dividends since 1916. In February 2011, the Board of Directors increased the quarterly dividend on 3M common stock by 4.8 percent to 55 cents per share, equivalent to an annual dividend of $2.20 per share. This marked the 53rd consecutive year of dividend increases. Other cash flows from financing activities primarily include distributions to noncontrolling interests, excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation, changes in cash overdraft balances, and principal payments for capital leases.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations:

 

As of December 31, 2010, the Company has not utilized special purpose entities to facilitate off-balance sheet financing arrangements. Refer to the section entitled “Warranties/Guarantees” in Note 14 for discussion of accrued product warranty liabilities and guarantees.

 

In addition to guarantees, 3M, in the normal course of business, periodically enters into agreements that require the Company to indemnify either major customers or suppliers for specific risks, such as claims for injury or property damage arising out of the use of 3M products or the negligence of 3M personnel, or claims alleging that 3M products infringe third-party patents or other intellectual property. While 3M’s maximum exposure under these indemnification provisions cannot be estimated, these indemnifications are not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or financial condition.

 

A summary of the Company’s significant contractual obligations as of December 31, 2010, follows:

 

Contractual Obligations

 

Long-term debt payments due in 2011 include $160 million of floating rate notes. The floating rate notes are classified as current portion of long-term debt as the result of put provisions associated with these debt instruments. Additionally, payments due in 2012 include the $226 million carrying amount of Convertible Notes, and payments due in 2013 include $73 million of floating rate notes, as a result of put provisions.

 

Unconditional purchase obligations are defined as an agreement to purchase goods or services that is enforceable and legally binding on the Company. Included in the unconditional purchase obligations category above are certain obligations related to take or pay contracts, capital commitments, service agreements and utilities. These estimates include both unconditional purchase obligations with terms in excess of one year and normal ongoing purchase obligations with terms of less than one year. Many of these commitments relate to take or pay contracts, in which 3M guarantees payment to ensure availability of products or services that are sold to customers. The Company expects to receive consideration (products or services) for these unconditional purchase obligations. Contractual capital commitments are included in the preceding table, but these commitments represent a small part of the Company’s expected capital spending in 2011 and beyond. The purchase obligation amounts do not represent the entire anticipated purchases in the future, but represent only those items for which the Company is contractually obligated. The majority of