How to Buy 3M Company (MMM) Stock for Beginners in 2024

Use our step-by-step guide to learn how to buy MMM stock, make an investment for the first time, and compare the best 3M Company trading platforms for beginners.
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Updated:  Aug 9, 2024
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With technology today, you can buy MMM stocks from the comfort of your home. 3M (MMM) stocks are available through many online brokers, and it usually takes just a few minutes to buy shares in MMM when following our step-by-step guide.

In order to make an investment in 3M Company for the first time, you need to consider several important factors: is now the right time for me? how much should I invest? which trading platform is best for me? Furthermore, you’ll want the lowest fees, a user-friendly interface, and access to a wide range of other stocks.

That’s why we’ve compared the best places to buy 3M Company stocks. Our broker comparison below helps you make an informed decision on the best way to invest in 3M Company.

Let’s begin with where to get started, before moving onto setting up an account, and then placing your first 3M Company trade.

Where to buy 3M Company stock?

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Based on our research, the best stock trading app to buy 3M Company stock is Plus500 .

We’ve ranked the top five brokers where you can buy 3M Company shares according to how easy they are to use, how low their fees are, their safety and security rating, and average customer reviews.

We found 4 online brokers for users based in

Sort by:

1
Min Deposit
Best offer
User Score
9.9
Trade +2000 CFDs on Shares, Options, Commodities & more
Unlimited risk-free Demo Account
0 commissions & attractive spreads with up to 1:5 leverage
Start Trading
Payment Methods:
Bank Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Credit Card, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Trustly, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Discover, Bank Transfer: SEPA, Bank Transfer: FPS, skrill
Full Regulations:
ASIC, FCA, FSA, MAS, CySEC #250/14

Buy or sell stock CFDs with Plus500. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

2
Min Deposit
Best offer
User Score
9.9
Up to $240 bonus!
Deposit with ACA, Wire, Pay with my bank
Invest for dividends and get payout on stocks on Ex-Dividend day
Start Trading
Payment Methods:
Bank Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Credit Card, Wire Transfer
Full Regulations:
CySEC, FCA

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

3
Min Deposit
Best offer
User Score
9.1
Get insights from millions of investors, creators, and analysts
Build your portfolio of stocks, ETFs, and crypto–all in one place
No minimum deposit
Start Trading
Payment Methods:
Debit Card, Wire Transfer, Check, Bank Wire
Full Regulations:

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

Read more about how we test, rank & review platforms.

How to buy stock in 3M Company in 3 steps

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Buying 3M Company stock is quick, all you need is an internet connection, a copy of your photo ID, and the amount you wish to invest. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1. Sign up to an online broker

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Our rankings suggest that Plus500 is the best stock trading platform for beginners.

When you sign up, you’re prompted to fill in your details to create an account, as you would with any online account creation process.

After that, you need to send a copy of your ID to verify the account before you can use it. This is because stock brokerages are required by law to comply with financial regulations, and these demand each customer confirm their identity before they can buy and sell shares on the stock market.

1
Min Deposit
Best offer
User Score
9.9
Trade +2000 CFDs on Shares, Options, Commodities & more
Unlimited risk-free Demo Account
0 commissions & attractive spreads with up to 1:5 leverage
Start Trading
Payment Methods:
Bank Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Credit Card, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Trustly, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Discover, Bank Transfer: SEPA, Bank Transfer: FPS, skrill
Full Regulations:
ASIC, FCA, FSA, MAS, CySEC #250/14

Buy or sell stock CFDs with Plus500. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Step 2. Make a deposit

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You can’t invest in 3M Company stock without any money in the account, so next you have to fund your trading account.

Head to the ‘bank’ or ‘account’ section of your dashboard and select the ‘deposit’ option. Transfer money to your new account via a debit or credit card, bank transfer, or an alternative payment method, like PayPal.

You can add as much as you like as long as you meet the minimum deposit threshold, which might be as low as $10, but is usually around $50-100 depending on your country of residence.

Top tip: consider how much you want to actually invest and over what period. You might need to deposit $200 or so in order to afford the shares, or $1,200 if you’re investing $100 per month for 12 months, for example. 

Step 3. Buy 3M Company stocks

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With funds now in your account, it’s time to make your first investment, aka place your first trade.

Search for 3M Company using the ticker symbol, MMM. Click the ‘trade’ button and enter the details of your investment, such as how many shares you want to buy or how much you want to spend.

Having entered the amount, you’ll see all the details of the trade to confirm its what you expected. Once ready, hit the ‘trade now’ button to invest in 3M Company, completing your purchase.

It’s as easy as that! You can buy 3M Company shares in just 10-15 minutes and now you’re a 3M Company shareholder.

Top tip: remember though, the process is easy, but making money can be much harder. You still need to do lots of fundamental research, create a budget, and design a strategy that’s suitable for you. 

Compare the best platforms to buy 3M Company stock

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We found 4 online brokers for users based in

1. Plus500. Best for international trading*

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From 0.08%

Fees

$…

Minimum deposit

2800

No. assets

Yes

Demo/virtual account

Pros & Cons

Free demo account for every user Secure broker, licensed by top-tier regulators Wide variety of CFDs to trade Several good risk management tools
No support on trading information and education Website isn’t brilliantly designed to help users find answers to their questions No MetaTrader trading platform compatibility

Overview

We love Plus500 because it is one of the industry’s most transparent and reliable brokers. Its fees are clear and you’ll know exactly what you will be paying before you trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures for a range of instruments, including forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies among several others.

Plus500 has something for all types of traders, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements (starting at $20) and different contracts make it a top choice for day traders. At the same time, its trading academy is packed with educational content, perfect for beginners just starting. 

For accurate instrument availability, visit plus500.com.

The fees: Plus500 charges a commission of $0.49 per Micro contract and $0.89 per Standard contract (per side). There is an Auto-Liquidation fee of $10 per contract. Other exchange fees may be applicable and can be found on the CME group website. 

*Based on a comparison of 60+ leading brokers and trading platforms.

Highlights

Buy or sell stock CFDs with Plus500. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

2. eToro. Best for beginners, copy-trading & demo-account

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0% commission

Fees

$…

Minimum deposit

1500

No. assets

Yes

Demo/virtual account

Pros & Cons

Great for beginners, simple to set up and get started Competitive, industry-leading commissions Popular ‘Copy Portfolios’ function lets you follow top traders Excellent customer service, with live chat support provided
Comparatively high fees for withdrawals and account inactivity Does not integrate with the MetaTrader platform High spreads on some assets

Overview

We love eToro because it’s a trading platform built with beginners and casual traders in mind. The platform combines an interactive, social trading experience with an easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for novice traders.

The far-reaching catalog of more than 5,500 stocks and ETFs includes big names like Apple and Tesla, as well as smaller companies with high growth potential. You can start trading with as little as $10 using fractional shares if you’re on a tight budget.

One feature we particularly appreciate is the ability to interact with eToro’s 35 million users on any asset, market, or portfolio page. If you find traders whose strategies match your risk tolerance, you can copy their portfolios automatically using eToro’s flagship copy trading functionality. This is a great way to learn and potentially benefit from the expertise of more experienced traders.

If you don’t feel comfortable investing your cash straight away, you can use a free demo account, credited with $100,000 virtual dollars. This offers plenty of opportunities to try out a trading strategy that works for you across stocks, crypto, and options trading markets.

Highlights

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

3. Public. Best for AI analysis

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Spreads

Fees

$…

Minimum deposit

9,000

No. assets

No

Demo/virtual account

Pros & Cons

Commission free stock and ETF investing Share and compare your portfolio on a social trading platform Trade crypto, fractional shares, and alternative investments
You can’t trade on margin or use leverage No forex, options, funds, metals, or bonds

Overview

We love Public because it makes use of cutting-edge AI technology to enhance your trading and investing experience. Public’s AI-powered feature, Public Alpha offers personalized insights and recommendations through its natural language interface in real time. 

Public’s AI technology helps you make more informed decisions by analyzing massive amounts of data and providing actionable insights. These AI-driven insights are easily accessible and give users access to the latest advancements in financial analysis and trading. 

Not only do can you use AI to help your investments, Public is one of the lowest cost brokerage firms out there. You can invest in stocks and ETFs commission free. You can also buy and trade fractional shares and if you want to diversify, you can explore a range of alternative investments including music and film royalties. 

The fees: There are no fees for investing in stocks during regular trading hours in the US – 9.30am-4pm EST. There is a $2.99 fee for trades outside of regular hours. 

Highlights

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

What are the fees for investing in 3M Company stock?

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It depends on the stock broker. Some platforms charge a flat fee per trade, others charge a commission as a percentage of the total trade value each time you buy 3M Company stocks. These can range anywhere from $0.10 per trade, right up to 3% of the total amount you’re investing.

Consider that there may be other costs to trading too. Other fees can include deposit and withdrawal fees, or inactivity fees if you don’t use your account for three months or more. 

These are the trading platforms that charge the lowest fees for buying stocks in 3M Company.

Asset Plus500 fees eToro fees Public fees
Cryptocurrencies From 2% 1% 1-2% (spread)
Commodities From 0.04% From 2 pips
Currencies From 0.8% From 1 pip
Indices From 0.7% From 0.75 pts
Stocks From 0.08% 0% commission Spreads
View more > Plus500 > eToro > Public >

Are there other ways to invest in 3M Company?

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Yes, you can invest in 3M Company stock in a few different ways. One option is to buy stock in 3M Company directly through an investment platform as laid out above, while another popular choice is to invest in a fund. 

A fund buys stocks in lots of companies on your behalf, to create a diversified portfolio of different assets. Diversified portfolios are typically considered safer than investing in a single stock, because their values fluctuate at different times and their peaks and troughs can balance out.

Many of the best index funds contain 3M Company, while another option is to invest in an ETF. ETFs are similar to funds, except rather than someone choosing what to invest in, it buys stocks automatically according to a set of guiding principles. 3M Company is a popular choice in many of the top performing ETFs.

A third option is to use a social copy trading platform, like Plus500 . Find a trader who you like and copy their 3M Company trades directly to your own account. 

This can be a good investment strategy for beginners and a way to learn how to buy 3M Company shares from someone with more experience.

How to sell 3M Company stock

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When you decide the time is right to sell and lock in some profit (or cut your losses), the process is pretty much the same as having purchased the stock. The steps are as follows:

  1. Log into your broker account and navigate to your portfolio. 
  2. From there, find your 3M Company stock and you’ll see a ‘sell’ option next to it. 
  3. Click that to set the details of the trade. You don’t have to sell all your stocks at once, you could choose to sell half for example. 
  4. Once you’ve decided accordingly, click the ‘sell’ or ‘close’ button to sell back to cash.

Should I buy 3M Company stock now?

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It’s your investing goals and style that define whether now is a good time to buy. The current 3M Company stock price plays into it but ultimately it depends on your investment horizons.

  • If you’re a short term trader: the goal is to make money by buying and selling stocks regularly to secure a profit or avoid a loss. That can mean trading hourly, daily, or weekly but the focus is always on the near future. Traders learn how to buy stocks in 3M Company based on short term technical analysis and don’t hold shares for a long time, so any time can be a good time to buy 3M Company.
  • If you’re a long term investor: you’re more interested in long term price appreciation than whether a stock is up or down on any given day. The important thing is finding a stock with a strong foundation where you think the share price will be up over a period of months or years. If you think 3M Company’s fundamentals are solid then the best time to invest in 3M Company stock is after a dip or a pullback in price.

Most new traders sit somewhere between these two positions. Many investors don’t want to actively trade 3M Company stock all hours of the day, but nor do they want to wait years for a return either.

Top tip: investing small amounts regularly (known as Dollar-Cost-Averaging (DCA)) over a long period of time is proven to be the most successful investing strategy for normal people without trading skills.

Either way, following 3M Company price news and analysis will help you decide when to dip your toe into the market.

Fundamental analysis of 3M Company shares

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How has 3M Company’s share price performed in recent years?

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Overall, MMM is +0.71% over the last week. The MMM share price is +46.50% in 2024 so far.

Is 3M a good investment for me? 

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The right answer is different for each person, so here is some information to help you decide whether to buy stocks in 3M.

  • 3M is a dividend king. 3M often referred to as a ‘dividend king’. It has paid a dividend to its shareholders for more than a hundred years, while increasing it for the past six decades. There are only 45 dividend kings and 3M is one of them. If you’re looking to invest for income, then MMM is one of the best options available. 
  • The company operates in several large industries. 3M generates revenue from many different industries and is not reliant on one specific area or product. This puts it in good shape moving forward as it’s business is diverse enough to generate consistent income, even if some sectors are in a down turn. 
  • Many of 3M’s products are considered ‘recession proof’. As just mentioned, 3M operates in several sectors and included in those are healthcare and dental care. Both of these industries tend to fair well during recessions as people still require medical and dental supplies. This should help 3M if expected global recessions come around. 
  • 3M has legal troubles that are still not resolved. 3M is a multinational company and legal issues are to be expected. However, the legal troubles surrounding the business have been ongoing for a number of years and some experts have suggested that it may faces costs up to $92 billion. Obviously, such a large sum would not be positive for the company’s share price. 
  • Its stock price has been declining and hit nine-year lows. 3M’s share price has only really been moving in one direction for the past five years and that’s down. From its peak in 2018, over 50% has been wiped of its value and in 2022, 3M’s share price high a nine-year low. This gradual drop may have some investors worried, however if you’re bullish on the company, buying at these levels could provide a nice discount. 

It’s always a good idea to think about any potential risks there might be as well. Use this summary of 3M’s pros and cons before you make a final decision on whether to buy 3M stock.

Pros

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  • 3M is a dividend king and a top rated income stock
  • Its product range is diverse spanning many industries
  • Many of 3M’s products are ‘recession proof’

Cons

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FAQs

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01

Is 3M stock overvalued?

02

Do I have to pay capital gains tax on any profits I make?

03

What is 3M’s ticker symbol?

04

Does 3M pay dividends?

05

Is 3M ESG friendly?



Sources & references

Our editors fact-check all content to ensure compliance with our strict editorial policy. The information in this article is supported by the following reliable sources.

Risk disclaimer
Prash Raval
Financial Writer
Prash is a financial writer for Invezz covering FX, the stock market and investing. For over a decade he has traded spot FX full time while... read more.