# 3M Q3 2026 Earnings Boost

> 3M reports 12% EPS growth with data center expansion.
- Title: 3M Q3 2026 Earnings Boost · The Motley Fool | Shortify
- Summary: 3M reports 12% EPS growth with data center expansion. 3M achieved $2.50 adjusted EPS, 3.3% organic sales growth, and 26.2% operating margin in Q3 2026.
- Keywords: q3 2026, earnings call, data center, expanded beam optical, gseo, amazon warrant, operating margin, organic sales growth, shareholder returns, finance, money, 2026
- Source: The Motley Fool — https://fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2026/10/20/3m-mmm-q3-2026-earnings-call-transcript
- Author: Motley Fool Transcribing
- Published: 2026-10-20T17:24:55+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: 3m, q3 2026, earnings call, data center, expanded beam optical, gseo, amazon warrant, operating margin, organic sales growth, shareholder returns, finance, money
## Q3 2026 Results
3M reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.50, a 12% year-over-year increase.
## Organic Sales Growth
3.3% organic sales growth led by 7% increase in Safety & Industrial segment.
## Operating Margin
26.2% operating margin expanded 110 basis points year over year.
## Shareholder Returns
$600 million returned to shareholders including $400 million in dividends and $200 million in share repurchases.
## New Product Launches
87 products launched in Q3, a 24% increase from previous year.
## Amazon Warrant Agreement
Warrant for up to 3.2 million shares tied to $6 billion in data center sales over 7 years.
## EBO Revenue
EBO revenue approximately $40 million in 2026, projected to double in 2027.
## Oil Inflation Impact
$185 million oil inflation impact, up from $150 million to $175 million estimate.
## Gross Margin Expansion
230 basis points year-over-year gross margin expansion driven by procurement savings.
## Manufacturing Footprint
16 manufacturing sites closed year to date with plans for 10 additional closures.
## China Sales Performance
China sales down high single digits due to weak consumer electronics demand.
## U.S. and Canada Sales
U.S. and Canada sales up 7% year over year, highest growth since pandemic.
## Electrical Markets Growth
Electrical markets grew double digits driven by data center market penetration.
## Five-Year New Product Sales
Five-year new product sales up 34% to nearly $3 billion, resulting in mid-teens vitality.
## Reporting Basis Change
Exclusion of intangible asset amortization added 40 basis points to operating margin.
## Price Execution
1.5% price execution for the year with target above 2% in second half.
## Key takeaway

3M achieved $2.50 adjusted EPS, 3.3% organic sales growth, and 26.2% operating margin in Q3 2026.