3M posts higher quarterly profit than expected and lifts 2026 guidance
3M reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.50 a share, above analyst forecasts, and lifted its full-year profit outlook for 2026 amid margin gains.
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what happened
Seeking Alpha reports that 3M earned an adjusted $2.50 per share in the third quarter, up 12% from a year earlier and ahead of the $2.38 analysts had penciled in. Revenue reached $6.6 billion, roughly matching market expectations. The adjusted operating margin widened to 26.2% from 25.1%.
For 2026, the company now targets adjusted earnings of $9.10 to $9.15 per share, against a Wall Street consensus of $8.93. Adjusted sales growth is expected to exceed 4.5%, and free cash flow is projected near $4.8 billion. Shares barely moved in premarket trading.
Meanwhile, 3M is widening its data center business: under a deal with Amazon, the retailer can buy up to 3.2 million company shares if cumulative sales reach $6 billion over seven years.
why it matters
Margin gains and a higher forecast matter for the industrial sector, but risks remain, including litigation costs tied to PFAS and Combat Arms earplugs, as well as the exit from PFAS manufacturing. Investors will watch whether the company can keep growing organic revenue.
market impact
3M and industrial peers: margin beat and higher guidance are a positive sentiment factor for the sector
tags
instruments
sources
- 3M beats estimates as profit margins expand, outlook improves — Seeking Alpha, 20 October 2026 at 11:41 UTC
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