HSBC upgrades 3M stock to Strong Buy after third-quarter results

Published on 10/27/2026 at 10:48 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Third-quarter adjusted EPS was USD 2.50, up 12.00 percent year on year. 3M stock costs EUR 155.33 on October 27, 2026, 0.41 percent above Xetra close.

Analyst rating and earnings outlook

HSBC upgraded 3M to Strong Buy on October 24, 2026.
2026 adjusted earnings guidance rose to USD 9.10-9.15 per share.
3M stock trades at EUR 155.33 at 10:38 a.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 27, 2026, 0.41 percent above the Xetra close of October 26, 2026.
Bernstein raised its target from USD 171.00 to USD 197.00 on October 21, 2026.

3M Company, US88579Y1010, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

3M Company (ISIN US88579Y1010) stock was trading at EUR 155.33 at Lang & Schwarz on October 27, 2026, up 0.41 percent versus the Xetra close of October 26, 2026, at EUR 154.70. According to MarketBeat on October 24, 2026, HSBC upgraded 3M to Strong Buy.

Three events reset the debate

On October 20, 2026, 3M reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of USD 2.50, up 12.00 percent year on year, while adjusted sales reached USD 6.60 billion. The company also raised its full-year adjusted earnings guidance to USD 9.10-9.15 per share, according to 3M.

On October 21, 2026, Bernstein analyst Varun Govindaraj raised the price target from USD 171.00 to USD 197.00 while maintaining a Market Perform rating, as reported by Markets Insider. HSBC then upgraded the shares on October 24, 2026, creating a sharper contrast between bullish targets and more cautious views.

What does the guidance change mean?

The revised outlook gives earnings the clearest numerical support. 3M also reported an adjusted operating margin of 26.20 percent in the third quarter, 110 basis points above the year-earlier figure, while adjusted free cash flow reached USD 1.20 billion. Those figures place margin expansion and cash generation alongside the rating changes, rather than leaving the upgrade dependent on sentiment alone.

Stock remains below its yearly high

The euro quotation sits within its 52-week range of EUR 120.56 to EUR 161.70, leaving the current price EUR 6.37 below the upper boundary. The primary listing is on the NYSE, where 3M trades under the ticker MMM.

Price and investor perspective

For investors, the next test is whether the higher earnings range can support the more optimistic analyst targets while 3M continues to expand margins and cash flow.

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