Material giant 3M has recently faced a string of legal problems, and now another one has come to light. On Friday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that it has charged 3M (ticker: MMM) with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with its operations in China. As a result, 3M has agreed to pay $6.5 million to settle the charges.
According to the SEC, 3M’s Chinese subsidiary had been providing travel for Chinese government officials who worked at state-owned healthcare facilities. This practice raised concerns about the company’s internal accounting controls. Charles Cain, Chief of the SEC’s FCPA Unit, stated, “This case serves as a reminder of the risks faced by companies that operate globally and have inadequate internal accounting controls. The situation was further exacerbated by the involvement of complicit third-party vendors.”
At this time, 3M has not issued any official comment regarding the settlement. Nevertheless, investors seem unfazed by the $6.5 million penalty, as shares have remained unaffected. On Friday morning, 3M stock experienced a slight decline of 0.3%, while the broader market represented by the S&P 500 was up 0.1%. Similarly, the Dow Jones Industrial Average showed minimal movement.
Investors are keeping a watchful eye on a couple of legal dilemmas that have taken center stage for 3M and its impact on the company’s stock performance. One of the key concerns revolves around chemicals known as PFAS, which have been detected in groundwater and are believed to be produced by 3M and other entities. The company recently made headlines by reaching a noteworthy $12.5 billion settlement with U.S. water providers to address the issue and aid in remediation efforts.
However, the repercussions of this environmental controversy have dealt a substantial blow to 3M’s shares, currently hovering around $60% lower than their all-time high of approximately $250 per share recorded back in 2018. This decline has effectively wiped out nearly $80 billion in market capitalization, portraying the extent to which the ongoing legal battles have troubled investor sentiment towards the company.
In addition to the environmental concerns, 3M is also grappling with consumer litigation surrounding water pollution and lawsuits relating to potentially faulty earplugs sold to the military. These legal disputes have further accentuated the strain on the company’s stock performance.
At present, 3M’s stock is trading at approximately 10 times the estimated earnings for 2024. By contrast, during its peak in 2018, the stock was trading at around 22 times the earnings projected for 2019. In this context, it becomes evident that the market has significantly discounted 3M’s stock value due to its legal challenges.
If we were to apply a similar multiple of 22 times the expected earnings for 2024, 3M’s shares would be valued at approximately $215 each. While this projection still falls short of its past highs, it highlights the ongoing struggle that 3M’s business has experienced in recent years.
To provide some context, back in 2018, 3M’s estimated earnings for 2019 exceeded $11 per share, but the company only managed to deliver around $9 per share in the end. Looking ahead, Wall Street analysts anticipate that 3M’s earnings will reach approximately $9.80 per share by 2024.
In summary, as 3M continues to navigate its legal battles, investors closely monitor the impact on its stock performance. The considerable downturn in stock value serves as a testament to the challenges faced by the company in recent times.
