Item 1A. Risk Factors

Provided below is a cautionary discussion of what we believe to be the most important risk factors applicable to the Company. Discussion of these factors is incorporated by reference into and considered an integral part of Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Risks Related to the Global Economy and External Conditions

* The Company’s results are impacted by the effects of, and changes in, worldwide economic, political, regulatory, international trade, geopolitical, and other external conditions.

The Company derives approximately 54 percent of its revenues from outside the United States, and, accordingly, the Company’s operations and the execution of its business strategies and plans are subject to global competition and economic and geopolitical risks that are beyond its control, such as, among other things, disruptions in financial markets, economic downturns, military conflicts, terrorism, public health emergencies, political changes and trends such as protectionism, economic nationalism resulting in government actions impacting international trade agreements or imposing trade restrictions such as tariffs and retaliatory counter measures, and government deficit reduction and other austerity measures in locations or industries in which the Company operates. Further escalation of specific trade tensions, including those between the U.S. and China, or more broadly in global trade conflict, could adversely impact the Company's business and operations around the world. The Company's business is also impacted by social, political, and labor conditions in locations in which the Company or its suppliers or customers operate; adverse changes in the availability and cost of capital; monetary policy; interest rates; inflation; recession; commodity prices; currency volatility or exchange control; ability to expatriate earnings; and other laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which the Company or its suppliers or customers operate. For example, changes in local economic condition or outlooks, such as lower economic growth rates in China, Europe, or other key markets, impact the demand or profitability of the Company's products.

The global economy has been impacted by military conflicts, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The U.S. and other governments have imposed export controls on certain products and financial and economic sanctions on certain industry sectors and parties in Russia. 3M suspended operations of its subsidiaries in Russia in March 2022 and completed a sale of the related assets in June 2023. These geopolitical tensions could result in, among other things, cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, higher energy and other commodity costs, lower consumer demand, and changes to foreign exchange rates and financial markets, any of which may adversely affect the Company's business and supply chain.

Climate change and severe weather events, including related environmental and social regulations, as well as natural disasters, may negatively impact the Company or its customers and suppliers, in terms of availability and cost of natural resources, sources and supply of energy, product demand and manufacturing, compliance costs, and the health and well-being of individuals and communities in which we or our suppliers or customers operate.

* Foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates may affect the Company’s ability to realize projected growth rates in its sales and earnings.

Because the Company’s financial statements are denominated in U.S. dollars and approximately 54 percent of the Company’s revenues are derived from outside the United States, the Company’s results of operations and its ability to realize projected growth rates in sales and earnings could be adversely affected if the U.S. dollar strengthens significantly against foreign currencies. For a discussion of the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on the Company, see Part II, Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

Risks Related to Legal and Regulatory Proceedings

* The Company faces liabilities related to certain fluorochemicals, which could adversely impact our results.

As previously reported, governments in the United States and internationally have increasingly been regulating a broad group of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances produced by the Company, collectively known as “PFAS.” 3M has noticed several global regulatory trends related to PFAS, including declining emission standards and limits set as to the presence of certain compounds in various media, and the inclusion of a broadening group of PFAS. Developments in these and other global regulatory trends may require additional actions by 3M, including investigation, remediation, and compliance, or may result in additional litigation and enforcement action costs.

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The Company has been voluntarily cooperating with various local, state, federal (primarily the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)), and international agencies in their review of the environmental and health effects of certain PFAS produced by the Company.

The PFAS group contains several categories and classes of durable chemicals and materials with properties that include oil, water, temperature, chemical, and fire resistance, as well as electrical insulating properties. The strength of the carbon-fluorine bond also means that these compounds do not easily degrade. These characteristics have made PFAS substances critical to the manufacture of electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, and semi-conductors. They are also used to help prevent contamination of medical products like surgical gowns and drapes. Commercial aircraft and low-emissions vehicles also rely on PFAS technology. PFAS compounds are manufactured by various companies, including 3M, and are used in everyday products, including some manufactured by 3M. As science and technology evolve and advance, and in response to evolving knowledge and the understanding that certain PFAS compounds had the potential to build up over time, 3M announced in 2000 that it would voluntarily phase out production of two PFAS substances, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) globally as a precautionary measure. Most of the phase out activities in the United States were completed by the end of 2002. The phase out included materials used to produce certain repellents and surfactant products, and products including Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) and certain coatings for food packaging, for example. Following the phase out of PFOA and PFOS production, the Company has continued to review, control, or eliminate the presence of certain PFAS in purchased materials, as intended substances in products, or as byproducts of some of 3M’s current manufacturing processes, products, and waste streams.

3M announced in December 2022 it will take two actions with respect to PFAS (2022 PFAS Announcement): exiting all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025; and working to discontinue the use of PFAS across its product portfolio by the end of 2025. 3M continues to make progress toward these goals, as discussed further below. The Company recognized a $0.8 billion pre-tax charge in the fourth quarter of 2022 associated with this announcement related to asset impairments, and will incur additional expenses in connection with the 2022 PFAS Announcement. In addition, the 2022 PFAS Announcement involves risks, including: the actual timing, costs, and financial impact of such exit; the Company’s ability to complete such exit on the anticipated timing or at all; potential governmental or regulatory actions relating to PFAS or the Company’s exit plans; the Company’s ability to identify and manufacture, or procure from third parties if possible, acceptable options for PFAS-containing materials in 3M's supply chain; the possibility that such non-PFAS options are not available or that such substitutes may not achieve the anticipated or desired commercial, financial or operational results; potential litigation relating to the Company’s exit plans or to any products that include third-party manufactured materials containing PFAS that are incorporated into the products the Company sells; and the possibility that the planned exit will involve greater costs than anticipated, may not be feasible, may not be feasible on the timeframe initially predicted, or may otherwise have negative impacts on the Company’s relationships with its customers and other counterparties.

As stated above, 3M is progressing toward exiting all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025. 3M is also working to discontinue the use of PFAS across its product portfolio by the end of 2025. 3M has already eliminated the PFAS use in certain product categories, and has made progress across its product portfolio in a variety of applications. With respect to PFAS-containing products not manufactured by 3M but manufactured by companies other than 3M in the Company's supply chains, the Company continues to evaluate the availability of third-party products that do not contain PFAS. Depending on the availability and feasibility of such third-party products not containing PFAS, the Company continues to evaluate whether there may be some circumstances in which the use of PFAS-containing materials manufactured by third parties and used in certain applications in 3M’s product portfolios, such as lithium ion batteries and printed circuit boards widely used in commerce across a variety of industries, may continue beyond 2025. In such instances, the Company intends to continue to evaluate the adoption of third-party products that do not contain PFAS to the extent such products are available and such adoption is feasible.

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3M currently is defending lawsuits concerning various PFAS-related products and chemistries, and is subject to unasserted and asserted claims and governmental regulatory proceedings and inquiries related to the production and use of PFAS in a variety of jurisdictions, as discussed in Note 18, “Commitments and Contingencies,” within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 3M has seen increased public and private lawsuits being filed on behalf of states, counties, cities, and utilities alleging, among other things, harm to the general public and damages to natural resources, some of which are pending in the Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) multi-district litigation and some of which are pending in other jurisdictions. Various factors or developments in these and other disclosed actions could result in future charges that could have a material adverse effect on 3M. For example, we recorded a pre-tax charge of $897 million, inclusive of legal fees and other related obligations, in the first quarter of 2018 with respect to the settlement of a matter brought by the State of Minnesota involving the presence of PFAS in the groundwater, surface water, fish or other aquatic life, and sediments in the state. In addition, as described in greater detail in Note 18, “Commitments and Contingencies,” within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, in June 2023, the Company entered into a proposed class-action settlement (“PWS Settlement”) to resolve a wide range of drinking water claims by public water systems in the United States regarding any PFAS, subject to court approval. If the court approves the PWS Settlement and all conditions in the PWS Settlement are met, 3M will pay $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion in total to resolve the claims released by the PWS Settlement, with payments to be made from 2023 through 2036, in exchange for a release of certain claims, as described further in Note 18. The PWS Settlement gives 3M the option to terminate the PWS Settlement if the numbers of eligible class members opting out of the PWS Settlement exceed specified levels. Unexpected events related to the PWS Settlement, including whether court approval of the PWS Settlement will be obtained, whether the number of plaintiffs that opt out of the PWS Settlement will exceed current expectations or will exceed the level that would permit 3M to terminate the PWS Settlement (and whether 3M will elect to terminate the PWS Settlement if this occurs), whether the PWS Settlement is appealed, and the impact of the PWS Settlement on other PFAS-related matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or its consolidated financial position.

Governmental inquiries, lawsuits, or laws and regulations involving PFAS could lead to our incurring liability for damages or other costs, civil or criminal proceedings, the imposition of fines and penalties, or other remedies, including orders to conduct remediation, as well as restrictions on or added costs for our business operations going forward, including in the form of restrictions on discharges at our manufacturing facilities, requiring the installation of control technologies, suspension or shutdown of facility operations, switching costs in seeking alternative sources of supply, potential customer damage claims due to supply disruptions or otherwise, and reporting requirements or bans on PFAS and PFAS-containing products manufactured by the Company. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or its consolidated financial position.

* The Company is subject to risks related to international, federal, state, and local treaties, laws, and regulations, as well as compliance risks related to legal or regulatory requirements, contract requirements, policies and practices, or other matters that require or encourage the Company or its suppliers, vendors, or channel partners to conduct business in a certain way. The outcome of legal and regulatory proceedings related to compliance with these treaties, laws, regulations, and requirements could have a material adverse effect on the Company's reputation, ability to execute its strategy and its results of operations.

The Company operates globally, including in some jurisdictions that pose potentially elevated risks of fraud or corruption or increased risk of internal control issues, and is subject to risks related to international, federal, state, and local treaties, laws, and regulations, including those involving product liability; securities and corporate laws; antitrust and competition laws; intellectual property; environmental, health, and safety; tax; the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other anti-bribery, anti-corruption laws; international import and export requirements and trade sanctions compliance; regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and similar foreign agencies; U.S. federal healthcare program-related laws and regulations including the False Claims Act, anti-kickback laws, and the Sunshine Act; and other matters. The Company is also subject to compliance risks related to legal or regulatory requirements, contract requirements, policies and practices, or other matters that require or encourage the Company and its suppliers, vendors, or channel parties, to conduct business in a certain way. Legal compliance risks also include third-party risks where the Company’s suppliers, vendors, or channel partners, or trade associations to which the Company belongs, have business practices that are inconsistent with 3M’s Supplier Responsibility Code, 3M performance requirements, or with legal requirements.

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The failure to comply with the FCPA and other anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and regulations could result in significant civil fines and penalties or criminal sanctions against the Company, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, operating results and financial condition. These laws and regulations prohibit corrupt payments by the Company's employees, suppliers, vendors, channel partners or agents. The Company is also required to maintain accurate books and records and adequate internal controls under the FCPA's accounting provisions. From time to time, the Company receives reports internally and externally, via various reporting channels deployed by its Ethics and Compliance function or otherwise (such as shareholder communications), about business and other activities that raise compliance or other legal or litigation issues. The Company has in the past, and in the future could be, required to investigate such reports and cooperate with U.S. and foreign regulatory authorities in such investigations, audit, monitor compliance or alter its practices as part of such investigations, and the Company has in the past and may in the future be required to pay fines or penalties related to its practices. While the Company maintains and implements U.S. and international compliance programs, including policies and procedures, training, and internal controls designed to reduce the risk of noncompliance, the Company's employees, suppliers, vendors, channel partners or agents may violate such policies and procedures and engage in practices that contravene relevant laws and regulations.

The Company's results of operations could be adversely impacted if the costs to comply with these evolving treaties, laws, regulations, and requirements are greater than projected by the Company. In addition, the outcome of legal and regulatory proceedings related to compliance with these treaties, laws, regulations, and requirements are difficult to reliably predict, may differ from the Company’s expectations, and have resulted and may in the future result in, one or more of the following: criminal or civil sanctions, including fines; limitations on the extent to which the Company can conduct business; employee and business partner terminations due to policy violations; and private rights of action that result in litigation exposure, including expenses and costs incurred in connection with settlement or court proceedings, for the Company. In addition, detecting, investigating and resolving actual or alleged violations of these acts is expensive and could consume significant time and attention of our senior management. Although the Company maintains general liability insurance to mitigate monetary exposure, the amount of liability that may result from certain of these risks may not always be covered by, or could exceed, the applicable insurance coverage. Various factors or developments can lead the Company to change current estimates of liabilities and related insurance receivables where applicable, or make such estimates for matters previously not susceptible of reasonable estimates, such as a significant judicial ruling or judgment, a significant settlement, significant regulatory developments or changes in applicable law. A future adverse ruling, settlement, or unfavorable development could result in future charges that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations or cash flows or its consolidated financial position. In addition, negative publicity related to the matters noted above or other matters involving the Company may negatively impact the Company’s reputation. The Company also relies on patent and other intellectual property protection, and challenges to the Company’s intellectual property rights, or claims that the Company’s activities interfere with the intellectual property rights of a third party, could cause the Company to incur significant expenses to assert or defend against such claims, could result in reduced revenue, and could damage the Company’s reputation, any of which could have an adverse effect on the Company. For a more detailed discussion of the legal proceedings involving the Company and the associated accounting estimates, see the discussion in Note 18, “Commitments and Contingencies,” within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Risks Related to Our Products and Customer Preferences

* The Company’s results are affected by competitive conditions and customer preferences.

Demand for the Company’s products, which impacts revenue and profit margins, is affected by, among other things, (i) the development and timing of the introduction of competitive products; (ii) the Company’s pricing strategies; (iii) changes in customer order patterns, such as changes in the levels of inventory maintained by customers, vendors, or channel partners; (iv) changes in customers’ preferences for our products, including the success of products offered by our competitors, and changes in customer designs for their products that can affect the demand for some of the Company’s products; and (v) changes in the business environment related to disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, block-chain, expanded analytics, and other enhanced learnings from increasing volume of available data.

* The Company’s growth objectives are largely dependent on the timing and market acceptance of its new product offerings, including its ability to continually renew its pipeline of new products and to bring those products to market.

This ability is subject to difficulties or delays in product development, such as the inability to identify viable new products, obtain adequate intellectual property protection, or gain market acceptance of new products. There are no guarantees that new products will prove to be commercially successful.

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* The Company’s future results are subject to vulnerability with respect to materials and fluctuations in the costs and availability of purchased components, compounds, raw materials, energy, and labor due to shortages, increased demand and wages, logistics, supply chain interruptions, manufacturing site disruptions, regulatory developments, natural disasters, and other disruptive factors.

The Company depends on various components, compounds, raw materials, and energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) supplied by others for the manufacturing of its products. Supplier relationships have been and could be interrupted in the future due to supplier material shortage, climate impacts and severe weather events, natural and other disasters, and other disruptive events such as military conflicts, or be terminated. In addition, some of our suppliers are limited- or sole-source suppliers, and our ability to meet our obligations to customers depends on the performance, product quality, and stability of such suppliers and the Company's ability to source adequate alternatives in a cost-effective manner. Any sustained interruption in the Company’s receipt of adequate supplies, supply chain disruptions impacting the distribution of products, or disruption to key manufacturing sites’ operations due to natural and other disasters or events, such as government actions relating to discharge or emission permits or other legal or regulatory requirements, could have a material adverse effect on the Company and its ability to fulfill supply obligations to its customers. The Company could incur contractual penalties, experience a deterioration in customer relationships, or suffer harm to its reputation if the Company is unable to fulfill its obligations to customers, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Company's processes to minimize volatility in component and material pricing will be successful or that future price fluctuations or shortages will not have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Risks Related to Our Business

* The Company employs information including operational technology systems to support its business and to collect, store, and/or use proprietary and confidential information, including ongoing phased implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system as part of its business transformation on a worldwide basis over the next several years. Security and data breaches, cyberattacks, and other cybersecurity incidents involving the Company’s information technology systems, networks and infrastructure could disrupt or interfere with the Company’s operations; result in the compromise and misappropriation of proprietary and confidential information belonging to the Company or its customers, suppliers, and employees; and expose the Company to numerous expenses, liabilities, and other negative consequences, any or all of which could adversely impact the Company’s business, reputation, and results of operations.

In the ordinary course of business, the Company relies on centralized and local information technology networks and systems, some of which are provided, hosted, or managed by vendors and other third parties, to process, transmit, and store electronic information, and to manage or support a variety of businesses. Additionally, the Company collects and stores certain data, including proprietary business information, and has access to confidential or personal information in certain of our businesses that is subject to privacy and cybersecurity laws, regulations, and customer-imposed controls. Third parties and threat actors, including organized criminals, nation-state entities, and/or nation-state supported actors, regularly attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Company’s information and operational technology networks and infrastructure, data, and other information, and many such attempts are becoming increasingly sophisticated.Despite our cybersecurity and business continuity counter measures (including employee and third-party training, monitoring of networks and systems, patching, maintenance, and backup of systems and data), the Company’s information and operational technology systems, networks and infrastructure are still potentially susceptible to cyber-attack, insider threat, compromise, damage, disruption, or shutdown, including as a result of the exploitation of known or unknown hardware or software vulnerabilities, or zero day attacks, in our systems or the systems of our vendors and third-party service providers, the introduction of computer viruses, malware or ransomware, service or cloud provider disruptions or security breaches, phishing attempts, employee error or malfeasance, power outages, telecommunication or utility failures, systems failures, natural disasters, or other catastrophic events. The Company’s increased adoption of remote working, initially driven by the COVID-19 health pandemic, also introduces additional threats and risk of disruptions to our information technology systems, networks and infrastructure. Despite our cybersecurity counter measures, it is possible for security vulnerabilities or a cyberattack to remain undetected for an extended time period, up to and including several months, and the prioritization of decisions with respect to security measures and remediation of known vulnerabilities that we and the vendors and other third parties upon which we rely make may prove inadequate to protect against these attacks. While we and third parties we utilize have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, cyberattacks that may lead to other disruptions of the Company’s and the third parties' information and operational technology systems and infrastructure, we do not believe that any such incidents to date have had a material impact on the Company. Any cybersecurity incident or information or operational technology network disruption could result in numerous negative consequences, including the risk of legal claims or proceedings, investigations or enforcement actions by U.S., state, or foreign regulators; liabilities or penalties under applicable laws and regulations, including privacy laws and regulations in the U.S. and other jurisdictions; interference with the Company’s operations; the incurrence of remediation costs; loss of intellectual property protection; the loss of customer, supplier, or employee relationships; and damage to the Company’s reputation, any of which could adversely affect the Company’s business. Although the Company maintains insurance coverage for various cybersecurity and business continuity risks, there can be no guarantee that all costs, damages, expenses or losses incurred will be fully insured.

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* Acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other strategic events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies could affect future results.

The Company monitors its business portfolio and organizational structure and has made and may continue to make acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and changes to its organizational structure. With respect to acquisitions and strategic alliances, future results will be affected by, as applicable, the Company’s ability to integrate acquired businesses quickly and obtain the anticipated synergies and the Company's ability to operationalize and derive anticipated benefits from alliances. Divestitures may include continued involvement in the divested businesses, such as through transitional or longer-term supply or distribution arrangements, following the transaction, and may result in unexpected liabilities through indemnification or other risk-shifting mechanisms in the applicable divestiture agreement. Any of the foregoing could adversely affect the Company’s future results.

* The Company’s future results may be affected by its operational execution, including through organizational restructurings and scenarios where the Company generates fewer productivity improvements than planned.

The Company’s financial results depend on the successful execution of its business operating plans. The Company utilizes various tools, such as continuous improvement, to improve productivity and reduce expenses and engages in ongoing global business transformation, including restructurings from time to time, to streamline its operations, improve operational efficiency, productivity, and the speed and efficiency with which it serves customers. Workforce restructuring activities impact business groups, functions, and geographies, and the structural reorganization is expected to reduce the size of the corporate center, simplify supply chain, streamline 3M's geographic footprint, reduce layers of management, further align business go-to-market models to customers, and reduce manufacturing roles to align with production volumes, with the goal of improving the Company's longer-term outlook in overall performance. There can be no assurance that we will realize the benefits of such activities, or that such activities will not result in unexpected or negative consequences, such as a reduced ability to generate sales; a relationship impact with employees; or a reduced ability to provide the experience that our customers, suppliers, vendors, and channel partners expect from us. In addition, the ability to adapt to business model and other changes, including responding to evolving customer needs and service expectations, are important, and, if not done successfully, could negatively impact the Company’s ability to win new business and enhance revenue and 3M’s brand. Operational challenges, including those related to customer service, pace of change and productivity improvements, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Risks Related to Financial and Capital Markets and Tax Matters

* The Company's defined benefit pension and postretirement plans are subject to financial market risks that could adversely impact our results.

The performance of financial markets and discount rates impact the Company's funding obligations under its defined benefit plans. Significant changes in market interest rates, decreases in the fair value of plan assets and investment losses on plan assets, and legislative or regulatory changes relating to defined benefit plan funding may increase the Company's funding obligations and adversely impact its results of operations and cash flows.

* Change in the Company’s credit ratings or increases in benchmark interest rates could increase cost of funding.

The Company’s credit ratings are important to 3M’s cost of capital. The major rating agencies routinely evaluate the Company’s credit profile and assign debt ratings to 3M. This evaluation is based on a number of factors, which include financial strength, business and financial risk, as well as transparency with rating agencies and timeliness of financial reporting. The Company’s credit ratings have served to lower 3M’s borrowing costs and facilitate access to a variety of lenders. As of the date of this report, 3M has a credit rating of A3, negative outlook from Moody's Investors Service, a credit rating of BBB+, CreditWatch negative from S&P Global Ratings, and a credit rating of A-, stable outlook from Fitch. Since the Company’s announcements of the PWS Settlement and CAE Settlements, Moody’s Investor Service downgraded 3M's’s credit rating twice from A1 to A3 (and downgraded 3M's short-term credit rating from P-1 to P-2). Similarly, S&P Global Ratings downgraded the Company’s credit rating twice from A to BBB+ (and downgraded the Company’s short-term credit rating from A-1 to A-2). The addition of further leverage to the Company’s capital structure could impact 3M’s credit ratings in the future. Failure to maintain strong investment grade ratings and further downgrades by the ratings agencies, would adversely affect the Company’s cost of funding and could adversely affect liquidity and access to capital markets. In addition, interest expense could increase due to a rise in interest rates.

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* Changes in tax rates, laws, or regulations could adversely impact our financial results.

The Company’s business is subject to tax-related external conditions, such as tax rates, tax laws and regulations, changing political environments in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions that impact tax examination, and assessment and enforcement approaches. In addition, changes in tax laws including further regulatory developments arising from U.S. or international tax reform legislation could result in a tax expense or benefit recorded to the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Earnings. In connection with the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Integrated Framework provided by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), determination of multi-jurisdictional taxation rights and the rate of tax applicable to certain types of income may be subject to potential change. Due to the evolving nature of global tax laws and regulations and compliance approaches, it is currently not possible to assess the ultimate impact of these actions on our financial statements, but these actions could have an adverse impact on the Company's financial results.

Risks Related to the Company’s Aearo Entities and Combat Arms Earplug Settlement

* The Company is subject to risks related to the Company's Aearo Entities and CAE Settlement.

As previously disclosed, and as discussed further in Note 18, “Commitments and Contingencies,” within the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, Aearo Technologies sold Dual-Ended Combat Arms – Version 2 earplugs starting in about 1999. 3M acquired Aearo Technologies in 2008 and sold these earplugs from 2008 through 2015, when the product was discontinued. 3M and Aearo Technologies believe the Combat Arms Earplugs were effective and safe when used properly, but nevertheless faced significant litigation relating to the earplugs. In August 2023, the Company and the Aearo Entities entered into a settlement arrangement (as amended, the “CAE Settlement”) which is structured to promote participation by claimants and is intended to resolve, to the fullest extent possible, all litigation and alleged claims involving the CAE sold or manufactured by the Aearo Entities and/or 3M. Pursuant to the CAE Settlement, 3M will contribute a total amount of $6.0 billion between 2023 and 2029. The actual amount, payment terms, and dates are subject to satisfaction of certain participation thresholds claimants must meet, including that at least 98% of individuals with actual or potential litigation claims involving the CAE (calculated as described in the CAE Settlement) must have enrolled in the CAE Settlement and provided 3M with a full release of any and all claims involving the CAE. The CAE Settlement is subject to risk and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, whether the anticipated full participation by plaintiffs in the CAE Settlement will be achieved, whether the number of plaintiffs who participate in the CAE Settlement will meet the full participation expectations or will fall below the level that would permit 3M to terminate the CAE Settlement (and whether 3M will elect to terminate the CAE Settlement if this occurs), whether there will be a significant number of future claims by plaintiffs that decline to participate in the CAE Settlement, whether the CAE Settlement is appealed or challenged, the filing and outcome of additional litigation, if any, relating to the products that are the subject of the CAE Settlement, or changes in laws or regulations related to the CAE products or the CAE Settlement.

Risks Related to the Planned Spin-off of the Company’s Health Care Business

* The Company is subject to risks related to its plan to spin off its Health Care business.

On July 26, 2022, the Company announced its intent to spin off its Health Care business, resulting in two standalone public companies, in a transaction that is intended to be tax-free for the Company’s stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The spin-off will be subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions, including the filing and effectiveness of a Form 10 registration statement, receipt of a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service and a tax opinion from external counsel, satisfactory completion of financing, final approval by the Company’s Board of Directors, and other customary conditions. The failure to satisfy all of the required conditions, as well as additional factors such as conditions in the equity and debt markets, other external conditions, developments or challenges involving the intended spin-off, the Company or any of its businesses, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, could delay the completion of the spin-off relative to the anticipated timeline or prevent it from occurring. Any delay in the completion of the spin-off or any change to the anticipated terms of the transaction could reduce the expected benefits of the transaction, or delay the time at which such benefits are realized. There can also be no assurance that the anticipated benefits of the transaction will be realized if the spin-off is completed, or that the costs or dis-synergies of the transaction (including costs of related restructuring transactions), will not exceed the anticipated amounts. Whether or not the spin-off is ultimately completed, the pendency of the transaction may impose challenges on the Company and its business, including potential business disruption; the diversion of management time on matters relating to the transaction; the impact on the Company’s ability to retain talent; and potential impacts on the Company’s relationships with its customers, employees, regulators, and other counterparties. In addition, while it is intended that the transaction would be tax-free to the Company’s stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes, there is no assurance that the transactions will qualify for this treatment. If the spin-off was ultimately determined to be taxable, the Company, the Health Care business, or the Company’s stockholders could incur income tax liabilities that could be significant. Any of these factors could negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and the price of our common stock.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

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Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Risk Management and Strategy

The Company has processes for assessing, identifying, and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats. These processes are integrated into the Company’s overall risk management systems, as overseen by the Company’s board of directors, primarily through its audit committee. These processes also include overseeing and identifying risks from cybersecurity threats associated with the use of third-party service providers. The Company conducts security assessments of certain third-party providers before engagement and has established monitoring procedures in its effort to mitigate risks related to data breaches or other security incidents originating from third parties. The Company from time to time engages third-party consultants, legal advisors, and audit firms in evaluating and testing the Company’s risk management systems and assessing and remediating certain potential cybersecurity incidents as appropriate.

Governance

Board of Directors

The audit committee of the Company’s board of directors oversees, among other things, the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls, including internal controls designed to assess, identify, and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats. The audit committee is informed of material risks from cybersecurity threats pursuant to the escalation criteria as set forth in the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures. Further, at least once per quarter, the Company’s Chief Information and Digital Officer (“CIDO”), and/or the Company’s Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”) reports on cybersecurity matters, including material risks and threats, to the Company’s audit committee, and the audit committee provides updates to the Company’s board of directors at regular board meetings. The CIDO also provides updates annually or more frequently as appropriate to the Company’s board of directors.

Management

Under the oversight of the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors, and as directed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, the CIDO and CISO are primarily responsible for the assessment and management of material cybersecurity risks. The CIDO has more than two decades of experience with global technology organizations across multiple industries. The CISO has over 25 years of experience in information security, risk management, and compliance, has served as the chief information security officer at other organizations and, among other things, is a certified information systems security professional. The CIDO and CISO are also supported by a Cybersecurity & Privacy Executive Oversight Committee, which is comprised of certain members of senior management and is intended to provide cross-functional support for cybersecurity risk management and facilitate the response to any cybersecurity incidents.

The Company’s CISO oversees the Company’s cybersecurity incident response plan and related processes that are designed to assess and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats. The Company’s CISO also coordinates with the Company’s legal counsel and third parties, such as consultants and legal advisors, to assess and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats. The Company’s CISO is informed about and monitors the prevention, detection, mitigation, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents pursuant to criteria set forth in the Company’s incident response plan and related processes.

The Company’s Disclosure Committee, with the assistance of its Cybersecurity Subcommittee, is responsible for overseeing the establishment and effectiveness of controls and other procedures, including controls and procedures related to the public disclosure of material cybersecurity matters. The Company’s Disclosure Committee is comprised of, among others, the Company’s Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer (“CAO”), Treasurer, Chief Legal Affairs Officer (“CLO”), Corporate Secretary, General Auditor, and the most senior members of the investor relations, external reporting, financial planning and analysis, and tax functions. The Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the Company’s Disclosure Committee is comprised of, among others, the Company’s CAO, Treasurer, CLO, Corporate Secretary, and General Auditor, as well as the CIDO and CISO and Chief Privacy Officer.

The Company’s CISO, or a delegate, informs the Disclosure Committee’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee of certain cybersecurity incidents that may potentially be determined to be material pursuant to escalation criteria set forth in the Company’s incident response plan and related processes. The Disclosure Committee’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee is also primarily responsible for advising the Disclosure Committee and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer regarding cybersecurity disclosures in public filings. The CISO, with the CLO in attendance, also notifies the audit committee chair of any material cybersecurity incident.

As of the date of this Form 10-K, the Company is not aware of any cybersecurity incidents that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company, including its business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition and that are required to be reported in this Form 10-K. For further discussion of the risks associated with cybersecurity incidents, see the cybersecurity risk factor beginning on page 14 of the section entitled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Form 10-K.

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Item 2. Properties

In the U.S., 3M’s general offices, corporate research laboratories, and certain division laboratories are located in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Company operates 60 manufacturing facilities in 28 states. Internationally, the Company operates 81 manufacturing and converting facilities in 28 countries.

3M owns the majority of its physical properties. 3M’s physical facilities are highly suitable for the purposes for which they were designed. Because 3M is a global enterprise characterized by substantial inter-segment cooperation, properties are often used by multiple business segments.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Discussion of legal matters is incorporated by reference from Part II, Item 8, Note 18, “Commitments and Contingencies,” of this document, and should be considered an integral part of Part I, Item 3, “Legal Proceedings.”

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Pursuant to Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Act”), the Company is required to disclose, in connection with the mines it operates, information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters in its periodic reports filed with the SEC. The information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Act is included in Exhibit 95 to this annual report.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Equity compensation plans’ information is incorporated by reference from Part III, Item 12, “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters,” of this document, and should be considered an integral part of Item 5. At January 31, 2024, there were 59,783 shareholders of record. 3M’s stock ticker symbol is MMM and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (NYSE), the Chicago Stock Exchange, Inc., and the SIX Swiss Exchange. Cash dividends declared and paid totaled $1.50 and $1.49 per share for each quarter in 2023 and 2022, respectively. 3M typically declares and pays dividends in the same quarter.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities: Repurchases of 3M common stock are made to support the Company’s stock-based employee compensation plans and for other corporate purposes. In November 2018, 3M’s Board of Directors replaced the Company’s February 2016 repurchase program with a new repurchase program. This new program authorizes the repurchase of up to $10 billion of 3M’s outstanding common stock, with no pre-established end date.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities (registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act)

(1)The total number of shares purchased includes: (i) shares purchased under the Board’s authorizations described above, and (ii) shares purchased in connection with the exercise of stock options.

(2)The total number of shares purchased as part of publicly announced plans or programs includes shares purchased under the Board’s authorizations described above.

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Item 6. [Reserved]

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

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) is designed to provide a reader of 3M’s financial statements with a narrative from the perspective of management. 3M’s MD&A is presented in eight sections:

•Overview

•Results of Operations

•Performance by Business Segment

•Performance by Geographic Area

•Critical Accounting Estimates

•New Accounting Pronouncements

•Financial Condition and Liquidity

•Financial Instruments

The term "N/M" used herein references "not meaningful" for certain percent changes.

Forward-looking statements in Item 7 may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those projected (refer to the section entitled Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results in Item 1 and the risk factors provided in Item 1A for discussion of these risks and uncertainties).

Additional information about results of operations and financial condition for 2022 and 2021 (including the detailed discussion of the prior year 2022 to 2021 year-over-year changes) can be found in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections in 3M's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Overview

3M is a diversified global manufacturer, technology innovator and marketer of a wide variety of products and services. Effective in the first quarter of 2023, 3M made the following changes:

•Changes in measure of segment operating performance and segment composition used by 3M’s chief operating decision maker—impacting 3M’s disclosed measure of segment profit/loss (business segment operating income (loss))—and realignment of 3M's Consumer business segment from four divisions to three divisions. See additional information in Note 21. 3M's disclosed disaggregated revenue was also updated as a result of these changes. See additional information in Note 2.

•Changes to non-GAAP measures - certain amounts adjusted for special items. Refer to the Certain amounts adjusted for special items - (non-GAAP measures) section below for additional information.

Information provided herein reflects the impact of these changes for all periods presented.

3M manages its operations in four operating business segments: Safety and Industrial; Transportation and Electronics; Health Care; and Consumer. In July 2022, 3M announced its intention to spin off the Health Care business as a separate public company (see Note 3 for additional information). The Company continues to make progress on the Health Care business spin-off. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2024 and is subject to satisfaction of customary conditions, including final approval from the 3M Board of Directors and receipt of regulatory approvals, discussed in Note 3. The completion of the spin will enable the creation of two world-class public companies well positioned to pursue their respective growth plans, tailor capital allocation strategies, and create long-term value for shareholders.

From a geographic perspective, any references to EMEA refer to Europe, Middle East and Africa on a combined basis. References are made to organic sales change (which include both organic volume impacts and selling price impacts), which is defined as the change in net sales, absent the separate impacts on sales from foreign currency translation and acquisitions, net of divestitures. Acquisition and divestiture sales change impacts, if any, are measured separately for the first twelve months post-transaction. 3M believes this information is useful to investors and management in understanding ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.

3M is impacted by certain special items such as costs for significant litigation and the sales and income associated with manufactured PFAS products. During 2023, 3M's costs for significant litigation (see Certain amounts adjusted for special items - (non-GAAP measures) section below) totaled approximately $15.2 billion pre-tax and included, among other things, pre-tax charges of $10.5 billion and $4.3 billion (inclusive of imputed interest) related to the PWS Settlement and the CAE Settlement (discussed in Note 18), respectively, both announced in 2023. See Certain amounts adjusted for special items - (non-GAAP measures) section below for additional discussion of these and other special items, including references therein to where further information is provided.

Additional information regarding certain items impacting pre-2023 periods that may also be relevant in 2023 can be found in the Overview section of Part II, Item 7 as well as in further sections of 3M’s 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Earnings (loss) per share attributable to 3M common shareholders – diluted: The following table provides the increases (decreases) in diluted earnings (loss) per share.

Earnings (loss) per diluted share Year ended December 31,

Net costs for significant litigation 3.20 0.61

Divestiture costs 0.08 —

Gain on business divestitures (4.73) —

Divestiture-related restructuring actions 0.05 —

Russia exit charges 0.20 —

Manufactured PFAS products 0.90 (0.18)

Total special items (0.30) 0.43

Same period last year, excluding special items $ 9.88 $ 10.55

Increase/(decrease) due to:

Total organic growth/productivity and other 0.30 0.22

Restructuring and related charges (0.62) 0.16

Raw material impact (0.24) (0.99)

Foreign exchange impacts (0.17) (0.39)

Acquisitions/divestitures (0.06) (0.05)

Other expense (income), net (0.06) 0.02

Income tax rate — 0.06

Shares of common stock outstanding 0.21 0.30

Current period, excluding special items 9.24 9.88

Net costs for significant litigation (21.00) (3.20)

Divestiture costs (0.68) (0.08)

Gain on business divestitures 0.05 4.73

Divestiture-related restructuring actions — (0.05)

Russia exit (charges) benefits 0.04 (0.20)

Manufactured PFAS products (0.28) (0.90)

The Company refers to various "adjusted" amounts or measures on an “adjusted basis.” These exclude special items. These non-GAAP measures are further described and reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures in the Certain amounts adjusted for special items - (non-GAAP measures) section below.

A discussion related to the components of year-on-year changes in earnings (loss) per diluted share follows:

Organic growth/productivity and other:

•In 2023, the following components impacted operating margins and earnings (loss) per diluted share year-on-year:

◦Declines in disposable respirator demand year-on-year and the 2022 exit of operations in Russia negatively impacted earnings (loss) per share by $0.43.

◦Remaining organic growth/productivity and other impacts resulted in a net year-on-year increase of $0.73 per share which was impacted by the following:

▪Benefits from spending discipline, sourcing actions, restructuring, higher selling prices and ongoing productivity actions

▪Lower sales volumes (particularly electronics/consumer retail); investments in growth, productivity, and sustainability; manufacturing/supply chain headwinds; inflation impacts; China; and Europe's geopolitical impacts

•In 2022, the following components impacted earnings per diluted share year-on-year:

◦Declines in disposable respirator demand year-on-year negatively impacted earnings per share by $0.29.

◦Remaining organic growth/productivity and other impacts resulted in a net year-on-year benefit $0.51 to earnings per share which was impacted by the following:

▪Benefits from strong pricing, spending discipline and 2021 restructuring actions

▪Manufacturing headwinds from global supply chain challenges; geopolitical impacts due to the Russia/Ukraine conflict as well as ongoing COVID-related challenges in China

▪2021 benefit of $91 million pre-tax ($0.12 per share after tax) from the impact of the favorable decision of the Brazilian Supreme Court regarding the calculation of past social taxes

▪Increased investments in growth, productivity and sustainability

•In 2023, lower defined benefit pension and postretirement service cost decreased expense year-on-year.

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Restructuring and related charges:

•3M recorded restructuring pre-tax charges of $437 million and $59 million in 2023 and 2022, respectively, (refer to Note 5 for additional discussion). In addition, 3M recorded certain related accelerated depreciation.

Raw material impact:

•In 2023, 3M continued to experience headwinds year-on-year from the carryover impact of raw material, logistics and energy cost inflation.

•In 2022, 3M experienced inflationary pressures with year-on-year increases in raw material and logistics costs driven by many geopolitical, logistics, and disruptive events that caused imbalance in the global supply chain.

Foreign exchange impacts:

•Foreign currency impacts (net of hedging) increased operating loss by approximately $162 million and decreased operating income by approximately $271 million (or an increase of pre-tax loss by approximately $159 million and a decrease in pre-tax earnings of approximately $280 million) year-on-year for 2023 and 2022, respectively. These estimates include: (a) the effects of year-on-year changes in exchange rates on translating current period functional currency profits into U.S. dollars and on current period non-functional currency denominated purchases or transfers of goods between 3M operations, and (b) year-on-year changes in transaction gains and losses, including derivative instruments designed to reduce foreign currency exchange rate risks.

Acquisitions/divestitures:

•Acquisition and divestiture impacts are measured separately for the first 12 months post-transaction.

•Divestiture impact includes lost income from divested businesses and remaining stranded costs (net of transition arrangement income).

◦In 2023, 3M completed the sale of its dental local anesthetic business (discussed in Note 3). In 2022, 3M completed the split-off of the Food Safety business (discussed in Note 3).

◦In 2022, 3M deconsolidated the Aearo Entities and, in 2023, reconsolidated those entities (discussed in Note 18). For each of the 12-months post-deconsolidation and post-reconsolidation, impacts are each reflected separately as divestiture and acquisition, respectively.

Other expense (income), net:

•Interest expense (net of interest income) included in other expense (income), net as presented above decreased in 2023 compared to the same period year-on-year driven by interest income on invested cash.

•Interest expense (net of interest income) decreased in 2022 compared to the same period year-on-year driven by debt maturities in the ordinary course and interest income on invested cash.

•Lower income related to non-service cost components of pension and postretirement expense increased expense year-on-year for both 2023 and 2022.

Income tax rate:

•Certain items above reflect specific income tax rates associated therewith. Overall, the effective tax rates for 2023, 2022, and 2021 were27.8 percent on a pre-tax loss, 9.6 percent on pre-tax income and 17.8 percent on pre-tax income, respectively. The primary factors that impacted the comparison of the 2023 and 2022 rates were the 2023 charges related to the PWS Settlement and the CAE Settlement (discussed in Note 18) and the tax impact associated with the 2022 charge related to steps toward resolving Combat Arms Earplugs litigation (discussed in Note 18), along with the tax efficient structure associated with the 2022 gain on split-off of the Food Safety business. The primary factor that decreased the Company's effective tax rate in 2022 was the tax efficient structure associated with the gain on split-off of the Food Safety business (see Note 3).

•On an adjusted basis (see section entitled Certain amounts adjusted for special items - (non-GAAP measures)), the effective tax rates for 2023, 2022, and 2021 were 17.5 percent, 17.5 percent, and 18.1 percent, respectively.

Shares of common stock outstanding:

•Lower shares outstanding increased earnings per share per diluted share for 2023 and 2022.

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Certain amounts adjusted for special items - (non-GAAP measures):In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with U.S. GAAP, 3M also provides certain non-GAAP measures. These measures are not in accordance with, nor are they a substitute for GAAP measures, and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Certain measures adjust for the impacts of special items. Special items for the periods presented include the items described below. Because 3M provides certain information with respect to business segments, it is noteworthy that special items impacting operating income (loss) are reflected in Corporate and Unallocated, except as described below with respect to net costs for significant litigation and manufactured PFAS products items.

In 2023, 3M changed certain of its non-GAAP measures by adjusting for the results of manufactured PFAS products in arriving at results, adjusted for special items. In the fourth quarter of 2022, 3M recorded a charge for PFAS manufacturing exit costs and included it as an adjustment in arriving at results, adjusted for special items. The 2023 non-GAAP measure change involved expanding the extent of adjustment to include the sales and estimates of income (including exit costs) and associated activity regarding manufactured PFAS products that 3M plans to exit by the end of 2025. The information herein reflects the impacts of these changes for all periods presented.

This document contains measures for which 3M provides the reported GAAP measure and a non-GAAP measure adjusted for special items. These measures and reasons 3M believes they are useful to investors (and, as applicable, used by 3M) include:

•Income (loss) before taxes

•Provision for income taxes and effective tax rate

•Net income (loss)

•Earnings (loss) per share

Special items for the periods presented include:

Net costs for significant litigation:

•These relate to 3M's respirator mask/asbestos (which include Aearo and non-Aearo items), PFAS-related other environmental, and Combat Arms Earplugs matters (as discussed in Note 18). Net costs include the impacts of changes in accrued liabilities (including interest imputation on applicable settlement obligations), external legal fees, and insurance recoveries, along with the associated tax impacts. 3M does not consider the elements of the net costs associated with these matters to be normal, operating expenses related to the Company’s ongoing operations, revenue generating activities, business strategy, industry, and regulatory environment. Net costs related to respirator mask/asbestos are reflected as special items in the Safety and Industrial business segment while those impacting operating income (loss) associated with PFAS-related other environmental and Combat Arms Earplugs matters are reflected as corporate special items in Corporate and Unallocated. In addition, during the voluntary chapter 11 bankruptcy period (which began in July 2022 and ended in June 2023—see Note 18), costs associated with the Aearo portion of respirator mask/asbestos matters were reflected in corporate special items in Corporate and Unallocated. Prior to the bankruptcy, costs associated with Combat Arms Earplugs matters were reflected as part of special items in the Safety and Industrial business segment.

Gain/loss on sale of business divestitures:

•In 2023, 3M recorded a gain related to the sale of its dental local anesthetic business partially offset by a loss associated with a previously contingent indemnification obligation from a 2020 divestiture. Refer to Note 3 for further details.

•In 2022, 3M recorded a gain related to the split-off and combination of its Food Safety business with Neogen Corporation.

Divestiture costs:

•These include costs related to separating and divesting substantially an entire business segment of 3M following public announcement of its intended divestiture.

Divestiture-related restructuring actions:

•In the third quarter of 2022, following the split-off of the Food Safety business, management approved and committed to undertake certain restructuring actions addressing corporate functional costs across 3M in relation to the magnitude of amounts previously allocated to the divested businesses. Refer to Note 5 for further details.

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Manufactured PFAS products:

•These amounts relate to sales and estimates of income (loss) regarding manufactured PFAS products that 3M plans to exit by the end of 2025 included within the Transportation and Electronics business segment. Along with other costs in arriving at this associated income, these amounts include estimates of costs of sales of $1,267 million, $970 million, and $890 million for 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Estimated income does not contemplate impacts on non-operating items such as net interest income/expense and the non-service cost components portion of defined benefit plan net periodic benefit costs.

Russia exit charges/benefits:

•In the second quarter of 2023, 3M recorded a gain on final disposal of net assets in Russia. Previously, in the third quarter of 2022, 3M recorded a charge primarily related to impairment of these assets in connection with management's committed exit and disposal plan. Refer to Note 17 for further details.

Safety and Industrial