3M Reports Higher Third-Quarter Sales and Earnings; Company Meets Third-Quarter Earnings Guidance of $0.97 Per Share

3M (NYSE:MMM) today announced its third-quarter 2004 sales and earnings results.

The company reported net income of $775 million, or $0.97 per share, versus $663 million, or $0.83 per share, in the third quarter of 2003. Net income and earnings per share increased by nearly 17 percent.

"Broad-based growth among many of our businesses and continued productivity improvement generated another excellent earnings result," said W. James McNerney, Jr., 3M chairman and CEO. "Our employees around the world are driving growth through initiatives like 3M Acceleration and customer-focused Six Sigma projects, and we continue to execute on our aggressive operational goals."

Third-quarter worldwide net sales totaled $4.969 billion, up 7.6 percent compared to the third quarter of 2003. Global sales volumes increased 5.6 percent. Local-currency sales (which excludes the impact of currency translation on sales) increased 10.5 percent in Industrial; 7.7 percent in Consumer and Office; 6.6 percent in Display and Graphics; 6.4 percent in Safety, Security and Protection Services; 3.7 percent in Transportation; 1.5 percent in Electro and Communications; and declined 0.8 percent in Health Care. Currency effects increased sales by 2.5 percent and selling prices declined .5 percent.

Sales outside the United States totaled $2.91 billion, an increase of 10.8 percent versus the third quarter of 2003. Volumes increased 7.5 percent, while selling prices declined 1.1 percent. Currency translation effects increased international sales by 4.4 percent. Local-currency sales increased 12.2 percent in Asia Pacific, 8.4 percent in the combined Latin America, Africa and Canada region, and declined 0.3 percent in Europe.

In the United States, sales totaled $2.06 billion, up 3.5 percent from the third quarter of 2003. Volumes increased 3.2 percent, and selling prices increased by 0.3 percent.

3M's strong balance sheet and cash flow enabled the company to make special contributions of $455 million to its global pension plans in the third quarter as part of a multiyear plan to improve overall pension funding levels.

"We are optimistic about the strength of our diverse business and technology portfolio, but remain cautious on the global economy." McNerney said. "We have achieved strong earnings, cash flow and economic profit growth in 2004 despite increasing raw material price pressure, and are confident in our ability to leverage our corporate initiatives to drive sustainable revenue growth and operational excellence in the future."

3M also provided guidance on its earnings outlook for the remainder of 2004. The company expects fourth-quarter earnings of $0.90 to $0.91 per share, excluding the potential one-time impact of pending legislation to encourage the reinvestment of foreign earnings in the United States and the impact of an anticipated change in an accounting rule related to contingently convertible debt instruments. The combined fourth-quarter unfavorable impact of these items is expected to be $0.06 per share; therefore, including the impact of this pending legislation and anticipated accounting rule change, the company would expect fourth-quarter 2004 earnings of $0.84 to $0.85 per share.

Excluding these potential fourth quarter adjustments, full-year 2004 earnings are expected to be $3.74 to $3.75, an increase of more than 20 percent over 2003 and at the high end of a previous expectation in the range of $3.72 to $3.75 per share. Full-year earnings, including these potential adjustments, are expected to be $3.68 to $3.69. Management expects full-year sales volume growth of approximately 7 percent.

Patrick D. Campbell, senior vice president and chief financial officer, will conduct an investor teleconference at 9 a.m. Eastern Time (8 a.m. Central Time) today. Investors can access a webcast of this conference, along with related charts and materials, at http://investor.3M.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about the Company's financial results and estimates, business prospects, and products under development that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: (1) worldwide economic conditions; (2) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; (3) the timing and acceptance of new product offerings; (4) the availability and cost of purchased components and materials, including oil-derived compounds; (5) 3M's ability to successfully integrate and obtain the anticipated synergies from acquisitions and strategic alliances; (6) 3M's ability to implement its corporate initiatives effectively; and (7) legal proceedings, including the outcome of and information derived from pending Congressional action concerning asbestos-related litigation and other significant developments that could occur in the legal proceedings described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, and its subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q (the "Reports"). Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports. The information contained in this news release is as of the date indicated. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information or future events or developments.

About 3M -- A Global, Diversified Technology Company

Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing things happen. Wherever they are, whatever they do, the company's customers know they can rely on 3M to help make their lives better. 3M's brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti. Serving customers in more than 200 countries around the world, the company's 67,000 people use their expertise, technologies and global strength to lead in major markets including consumer and office; display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; safety, security and protection services; health care; industrial and transportation. For more information, including the latest product and technology news, visit www.3M.com.

Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti are trademarks of 3M.

 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
(Millions, except per-share amounts)
(Unaudited)
                         
      Three-months ended     Nine-months ended
     

September 30

    September 30
      2004     2003     2004     2003
Net sales     $ 4,969       $ 4,616       $ 14,920       $ 13,514  
Operating expenses                        
Cost of sales       2,457         2,322         7,345         6,856  
Selling, general and                        
administrative expenses       1,047         994         3,235         2,978  
Research, development and                        
related expenses       282         270         854         816  
Other expense       -         -         -         93  
Total       3,786         3,586         11,434         10,743  
Operating income       1,183         1,030         3,486         2,771  
Interest expense and income                        
Interest expense       17         22         52         69  
Interest income       (12 )       (6 )       (32 )       (17 )
Total       5         16         20         52  
Income before income taxes                        
and minority interest       1,178         1,014         3,466         2,719  
Provision for income taxes       389         339         1,144         897  
Minority interest       14         12         52         38  
Net income     $ 775       $ 663       $ 2,270       $ 1,784  
Weighted average common                        
shares outstanding - basic       780.6         784.6         782.0         782.2  
Earnings per share - basic     $ 0.99       $ 0.85       $ 2.90       $ 2.28  
Weighted average common                        
shares outstanding - diluted       796.2         797.5         798.5         793.4  
Earnings per share - diluted     $ 0.97       $ 0.83       $ 2.84       $ 2.25  
Cash dividends paid per common                        
share     $ 0.36       $ 0.33       $ 1.08       $ 0.99  
                         
 
 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
SUPPLEMENTAL CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME INFORMATION
(Millions, except per-share amounts)
(Unaudited)
                                     
      Nine-months ended     Nine-months ended
     

September 30, 2004

   

September 30, 2003

      Excluding                 Excluding            
      special     Special     Reported     special     Special     Reported
      items     items     total     items (a)     items (a)     total
Net sales     $ 14,920       $ -     $ 14,920       $ 13,514       $ -       $ 13,514  
Operating                                    
expenses                                    
Cost of                                    
sales       7,345         -       7,345         6,856         -         6,856  
Selling,                                    
general and                                    
admini-                                    
strative                                    
expenses       3,235         -       3,235         2,978         -         2,978  
Research,                                    
development                                    
and related                                    
expenses       854         -       854         816         -         816  
Other                                    
expense       -         -       -         -         93         93  
Total       11,434         -       11,434         10,650         93         10,743  
Operating                                    
income (loss)       3,486         -       3,486         2,864         (93 )       2,771  
                                     
Interest                                    
expense and                                    
(income), net       20         -       20         52         -         52  
Income (loss)                                    
before income                                    
taxes and                                    
minority                                    
interest       3,466         -       3,466         2,812         (93 )       2,719  
                                     
Provision                                    
(benefit) for                                    
income taxes       1,144         -       1,144         932         (35 )       897  
Effective tax                                    
rate       33.0 %       -       33.0 %       33.2 %       -         33.0 %
                                     
Minority                                    
interest       52         -       52         38         -         38  
Net income                                    
(loss)     $ 2,270       $ -     $ 2,270       $ 1,842       $ (58 )     $ 1,784  
Weighted                                    
average                

 

                 
diluted                                    
shares       798.5         -       798.5         793.4         793.4         793.4  
Net income                                    
per diluted                                    
share     $ 2.84       $ -     $ 2.84       $ 2.32       $ (0.07 )     $ 2.25  
                                     
 

(a) In addition to disclosing results that are determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the company also discloses non-GAAP results that exclude special items. Special items represent significant charges or credits that are important to an understanding of the company's ongoing operations. The company provides reconciliations of its non-GAAP financial reporting to the most comparable GAAP reporting. The company believes that discussion of results excluding special items provides a useful analysis of ongoing operating trends. Earnings per share and other amounts before special items are not measures recognized under GAAP. The determination of special items may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. During the first quarter of 2003, 3M recorded pretax charges of $93 million ($58 million after-tax) related to an adverse court ruling in a lawsuit filed against 3M in 1997 by LePage's Inc.

 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
(Dollars in millions)
(Unaudited)
 
      Sep. 30,     Sep. 30,     Dec. 31,
ASSETS     2004     2003     2003
Current assets    

 

   

 

   

 

Cash and cash equivalents     $ 2,200     $ 1,279     $ 1,836
Accounts receivable - net       2,853       2,791       2,714
Inventories       1,953       1,882       1,816
Other current assets       1,291       1,390       1,354
Total current assets       8,297       7,342       7,720
Investments       217       214       218
Property, plant and equipment - net       5,468       5,467       5,609
Goodwill, intangible assets and other                  
assets       4,082       3,774       4,053
Total assets     $ 18,064     $ 16,797     $ 17,600
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY                  
Current liabilities                  
Short-term borrowings and current portion                  
of long-term debt     $ 1,377     $ 1,255     $ 1,202
Accounts payable       1,116       969       1,087
Accrued payroll       516       457       436
Accrued income taxes       877       825       880
Other current liabilities       1,387       1,462       1,477
Total current liabilities       5,273       4,968       5,082
Long-term debt       1,284       1,738       1,735
Other liabilities       2,811       2,583       2,898
Total liabilities       9,368       9,289       9,715
Total stockholders' equity - net       8,696       7,508       7,885
Shares outstanding                  
September 30, 2004: 778,533,778 shares                  
September 30, 2003: 784,883,033 shares                  
December 31, 2003: 784,117,360 shares                  
Total liabilities and stockholders'                  
equity     $ 18,064     $ 16,797     $ 17,600
                         
 
 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
(Dollars in millions)
(Unaudited)
             
      Nine-months ended
      September 30
      2004     2003
SUMMARY OF CASH FLOW:            
             
NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES     $ 2,959       $ 2,507  
Cash flows from investing activities:            
Purchases of property, plant and            
equipment       (613 )       (416 )
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired       (73 )       (428 )
Other investing activities       39         108  
NET CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES       (647 )       (736 )
Cash flows from financing activities:            
Change in debt       (271 )       (372 )
Purchases of treasury stock       (1,235 )       (394 )
Reissuances of treasury stock       423         425  
Dividends paid to stockholders       (845 )       (775 )
Other financing activities       (31 )       (19 )
NET CASH USED IN FINANCING ACTIVITIES       (1,959 )       (1,135 )
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash       11         25  
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents       364         661  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of            
period       1,836         618  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period     $ 2,200       $ 1,279  
                     
 
 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW AND
NET WORKING CAPITAL TURNS INFORMATION
(Dollars in millions)
(Unaudited)
             
      Nine-months ended
      September 30
      2004     2003
FREE CASH FLOW (Non-GAAP measure):            
Net cash provided by operating activities     $ 2,959       $ 2,507  
Purchases of property, plant and equipment       (613 )       (416 )
Free Cash Flow (a)     $ 2,346       $ 2,091  
             
NET WORKING CAPITAL TURNS (Non-GAAP measure):            
             
Net Working Capital Turns (b)       5.4         5.0  
             
 

(a) Free cash flow is not defined under GAAP. Therefore, it is considered a non-GAAP measure. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered a substitute for income or cash flow data prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. The company defines free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property, plant and equipment. It should not be inferred that the entire free cash flow amount is available for discretionary expenditures. The company believes free cash flow is a useful measure of performance and uses this measure as an indication of the strength of the company and its ability to generate cash.

(b) The company also uses non-GAAP measures that place emphasis and focus on certain working capital assets and liabilities. 3M's net working capital index is defined as quarterly net sales multiplied by four, divided by ending net accounts receivable plus inventory less accounts payable. This measure is not recognized under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
SALES CHANGE ANALYSIS
(Unaudited)
                   
Three-Months Ended September 30, 2004
                   
Sales Change Analysis     United     Inter-      
By Geographic Area     States     national     Worldwide
Volume - core     2.3 %     7.2 %     5.0 %
                   
Volume - acquisitions     0.9       0.3       0.6  
Volume - total     3.2       7.5       5.6  
                   
Price     0.3       (1.1 )     (0.5 )
Total local-currency sales     3.5       6.4       5.1  
                   
Translation     -       4.4       2.5  
Total sales change     3.5 %     10.8 %     7.6 %
                   
                   
      Local-           Total
Sales Change Analysis     currency     Trans-     Sales
By Business Segment     Sales     lation     Change
Health Care     (0.8 )%     3.0 %     2.2 %
                   
Industrial     10.5       2.7       13.2  
                   
Display and Graphics     6.6       2.4       9.0  
                   
Consumer and Office     7.7       1.8       9.5  
                   
Safety, Security and Protection                  
Services     6.4       2.5       8.9  
                   
Electro and Communications     1.5       2.0       3.5  
                   
Transportation     3.7       2.8       6.5  
                   
 
 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
SALESCHANGE ANALYSIS
(Unaudited)
                   
Nine-Months Ended September 30, 2004
                   
Sales Change Analysis     United     Inter-      
By Geographic Area     States     national     Worldwide
Volume - core     2.7 %     9.8 %     6.8 %
                   
Volume - acquisitions     0.7       0.3       0.5  
Volume - total     3.4       10.1       7.3  
                   
Price     0.0       (1.1 )     (0.6 )
Total local-currency sales     3.4       9.0       6.7  
                   
Translation     -       6.5       3.7  
Total sales change     3.4 %     15.5 %     10.4 %
                   
                   
      Local-           Total
Sales Change Analysis     currency     Trans-     Sales
By Business Segment     Sales     lation     Change
Health Care     0.6 %     4.1 %     4.7 %
                   
Industrial     9.9       3.9       13.8  
                   
Display and Graphics     14.7       4.5       19.2  
                   
Consumer and Office     6.4       2.7       9.1  
                   
Safety, Security and Protection                  
Services     6.2       3.5       9.7  
                   
Electro and Communications     3.0       2.8       5.8  
                   
Transportation     5.4       4.2       9.6  
                         
 
 
3M Company and Subsidiaries
BUSINESS SEGMENTS
(Dollars in millions)
(Unaudited)
                         
BUSINESS                        

SEGMENT

   

Three-months ended

    Nine-months ended
INFORMATION     September 30     September 30
(Millions)     2004     2003     2004     2003
NET SALES                        
Health Care     $ 1,035       $ 1,012       $ 3,115       $ 2,975  
Industrial       940         830         2,832         2,489  
Display and Graphics       841         772         2,564         2,152  
Consumer and Office       737         673         2,098         1,922  
Safety, Security and Protection                        
Services       525         482         1,599         1,458  
Electro and Communications       470         454         1,424         1,346  
Transportation       411         386         1,260         1,150  
Corporate and Unallocated       10         7         28         22  
Total Company     $ 4,969       $ 4,616       $ 14,920       $ 13,514  
                         
OPERATING INCOME                        
Health Care     $ 277       $ 272       $ 813       $ 773  
Industrial       170         115         503         349  
Display and Graphics       286         251         891         642  
Consumer and Office       150         128         395         346  
Safety, Security and Protection                        
Services       123         111         384         347  
Electro and Communications       79         66         223         184  
Transportation       105         106         330         301  
Corporate and Unallocated (a)       (7 )       (19 )       (53 )       (171 )
Total Company     $ 1,183       $ 1,030       $ 3,486       $ 2,771  
                         
 

(a) The following charges were recorded in Corporate and Unallocated. First quarter 2004 includes $16 million in expense related to a reduction in breast implant receivables, primarily related to an arbitration ruling in the first quarter that rejected the Company's claims for recovery under certain of its claims-made policies. Third quarter 2003 includes respirator mask/asbestos litigation expenses and implant litigation expenses. During the first quarter of 2003, 3M recorded pretax charges of $93 million related to an adverse court ruling in a lawsuit filed against 3M in 1997 by LePage's Inc. First quarter 2003 also includes certain acquisition-related costs and respirator mask/asbestos litigation expenses.

 

3M, St. PaulInvestor Contacts:Mark Colin, 651-733-8206orBruce Jermeland, 651-733-1807orMedia Contact:John Cornwell, 651-733-7698

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