MMM vs. ZTO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at MMM and ZTO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
MMM is a standard domestic listing, while ZTO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | MMM | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | 3M Company | ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. |
| Country | United States | China |
| GICS Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Industrial Conglomerates | Air Freight & Logistics |
| Market Capitalization | 82.42 billion USD | 15.86 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 2, 1962 | October 27, 2016 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of MMM and ZTO 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | MMM | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.21% | -1.28% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 0.40% | 13.58% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 4.05% | 1.98% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 21.77% | 2.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 3.71% | 1.84% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 19.88% | 2.25% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.22M | 3.39M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 3.45M | 2.52M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.14% | 39.66% |
| Beta | 1.04 | 0.85 |
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.
ZTO
15.30%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 35.27%
- Q3
- 18.47%
- Median
- 11.35%
- Q1
- 7.21%
- Min
- 2.53%
ZTO’s Return on Equity of 15.30% is on par with the norm for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
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.
ZTO
20.76%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 10.27%
- Q3
- 6.18%
- Median
- 3.96%
- Q1
- 2.32%
- Min
- 0.61%
ZTO’s Net Profit Margin of 20.76% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
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.
ZTO
25.33%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 17.40%
- Q3
- 8.87%
- Median
- 5.89%
- Q1
- 3.03%
- Min
- 0.62%
ZTO’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.33% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | MMM | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 91.40% | 15.30% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 9.93% | 10.15% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 16.01% | 20.76% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 19.46% | 25.33% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 41.11% | 29.65% |
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.
ZTO
1.05
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.83
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 1.05
- Min
- 0.62
ZTO’s Current Ratio of 1.05 falls into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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.
ZTO
0.27
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 1.57
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.72
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.27 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
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.
ZTO
--
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 49.07
- Q3
- 23.59
- Median
- 8.56
- Q1
- 5.97
- Min
- -0.60
Interest Coverage Ratio data for ZTO is currently unavailable.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | MMM | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.72 | 1.05 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.12 | 0.87 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 3.06 | 0.27 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -15.31 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 6.43%
- Q3
- 3.10%
- Median
- 2.40%
- Q1
- 0.46%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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.
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.
ZTO
0.00%
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 160.95%
- Q3
- 92.80%
- Median
- 54.10%
- Q1
- 0.19%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTO 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | MMM | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
ZTO
12.01
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 34.55
- Q3
- 23.34
- Median
- 16.33
- Q1
- 13.38
- Min
- 6.36
In the lower quartile for the Air Freight & Logistics industry, ZTO’s P/E Ratio of 12.01 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
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.
ZTO
2.49
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 2.13
- Q3
- 1.16
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.36
- Min
- 0.18
With a P/S Ratio of 2.49, ZTO trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Air Freight & Logistics industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
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.
ZTO
1.82
Air Freight & Logistics Industry
- Max
- 3.13
- Q3
- 2.81
- Median
- 1.82
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.74
ZTO’s P/B Ratio of 1.82 is within the conventional range for the Air Freight & Logistics 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | MMM | ZTO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.92 | 12.01 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.35 | 2.49 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 18.90 | 1.82 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 30.86 | 9.58 |