3M 2015 Annual Report Download - page 9
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Please find page 9 of the 2015 3M annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.TableofContents
CautionaryNoteConcerningFactorsThatMayAffectFutureResults
ThisAnnualReportonForm10-K,including“Management’sDiscussionandAnalysisofFinancialConditionandResultsof
Operations”inItem7,containsforward-lookingstatementswithinthemeaningofthePrivateSecuritiesLitigationReformActof
1995.TheCompanymayalsomakeforward-lookingstatementsinotherreportsfiledwiththeSecuritiesandExchangeCommission,
inmaterialsdeliveredtoshareholdersandinpressreleases.Inaddition,theCompany’srepresentativesmayfromtimetotimemake
oralforward-lookingstatements.
Forward-lookingstatementsrelatetofutureeventsandtypicallyaddresstheCompany’sexpectedfuturebusinessandfinancial
performance.Wordssuchas“plan,”“expect,”“aim,”“believe,”“project,”“target,”“anticipate,”“intend,”“estimate,”“will,”
“should,”“could,”“forecast”andotherwordsandtermsofsimilarmeaning,typicallyidentifysuchforward-lookingstatements.
Inparticular,theseinclude,amongothers,statementsrelatingto:
·theCompany’sstrategyforgrowth,futurerevenues,earnings,cashflow,usesofcashandothermeasuresoffinancial
performance,andmarketposition,
·worldwideeconomicandcapitalmarketsconditions,suchasinterestrates,foreigncurrencyexchangerates,financial
conditionsofoursuppliersandcustomers,andnaturalandotherdisastersorclimatechangeaffectingtheoperationsofthe
Companyoroursuppliersandcustomers,
·newbusinessopportunities,productdevelopment,andfutureperformanceorresultsofcurrentoranticipatedproducts,
·thescope,natureorimpactofacquisition,strategicallianceanddivestitureactivities,
·theoutcomeofcontingencies,suchaslegalandregulatoryproceedings,
·futurelevelsofindebtedness,commonstockrepurchasesandcapitalspending,
·futureavailabilityofandaccesstocreditmarkets,
·pensionandpostretirementobligationassumptionsandfuturecontributions,
·assetimpairments,
·taxliabilities,
·informationtechnologysecurity,and
·theeffectsofchangesintax,environmentalandotherlawsandregulationsintheUnitedStatesandothercountriesinwhich
weoperate.
TheCompanyassumesnoobligationtoupdateorreviseanyforward-lookingstatements.
Forward-lookingstatementsarebasedoncertainassumptionsandexpectationsoffutureeventsandtrendsthataresubjecttorisks
anduncertainties.Actualfutureresultsandtrendsmaydiffermateriallyfromhistoricalresultsorthosereflectedinanysuchforward-
lookingstatementsdependingonavarietyoffactors.Importantinformationastothesefactorscanbefoundinthisdocument,
including,amongothers,“Management’sDiscussionandAnalysisofFinancialConditionandResultsofOperations”underthe
headingsof“Overview,”“FinancialConditionandLiquidity”andannuallyin“CriticalAccountingEstimates.”Discussionof
thesefactorsisincorporatedbyreferencefromPartI,Item1A,“RiskFactors,”ofthisdocument,andshouldbeconsideredan
integralpartofPartII,Item7,“Management’sDiscussionandAnalysisofFinancialConditionandResultsofOperations.”For
additionalinformationconcerningfactorsthatmaycauseactualresultstovarymateriallyfromthosestatedintheforward-looking
statements,seeourreportsonForm10-K,10-Qand8-KfiledwiththeSECfromtimetotime.
Item1A.RiskFactors.
ProvidedbelowisacautionarydiscussionofwhatwebelievetobethemostimportantriskfactorsapplicabletotheCompany.
DiscussionofthesefactorsisincorporatedbyreferenceintoandconsideredanintegralpartofPartII,Item7,“Management’s
DiscussionandAnalysisofFinancialConditionsandResultsofOperations.”
*Resultsareimpactedbytheeffectsof,andchangesin,worldwideeconomic,political,andcapitalmarketsconditions.The
Companyoperatesinmorethan70countriesandderivesapproximately60percentofitsrevenuesfromoutsidetheUnitedStates.
TheCompany’sbusinessissubjecttoglobalcompetitionandgeopoliticalrisksandmaybeadverselyaffectedbyfactorsinthe
UnitedStatesandothercountriesthatarebeyonditscontrol,suchasslowereconomicgrowth,disruptionsinfinancialmarkets,
economicdownturnsintheformofeithercontainedorwidespreadrecessionary
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