Operating Expenses
Research, development and related expenses
3M Research, development and related expenses increased by 3.0% to $308M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 8.1%, from $285M to $308M. Over 3 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Research, development and related expenses shows a downward trend with a -16.3% CAGR.
Analysis
StatementIncome Statement
SectionOperating Expenses
CategoryGrowth
SignalContext dependent
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ1 2013
Last reportedQ1 2026Apr 21, 2026
How to read this metric
Higher spending indicates a commitment to innovation and future growth, while significant cuts may signal a shift toward short-term profitability over long-term competitiveness.
Detailed definition
Research and development (R&D) expenses represent the investment made by the company to innovate, develop new products,...
Peer comparison
Standard R&D metric; highly comparable among industrial and technology-focused conglomerates.
Metric ID:
operating_expenses_research_development_and_related_expensesHistorical Data
19 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $514M | $482M | $474M | $480M | $476M | $461M | $472M | $298M | $267M | $292M | $254M | $280M | $269M | $282M | $285M | $288M | $297M | $299M | $308M |
| QoQ Change | — | -6.2% | -1.7% | +1.3% | -0.8% | -3.2% | +2.4% | -36.9% | -10.4% | +9.4% | -13.0% | +10.2% | -3.9% | +4.8% | +1.1% | +1.1% | +3.1% | +0.7% | +3.0% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -7.4% | -4.4% | -1.7% | -37.4% | -42.1% | — | -46.2% | -6.0% | +0.7% | -3.4% | +12.2% | +2.9% | +10.4% | +6.0% | +8.1% |
Range$254M – $514M
CAGR-10.8%
Avg YoY Growth-7.7%
Median YoY Growth-2.5%
Current Streak6 quarters growth
Business Segments
| Segment | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer | $285M | $288M | $297M | $299M | $308M |
| Safety and Industrial | $285M | $288M | $297M | $299M | $308M |
| Transportation and Electronics | $285M | $288M | $297M | $299M | $308M |
| Total | $285M | $288M | $297M | $299M | $308M |
Research, development and related expenses at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is 3M's research, development and related expenses?
- 3M (MMM) reported research, development and related expenses of $308M in Q1 2026.
- How has 3M's research, development and related expenses changed year-over-year?
- 3M's research, development and related expenses increased by 8.1% year-over-year, from $285M to $308M.
- What is the long-term trend for 3M's research, development and related expenses?
- Over 3 years (2021 to 2025), 3M's research, development and related expenses has grown at a -16.3% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $1.99B to $1.17B.
- What does research, development and related expenses mean?
- The money spent on creating new products and improving existing technologies.