NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 18:09 ET — Market closed
3M Co shares closed down 0.7% at $160.10 on Wednesday, the final trading session of 2025. U.S. markets were shut on Thursday for New Year’s Day, keeping investors focused on Friday’s return to regular trading. The stock eased with the broader market as the S&P 500 fell 0.74%, and “it’s perfectly fine in any bull market to have moments of cost,” said Giuseppe Sette, co-founder and president of Reflexivity. 1
The move capped a year in which 3M shares rose about 25%, part of a wider run-up in diversified industrials. GE Aerospace was up about 87% in 2025, Refinitiv data showed, underscoring how aerospace-heavy names led the group into year-end. 2
Why that matters now: after a strong 2025 rerating, investors are looking for confirmation that 3M’s earnings outlook can keep pace. In October, 3M raised its 2025 adjusted profit forecast — a measure that strips out certain one-time items — citing tighter cost controls and a shift toward higher-margin products as management pressed a margin expansion drive. 3
With volume returning after the holiday break, traders often refocus quickly from year-end flows to what companies will say about the year ahead. For 3M, guidance and execution have become as important as the quarter itself.
Legal liabilities also remain a key swing factor for valuation. 3M previously recorded a $10.3 billion pre-tax accrual tied to a settlement with U.S. public water suppliers over PFAS — chemicals often called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment. 4
At an investor-day briefing last year, 3M said it aimed to return at least $10 billion in cash to shareholders and targeted an operating margin of about 25% by 2027. Operating margin is operating profit as a share of sales. 5
Other industrial bellwethers also slipped in the year’s final session. GE Aerospace fell 1.21% on Wednesday and Honeywell dropped 0.65%, as major indexes ended lower. 6
Before the next session, investors will be watching a tight run of macro signposts that often steer industrial stocks. The ISM manufacturing PMI — a monthly gauge where readings above 50 signal expansion — is due on Jan. 5, the U.S. jobs report for December is scheduled for Jan. 9, and the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting is set for Jan. 27–28. 7
Company-specific catalysts are less clear on the calendar. 3M’s investor-relations site currently lists no upcoming events, while Investing.com lists Jan. 27, 2026 for the next earnings report date, which has not been posted on the company’s events page. 8
When 3M does report, investors will be looking for 2026 guidance on earnings per share (EPS), profit per share, and for updates on “organic sales,” which strip out currency swings and acquisitions to show underlying demand. Cash generation and any commentary on legal-cash outflows are also likely to be in focus.
Technically, 3M ended at $160.10, about 8% below its 52-week high of $174.63 and well above its 52-week low of $122.69. The stock’s indicated dividend yield was about 2.8%, according to Markets Insider data. 9
For now, the year-end dip looks more like positioning than a company-specific reset. The next fresh catalyst — whether macro data, an earnings-date announcement, or early earnings-season commentary from industrial peers — will likely set the tone for MMM into the first full trading week of 2026.
