Lower costs support 3M’s dividend

Article Excerpt

3M COMPANY $113 remains a buy for long-term gains. The diversified manufacturer (New York symbol MMM; Income-Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 549.2 million; Market cap: $62.1 billion; Dividend yield: 5.3%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.3m.com) last increased its quarterly dividend with the March 2022 payment, to $1.49 a share, up 0.7% from $1.48. The new annual rate of $5.96 yields a high 5.3%. 3M has increased that rate each year for the past 64 years. The company supplies components for a wide variety of consumer products and electronic items (smartphones, tablets and televisions). Due to weaker demand for those products, 3M expects its earnings in 2023 will fall by about 11% to $8.75 a share. The stock trades at 12.9 times that forecast. The company is now cutting 3% of its workforce, which should improve its long-term profitability. 3M is a buy. buy…