3M to Slash 1,500 Jobs After Top Line Misses Estimates

Organic local-currency sales grew 1.2% and foreign currency translation reduced sales by 7.4% year on year.

3M also announced a restructuring plan that will result in an expected reduction of 1,500 positions worldwide and estimated pretax savings of $130 million in 2016. The company anticipates a fourth-quarter pretax charge of approximately $100 million, or $0.13 per share, related to this plan. Reductions will be primarily focused on structural overhead, largely in the United States, and slower-growing markets, with particular emphasis on EMEA and Latin America.

3M lowered its full-year adjusted earnings expectation from a prior range of $7.80 to $8.10 per share to a new range of $7.73 to $7.78. Organic local-currency sales growth is expected to be in the range of 1.5% to 2.0%, versus previous guidance of 2.5% to 4.0%. The company anticipates that full-year free cash flow conversion will be in the range of 95% to 100%, versus a previous estimated range of 90% to 100%. The current consensus analysts’ estimate calls for full-year EPS of $7.77 on sales of $30.78 billion.

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CEO Inge G. Thulin said:

We continue to take actions to strengthen our portfolio, increase our scientific edge through research and development, and transform our business processes through a new global ERP system. We are building a stronger, more streamlined and more focused company that can compete and win for years to come.

3M’s shares traded up about 3.7% late Thursday morning to $155.35. The current 52-week range is $134.00 to $170.50. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of $156.50 before the report.