OREANDA-NEWS.3M (NYSE: MMM) today reported third-quarter earnings of $2.05 per share, an increase of 3.5 percent versus the third quarter of 2014. Sales declined 5.2 percent year-on-year to $7.7 billion. Organic local-currency sales grew 1.2 percent and acquisitions, net of divestitures, added another 1.0 percent. Foreign currency translation reduced sales by 7.4 percent year-on-year.

Operating income was $1.9 billion and operating income margins for the quarter were 24.3 percent, up 0.9 percentage points year-on-year. Third-quarter net income was $1.3 billion and the company converted 101 percent of net income to free cash flow.

3M paid $635 million in cash dividends to shareholders and repurchased $1.5 billion of its own shares during the quarter.

Organic local-currency sales growth was 5.0 percent in Consumer, 3.7 percent in Health Care, 2.9 percent in Safety and Graphics and 0.2 percent in Industrial; Electronics and Energy declined 2.8 percent. On a geographic basis, organic local-currency sales grew 2.3 percent in Latin America/Canada, 1.5 percent in the U.S., 1.5 percent in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and 0.4 percent in Asia Pacific.

“3M delivered a solid operational performance in a continued slow-growth environment, marked by strong earnings, organic growth in all geographic areas and expanded margins,” said Inge G. Thulin, 3M’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We continue to take actions to strengthen our portfolio, increase our scientific edge through research and development, and transform our business processes through a new global ERP system. We are building a stronger, more streamlined and more focused company that can compete and win for years to come.”

To further strengthen its competitiveness, 3M also announced a restructuring plan that will result in an expected reduction of 1,500 positions worldwide with estimated pre-tax savings of $130 million in 2016. The company anticipates a fourth-quarter pre-tax charge of approximately $100 million, or $0.13 per share, related to this plan. Reductions will be primarily focused on structural overhead, largely in the U.S., and slower-growing markets with particular emphasis on EMEA and Latin America.

3M also updated its guidance for the full-year 2015.

Excluding the announced restructuring charges, 3M now expects earnings will be in the range of $7.73 to $7.78 per share, versus a prior range of $7.73 to $7.93 per share. On a GAAP basis, including the announced restructuring charges, the company expects earnings will be in the range of $7.60 to $7.65 per share.

Organic local-currency sales growth is expected to be in the range of 1.5 to 2.0 percent, versus previous guidance of 2.5 to 4 percent. The company anticipates that full-year free cash flow conversion will be in the range of 95 to 100 percent, versus a previous estimated range of 90 to 100 percent.