Foreign currency translation: Local currencies generally are considered the functional currencies outside the United States. Assets and liabilities for operations in local-currency environments are translated at year-end exchange rates. Income and expense items are translated at average rates of exchange prevailing during the year. Cumulative translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in shareholders’ equity.

While 3M generally considers local currencies as the functional currencies outside the United States, under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 830, Foreign Currency Matters, the reporting currency of a foreign entity’s parent is assumed to be that entity’s functional currency when the economic environment of a foreign entity is highly inflationary—generally when its cumulative inflation is approximately 100 percent or more for the three years that precede the beginning of a reporting period. 3M has a subsidiary in Venezuela with operating income representing less than 1.0 percent of 3M’s consolidated operating income for 2010. 3M determined that the cumulative inflation rate of Venezuela in November 2009 exceeded 100 percent. Accordingly, the financial statements of the Venezuelan subsidiary were remeasured as if its functional currency were that of its parent beginning January 1, 2010.

Regulations in Venezuela require the purchase and sale of foreign currency to be made at official rates of exchange that are fixed from time to time by the Venezuelan government. Certain laws in the country, however, provided an exemption for the purchase and sale of certain securities and resulted in an indirect “parallel” market through which companies obtained foreign currency without having to purchase it from Venezuela’s Commission for the Administration of Foreign Exchange (CADIVI). In May 2010, the Venezuelan government took control of the previously freely-traded parallel market. The government-controlled rate that emerged under the new Transaction System for Foreign Currency Denominated Securities (SITME) is not as unfavorable as the previous parallel rate in comparison to the official rates. As previously disclosed, as of December 31, 2009 (prior to the change in functional currency of 3M’s Venezuelan subsidiary in January 2010), 3M changed to use of the parallel exchange rate for translation of the financial statements of its Venezuelan subsidiary. Beginning January 1, 2010, as discussed above, the financial statements of the Venezuelan subsidiary are remeasured as if its functional currency were that of its parent. This remeasurement utilized the parallel rate through May 2010 and the SITME rate thereafter.

The Company continues to monitor circumstances relative to its Venezuelan subsidiary. Other factors notwithstanding, the change in functional currency of this subsidiary and associated remeasurement beginning January 1, 2010 as a result of Venezuela’s economic environment decreased net sales of the Venezuelan subsidiary by approximately two-thirds in 2010 in comparison to 2009 (based on exchange rates at 2009 year-end), but did not otherwise have a material impact on operating income and 3M’s consolidated results of operations.

Use of Estimates

Use of estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Marketable securities

Marketable securities: Classification of marketable securities as current or non-current is dependent upon management’s intended holding period, the security’s maturity date and liquidity considerations based on market conditions. If management intends to hold the securities for longer than one year as of the balance sheet date, they are classified as non-current. 3M reviews impairments associated with its marketable securities in accordance with the measurement guidance provided by ASC 320, Investments-Debt and Equity Securities, when determining the classification of the impairment as “temporary” or “other-than-temporary”. A temporary impairment charge results in an unrealized loss being recorded in the other comprehensive income component of shareholders’ equity. Such an unrealized loss does not reduce net income for the applicable accounting period because the loss is not viewed as other-than-temporary. The factors evaluated to differentiate between temporary and other-than-temporary include the projected future cash flows, credit ratings actions, and assessment of the credit quality of the underlying collateral, as well as other factors.

Other Assets

Other assets: Other assets include deferred income taxes, product and other insurance receivables, the cash surrender value of life insurance policies, and other long-term assets. Investments in life insurance are reported at the amount that could be realized under contract at the balance sheet date, with any changes in cash surrender value or contract value during the period accounted for as an adjustment of premiums paid. Cash outflows and inflows associated with life insurance activity are included in “Purchases of marketable securities and investments” and “Proceeds from sale of marketable securities and investments”, respectively.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment: Property, plant and equipment, including capitalized interest and internal engineering costs, are recorded at cost. Depreciation of property, plant and equipment generally is computed using the straight-line method based on the estimated useful lives of the assets. The estimated useful lives of buildings and improvements primarily range from 10 to 40 years, with the majority in the range of 20 to 40 years. The estimated useful lives of machinery and equipment primarily range from three to 15 years, with the majority in the range of five to 10 years. Fully depreciated assets are retained in property and accumulated depreciation accounts until disposal. Upon disposal, assets and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and the net amount, less proceeds from disposal, is charged or credited to operations. Property, plant and equipment amounts are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset (asset group) may not be recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when the carrying amount of an asset exceeds the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. The amount of the impairment loss to be recorded is calculated by the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value. Fair value is generally determined using a discounted cash flow analysis.

Goodwill

Goodwill: Goodwill is the excess of cost of an acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. Goodwill is not amortized. Goodwill is tested for impairment annually in the fourth quarter of each year, and is tested for impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the carrying amount may be impaired. Impairment testing for goodwill is done at a reporting unit level, with all goodwill assigned to a reporting unit. Reporting units are one level below the business segment level, but can be combined when reporting units within the same segment have similar economic characteristics. 3M did not combine any of its reporting units for impairment testing. An impairment loss generally would be recognized when the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s net assets exceeds the estimated fair value of the reporting unit. The estimated fair value of a reporting unit is determined using earnings for the reporting unit multiplied by a price/earnings ratio for comparable industry groups, or by using a discounted cash flow analysis. The price/earnings ratio is adjusted, if necessary, to take into consideration the market value of the Company.

Restructuring actions and exit activities

Restructuring actions and exit activities: Restructuring actions and exit activities generally include significant actions involving employee-related severance charges, contract termination costs, and impairment of assets associated with such actions. Employee-related severance charges are largely based upon distributed employment policies and substantive severance plans. These charges are reflected in the quarter when the actions are probable and the amounts are estimable, which typically is when management approves the associated actions. Severance amounts for which affected employees were required to render service in order to receive benefits at their termination dates were measured at the date such benefits were communicated to the applicable employees and recognized as expense over the employees’ remaining service periods. Contract termination and other charges primarily reflect costs to terminate a contract before the end of its term (measured at fair value at the time the Company provided notice to the counterparty) or costs that will continue to be incurred under the contract for its remaining term without economic benefit to the Company. Asset impairment charges related to intangible assets and property, plant and equipment reflect the excess of the assets’ carrying values over their fair values.

Accounts receivable and allowances

Accounts receivable and allowances: Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The Company maintains allowances for bad debts, cash discounts, product returns and various other items. The allowance for doubtful accounts and product returns is based on the best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in existing accounts receivable and anticipated sales returns. The Company determines the allowances based on historical write-off experience by industry and regional economic data and historical sales returns. The Company reviews the allowance for doubtful accounts monthly. The Company does not have any significant off-balance-sheet credit exposure related to its customers.

Research, development and related expenses

Research, development and related expenses: These costs are charged to operations in the year incurred and are shown on a separate line of the Consolidated Statement of Income. Research, development and related expenses totaled $1.434 billion in 2010, $1.293 billion in 2009 and $1.404 billion in 2008. Research and development expenses, covering basic scientific research and the application of scientific advances in the development of new and improved products and their uses, totaled $919 million in 2010, $838 million in 2009 and $851 million in 2008. Related expenses primarily include technical support provided by 3M to customers who are using existing 3M products; internally developed patent costs, which include costs and fees incurred to prepare, file, secure and maintain patents; and amortization of acquired patents.

Environmental

Environmental: Environmental expenditures relating to existing conditions caused by past operations that do not contribute to current or future revenues are expensed. Reserves for liabilities related to anticipated remediation costs are recorded on an undiscounted basis when they are probable and reasonably estimable, generally no later than the completion of feasibility studies or the Company’s commitment to a plan of action. Environmental expenditures for capital projects that contribute to current or future operations generally are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives.

Earnings per share

Earnings per share: The difference in the weighted average 3M shares outstanding for calculating basic and diluted earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders is the result of the dilution associated with the Company’s stock-based compensation plans. Certain options outstanding under these stock-based compensation plans during the years 2010, 2009 and 2008 were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders because they would not have had a dilutive effect (26.3 million average options for 2010, 54.3 million average options for 2009, 41.0 million average options for 2008). As discussed in Note 10, the conditions for conversion related to the Company’s Convertible Notes have never been met. If the conditions for conversion are met, 3M may choose to pay in cash and/or common stock; however, if this occurs, the Company has the intent and ability to settle this debt security in cash. Accordingly, there was no impact on diluted earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders. The computations for basic and diluted earnings per share for the years ended December 31 follow:

Earnings Per Share Computations

(Amounts in millions, except per share amounts)	2010		2009		2008
Numerator:
Net income attributable to 3M	$	4,085	$	3,193	$	3,460
Denominator:
Denominator for weighted average 3M common shares outstanding — basic	713.7		700.5		699.2
Dilution associated with the Company’s stock-based compensation plans	11.8		6.2		8.0
Denominator for weighted average 3M common shares outstanding — diluted	725.5		706.7		707.2
Earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders — basic	$	5.72	$	4.56	$	4.95
Earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders — diluted	$	5.63	$	4.52	$	4.89

Comprehensive income

Comprehensive income: Total comprehensive income and the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) are presented in the Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity and Comprehensive Income. Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) is composed of foreign currency translation effects (including hedges of net investments in international companies), defined benefit pension and postretirement plan adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale debt and equity securities, and unrealized gains and losses on cash flow hedging instruments.

Fair value measurements

Fair value measurements: 3M follows ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, with respect to assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and nonrecurring basis. Under the standard, fair value is defined as the exit price, or the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants as of the measurement date. The standard also establishes a hierarchy for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs market participants would use in valuing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the factors market participants would use in valuing the asset or liability developed based upon the best information available in the circumstances. The hierarchy is broken down into three levels. Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, and inputs (other than quoted prices) that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.