.
The primary-market quote was USD 167.30 at 9:39 a.m. ET on October 20, 2026.

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3M Company (ISIN US88579Y1010) raised its adjusted 2026 earnings guidance to USD 9.10-9.15 on October 20, 2026, from USD 8.80-8.95, according to 3M. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of USD 2.50 for the third quarter, compared with USD 2.23 a year earlier, while adjusted sales rose 4.2 percent to USD 6.6 billion. The stock was priced at EUR 146.00 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 3:32 p.m. CEST, down 0.34 percent versus the Xetra close of October 19, 2026 at EUR 146.50.

Margin expansion led the quarter

Adjusted operating margin reached 26.20 percent in the third quarter of 2026, up from 25.10 percent a year earlier. GAAP operating margin was 23.70 percent, compared with 22.20 percent in the third quarter of 2025. CNBC reported that 3M launched 87 new products during the quarter and expects more than 350 launches by the end of 2026.

What does the outlook mean?

The guidance range implies a higher earnings baseline than the previous USD 8.80-8.95 forecast. 3M also projected adjusted total sales growth above 4.5 percent, including adjusted organic sales growth above 3.5 percent, and adjusted free cash flow of about USD 4.8 billion for 2026. The company generated USD 1.2 billion in adjusted free cash flow during the third quarter and returned USD 0.6 billion through dividends and share repurchases.

Stock valuation and dates

At 9:39 a.m. ET on October 20, 2026, the NYSE quote stood at USD 167.30, with a price-earnings ratio of 24.77 and a market capitalization of USD 86.3 billion. The same quote showed a 52-week range of USD 139.34 to USD 184.90 and volume of 681,126 shares. The third-quarter investor conference call was scheduled for October 20, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Business mix remains broad

3M operates across Safety and Industrial, Transportation and Electronics, Health Care, and Consumer businesses. Its third-quarter results put the strongest numerical emphasis on adjusted profitability: adjusted earnings per share rose 12 percent year over year, while reported sales increased 1.0 percent to USD 6.6 billion. The difference between reported and adjusted sales growth reflects the company's treatment of manufactured PFAS products in its adjusted presentation.

Stock stays below its yearly high

The euro quotation remained below the Xetra close while the US listing traded within its 52-week range. For investors, the updated earnings range and the 26.20 percent adjusted margin provide the clearest measures for judging whether productivity gains are broadening beyond the latest quarter.

The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of 3M stock.