The escalation of tariff policies has intensified market volatility, with President Trump announcing a new wave of levies, including 30% tariffs on the European Union and Mexico starting August 1, a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, and a 10-15% baseline tariff proposed for over 150 countries, with up to 145%
Stocks closed the week ended July 11 on a down note despite the S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite hitting new highs on Thursday before easing off those levels.
Large-cap stocks have the power to shape entire industries thanks to their size and widespread influence.
With such vast footprints, however, finding new areas for growth is much harder than for smaller, more agile players.
Over the past six months, 3M has been a great trade, beating the S&P 500 by 11.4%. Its stock price has climbed to $151.90, representing a healthy 17.1% increase. This was partly due to its solid quarterly results, and the performance may have investors wondering how to approach the situation.
When Wall Street turns bearish on a stock, it’s worth paying attention.
These calls stand out because analysts rarely issue grim ratings on companies for fear their firms will lose out in other business lines such as M&A advisory.
Industrial conglomerate 3M’s first quarter was met with a positive market response, as management pointed to disciplined cost control and productivity gains as key to the company’s performance. CEO Bill Brown cited “improved operating margins” and highlighted cross-functional efforts to align supply chain and sales execution, noting that all business groups achieved positive organic growth. The company’s ability to launch new products at a significantly higher cadence and improvements in operational metrics such as on-time delivery rates and equipment utilization also contributed to results. Management acknowledged external macroeconomic pressures, but credited the improved operating rhythm and resilience of the team for delivering a solid quarter.
Industrials businesses quietly power the physical things we depend on, from cars and homes to e-commerce infrastructure. But they are at the whim of volatile macroeconomic factors that influence capital spending (like interest rates), and the market seems convinced that demand will slow.
Due to this bearish outlook, the industry has tumbled by 6.6% over the past six months. This drop was disappointing since the S&P 500 held its ground.
The Dow Jones (^DJI) is made up of 30 of the most established and influential companies in the market.
But even blue-chip stocks can struggle - some are dealing with slowing growth, outdated business models, or increasing competition.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) is often seen as a benchmark for strong businesses, but that doesn’t mean every stock is worth owning.
Some companies face significant challenges, whether it’s stagnating growth, heavy debt, or disruptive new competitors.
Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at 3M (NYSE:MMM) and the best and worst performers in the general industrial machinery industry.
