What it does
3M describes itself as a diversified technology company with global operations. Its continuing operations are managed in three segments: Safety and Industrial; Transportation and Electronics; and Consumer. The company states that these segments group common or related technologies, with the aim of supporting product and service development and sharing business resources. Its activities span industrial, transportation, electronics and consumer-oriented applications, including products used in manufacturing, vehicles, electronics, home improvement and personal safety.
Source: 3M Company Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, Item 1 — sec.gov
How it makes money
The company generates revenue through its three reported business segments shown in the segment table below. Safety and Industrial includes activities such as abrasives, adhesives and tapes, electrical markets, personal safety and roofing granules. Transportation and Electronics includes advanced materials, automotive and aerospace, commercial branding, display materials and electronics materials. Consumer includes home and auto care, home improvement, packaging and expression, and consumer safety and well-being. The filing describes sales through direct channels and through e-commerce and traditional intermediaries.
Source: 3M Company Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, Item 1 — sec.gov
Customers and geography
3M states that it sells in many countries worldwide, both directly to users and through wholesalers, retailers, jobbers, distributors and dealers across a wide variety of trades. Its stated customer-facing applications include metalworking, construction and maintenance, automotive repair, vehicles, advertising, electronics assembly, semiconductor production, data centers, home cleaning and office products. The filing says the company derived approximately 56 percent of 2025 revenue from outside the United States. It does not quantify revenue by individual country in the provided excerpts.
Source: 3M Company Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, Item 1 and Item 1A — sec.gov
Competition
The filing states that 3M faces competition from other technologically oriented companies and identifies competitive conditions and customer preferences as factors affecting results. It says demand can be affected by competing-product launches, pricing, customer inventory patterns, customer preferences, and the success of competitors’ products. The provided filing excerpts do not name any specific competing companies. The company also states that its trademarks, patents and trade secrets provide an important competitive advantage in many businesses, particularly for new product introductions, while no single patent or related group is essential to the company or a segment as a whole.
Source: 3M Company Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, Item 1 and Item 1A — sec.gov
Key risks
- Worldwide economic, political, regulatory, international-trade, geopolitical, tariff and other external conditions can affect results.
- Liabilities related to certain fluorochemicals, including PFAS-related claims, proceedings, remediation and exit-related matters, could adversely affect results.
- International, federal, state and local laws, regulations, contract requirements and related legal or regulatory proceedings create compliance risks.
- Competitive conditions, customer preferences, product pricing, inventory patterns and competing products can affect demand, revenue and margins.
- Shortages, cost changes and interruptions affecting components, compounds, raw materials, energy, labor, logistics or manufacturing sites can affect supply obligations.
- Network disruptions, security and data breaches, cyberattacks and ERP implementation issues could disrupt operations or expose information.
Source: 3M Company Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, Item 1A — sec.gov
People and operations
As of December 31, 2025, 3M employed approximately 60,500 full-time-equivalent people, including approximately 22,500 in the United States and 38,000 internationally. The company identifies workforce recruitment, retention, development, protection and compensation as enablers of its success, and describes focus areas including health and safety, performance culture, development, people and community, and compensation and benefits. The filing states that the Consumer segment has some seasonality, citing back-to-school and holiday periods. It also notes 2025 supply constraints and inflation amid pricing pressure, tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty.
Source: 3M Company Form 10-K for fiscal 2025, Item 1 — sec.gov