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MMM vs. XYL: 3M vs. Xylem Stock Comparison

How do 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL) 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 Xylem (XYL) both fall under the Capital Goods industry group, but MMM is classified in Industrial Conglomerates while XYL is classified in Machinery.

Company profile comparison for 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL)
Profile ItemMMMXYL
Name3M CompanyXylem Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorIndustrialsIndustrials
GICS Industry GroupCapital GoodsCapital Goods
GICS IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesMachinery
GICS Sub-IndustryIndustrial ConglomeratesIndustrial Machinery & Supplies & Components
Market Capitalization95.67 billion USD22.44 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJanuary 2, 1962October 13, 2011
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MMM
XYL
GSPC
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL), 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 Xylem (XYL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
Total Return (1Y)16.26%-33.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)38.64%2.29%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.14%-4.47%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MMM
XYL
GSPC
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL), 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 Xylem (XYL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.61%30.74%
Beta (5Y)0.970.96
Max Drawdown (5Y)-48.86%-44.89%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.14M2.60M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MMM and XYL 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 Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.43-1.22
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.70-1.48

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

3M (MMM) at 72.97% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Xylem (XYL) at 9.76%, 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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

9.76%

Max
40.55%
Q3
19.29%
Median
12.12%
XYL
9.76%
Q1
4.08%
Min
-17.12%
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): 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 Xylem (XYL) at 11.94%, 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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

11.94%

Max
27.47%
Q3
12.10%
XYL
11.94%
Median
6.30%
Q1
1.40%
Min
-12.89%
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): 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 Xylem (XYL) at 15.95%, 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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

15.95%

Max
36.60%
Q3
18.33%
XYL
15.95%
Median
11.12%
Q1
5.14%
Min
-12.63%
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
ROE (TTM)72.97%9.76%
ROA (TTM)8.22%5.07%
Net Margin (TTM)14.01%11.94%
Operating Margin (TTM)23.69%15.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.53%39.32%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Xylem (XYL) at 5.52% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while 3M (MMM) at 1.52% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both 3M (MMM) at -20.53% and Xylem (XYL) at 7.40% 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. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
Revenue Growth (YoY)1.52%5.52%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-1.57%17.84%
EPS Growth (YoY)-20.53%7.40%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-16.16%25.99%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both 3M (MMM) at 1.41 and Xylem (XYL) at 1.39 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

1.39

Max
5.22
Q3
2.95
Median
2.08
Q1
1.43
XYL
1.39
Min
0.36
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Xylem (XYL) at 0.29 is near its industry mid-range for debt-to-equity ratio, while 3M (MMM) at 3.04 sits above its benchmark range, pointing to a heavier debt load relative to equity.

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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

0.29

Max
2.33
Q3
1.12
Median
0.60
XYL
0.29
Q1
0.29
Min
0.00
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): 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 Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.411.39
Debt / Equity (MRQ)3.040.29
Net Debt / EBITDA1.261.18

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 1.64% and Xylem (XYL) at 1.69% offer top-quartile dividend income relative to share price within their industries.

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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

1.69%

Max
2.66%
XYL
1.69%
Q3
1.14%
Median
0.24%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 45.82% and Xylem (XYL) at 37.47% pay out an above-typical share of earnings for their industries, leaving thinner cover if profits dip.

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%

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

37.47%

Max
67.39%
XYL
37.47%
Q3
28.02%
Median
6.86%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.64%1.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)45.82%37.47%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both 3M (MMM) at 27.63 and Xylem (XYL) at 21.69 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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

21.69

Max
59.38
Q3
35.92
Median
25.41
XYL
21.69
Q1
19.47
Min
3.03
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Xylem (XYL) at 2.48 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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

2.48

Max
7.54
Q3
3.76
XYL
2.48
Median
2.15
Q1
1.03
Min
0.03
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Xylem (XYL) at 2.19 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

XYL

Capital Goods industry group

2.19

Max
9.66
Q3
5.00
Median
3.12
XYL
2.19
Q1
1.81
Min
-1.08
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3M (MMM) vs. Xylem (XYL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Capital Goods industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for 3M (MMM) and Xylem (XYL)
MetricMMMXYL
P/E Ratio (TTM)27.6321.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.792.48
P/B Ratio (MRQ)23.182.19
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)6.66%5.39%