Seek Returns

BE vs. MMM: Bloom Energy vs. 3M Stock Comparison

How do Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but BE is classified in Electrical Equipment while MMM is classified in Industrial Conglomerates.

Company profile comparison for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
Profile ItemBEMMM
NameBloom Energy Corp. Class A Common Stock3M Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryElectrical EquipmentIndustrial Conglomerates
GICS Sub-IndustryHeavy Electrical EquipmentIndustrial Conglomerates
Market Capitalization51.20 billion USD95.67 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJuly 25, 2018January 2, 1962
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BE
MMM
GSPC
Loading price history…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
Total Return (1Y)46.07%16.26%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)162.89%38.64%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)41.93%8.14%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BE
MMM
GSPC
Loading price history…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Bloom Energy (BE) carries a highly aggressive beta of 3.61, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, whereas 3M (MMM) is closer to market-like at 0.97 — a noticeable difference in market-sensitivity profile.

Risk profile metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)112.64%27.61%
Beta (5Y)3.610.97
Max Drawdown (5Y)-74.98%-48.86%
Avg. Volume (3M)15.48M3.14M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
BE and MMM are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.370.43
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.570.70

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but 3M (MMM) at 72.97% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Bloom Energy (BE) at 39.61% also sits in the top quartile.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

39.61%

Max
40.55%
BE
39.61%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

72.97%

MMM
72.97%
Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both Bloom Energy (BE) at 13.53% and 3M (MMM) at 14.01% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

13.53%

Max
27.47%
BE
13.53%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

14.01%

Max
27.47%
MMM
14.01%
Q3
12.10%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Bloom Energy (BE) at 18.49% and 3M (MMM) at 23.69% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

18.49%

Max
36.60%
BE
18.49%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

23.69%

Max
36.60%
MMM
23.69%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
ROE (TTM)39.61%72.97%
ROA (TTM)7.45%8.22%
Net Margin (TTM)13.53%14.01%
Operating Margin (TTM)18.49%23.69%
Gross Margin (TTM)31.77%39.53%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Bloom Energy (BE) at 37.33% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while 3M (MMM) at 1.52% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: 3M (MMM) reports EPS growth of -20.53%, ranked against its industry; Bloom Energy (BE) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
Revenue Growth (YoY)37.33%1.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)19.06%-1.57%
EPS Growth (YoY)---20.53%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---16.16%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Bloom Energy (BE) at 3.74 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while 3M (MMM) at 1.41 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

3.74

Max
5.22
BE
3.74
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

1.41

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
MMM
1.41
Min
0.36
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but MMM is more stretched: Bloom Energy (BE) at 1.42 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and 3M (MMM) at 3.04 is above its industry benchmark range.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

1.42

Max
2.33
BE
1.42
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

3.04

MMM
3.04
Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
Current Ratio (MRQ)3.741.41
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.423.04
Net Debt / EBITDA0.501.26

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Bloom Energy (BE) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile 3M (MMM) reports a yield of 1.64%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
BE
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

1.64%

Max
2.66%
MMM
1.64%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Bloom Energy (BE) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile 3M (MMM) reports a payout of 45.82%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

0.00%

Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
BE
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

45.82%

Max
67.39%
MMM
45.82%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.64%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%45.82%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 27.63 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Bloom Energy (BE) at 104.99 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for BE’s trailing earnings.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

104.99

BE
104.99
Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

27.63

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
MMM
27.63
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: 3M (MMM) at 3.79 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Bloom Energy (BE) at 13.37 prices even higher, above its industry range.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

13.37

BE
13.37
Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

3.79

Max
7.54
MMM
3.79
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Bloom Energy (BE) at 26.49 and 3M (MMM) at 23.18 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

BE

Capital Goods industry group

26.49

BE
26.49
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08

MMM

Capital Goods industry group

23.18

MMM
23.18
Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
Loading chart…
Bloom Energy (BE) vs. 3M (MMM): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Bloom Energy (BE) and 3M (MMM)
MetricBEMMM
P/E Ratio (TTM)104.9927.63
P/S Ratio (TTM)13.373.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)26.4923.18
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-0.00%6.66%