3M raises 2026 earnings guidance while 3M stock sits 5.39 percent below its high

Published on 10/21/2026 at 11:22 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Adjusted EPS rose 12.00 percent to USD 2.50 in the third quarter. 3M stock costs EUR 152.98 on October 21, 2026, 0.91 percent above Xetra close.

Guidance follows stronger margins

3M raised its 2026 adjusted earnings per share guidance to USD 9.10-9.15 on October 20, 2026.
Adjusted earnings per share rose 12.00 percent to USD 2.50 in the third quarter of 2026.
3M stock trades at EUR 152.98 at 11:14 a.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 21, 2026, 0.91 percent above the Xetra close of October 20, 2026.

Isometrische 3D-Illustration einer industriellen Wertschöpfungskette, Prozessbezug zu 3M Company — Isometrische 3D-Grafik der Wertschöpfungskette veranschaulicht Produktionsprozesse von 3M Company, ISIN US88579Y1010, Industriekonzern, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

3M (ISIN US88579Y1010) was trading at EUR 152.98 at Lang & Schwarz on October 21, 2026, at 11:14 a.m. CEST, 0.91 percent above the Xetra close of October 20, 2026, at EUR 151.60. The stock was 5.39 percent below its 52-week high of EUR 161.70 as 3M raised its 2026 adjusted earnings per share guidance on October 20, 2026.

According to 3M, the new adjusted earnings per share range is USD 9.10 to USD 9.15, compared with the previous range of USD 8.95 to USD 9.10. The update followed third-quarter results and incorporates a revised treatment of intangible-asset amortization.

What changed in the third quarter?

3M reported third-quarter 2026 sales of USD 6.6 billion, up 1.00 percent from the year-earlier period, while adjusted sales increased 4.20 percent and adjusted organic sales grew 3.30 percent. Adjusted earnings per share reached USD 2.50, up 12.00 percent from USD 2.23 a year earlier, according to 3M.

Profitability supplied the sharper signal. The adjusted operating margin rose to 26.20 percent from 25.10 percent in the third quarter of 2025, an increase of 110 basis points. GAAP operating margin reached 23.70 percent, while operating cash flow was USD 0.5 billion and adjusted free cash flow was USD 1.2 billion.

Margins support the higher outlook

The revised outlook places execution ahead of revenue acceleration. 3M expects adjusted total sales growth above 4.50 percent and adjusted organic sales growth above 3.50 percent for fiscal year 2026, while adjusted free cash flow guidance is approximately USD 4.8 billion. The company also returned USD 0.6 billion through dividends and share repurchases in the third quarter.

The updated non-GAAP basis treats intangible-asset amortization as a special item for all periods presented. That change increased third-quarter adjusted operating margin by 40 basis points and adjusted earnings per share by USD 0.04, according to 3M. For investors, the key question is whether margin expansion can continue while organic growth remains above the revised full-year threshold.

Stock remains below its annual high

3M has a market capitalization of EUR 79.1 billion and a 52-week range of EUR 120.56 to EUR 161.70. Its current euro quote therefore sits 26.90 percent above the low and 5.39 percent below the high, giving the guidance increase a valuation context without turning the daily move into a larger price signal.

3M is listed on the NYSE under ticker MMM. The company operates across industrial, transportation and electronics, consumer, and other materials-science activities, while the latest quarter's 26.20 percent adjusted operating margin provides the clearest operational comparison with the 25.10 percent level of the prior-year quarter.

Price and operating figures

The stock was trading intraday at EUR 152.98 at Lang & Schwarz on October 21, 2026, at 11:14 a.m. CEST, 0.91 percent above the Xetra close of October 20, 2026, at EUR 151.60. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of 3M stock.