2012



Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

  

OVERVIEW

 

3M is a diversified global manufacturer, technology innovator and marketer of a wide variety of products. In 2012, 3M managed its operations in six operating business segments: Industrial and Transportation; Health Care; Consumer and Office; Safety, Security and Protection Services; Display and Graphics; and Electro and Communications.

 

Consistent with 3M’s strategy of building relevance and presence in the marketplace, the Company announced in October 2012 that it was immediately beginning to align resources and management toward a new structure comprised of five business groups: Consumer; Industrial; Health Care; Safety and Graphics; and Electronics and Energy. The company’s operating results were managed on the basis of its existing segment structure through 2012, with the intention that results be managed under the new alignment once it is fully effective in the first quarter of 2013.

 

Fourth-quarter 2012 net income attributable to 3M was $991 million, or $1.41 per diluted share, compared to $954 million, or $1.35 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2011. Fourth-quarter 2012 sales totaled $7.4 billion, an increase of 4.2 percent from the fourth quarter of 2011. Organic local-currency sales (which include organic volume and selling price impacts) grew 4.3 percent, acquisitions added 0.9 percent to sales, and currency effects reduced sales by 1.0 percent year-on-year. From a business segment perspective, Consumer and Office led with organic local-currency sales growth of 8.7 percent, driven by consumer health care, construction and home improvement markets, and stationery and office supplies. Display and Graphics organic local-currency sales growth was 8.3 percent, led by optical systems, with sales also increasing in architectural markets, traffic safety systems and commercial graphics. Health Care organic local-currency sales grew 5.9 percent, with sales growth in all businesses, led by food safety, health information systems, skin and wound care, and oral care. Industrial and Transportation organic local-currency sales grew 3.9 percent, led by liquid filtration, aerospace, industrial adhesives and tapes, abrasives and automotive OEM. Both the advanced materials and renewable energy businesses declined year-on-year. Electro and Communications organic local-currency sales growth was 1.8 percent, with sales increases in electrical and telecommunication markets partially offset by a decline in consumer electronics-related businesses. Organic local-currency sales declined 1.7 percent in Safety, Security and Protection Services, as sales growth in infrastructure protection, personal safety and roofing granules was more than offset by a year-on-year decline in security systems.

 

From a geographic area perspective, fourth-quarter 2012 organic local-currency sales growth was 9.7 percent in Latin America/Canada, 5.8 percent in Asia Pacific, and 5.2 percent in the United States. Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) organic local-currency sales declined 1.0 percent, impacted by a weak economy in Western Europe.