<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000091142-24-000134.txt : 20240508
<SEC-HEADER>0000091142-24-000134.hdr.sgml : 20240508
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20240508133604
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000091142-24-000134
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	SD
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
<RULE>
<RULE-NAME>13p-1
<ITEM>
<ITEM-NUMBER>1.01
<ITEM-PERIOD>20231231
</ITEM>
<ITEM>
<ITEM-NUMBER>1.02
<ITEM-PERIOD>20231231
</ITEM>
</RULE>
FILED AS OF DATE:		20240508
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20240508

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SMITH A O CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000091142
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES [3630]
		ORGANIZATION NAME:           	04 Manufacturing
		IRS NUMBER:				390619790
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		SD
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-00475
		FILM NUMBER:		24925180

	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>SD
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a5082024exhibit101.htm
<DESCRIPTION>SD
<TEXT>
<html><head>
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<title>Document</title></head><body><div id="i78c93a5f16b14141963d4b7c1fa99316_1"></div><div style="min-height:42.75pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-align:right"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Exhibit 1.01</font></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:700;line-height:120%">A. O. Smith Corporation</font></div><div style="margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Conflict Minerals Report</font></div><div style="margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">for the Year Ended December 31, 2023</font></div><div style="margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">A. O. Smith Corporation (&#8220;A. O. Smith,&#8221; &#8220;we,&#8221; &#8220;us&#8221; or &#8220;our&#8221;) has prepared this Report to comply with Rule 13p-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the &#8220;Rule&#8221;), which was adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (&#8220;SEC&#8221;) to implement reporting and disclosure requirements related to certain minerals. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The Rule imposes reporting obligations on SEC registrants (a &#8220;Covered Company&#8221; or &#8220;Covered Companies&#8221;) who manufacture products containing certain minerals, including tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (&#8220;3TG&#8221; or &#8220;conflict minerals&#8221;). </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">These reporting requirements apply to Covered Companies regardless of the geographic origin of the 3TG and regardless of whether or not sales of 3TG fund armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country (the &#8220;DRC&#8221; or &#8220;Covered Countries&#8221;).</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">The Rule requires a Covered Company to conduct a &#8220;Reasonable Country of Origin Inquiry&#8221; designed to determine whether any of the 3TG in its products either originated in Covered Countries or were from recycled or scrap sources and, under certain circumstances, whether due diligence is required on the source and chain of custody of the 3TG.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">If, following a Reasonable Country of Origin Inquiry, a Covered Company has reason to believe that any of the 3TG in its supply chain may have originated in one of the Covered Countries, or if a Covered Company is unable to determine the country of origin of 3TG, then it must file a Conflict Minerals Report with the SEC describing the due diligence measures it has undertaken or will undertake regarding the source and chain of custody of the 3TG.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Due to our limited ability to determine the origin and chain of custody of 3TG necessary to the functionality or production of our products as described herein, we are filing this Conflict Minerals Report.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;COMPANY OVERVIEW</font></div><div><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">A. O. Smith is a global manufacturer of residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, as well as water treatment products for residential and light commercial applications, with manufacturing operations in the U.S., Canada, China, India, Mexico, and the Netherlands.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">Our compliance process covered the supply chain for all of our operations.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Specifically, we conducted an analysis of each of our products to identify those containing 3TG.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">This included reviewing our products&#8217; bill of materials and consulting with procurement and engineering personnel.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We believe there are, at a minimum, miniscule amounts of 3TG in virtually all of our products, which is necessary for product functionality.</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:400;line-height:112%">.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Our Conflict Minerals Policy</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We have adopted a statement on conflict minerals, which is publicly available on our website at http&#58;&#47;&#47;www.aosmith.com.</font><font style="color:#0000ff;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> Click on &#8220;Investors,&#8221; then &#8220;Governance&#8221; and &#8220;Conflict Minerals Statement&#8221; in the column on the lower portion of the webpage.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><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:700;line-height:112%">Our Supply Chain</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">The products we manufacture are complex, typically containing hundreds of parts from suppliers worldwide.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We reviewed our supplier list for all manufacturing locations and eliminated service providers, equipment vendors, other non-manufacturing suppliers, as well as vendors with whom we spent less than $50,000 in 2023 and redundant listings for our multiple plants.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Based on that criteria, we contacted over 604 direct suppliers of materials and components in 2023.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">This is a smaller number than the number of suppliers contacted in 2022 as we inadvertently included maintenance, repair, and operations vendors in addition to material and component suppliers in our 2022 solicitation.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">For materials and component purchases, there are multiple tiers between our suppliers and the 3TG smelter for a particular component, which makes it difficult for us to ascertain the ultimate source of 3TG in the products we manufacture. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We rely on our direct suppliers to work with their upstream suppliers to provide accurate information on the origin of the 3TG contained in the components and materials we purchase.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We surveyed all direct suppliers identified through this process.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">For consistency, we sent the same letter, translated as appropriate, to all identified suppliers globally, requesting that they provide us information regarding 3TG and smelters using the current Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (&#8220;CMRT&#8221;) issued by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (&#8220;RMI&#8221;).</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We believe that the CMRT provides a consistent framework for disclosure and communication of sourcing information regarding </font></div><div style="height:42.75pt;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:42.75pt;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:112%">smelters and refiners that provide material to a manufacturer&#8217;s supply chain.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The CMRT is regularly updated, and we required use of version 6.31, which was released on May 26, 2023, for reporting.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The template includes questions regarding a direct supplier&#8217;s conflict-free policy, its due diligence process, information about its supply chain such as the names and locations of smelters and refiners, as well as the origin of 3TG used by those facilities.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The CMRT also has foreign language capability for many of our worldwide locations.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">   </font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Efforts to Determine Mine or Location of Origin</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We have determined that requesting our suppliers to complete the CMRT and making follow-up inquiries represents our reasonable best opportunity to determine the countries and, in some cases, mines or locations of origin of 3TG in our supply chain.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We reached this conclusion, in part, because of the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (formerly the Conflict-Free Smelter Program) which operates in conjunction with the CMRT.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">   </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">This program is among the industry leaders in the effort to identify smelters that meet the relevant standards for responsible mineral sourcing, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">and provides a list of such smelters for manufacturers&#8217; use.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">   </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">To ensure that we have access to the most up to date smelter information, A. O. Smith has been a longstanding RMI member, which was created to develop tools and processes to improve conflict minerals due diligence.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">As outlined in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (&#8220;OECD&#8221;) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (&#8220;OECD Guidance&#8221;), which is the internationally recognized standard on which our company&#8217;s system is based, we support RMI as an industry initiative that audits smelters&#8217; and refiners&#8217; due diligence activities.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The data on which we relied for certain statements in this Conflict Minerals Report was obtained through our membership in the RMI, using the Reasonable Country of Origin Inquiry Report.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><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:700;line-height:112%">Smelters or Refiners and Country of Origin of 3TG</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">Of the direct suppliers who responded to our survey, the majority indicated that the information they provided was at a supplier company level or a divisional level relative to the supplier, rather than at a level directly relating to a part number that the supplier provides to us.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We specifically directed suppliers to designate smelters on the CMRT form, and approximately 646 smelters were identified by our suppliers through this process.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The RMI&#8217;s certification efforts are on-going, and we review each smelter against its list.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Our suppliers identified seven smelters in our supply chain that are in a Covered Country.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Of the seven, three have been certified by RMI as conforming to the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process and one is in the process to be audited as conforming.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Three smelters have been identified as nonconformant with the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process. The RMI&#8217;s certification and auditing efforts are on-going, as is our review of the updated lists.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><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:700;line-height:112%">2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;OUR CONFLICT MINERALS COMPLIANCE PROGRAM<br></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:112%">A.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%;text-decoration:underline">Design of Our Compliance Program</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">Our conflict minerals compliance program has been designed to conform, in all material respects, with the OECD Guidance.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The OECD Guidance is an internationally recognized due diligence framework. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Our specific due diligence efforts are discussed below.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:112%">B.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%;text-decoration:underline">Management Systems</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;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:112%">(i) Conflict Mineral Statement</font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We have adopted a conflict minerals statement related to 3TG sourcing which is posted on our website, www.aosmith.com.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;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:112%">(ii) Our Internal Team </font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">A. O. Smith has established a multi-functional conflict minerals team to lead our supply chain due diligence related to 3TG and our conflict minerals compliance efforts. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Our conflict minerals team includes subject matter experts from relevant functions, including legal, finance, procurement and supply chain, trade compliance, engineering and information systems.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">This team meets on an as needed basis.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We also have similar teams in China, Europe and India that meet as necessary. </font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">Our conflict minerals team is responsible for implementing our overall conflict minerals compliance program, led by our Vice President &#8211; Supply Chain. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Relevant members of senior management are briefed about the results of our compliance efforts, and we update the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors, as appropriate.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="height:42.75pt;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:42.75pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></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:400;line-height:112%">As part of our compliance efforts, we have identified personnel at each A. O. Smith manufacturing facility outside North America who work with our supply base and are responsible for conflict minerals compliance.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Such personnel gather, and review supplier information related to use of conflict minerals&#59; track supplier responses in a centralized database, follow up, as needed, with unresponsive suppliers, and coordinate our compliance efforts with the conflict minerals team in North America.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">In North America, we centralize this function for all manufacturing operations.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Further, for consistency, one employee serves as the point of contact for all supplier and customer inquiries on 3TG, coordinating with the conflict minerals team, as necessary.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;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:112%">(iii) Training for Our Employees and Suppliers</font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We developed an internal training program to educate our employees who interface with suppliers and other external parties regarding A. O. Smith&#8217;s conflict minerals compliance efforts.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">For consistency, we have utilized the same training program with our employees worldwide, and translated it into local languages, as necessary, because these employees serve as the first point of contact for many of our suppliers.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We continue to cover the conflict minerals reporting requirements with our global sourcing team at least annually.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </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:400;line-height:112%">Since we utilize many of the same suppliers from year to year, most are familiar with the requirements of the law and our expectations.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We trained new suppliers on our conflict minerals reporting requirements, as necessary.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </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:400;line-height:112%">We sent detailed communications to all of our direct suppliers of materials and components worldwide (excluding service and non-manufacturing suppliers), outlining our expectations concerning supply chain due diligence, and directing suppliers to utilize the CMRT to provide information.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Specifically, we sent an electronic letter to our global manufacturing suppliers, followed up with several email communications to all suppliers over $50,000 and then we personally contacted certain suppliers that had not responded.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We also made multiple follow-up calls as necessary to these suppliers.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We translated these communications into foreign languages as appropriate and completed mailings to suppliers of our foreign manufacturing facilities, using a similar follow-up approach to ensure suppliers to our foreign manufacturing locations responded.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </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:112%">C.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%;text-decoration:underline">Control Systems<br></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:400;line-height:112%">As a manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and water treatment equipment, A. O. Smith is multiple layers removed from the actual mining of 3TG minerals.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We have been, however, engaged and actively cooperate with other manufacturers in industry-wide supply chain initiatives, particularly the RMI, which reviews smelters and certifies compliant smelters as being conflict-free.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We utilized the RMI program as part of our due diligence efforts.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">Our internal controls include our Code of Conduct, called the A. O. Smith Guiding Principles, which specifically refers to the Conflict Minerals Rule and outlines expected behaviors for all our employees&#59; our A. O. Smith Supplier Quality Requirements Manual, which contains a regulatory compliance section&#59; and our supplier contracts, which typically contain language requiring suppliers&#8217; cooperation with our conflict minerals reporting requirements.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:112%">D.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%;text-decoration:underline">Grievance Mechanism</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We have longstanding grievance mechanisms available to employees, suppliers and customers to report violations of our policies, including our conflict minerals policy.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">This includes the Integrity Helpline, which is referenced in our A. O. Smith Guiding Principles.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The Guiding Principles are available on our corporate website, http&#58;&#47;&#47;www.aosmith.com.  Click on &#8220;Investors,&#8221; then &#8220;Governance,&#8221;</font><font style="color:#0000ff;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">then our &#8220;Guiding Principles,&#8221; and, finally, select the appropriate language.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The Guiding Principles are translated into eight languages to be easily understood by our employees and suppliers.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:112%">E.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%;text-decoration:underline">Records Maintenance</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We retain relevant documentation we have received in connection with our Reasonable Country of Origin Inquiry and due diligence, in compliance with the A. O. Smith Records Management Policy.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">3</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">OUR REASONABLE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INQUIRY TO IDENTIFY AND ASSESS RISK IN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN</font></div><div><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">Our Reasonable Country of Origin Inquiry entailed surveying all direct suppliers of materials and components worldwide that were identified through our compliance process, which involved over 1,000 suppliers.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">In 2023, we continued to require suppliers to use the CMRT, and specifically required version 6.31 or newer form.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We received responses from more </font></div><div style="height:42.75pt;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:42.75pt;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:112%">than 90% of our total supplier spend.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Most of these suppliers provided data at a supplier company level or divisional level relative to the supplier, rather than based on the part number that the supplier provided to us.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We relied on our direct suppliers to provide us with information about the source of 3TG contained in their materials or components. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Our direct suppliers similarly relied upon information provided by their suppliers. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We reviewed the supplier responses against criteria developed by our conflict minerals team to determine which required further investigation.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The criteria included incomplete responses, inconsistencies within the data reported by suppliers, and responses inconsistent with the 3TG analysis of our engineers.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">In such instances, we worked directly with the suppliers in an effort to secure revised responses.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">None of our direct suppliers reported that their products contain 3TG originating from a smelter that supports armed groups in a Covered Country.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Our suppliers identified approximately 646 different smelter facilities.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">For the three suppliers who are not certified as conformant with the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process, we expect our suppliers to transition to conformant smelters and are in communication with them regarding our expectation.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">A small number of our direct suppliers either indicated that they did not source minerals from Covered Countries or that their parts and components are DRC conflict undeterminable.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Many of our suppliers stated that their parts and components are DRC conflict undeterminable, as defined in the Rule and, based on this, likewise we consider our products to be DRC conflict undeterminable.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A STRATEGY TO RESPOND TO RISKS</font></div><div><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">We implemented the following steps to respond to potential risks we have identified in our supply chain&#58;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Relevant members of senior management have been briefed in our efforts at least annually.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">The Audit Committee of our Board of Directors is briefed on our compliance efforts as appropriate.<br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We adopted a statement on conflict minerals&#59; stated our commitment to comply with conflict minerals Rules in the A. O. Smith Guiding Principles and enumerated our specific supplier expectations in our A. O. Smith Supplier Quality Requirements Manual.<br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We implemented a risk management plan that outlines our responses to any identified risks.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">As part of our risk management plan, we contacted each direct supplier that we surveyed by electronic letter, and followed up by further emails, telephone, or other means.<br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We required all suppliers to utilize the CMRT version 6.31 or newer form, so we could better track supplier information, particularly with respect to smelters<br>.</font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We translated all supplier communications (letters and training materials) to appropriate languages for use by our foreign operations and to facilitate their education of foreign suppliers on the Rule&#8217;s requirements and our expectations.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> <br> </font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We provided training to our new suppliers and other suppliers upon request, to ensure they understood the Rule&#8217;s requirements and responded appropriately to our requests.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We also made our employees available to answer suppliers&#8217; questions.<br></font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Our expectation is that our suppliers source from smelters that have been validated as responsible sources through a recognized program, such as RMI&#8217;s Responsible Minerals Assurance Process.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">If a supplier discloses that it has a non-conformant smelter in its supply chain, we require the supplier to transition to a conformant supply chain and may request evidence of that transition.<br> </font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We implemented a system to attempt to provide the conflict minerals information and the CMRT to every new supplier and provide CMRT information to every applicable supplier as part of our annual certification process.<br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We incorporated conflict minerals provisions in our standard contracts.</font></div><div style="height:42.75pt;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:42.75pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">We continued our membership in the RMI to afford us access to the latest information and input on conflict mineral matters.<br></font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">In our 2023 review, we found no instance where it was necessary to implement risk mitigation efforts although we continue to engage in ongoing monitoring of conflict minerals risk.</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%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;INDEPENDENT PRIVATE SECTOR AUDIT<br></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:400;line-height:112%">We did not have a direct relationship with 3TG smelters and refiners and did not perform or direct such audits of these entities within our supply chain. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We supported smelter audits through our active participation in the RMI.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We have not conducted an independent private sector audit of this Report, and none is required at this time under the Rules.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">6.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;REPORT ON SUPPLY CHAIN DUE DILIGENCE</font></div><div><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">This conflict minerals report is being filed with the SEC as an exhibit to our specialized disclosure report on Form SD.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Following its filing with the SEC, it will be available on our website at http&#58;&#47;&#47;www.aosmith.com</font><font style="color:#0000ff;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">. </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> Click on &#8220;Investors,&#8221; then &#8220;Governance&#8221; and &#8220;Conflict Minerals Report&#8221; in the column on the lower portion of the webpage.</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:400;line-height:112%"> </font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">7.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;FUTURE STEPS</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </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:400;line-height:112%">We continue to develop methods, implement tools, and adopt procedures that are designed to be both auditable and conform to the OECD Guidance in all material respects.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">In the next compliance period, we intend to continue our good faith effort to further improve our conflict minerals program and further mitigate any risk that the necessary 3TG in our products could benefit armed groups in a Covered Country by taking the following steps&#58;</font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Review and update as appropriate our procedures for soliciting our supply chain regarding the source of 3TG.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Encourage suppliers to provide us with the names of smelters and refiners, utilizing the CMRT and continue our efforts to educate our suppliers about our expectations. Similar to last year, significantly fewer smelters were identified in 2023 than the previous year, which suggests that on-going efforts continue to improve information provided by suppliers.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Continue to integrate any new acquisitions into our conflict minerals process in accordance with the Rule.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Continue our efforts to improve the accuracy and completeness of A. O. Smith&#8217;s smelter list, using the RMI as our guide.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Continue our active member role in the RMI and support its efforts to certify conflict free smelters.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Continue our efforts to partner with trade and manufacturer organizations to encourage suppliers to implement responsible sourcing practices with a &#8220;conflict free&#8221; supply chain.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Continue to engage with suppliers and direct them to training resources as part of our efforts to increase the response rate and improve the content of the supplier survey responses.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Monitor our suppliers that have identified smelters in Covered Countries and engage any of our suppliers found to be providing us with 3TG from sources that support armed groups in the Covered Countries to establish an alternative source that does not support armed groups.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:36pt;text-align:justify;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#8226;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%;padding-left:13.8pt">Work with the OECD, RMI, our trade associations and other groups to define and improve reporting practices and encourage responsible sourcing of 3TG in accordance with the OECD Guidance, and expand the list of conflict free smelters.</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:700;line-height:112%;text-decoration:underline">Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></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:400;line-height:112%">Certain statements in this report may be &#8220;forward-looking&#8221; within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Words such as &#8220;expects,&#8221; &#8220;intends,&#8221; &#8220;plans,&#8221; &#8220;projects,&#8221; &#8220;believes,&#8221; and &#8220;estimates,&#8221; &#8220;targets,&#8221; </font></div><div style="height:42.75pt;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:42.75pt;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:112%">&#8220;anticipates,&#8221; and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our expectations and assumptions to not be accurate.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations include, among other things, the following&#58;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">the challenges associated with understanding our entire supply chain to reach the source of conflict minerals&#59; changes in law, regulations and the implementation of such laws and regulations concerning conflict minerals&#59; evolving practices that may influence our future actions&#59; and the effect to which economic conditions or the COVID-19 pandemic affect the ability of us and our supply chain to investigate and identify the source of conflict minerals.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%"> </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:400;line-height:112%">Forward-looking statements included in this filing are made only as of the date of this filing, and the company is under no obligation to update these statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">  </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributed to the company, or persons acting on its behalf, are qualified entirely by these cautionary statements.</font></div><div style="height:42.75pt;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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<title>Document</title></head><body><div id="ic5f3c15090354d5994bffec5c5c3dccb_1"></div><div style="min-height:40.5pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="margin-top:0.05pt"><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:98.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:3pt"><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:1pt solid #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div style="padding-left:5.7pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-top:2.8pt;padding-left:114.45pt;padding-right:114.45pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-right:114.25pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:57.69pt;padding-right:57.69pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:17pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">UNITED STATES</font></div><div style="margin-top:0.55pt;padding-left:114.45pt;padding-right:114.45pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:17pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div><div style="margin-top:0.65pt;padding-left:114.42pt;padding-right:114.42pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</font></div><div style="padding-left:114.4pt;padding-right:114.4pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:17pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">FORM SD</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</font></div><div style="padding-left:114.42pt;padding-right:114.42pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:700;line-height:114%">SPECIALIZED DISCLOSURE REPORT</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:113%">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</font></div><div style="margin-top:8.65pt;padding-left:88.25pt;padding-right:88.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:23pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">A. O. Smith Corporation</font></div><div style="margin-top:2.45pt;padding-left:114.4pt;padding-right:114.4pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</font></div><div style="padding-left:57.07pt;padding-right:57.07pt;text-align:center"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:99.853%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:30.671%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:2.142%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:30.671%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:2.142%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:30.674%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Delaware</font></td><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:11pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#160;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">1-475</font></td><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:11pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#160;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">39-0619790</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(State or other jurisdiction<br>of incorporation)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Calibri',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#160;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(Commission<br>File Number)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Calibri',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#160;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(IRS Employer<br>Identification No.)</font></td></tr></table></div><div style="padding-left:57.07pt;padding-right:57.07pt;text-align:center"><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:56.209%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:9.864%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:30.627%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">11270 West Park Place, Milwaukee, Wisconsin                                                        </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(Address of principal executive offices)</font></div></td><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:11pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#160;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">53224-9508                                                                                 </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(Zip Code)</font></div></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Charles T. Lauber                                                                                                    Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Calibri',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#160;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(414) 359-4000</font></td></tr><tr><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:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">(Name and telephone number, including area code, of the person to contact in connection with this report)</font></td></tr></table></div><div style="padding-left:114.4pt;padding-right:114.4pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;padding-left:5.7pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Check the appropriate box to indicate the rule pursuant to which this form is being filed&#58;</font></div><div style="padding-left:4.5pt"><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:4.747%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:93.053%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#9746;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Rule13p-1 under the Securities Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13p-1) for the reporting period from January 1 to December 31, 2023.</font></td></tr></table></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:4pt;padding-left:5.7pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><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:98.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:3pt"><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:1pt solid #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div style="height:40.5pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div></div><div id="ic5f3c15090354d5994bffec5c5c3dccb_7"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:42.75pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="margin-top:6.5pt;padding-left:1.14pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="-sec-extract:summary"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Section 1 - Conflict Minerals Disclosure</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%;text-decoration:underline">Items 1.01 and 1.02 Conflict Minerals Disclosure and Report&#58; Exhibits</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Conflict Minerals Disclosure</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">A. O. Smith Corporation is providing a Conflict Minerals Report as Exhibit 1.01 hereto, and it is publicly available under &#8220;Policies and Resources&#8221; at </font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%;text-decoration:underline">http&#58;&#47;&#47;www.aosmith.com&#47;About&#47;Governance&#47;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">.</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:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Section 2 - Exhibits</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify;text-indent:36pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Exhibit 1.01 - Conflict Minerals Report as required by Items 1.01 and 1.02 of this Form.</font></div><div style="height:42.75pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div></div><div id="ic5f3c15090354d5994bffec5c5c3dccb_10"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="margin-top:6.5pt;padding-left:114.42pt;padding-right:114.42pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">SIGNATURES</font></div><div style="margin-top:0.55pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:129%">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the duly authorized undersigned.</font></div><div style="margin-top:0.25pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><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:38.002%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:2.364%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:4.028%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:5.951%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:3.226%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:2.364%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:38.165%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="9" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">A. O. SMITH CORPORATION</font></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="6" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="6" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="6" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Date&#58; May 8, 2024</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">By&#58;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#47;s&#47;Charles T. Lauber</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Charles T. Lauber</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</font></td></tr></table></div><div><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></body></html>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
