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MMM vs. WSO.B: 3M vs. Watsco Stock Comparison

How do 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B) 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

3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but MMM is classified in Industrial Conglomerates while WSO.B is classified in Trading Companies & Distributors.

Company profile comparison for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
Profile ItemMMMWSO.B
Name3M CompanyWatsco Inc. Class B Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesTrading Companies & Distributors
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesTrading Companies & Distributors
Market Capitalization95.67 billion USD12.92 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962March 17, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MMM
WSO.B
GSPC
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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

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Trailing total returns for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
Total Return (1Y)16.26%-11.21%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)38.64%-3.05%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.14%4.30%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MMM
WSO.B
GSPC
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B), 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

3M (MMM) trades around 3.14M shares per day on average, while Watsco (WSO.B) sees only 74 — a volume gap that can matter for position sizing, exit liquidity, and order execution.

Risk profile metrics for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.61%40.28%
Beta (5Y)0.970.64
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.86%-43.41%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.14M74

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MMM and WSO.B 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 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.43-0.38
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.70-0.57

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 72.97% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Watsco (WSO.B) at 16.21%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

16.21%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
WSO.B
16.21%
Median
12.12%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their ROE against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 14.01% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Watsco (WSO.B) at 6.31%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

6.31%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
WSO.B
6.31%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their net margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 23.69% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Watsco (WSO.B) at 10.14%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

10.14%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
Median
11.12%
WSO.B
10.14%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
ROE (TTM)72.97%16.21%
ROA (TTM)8.22%8.27%
Net Margin (TTM)14.01%6.31%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.69%10.14%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.53%27.18%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both 3M (MMM) at 1.52% and Watsco (WSO.B) at -4.98% post bottom-quartile revenue growth versus peers, pointing to weaker demand or pricing momentum than typical rivals.

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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both 3M (MMM) at -20.53% and Watsco (WSO.B) at -7.47% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.52%-4.98%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.57%-0.16%
EPS Growth (YoY)-20.53%-7.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-16.16%-6.89%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.15 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.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.15

Max
5.22
WSO.B
3.15
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
Min
0.36
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 0.16 keeps leverage in the lower quartile, while 3M (MMM) at 3.04 is above its industry debt-to-equity ratio range.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

0.16

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
Q1
0.29
WSO.B
0.16
Min
0.00
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.413.15
Debt / Equity (MRQ)3.040.16
Net Debt / EBITDA1.26-0.14

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 1.64% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Watsco (WSO.B) at 4.02% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

4.02%

WSO.B
4.02%
Max
2.66%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) reports payout ratio above 100% at 109.66%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile 3M (MMM) reports 45.82%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

109.66%

WSO.B
109.66%
Max
67.39%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.64%4.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)45.82%109.66%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 27.63 and Watsco (WSO.B) at 27.26 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

27.26

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
WSO.B
27.26
Median
25.41
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 1.74 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while 3M (MMM) at 3.79 sits in the pricier quartile — MMM costs more per dollar of sales.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

1.74

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
Median
2.15
WSO.B
1.74
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Watsco (WSO.B) at 3.99 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while 3M (MMM) at 23.18 prices above its benchmark range — MMM looks rich relative to book.

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

WSO.B

Capital Goods industry group

3.99

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
WSO.B
3.99
Median
3.12
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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3M (MMM) vs. Watsco (WSO.B): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for 3M (MMM) and Watsco (WSO.B)
MetricMMMWSO.B
P/E Ratio (TTM)27.6327.26
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.791.74
P/B Ratio (MRQ)23.183.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.66%3.50%