Company: 3M Company

Diversified manufacturing company 3M Co. said Tuesday that CEO Inge Thulin will become chairman of the board, replacing outgoing Chairman George Buckley who will retire June 1.

Not only are these American companies resilient, they often pay a juicy dividend, too.

Recovering demand at home helped four U.S. manufacturing companies offset a very weak European economy and slowing growth in China.

Stocks closed mixed Tuesday, ending off their session highs, as euphoria from this morning's earnings reports faded and as tech giant Apple slumped, weighing on the the Nasdaq.

3M reported quarterly earnings and revenue that easily analysts' expectations on Tuesday and narrowed its full-year guidance, sending its shares higher in premarket trading.

U.S. stock index futures were mixed Tuesday following the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index and as worries over Europe lingered.

General Electric expects its sales growth in resource-rich countries in Latin America and the Middle East to outpace that in China and Asia, which has been a major focus for the largest U.S. conglomerate.

Large, multinational conglomerates considering a crash diet may want to think twice if they wish to reward shareholders: the argument that smaller is better is a little less persuasive these days.

Stocks closed mixed in thin trading Friday ahead of the three-day holiday weekend, but all major averages logged robust gains for the week following some positive economic news and amid optimism that Greece will soon find a solution to its debt crisis.

3M announced on Wednesday that Inge Thulin, the company's chief operating officer, has been elected the company's president and CEO, effective Feb. 24.

Stocks finished mixed Friday, as investors digested a handful of tepid earnings and economic reports in addition to ongoing jitters in the euro zone. The S&P and Nasdaq posted their fourth weekly gains, while the Dow finished in negative territory for the week.

Stocks finished lower in thin trading Thursday following a disappointing new home sales report and as earlier enthusiasm faded over the Fed's decision to hold interest rates near zero until at least 2014.

3M  reported higher-than-expected quarterly earnings on Thursday as demand from industrial and transport markets offset weak sales to makers of consumer electronics.

Investors are reassured – and companies consider it a point of pride – when executives note an uninterrupted track record for raising dividends. Dividend payments also offer investors a cushion on their investment, increasing the overall returns of the stock. Historically, dividend payments have accounted for more than 40 percent of the S&P 500’s total returns.

3M is offering early retirement incentives to 4,900 employees and expects about 15 percent to participate in the program, a spokeswoman for the diversified U.S. manufacturer said on Wednesday.