UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM10-Q

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2018.March 31, 2019.

or

For the transition period from                    to                    

Commission File Number1-475

A. O. Smith Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(414)(414)359-4000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    ☒  Yes    ☐  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of RegulationS-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    ☒  Yes    ☐  No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, anon-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule12b-2 of the Act.)    ☐  Yes    ☒  No

Class A Common Stock Outstanding as of October 31, 2018April 30, 2019 - 26,060,94726,059,335 shares

Common Stock Outstanding as of October 31, 2018April 30, 2019 - 143,890,000141,137,164 shares

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Index

A. O. Smith Corporation

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

A. O. SMITH CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS

(dollars in millions, except for per share data)

(unaudited)

A. O. SMITH CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE EARNINGS

(dollars in millions)

(unaudited)

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

A. O. SMITH CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(dollars in millions)

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

A. O. SMITH CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(dollars in millions)

(unaudited)

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

A. O. SMITH CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(dollars in millions)

(unaudited)

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

A. O. SMITH CORPORATION

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

September 30, 2018March 31, 2019

(unaudited)

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018March 31, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year. It is suggested that the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 20172018 filed with the SEC on February 16, 2018.15, 2019.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In AugustJanuary 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) amended Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815,Derivatives and Hedging (issued under Accounting Standards Update (ASU)2017-12, “Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities”). Under this amendment, more hedging strategies are eligible for hedge accounting treatment. ASU2017-12 also amends the presentation and disclosure requirements regarding derivatives and hedging and changes how companies assess effectiveness. The Company adopted the amendment on January 1, 2018 and the adoption of ASU2017-12 did not have a material impact on its consolidated balance sheets, statements of earnings or statements of cash flows.

In May 2017, the FASB amended ASC 718,Compensation – Stock Compensation(issued under ASU2017-09, “Scope of Modification Accounting”). This amendment clarifies when changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards must be accounted for as a modification. Under this amendment, modification accounting must be used if three conditions are met: the fair value changes, the vesting conditions change, or the classification of the award changes due to the changes in terms or conditions. The Company adopted the amendment on January 1, 2018 and the adoption of ASU2017-09 did not have a material impact on its consolidated balance sheets, statements of earnings or statements of cash flows.

In March 2017, the FASB amended ASC 715,Compensation – Retirement Benefits(issued under ASU2017-07, “Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost”). This amendment changes the way net periodic benefit cost associated with employer-sponsored defined benefit plans is presented in the statement of earnings. Under the amendment, the service cost component of net periodic benefit cost is included in the same lines in the statement of earnings as other employee compensation costs and the other components of net periodic benefit cost must be presented separately outside of income from operations. The Company adopted the amendment on January 1, 2018.    As a result of this adoption, for the three months ended September 30, 2017, the Company retrospectively reclassified $1.6 million and $1.0 million ofnon-service cost pension income from cost of products sold and selling, general and administrative expenses, respectively, to other income in the consolidated statement of earnings. For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company retrospectively reclassified $4.7 million and $3.1 million ofnon-service cost pension income from cost of

Substantially all of the Company’s sales are from contracts with customers for the purchase of its products. Contracts and customer purchase orders are used to determine the existence of a sales contract. Shipping documents are used to verify shipment. For substantially all of its products, the Company transfers control of products to the customer at the point in time when title and risk are passed to the customer, which generally occurs upon shipment of the product. Each unit sold is considered an independent, unbundled performance obligation. The Company’s sales arrangements do not include other performance obligations that are material in the context of the contract.

The nature, timing and amount of revenue for a respective performance obligation are consistent for each customer. The Company measures the sales transaction price based upon the payment terms associated with the transaction and whether the sales price is subject to refund or adjustment. Sales and value added taxes are excluded from the measurement of transaction price. The Company’s payment terms for the majority of its customers are 30 to 90 days from shipment.

The North America segment major product lines are defined as the following:

Water heaters The Company’s water heaters are open water heating systems that heat potable water. Typical applications for water heaters include residences, restaurants, hotels and motels, office buildings, laundries, car washes and small businesses. The Company sells residential and commercial water heater products and related parts through its wholesale distribution channel, which includes more than 1,2001,300 independent wholesale plumbing distributors. The Company also sells residential water heaters and related parts through retail and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) channels. A significant portion of the Company’s water heater sales in the North America segment is derived from the replacement of existing products.

The Company’s lease portfolio consists of operating leases for buildings and equipment, such as forklifts and copiers, primarily in the United States and China. The Company defines a lease as a contract that gives the Company the right to control the use of a physical asset for a stated term. The Company pays the lessor for that right, with a series of payments defined in the contract and a corresponding right of use operating lease asset and liability are recorded. The Company has elected not to record leases with an initial term of 12 months or less on its condensed consolidated balance sheet. To determine balance sheet amounts, required legal payments are discounted using the Company’s incremental borrowing rate. The incremental borrowing rate is the rate of interest that the Company would have to borrow, on a collateralized basis, an amount equal to the value of the leased item over a similar term, in a similar economic environment. Variable lease components not based on an index or rate are excluded from the measurement of the lease asset and liability and expensed as incurred for all asset classes.

Certain leases include one or more options to renew or terminate. Renewal terms can extend the lease term from one to five years and options to terminate can be effective within one year. The exercise of lease renewal or termination is at the Company’s discretion and when it is determined to be reasonably certain to renew or terminate, the option is reflected in the measurement of lease asset and liability. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants or material subleases. Cash flows associated with leases are consistent with the expense recorded in the condensed consolidated statement of earnings.

Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:

(dollars in millions)

On September 5, 2017, the Company acquired 100 percent

Maturities of the shares of Hague, an Ohio-based water softener company. With the addition of Hague, the Company grew its North America water treatment product offerings. Hague is includedlease liabilities were as follows:

(dollars in the Company’s North America segment for reporting purposes. The Company paid an aggregate cash purchase price of $43.1 million, net of $4.1 million of cash acquired. In addition, the Company established a $1.5 million holdback liability to satisfy any potential obligations of the former owners of Hague. The Company also agreed to make a contingent payment of up to an additional $2.0 million based on the amount by which sales of products manufactured by Hague increase over thetwo-year period ending June 30, 2019. In addition, the Company incurred acquisition-related costs of approximately $0.2 million.

As of the acquisition date, the Company estimated the fair value of the holdback liability and additional contingent consideration at $1.5 million and $2.0 million, respectively. During the third quarter of 2018, the Company finalized the amount of acquisition date working capital, which resulted in a $1.3 million payment to the former owners of Hague related to the aforementioned holdback. The Company also paid $1.0 million of contingent payments associated with the amount by which sales of products manufactured by Hague increase over thetwo-year period ending June 30, 2019. As of September 30, 2018, the Company estimated the fair value of the remaining contingent consideration at $1.0 million.

The following table summarizes the allocation of fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition of Hague for purposes of allocating the purchase price. The $12.8 million of acquired intangible assets was comprised of $1.1 million of trade names that are not subject to amortization and $11.7 million of customer lists being amortized over 18 years.millions)

The Company offers warranties on the sales of certain of its products with terms that are consistent with the market and records an accrual for the estimated future claims. The following table presents the Company’s warranty liability activity.

The Company adopted the A. O. Smith Combined Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) effective January 1, 2007. The Plan was reapproved by stockholders on April 16, 2012. The Plan is a continuation of the A. O. Smith Combined Executive Incentive Compensation Plan which was originally approved by stockholders in 2002. The number of shares available for granting of options or share units at September 30, 2018March 31, 2019 was 2,488,996.1,887,527. Upon stock option exercise or share unit vesting, shares are issued from treasury stock.

Total stock based compensation expense recognized in the three months ended September 30,March 31, 2019 and 2018 and 2017 was $1.8$8.7 million and $1.3 million, respectively. Total stock based compensation recognized in the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 was $9.7 million and $8.5$6.5 million, respectively.

Stock Options

The stock options granted in the ninethree months ended September 30,March 31, 2019 and 2018 and 2017 have three year pro rata vesting from the date of grant. Stock options are issued at exercise prices equal to the fair value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of grant. For active employees, all options granted in 20182019 and 20172018 expire ten years after the date of grant. The Company’s stock options are expensed ratably over the three year vesting period; however, included in stock option expense for the three and nine months ended September 30,March 31, 2019 and 2018 and 2017 was expense associated with the accelerated vesting of stock option awards for certain employees who either are retirement eligible

The expected lives of options for purposes of these models are based on historical exercise behavior. The risk-free interest rates for purposes of these models are based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect on the date of grant for the respective expected lives of the option. The expected dividend yields for purposes of these models are based on the dividends paid in the preceding four quarters divided by the grant date market value of the Common Stock. The expected volatility for purposes of these models are based on the historical volatility of the Common Stock.

Stock Appreciations Rights (SARs)

Certainnon-U.S.-based employees were granted SARs. Each SAR award grants the employee the right to receive cash equal to the excess of the share price of the Company’s Common Stock on the date that a participant exercises such right over the grant date value of the SAR. SARs granted have three year pro rata vesting from the date of grant. SARs were issued at exercise prices equal to the fair value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of grant and expire ten years from the date of grant. The fair value and compensation expense related to SARs are measured at each reporting period using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, using assumptions similar to stock option awards. No SARs were granted in 20182019 or 2017.2018. As of September 30, 2018,March 31, 2019, there were 16,17014,880 SARs outstanding and exercisable. In the ninethree months ended September 30, 2018, 7,800March 31, 2019, 1,290 SARs were exercised. Stock based compensation expense attributable to SARs was minimal in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018March 31, 2019 and 2017.

The following table presents the components of the Company’s net pension income.

The Company was not required to make a contribution to its U.S. pension plan in 2017 but made a voluntary $30 million contribution. The Company is not required to make a contribution and does not anticipate making a contribution in 2018. As required under ASU2017-07, the service cost component of net pension income was recorded inperiodic benefit cost is presented within cost of products sold and selling, general and administrative expenses andwithin the condensed consolidated statements of earnings while the other components of net pension income were recordedare reflected in other incomeincome. The Company was not required to and did not make a contribution to its U.S. pension plan in the consolidated statements of earnings.