Michael F. Roman Sells 49,598 Shares of 3M (NYSE:MMM) Stock

3M (NYSE:MMM - Get Free Report) Chairman Michael F. Roman sold 49,598 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.30, for a total value of $7,553,775.40. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 180,895 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $27,550,308.50. The trade was a 21.52 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

3M Trading Up 1.8 %

Shares of MMM stock traded up $2.77 on Thursday, hitting $154.31. The stock had a trading volume of 3,954,778 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,686,885. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.86, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.08. 3M has a 1 year low of $75.40 and a 1 year high of $154.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $84.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.44, a P/E/G ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 0.95. The company's 50 day moving average price is $134.20 and its 200-day moving average price is $130.37.

3M (NYSE:MMM - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 21st. The conglomerate reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.02. 3M had a net margin of 15.71% and a return on equity of 100.77%. The business had revenue of $6.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.77 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.42 EPS. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 25.0% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that 3M will post 7.66 earnings per share for the current year.

3M Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 15th were paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 15th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.81%. 3M's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 37.09%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of 3M from $162.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of 3M in a research report on Saturday, January 18th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an "underperform" rating and set a $96.00 price target on shares of 3M in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised 3M from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and boosted their price target for the company from $140.00 to $170.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Finally, UBS Group raised shares of 3M from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $130.00 to $184.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $148.87.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On 3M

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of 3M during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. FSA Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in 3M in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC lifted its position in 3M by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. Daymark Wealth Partners LLC now owns 217,745 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 17,211 shares in the last quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of 3M by 118.6% in the third quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 223 shares of the conglomerate's stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the period. Finally, ORG Partners LLC increased its position in shares of 3M by 44.1% during the fourth quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 320 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. 65.25% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About 3M

3M Company provides diversified technology services in the United States and internationally. The company's Safety and Industrial segment offers industrial abrasives and finishing for metalworking applications; autobody repair solutions; closure systems for personal hygiene products, masking, and packaging materials; electrical products and materials for construction and maintenance, power distribution, and electrical original equipment manufacturers; structural adhesives and tapes; respiratory, hearing, eye, and fall protection solutions; and natural and color-coated mineral granules for shingles.

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