Is 3M Company (MMM) the Best Dow Stock?

We recently published a list of The Best and Worst Dow Stocks. In this article, we are going to take a look at where 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) stands against other Dow stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a benchmark index of the top 30 companies in the US. It represents the strength of the US economy and carries great historical significance as well.

It also acts as a reference point for analysts and investors. However, not all stocks within this elite group of companies perform equally. While some thrive on innovation and economic boom, others struggle due to various setbacks and economic trends.

We decided to break down the index and find out the best and worst stocks, looking at what was making them perform unexpectedly this year.

Methodology

In order to come up with our ranking of the best and worst Dow stocks, we first assigned a rank to each stock based on the number of hedge funds holding the stock. We then looked at the short interest in each stock and assigned the top rank to the company with the least short interest.

We then combined the two ranks to see which stock was the best on average. The list is in ascending order, with the best stock taking the number one spot.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

3M Company (NYSE:MMM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 79

Short Interest as of Apr 30, 2025: 1.91%

3M Company operates as a diversified technology services provider. The company generates revenue through Consumer, Transportation and Electronics, and Safety and Industrial segments.

MMM started 2025 with a bullish outlook as analysts at financial services firm Wells Fargo upgraded it from Equal Weight to Overweight. Wells Fargo also increased the price target from $140 to $170, pointing out that the company was well-positioned to improve profit margins and continue share buybacks.

Joseph O’Dea, an analyst at Wells Fargo, said:

“After the largest restructuring program in 3M’s history, there’s still a significant cost opportunity ahead to drive better operational execution. If demand accelerates, 3M will benefit and cost out will drive strong incrementals. But if demand underwhelms, earnings growth potential remains attractive at 3M.”

Looking ahead to 2025, the company reaffirmed its FY 2025 outlook regardless of macroeconomic uncertainties. Management anticipates adjusted EPS ranging between $7.60 to $7.9. Backed by a $7.5 billion authorization, CEO Bill Brown announced plans to buy back $2 billion in shares in 2025, beating previous estimates of $1.5 billion.

Overall, MMM ranks 21st on our list of best and worst Dow stocks. While we acknowledge the potential of MMM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MMM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.