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Side-by-side financial comparison of AES Corporation (AES) and 3M (MMM). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

3M is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($6.0B vs $3.1B, roughly 1.9× AES Corporation). 3M runs the higher net margin — 10.8% vs 10.3%, a 0.5% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, AES Corporation posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (4.7% vs 1.3%). 3M produced more free cash flow last quarter ($2.0B vs $-47.0M). Over the past eight quarters, AES Corporation's revenue compounded faster (0.3% CAGR vs -1.8%).

The AES Corporation is an American utility and power generation company. It owns and operates power plants, which it uses to generate and sell electricity to end users and intermediaries like utilities and industrial facilities. AES, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is one of the world's leading power companies, generating and distributing electric power in 15 countries and employing 10,500 people worldwide. AES Corporation is a global Fortune 500 power company.

The 3M Company is an American multinational conglomerate operating in the fields of industry, worker safety, and consumer goods. Based in the Saint Paul suburb of Maplewood, the company produces over 60,000 products, including adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, personal protective equipment, window films, paint protection film, electrical, electronic connecting, insulating materials, car-care products, electronic circuits, and optical films. Among its best-known consume...

AES vs MMM — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
MMM
MMM
1.9× larger
MMM
$6.0B
$3.1B
AES
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
AES
AES
+3.4% gap
AES
4.7%
1.3%
MMM
Higher net margin
MMM
MMM
0.5% more per $
MMM
10.8%
10.3%
AES
More free cash flow
MMM
MMM
$2.1B more FCF
MMM
$2.0B
$-47.0M
AES
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
AES
AES
Annualised
AES
0.3%
-1.8%
MMM

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q1 FY2026

Metric
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Revenue
$3.1B
$6.0B
Net Profit
$320.0M
$653.0M
Gross Margin
18.8%
40.7%
Operating Margin
-8.7%
23.2%
Net Margin
10.3%
10.8%
Revenue YoY
4.7%
1.3%
Net Profit YoY
-42.9%
-41.5%
EPS (diluted)
$0.45
$1.23

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$6.0B
Q4 25
$3.1B
$6.1B
Q3 25
$3.4B
$6.5B
Q2 25
$2.9B
$6.3B
Q1 25
$2.9B
$6.0B
Q4 24
$3.0B
$6.0B
Q3 24
$3.3B
$6.3B
Q2 24
$2.9B
$6.3B
Net Profit
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$653.0M
Q4 25
$320.0M
$577.0M
Q3 25
$639.0M
$834.0M
Q2 25
$-95.0M
$723.0M
Q1 25
$46.0M
$1.1B
Q4 24
$560.0M
$728.0M
Q3 24
$502.0M
$1.4B
Q2 24
$185.0M
$1.1B
Gross Margin
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
40.7%
Q4 25
18.8%
33.6%
Q3 25
21.9%
41.8%
Q2 25
15.9%
42.5%
Q1 25
15.1%
41.6%
Q4 24
14.2%
51.7%
Q3 24
22.0%
42.1%
Q2 24
18.8%
42.9%
Operating Margin
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
23.2%
Q4 25
-8.7%
13.0%
Q3 25
9.8%
22.2%
Q2 25
1.4%
18.0%
Q1 25
-0.8%
20.9%
Q4 24
12.3%
12.2%
Q3 24
10.0%
20.9%
Q2 24
-2.6%
20.3%
Net Margin
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
10.8%
Q4 25
10.3%
9.4%
Q3 25
19.1%
12.8%
Q2 25
-3.3%
11.4%
Q1 25
1.6%
18.7%
Q4 24
18.9%
12.1%
Q3 24
15.3%
21.8%
Q2 24
6.3%
18.3%
EPS (diluted)
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$1.23
Q4 25
$0.45
$1.07
Q3 25
$0.89
$1.55
Q2 25
$-0.15
$1.34
Q1 25
$0.07
$2.04
Q4 24
$0.78
$1.33
Q3 24
$0.71
$2.48
Q2 24
$0.27
$2.07

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$1.6B
$3.7B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$10.9B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.1B
$3.3B
Total Assets
$51.8B
$35.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
3.29×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$3.7B
Q4 25
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.8B
Q2 25
$1.4B
Q1 25
$1.8B
Q4 24
$1.6B
Q3 24
$2.0B
Q2 24
$1.8B
Total Debt
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$10.9B
Q4 25
$12.6B
Q3 25
$12.6B
Q2 25
$13.1B
Q1 25
$13.5B
Q4 24
$13.0B
Q3 24
$13.2B
Q2 24
$13.1B
Stockholders' Equity
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$3.3B
Q4 25
$4.1B
$4.7B
Q3 25
$3.9B
$4.6B
Q2 25
$3.4B
$4.3B
Q1 25
$3.5B
$4.5B
Q4 24
$3.6B
$3.8B
Q3 24
$3.3B
$4.6B
Q2 24
$3.1B
$3.9B
Total Assets
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$35.4B
Q4 25
$51.8B
$37.7B
Q3 25
$50.8B
$37.6B
Q2 25
$48.5B
$38.0B
Q1 25
$48.6B
$40.0B
Q4 24
$47.4B
$39.9B
Q3 24
$50.1B
$40.9B
Q2 24
$47.7B
$43.4B
Debt / Equity
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
3.29×
Q4 25
2.68×
Q3 25
2.72×
Q2 25
3.06×
Q1 25
3.02×
Q4 24
3.40×
Q3 24
2.84×
Q2 24
3.34×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$1.5B
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$-47.0M
$2.0B
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
-1.5%
33.6%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
49.5%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
4.65×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$-1.6B
$3.7B

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
Q4 25
$1.5B
$1.6B
Q3 25
$1.3B
$1.8B
Q2 25
$976.0M
$-954.0M
Q1 25
$545.0M
$-79.0M
Q4 24
$1.1B
$1.8B
Q3 24
$985.0M
$-1.8B
Q2 24
$392.0M
$1.0B
Free Cash Flow
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
$2.0B
Q4 25
$-47.0M
$1.3B
Q3 25
$-511.0M
$1.5B
Q2 25
$-356.0M
$-1.2B
Q1 25
$-709.0M
$-315.0M
Q4 24
$-639.0M
$1.5B
Q3 24
$-847.0M
$-2.0B
Q2 24
$-1.3B
$752.0M
FCF Margin
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
33.6%
Q4 25
-1.5%
21.8%
Q3 25
-15.2%
23.6%
Q2 25
-12.5%
-18.3%
Q1 25
-24.2%
-5.3%
Q4 24
-21.6%
25.4%
Q3 24
-25.8%
-32.3%
Q2 24
-43.9%
12.0%
Capex Intensity
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
Q4 25
49.5%
4.0%
Q3 25
54.0%
3.3%
Q2 25
46.7%
3.3%
Q1 25
42.9%
4.0%
Q4 24
58.3%
4.8%
Q3 24
55.7%
3.9%
Q2 24
57.3%
4.3%
Cash Conversion
AES
AES
MMM
MMM
Q1 26
Q4 25
4.65×
2.74×
Q3 25
2.03×
2.11×
Q2 25
-1.32×
Q1 25
11.85×
-0.07×
Q4 24
1.94×
2.50×
Q3 24
1.96×
-1.30×
Q2 24
2.12×
0.89×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

AES
AES

Electric Distribution$1.0B33%
Regulated Revenue$1.0B33%
Renewables$786.0M25%
AES Andes$225.0M7%
Corporate Other And Other$38.0M1%
Other Expense$10.0M0%

MMM
MMM

Safety and Industrial business segment$2.9B49%
Transportation and Electronics business segment$1.8B31%
Consumer business segment$1.1B19%
Corporate$121.0M2%

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