Keep an eye on 3M for more spinoffs

Article Excerpt

3M’s shares are down 18% since the start of 2022. The decline is partly due to legal issues involving earplugs that the company manufactured for the U.S. Army. There are now more than 280,000 lawsuits filed against 3M. Of 11 trials to date, juries have sided with the plaintiffs six times, and with 3M five times. We feel the company will eventually settle these lawsuits. Meantime, investors stand to gain from the upcoming spinoff of 3M’s food safety business. In fact, this deal may set the stage for more spinoffs as 3M narrows its focus to its most-profitable businesses. What’s more, the company remains a great source of reliable dividend income. 3M COMPANY $145 is a buy. The company (New York symbol MMM; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 571.1 million; Market cap: $82.8 billion; Dividend yield: 4.1%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.3m.com) produces more than 60,000 items, including air purifiers, adhesives, bandages and components for medical devices. Investors tap its main brands, including Post-it notes,…