3M

3M in brief

• Rank: #98 of 100 in America's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #4 of 4 in Infrastructure & Engineering.
• WCRC Power Score: 67.24 out of 100.
• Founded: 1902, by Henry S. Bryan, Hermon W. Cable, John Dwan, William A. McGonagle, J. Danley Budd and Charles Simmons.
• Owner: 3M Company, Maplewood (Saint Paul), Minnesota.
• Leadership: Bill Brown, Chairman and CEO.
• Latest revenue: $24.9bn revenue (FY2025, +1.5%), as per company filings.

What makes 3M powerful

3M is the science company hidden inside everyday life. Its Post-it Notes and Scotch tape sit on almost every desk, while its films, abrasives, adhesives and safety gear go into cars, phones, factories and hospitals. Few industrial firms have a consumer name that strong, and it helps 3M sell its technology to businesses around the world.

Innovation is the core of the brand, and 3M has put it back at the center of its plan. Under chief executive Bill Brown it aims for 1,000 new product launches, and it wants products introduced in the past five years to make up 20% of sales by 2027, up from about 10% in 2025. Brown said in October 2026 that 3M had "a stronger pipeline of differentiated technologies."

3M wants products launched in the previous five years to make up 20% of its sales by 2027, double the roughly 10% share in 2025.

Why 3M ranks #98

3M sits at #98 with a WCRC Power Score of 67.24, just behind United Airlines and Cadillac and just ahead of DoorDash and CVS. It scores well on product and innovation and on positioning and recall, thanks to famous brands like Post-it and Scotch. Costly legal settlements weigh on its sustainability and governance standing, which keeps it behind the brands above. Its steady turnaround and rising profits keep it narrowly ahead of DoorDash and CVS.

The Achilles' heel

3M's Achilles' heel is the legal cost of its past. It faces claims over PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals it once made, and in the third quarter of 2026 it again booked net costs for significant litigation and its PFAS exit. Analysts have warned that billions more in PFAS settlements could still follow, and one called PFAS a "black cloud" that creates headline risk for the company.

The 2026 story

3M's 2026 is a quiet turnaround story under Bill Brown. The company finished exiting the manufacture of PFAS products by the end of 2025, closing a chapter that had shaped its reputation. It has focused on new products, cost control and selling smaller units. On 20 October 2026 it reported adjusted organic sales growth of 3.3% for the third quarter and adjusted earnings per share up 12%. It raised its full-year adjusted earnings guidance to between $9.10 and $9.15 per share. Brown said in late 2025 that there "won't be a big bang," just steady progress.

Pillar profile

Provisional desk scores out of 100, for the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit to validate.

Versus its nearest rivals

Questions people ask

Also featured in

• Most powerful Infrastructure & Engineering brands
• Most powerful brands in Minnesota

Key facts

Sources

• Annual report (Form 10-K) and financial results of 3M Company filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission
• Company website, official announcements and press releases
• Published interviews and statements by the leadership
• WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer sentiment, ratings and reviews, search demand, media and social data