MMM vs. UAL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 25, 2025

Here’s a clear look at MMM and UAL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	MMM	UAL
Company Name	3M Company	United Airlines Holdings, Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Industrials	Industrials
GICS Industry	Industrial Conglomerates	Passenger Airlines
Market Capitalization	82.42 billion USD	32.32 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	February 6, 2006
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of MMM and UAL by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

MMM vs. UAL: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	MMM	UAL
5-Day Price Return	-1.21%	0.71%
13-Week Price Return	0.40%	26.99%
26-Week Price Return	4.05%	-1.04%
52-Week Price Return	21.77%	135.75%
Month-to-Date Return	3.71%	13.06%
Year-to-Date Return	19.88%	2.82%
10-Day Avg. Volume	3.22M	5.22M
3-Month Avg. Volume	3.45M	7.44M
3-Month Volatility	23.14%	51.60%
Beta	1.04	1.51

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

MMM

91.40%

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 21.93%
Q3: 14.23%
Median: 7.81%
Q1: 5.91%
Min: -3.58%

MMM’s Return on Equity of 91.40% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Industrial Conglomerates industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

UAL

26.43%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 49.96%
Q3: 28.15%
Median: 15.41%
Q1: 8.29%
Min: -11.01%

UAL’s Return on Equity of 26.43% is on par with the norm for the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

MMM

16.01%

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 18.70%
Q3: 12.58%
Median: 9.26%
Q1: 3.87%
Min: -2.26%

A Net Profit Margin of 16.01% places MMM in the upper quartile for the Industrial Conglomerates industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

UAL

5.71%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 17.65%
Q3: 8.90%
Median: 5.80%
Q1: 2.02%
Min: -3.12%

UAL’s Net Profit Margin of 5.71% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Passenger Airlines industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

MMM

19.46%

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 25.69%
Q3: 17.03%
Median: 12.85%
Q1: 8.81%
Min: -0.73%

An Operating Profit Margin of 19.46% places MMM in the upper quartile for the Industrial Conglomerates industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

UAL

8.62%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 22.47%
Q3: 12.33%
Median: 8.62%
Q1: 4.43%
Min: -2.88%

UAL’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.62% is around the midpoint for the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	MMM	UAL
Return on Equity (TTM)	91.40%	26.43%
Return on Assets (TTM)	9.93%	4.41%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	16.01%	5.71%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	19.46%	8.62%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	41.11%	64.15%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

MMM

1.72

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 2.19
Q3: 1.64
Median: 1.38
Q1: 1.13
Min: 0.61

MMM’s Current Ratio of 1.72 is in the upper quartile for the Industrial Conglomerates industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.

UAL

0.70

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 1.46
Q3: 0.94
Median: 0.76
Q1: 0.54
Min: 0.17

UAL’s Current Ratio of 0.70 aligns with the median group of the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

MMM

3.06

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 2.27
Q3: 1.47
Median: 0.99
Q1: 0.66
Min: 0.21

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 3.06, MMM operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Industrial Conglomerates industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

UAL

2.02

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 9.80
Q3: 4.82
Median: 1.30
Q1: 0.89
Min: 0.00

UAL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.02 is typical for the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

MMM

-15.31

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 11.17
Q3: 8.02
Median: 5.88
Q1: 2.73
Min: -2.15

MMM has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -15.31. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.

UAL

5.76

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 22.60
Q3: 16.29
Median: 6.75
Q1: 1.94
Min: -8.55

UAL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.76 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Passenger Airlines industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	MMM	UAL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.72	0.70
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.12	0.62
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	3.06	2.02
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	-15.31	5.76

Growth

Revenue Growth

MMM vs. UAL: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

MMM vs. UAL: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

MMM

1.88%

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 10.17%
Q3: 5.53%
Median: 3.14%
Q1: 1.88%
Min: 0.00%

MMM’s Dividend Yield of 1.88% is in the lower quartile for the Industrial Conglomerates industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.

UAL

0.00%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 6.71%
Q3: 3.95%
Median: 1.10%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UAL currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

MMM

39.27%

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 181.91%
Q3: 95.57%
Median: 50.60%
Q1: 35.01%
Min: 1.76%

MMM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 39.27% is within the typical range for the Industrial Conglomerates industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

UAL

0.00%

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 71.59%
Q3: 38.54%
Median: 8.16%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

UAL has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	MMM	UAL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.88%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	39.27%	0.00%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

MMM

20.92

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 36.98
Q3: 22.09
Median: 12.18
Q1: 8.93
Min: 5.63

MMM’s P/E Ratio of 20.92 is within the middle range for the Industrial Conglomerates industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

UAL

9.78

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 13.29
Q3: 11.94
Median: 8.78
Q1: 7.42
Min: 3.07

UAL’s P/E Ratio of 9.78 is within the middle range for the Passenger Airlines industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

MMM

3.35

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 3.60
Q3: 2.10
Median: 0.68
Q1: 0.42
Min: 0.11

MMM’s P/S Ratio of 3.35 is in the upper echelon for the Industrial Conglomerates industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

UAL

0.56

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 1.09
Q3: 0.74
Median: 0.61
Q1: 0.44
Min: 0.09

UAL’s P/S Ratio of 0.56 aligns with the market consensus for the Passenger Airlines industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

MMM

18.90

Industrial Conglomerates Industry

Max: 4.89
Q3: 2.51
Median: 1.06
Q1: 0.60
Min: 0.27

At 18.90, MMM’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Industrial Conglomerates industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.

UAL

1.94

Passenger Airlines Industry

Max: 3.44
Q3: 2.89
Median: 1.84
Q1: 1.22
Min: 0.56

UAL’s P/B Ratio of 1.94 is within the conventional range for the Passenger Airlines industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

MMM vs. UAL: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Industrial Conglomerates and Passenger Airlines industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	MMM	UAL
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	20.92	9.78
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	3.35	0.56
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	18.90	1.94
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	30.86	8.00