Dow component 3M fell 5 percent at the open after reporting earnings per share of 97 cents. That was up from a year earlier, but a penny shy of estimates. The company also said fourth-quarter results will miss expectations.
"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. "
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