Confident Investing Starts With TipRanks Premium

Get 55% Off
TipRanks
Go Ultimate55% OFF

3M (MMM) Risk Analysis

Public companies are required to disclose risks that can affect the business and impact the stock. These disclosures are known as “Risk Factors”. Companies disclose these risks in their yearly (Form 10-K), quarterly earnings (Form 10-Q), or “foreign private issuer” reports (Form 20-F). Risk factors show the challenges a company faces. Investors can consider the worst-case scenarios before making an investment. TipRanks’ Risk Analysis categorizes risks based on proprietary classification algorithms and machine learning. 3M disclosed 16 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. 3M reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.

Risk Overview Q2, 2026

Source: the company's latest filing for the period ended Jun 30, 2026, filed Jul 21, 2026

Risk Distribution
16Risks
Sector Avg.Finance & CorporateTech & InnovationLegal & RegulatoryProductionAbility to SellMacro & Political
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy

Risk Change Over Time

3M disclosed risks per quarterNo. of Risks14.751515.2515.515.751616.25Q3Q4Q12023Q2Q3Q4Q12024Q2Q3Q4Q12025Q2Q3Q4Q12026Q2Showing: Q4, 2025
Risks removedRisks addedRisks changed3M Risk Factors
Risk Changed (2)
  • Technology - Risk 1
    The Company's use of artificial intelligence technologies exposes the Company to risks which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, reputation and results of operations.

    Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies support a range of the Company's activities, including research and development, operational processes, customer facing tools, and other business functions. The use of AI introduces risks that could adversely affect the Company's business, results of operations, or financial condition. AI systems may produce inaccurate, biased, or incomplete outputs, which could lead to operational errors, reduced product or service quality, or unintentional impacts on business decisions. External vendors and third party AI tools may expose the Company to additional risks, including insufficient transparency into model performance, vulnerabilities in underlying technologies, or disruptions in service availability. AI development and deployment also require security, and proper governance of the data used. Use of AI tools, including third party platforms, increases the risk of unauthorized disclosure, loss, or misuse of confidential, personal, or commercially sensitive information. In addition, there is a risk that employees or contractors could inadvertently input confidential company information or third party proprietary data into AI systems, including systems not designed for secure handling of such information. These actions could result in violations of contractual obligations, data protection requirements, or intellectual property rights, and could expose the Company to legal, regulatory, or reputational harm. Emerging and evolving regulations related to AI use, transparency, safety, and accountability may require additional investment, changes to existing processes, or limitations on the development and application of these technologies. Rapid advances in AI may also create competitive pressures or require ongoing investment to maintain effectiveness, and failures to manage, govern, or deploy AI responsibly could impair the Company's ability to achieve expected efficiencies or strategic objectives. While the Company will seek to develop and use artificial intelligence responsibly, and will attempt to identify and mitigate ethical, privacy, legal or other issues presented by its use, there can be no assurance that the Company will be fully successful in doing so, and may be subject to data breaches, allegations of unauthorized access to, or use of, third party data, information, or intellectual property rights, or other risks, which may lead to financial losses, legal liability, regulatory scrutiny and reputational damage.

Read and Evaluate the RiskReserved for Ultimate MembersUpgrade

Risk Highlights Q2, 2026

Main Risk Category
Finance & Corporate
With 5 Risks
Number of Disclosed Risks
16
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 32
Recent Changes
0Risks added
0Risks removed
0Risks changed
Since Jun 2026
Number of Risk Changed
0
No changes from last report
S&P 500 Average: 1

Risk Word Cloud

the company's future results are subject to vulnerability with respect to materials and fluctuations in the costs and availability of purchased components, compounds, raw materials, energy, and labor due to shortages, increased demand and wages, strikes or other labor disruptions, logistics, supply chain interruptions, manufacturing site disruptions, regulatory developments, natural disasters, and other disruptive factors.labor due to shortagesthe company's future results are subject to vulnerability with respect to materials and fluctuations in the costs and availability of purchased components, compounds, raw materials, energy, and labor due to shortages, increased demand and wages, strikes or other labor disruptions, logistics, supply chain interruptions, manufacturing site disruptions, regulatory developments, natural disasters, and other disruptive factors.availability of purchased componentschanges in tax rates, laws, or regulations could adversely impact our financial results.adversely impact our financial resultsthe company is subject to risks related to international, federal, state, and local treaties, laws, and regulations, as well as compliance risks related to legal or regulatory requirements, contract requirements, policies and practices, or other matters that require or encourage the company or its customers, suppliers, vendors, or channel partners to conduct business in a certain way. the outcome of legal and regulatory proceedings related to compliance with these treaties, laws, regulations, and requirements could have a material adverse effect on the company's reputation, ability to execute its strategy and its results of operations.regulatory proceedings related to compliancethe company's future results may be affected by its operational execution, including through organizational restructurings and scenarios where the company generates fewer productivity improvements than planned.company generates fewer productivity improvementsthe company is subject to risks related to international, federal, state, and local treaties, laws, and regulations, as well as compliance risks related to legal or regulatory requirements, contract requirements, policies and practices, or other matters that require or encourage the company or its customers, suppliers, vendors, or channel partners to conduct business in a certain way. the outcome of legal and regulatory proceedings related to compliance with these treaties, laws, regulations, and requirements could have a material adverse effect on the company's reputation, ability to execute its strategy and its results of operations.compliance risks related to legalthe company's defined benefit pension and postretirement plans are subject to financial market risks that could have a material adverse effect on our results.subject to financial market risksthe company is subject to risks related to international, federal, state, and local treaties, laws, and regulations, as well as compliance risks related to legal or regulatory requirements, contract requirements, policies and practices, or other matters that require or encourage the company or its customers, suppliers, vendors, or channel partners to conduct business in a certain way. the outcome of legal and regulatory proceedings related to compliance with these treaties, laws, regulations, and requirements could have a material adverse effect on the company's reputation, ability to execute its strategy and its results of operations.channel partners to conduct businessthe company's growth objectives are largely dependent on the timing and market acceptance of its new product offerings, including its ability to continually renew its pipeline of new products and to bring those products to market.ability to continually renewchange in the company's credit ratings or increases in benchmark interest rates could increase cost of funding.increase cost of funding

Risk Factors Full Breakdown - Total Risks 16

Debt & Financing1 | 6.3%
  • Debt & Financing - Risk 1
    Change in the Company's credit ratings or increases in benchmark interest rates could increase cost of funding.

    The Company's credit ratings are important to 3M's cost of capital. The major rating agencies routinely evaluate the Company's credit profile and assign debt ratings to 3M. This evaluation is based on a number of factors, which include financial strength, business and financial risk, as well as transparency with rating agencies and timeliness of financial reporting. The Company's credit ratings have served to lower 3M's borrowing costs and facilitate access to a variety of lenders. As of the date of this report, 3M has a credit rating of A3, stable outlook from Moody's Investors Service, a credit rating of BBB+, stable outlook from S&P Global Ratings, and a credit rating of A-, stable outlook from Fitch Ratings. The addition of further leverage to the Company's capital structure could impact 3M's credit ratings in the future. Failure to maintain strong investment grade ratings and further downgrades by the ratings agencies, would adversely affect the Company's cost of funding and could have a material adverse effect on the Company's liquidity and access to capital markets. In addition, interest expenses could increase due to a rise in interest rates.

Corporate Activity and Growth4 | 25.0%

See a full breakdown of risk according to category and subcategory. The list starts with the category with the most risk. Click on subcategories to read relevant extracts from the most recent report.

FAQ

What are “Risk Factors”?
Risk factors are any situations or occurrences that could make investing in a company risky. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires that publicly traded companies disclose their most significant risk factors. This is so that potential investors can consider any risks before they make an investment. They also offer companies protection, as a company can use risk factors as liability protection. This could happen if a company underperforms and investors take legal action as a result. It is worth noting that smaller companies, that is those with a public float of under $75 million on the last business day, do not have to include risk factors in their 10-K and 10-Q forms, although some may choose to do so.
How do companies disclose their risk factors?
Publicly traded companies initially disclose their risk factors to the SEC through their S-1 filings as part of the IPO process. Additionally, companies must provide a complete list of risk factors in their Annual Reports (Form 10-K) or (Form 20-F) for “foreign private issuers”. Quarterly Reports also include a section on risk factors (Form 10-Q) where companies are only required to update any changes since the previous report. According to the SEC, risk factors should be reported concisely, logically and in “plain English” so investors can understand them.
How can I use TipRanks risk factors in my stock research?
Use the Risk Factors tab to get data about the risk factors of any company in which you are considering investing. You can easily see the most significant risks a company is facing. Additionally, you can find out which risk factors a company has added, removed or adjusted since its previous disclosure. You can also see how a company’s risk factors compare to others in its sector. Without reading company reports or participating in conference calls, you would most likely not have access to this sort of information, which is usually not included in press releases or other public announcements. A simplified analysis of risk factors is unique to TipRanks.
What are all the risk factor categories?
TipRanks has identified 6 major categories of risk factors and a number of subcategories for each. You can see how these categories are broken down in the list below. 1. Financial & Corporate Accounting & Financial Operations - risks related to accounting loss, value of intangible assets, financial statements, value of intangible assets, financial reporting, estimates, guidance, company profitability, dividends, fluctuating results. Share Price & Shareholder Rights – risks related to things that impact share prices and the rights of shareholders, including analyst ratings, major shareholder activity, trade volatility, liquidity of shares, anti-takeover provisions, international listing, dual listing. Debt & Financing – risks related to debt, funding, financing and interest rates, financial investments. Corporate Activity and Growth – risks related to restructuring, M&As, joint ventures, execution of corporate strategy, strategic alliances. 2. Legal & Regulatory Litigation and Legal Liabilities – risks related to litigation/ lawsuits against the company. Regulation – risks related to compliance, GDPR, and new legislation. Environmental / Social – risks related to environmental regulation and to data privacy. Taxation & Government Incentives – risks related to taxation and changes in government incentives. 3. Production Costs – risks related to costs of production including commodity prices, future contracts, inventory. Supply Chain – risks related to the company’s suppliers. Manufacturing – risks related to the company’s manufacturing process including product quality and product recalls. Human Capital – risks related to recruitment, training and retention of key employees, employee relationships & unions labor disputes, pension, and post retirement benefits, medical, health and welfare benefits, employee misconduct, employee litigation. 4. Technology & Innovation Innovation / R&D – risks related to innovation and new product development. Technology – risks related to the company’s reliance on technology. Cyber Security – risks related to securing the company’s digital assets and from cyber attacks. Trade Secrets & Patents – risks related to the company’s ability to protect its intellectual property and to infringement claims against the company as well as piracy and unlicensed copying. 5. Ability to Sell Demand – risks related to the demand of the company’s goods and services including seasonality, reliance on key customers. Competition – risks related to the company’s competition including substitutes. Sales & Marketing – risks related to sales, marketing, and distribution channels, pricing, and market penetration. Brand & Reputation – risks related to the company’s brand and reputation. 6. Macro & Political Economy & Political Environment – risks related to changes in economic and political conditions. Natural and Human Disruptions – risks related to catastrophes, floods, storms, terror, earthquakes, coronavirus pandemic/COVID-19. International Operations – risks related to the global nature of the company. Capital Markets – risks related to exchange rates and trade, cryptocurrency.