3M COMPANY vs STRYKER CORP, two Medical Devices stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
3M is a diversified industrial conglomerate; Stryker is a pure-play medical-device maker in orthopedics and surgical equipment. Stryker earns 14.52% on equity at a 13.21% net margin and trades at 38.46 times earnings, a premium for its steady medical-device growth; 3M trades cheaper at 31.62 times but carries far heavier debt, 3.79 turns against Stryker's 0.64. Both convert modest free cash near 2.4% to 3.6%. The pair contrasts a sprawling industrial with a focused device maker: Stryker earns clean, growing returns in medical technology at a premium, 3M is a diversified manufacturer at a lower multiple as it clears its legal and restructuring overhangs.
Comparison updated 2026-07-11.
| Metric | MMM | SYK |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $157.46 | $329.44 |
| Market cap | $83.9B | $127.3B |
| Sector | Medical Devices | Medical Devices |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | -2.9% | +23.7% |
| P/E | 30.3 | 38.1 |
| P/B | 25.34 | 5.54 |
| P/S | 3.35 | 5.04 |
| EV/EBITDA | 18.9 | 21.1 |
| Revenue growth | +2.1% | +8.8% |
| Gross margin | — | 63.3% |
| Operating margin | 23.2% | 15.6% |
| Net margin | 11.1% | 13.2% |
| Return on equity | 84.2% | 14.5% |
| Return on assets | 7.9% | 7.2% |
| Return on invested capital | 22.5% | 11.6% |
| FCF yield | 2.5% | 3.6% |
| Dividend yield | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| Debt / equity | 3.79 | 0.64 |
| Current ratio | 1.59 | 2.11 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 4.09 | 4.70 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 6 / 9 | 5 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.