<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000091142-23-000054.txt : 20230523
<SEC-HEADER>0000091142-23-000054.hdr.sgml : 20230523
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20230414151053
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000091142-23-000054
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20230414

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SMITH A O CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000091142
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES [3630]
		IRS NUMBER:				390619790
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11270 WEST PARK PLACE
		CITY:			MILWAUKEE
		STATE:			WI
		ZIP:			53224
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4143594000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11270 WEST PARK PLACE
		CITY:			MILWAUKEE
		STATE:			WI
		ZIP:			53224
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>
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<title>Document</title></head><body><div id="i7134a94b206e46e59896ba991a329495_1"></div><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">April 14, 2023</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">VIA EDGAR</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Ms. Eiko Yaoita Pyles</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Mr. Andrew Blume</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Division of Corporation Finance</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Office of Manufacturing</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">100 F Street, NE</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Washington, DC 20549</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Re&#58;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;A. O. Smith Corporation</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Filed February 14, 2023</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">File No. 001-00475</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Dear Ms. Pyles and Mr. Blume&#58;</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">This letter is in response to the letter dated March, 31, 2023, from the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the &#8220;Staff&#8221;) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#8220;SEC&#8221;), relating to the above-referenced Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 (the &#8220;Form 10-K&#8221;). The Staff's comment is set forth below in bold, followed by the Company's response to the comment.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Please note that the &#8220;Company,&#8221; &#8220;A. O. Smith,&#8221; &#8220;we,&#8221; &#8220;us,&#8221; and &#8220;our&#8221; refer to A. O. Smith and its consolidated subsidiaries, and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to page numbers correspond to the pages in the Form 10-K. All terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Form 10-K.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:700;line-height:120%;text-decoration:underline">Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:700;line-height:120%;text-decoration:underline">Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Non-GAAP Measures, page 24</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:700;line-height:120%;text-decoration:underline">1. We note that you present Total Segment Earnings as a GAAP measure. Please note the presentation of a total segment profit or loss measure in any context other than the ASC 280 required reconciliation in the financial statement footnotes is considered a presentation of a non-GAAP measure. Furthermore, as a result, your Total Adjusted Segment Earnings non-GAAP measure currently is not reconciled to a GAAP measure. Show us how you will revise your presentation in future filings. Refer to Question 104.04 of the Compliance &#38; Disclosure Interpretations for Non-GAAP Financial Measures.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We acknowledge the Staff's comment, and in future filings, we will discontinue the presentation of total segment profit or loss as a GAAP measure in any context other than the ASC 280 required reconciliation in the financial statement footnotes. Beginning with the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023, we will present and reconcile the GAAP measure &#8220;Earnings before provision for income taxes&#8221; to total segment earnings and adjusted segment earnings. For your information, we have included in tabular format the presentation we will use in future financial reports.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="height:72pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">The following is a reconciliation of reported earnings before provision for income taxes to segment earnings and adjusted segment earnings&#58;</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:100.000%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:72.263%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:11.846%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.544%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:11.847%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="9" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Twelve&#160;Months&#160;Ended<br>December 31,</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">2022</font></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">2021</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Earnings Before Provision for Incomes Taxes (GAAP)</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">223.7&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">625.6&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Add&#58; Corporate Expense</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%;position:relative;top:-3.5pt;vertical-align:baseline">(1)</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">128.9&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">52.1&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Add&#58; Interest Expense</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">9.4&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">4.3&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Total Segment Earnings</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">362.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">682.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">North America</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%;position:relative;top:-3.5pt;vertical-align:baseline">(2)</font></div></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">266.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">590.8&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Rest of World</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">96.3&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">91.4&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Inter-segment earnings elimination</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(0.3)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(0.2)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Total Segment Earnings</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">362.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">682.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Additional Information</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%;position:relative;top:-3.5pt;vertical-align:baseline">(1)</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Corporate Expense</font></div></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(128.9)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(52.1)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 19pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Pension settlement expense, before tax</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">70.5&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#8212;&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 19pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Pension expense (income), before tax</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">2.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(2.6)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 19pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Terminated acquisition-related expenses, before tax</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">4.3&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#8212;&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Adjusted Corporate Expense (non-GAAP)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(52.1)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(54.7)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:6.5pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%;position:relative;top:-3.5pt;vertical-align:baseline">(2)</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">North America</font></div></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">266.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">590.8&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 19pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Pension settlement expense, before tax</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">346.8&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#8212;&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 19pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Pension expense (income), before tax</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">9.7&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(10.5)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 19pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Legal judgment income, before tax</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(11.5)</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#8212;&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Adjusted North America (non-GAAP)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000000;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000000;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">611.0&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000000;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000000;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000000;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">580.3&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000000;border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr></table></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">*   *   *   *   *   *</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Please direct questions regarding this response to me.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Sincerely,</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%;text-decoration:underline">&#47;s&#47; Charles T. Lauber             </font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Charles T. Lauber</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Executive Vice President &#38; Chief Financial Officer</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">cc&#58;   James F. Stern, A. O. Smith</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">        Brian E. Cothroll, A. O. Smith</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">        Benjamin A. Otchere, A. O. Smith</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">        David W. Gay, Ernst &#38; Young, LLP</font></div><div style="height:72pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div></div></body></html>
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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
