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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS.

Industry Risk Factors

Economic cycles, particularly those involving reduced levels of commercial and residential starts and remodeling, may have adverse effects on our revenues and operating results.

We have experienced and expect to continue to experience fluctuations in revenues and operating results due to economic and business cycles. The businesses of most of our customers, particularly plumbing and heating wholesalers and OEM manufacturers, are cyclical. Therefore, the level of our business activity has been cyclical, fluctuating with economic cycles. An economic downturn may also affect the financial stability of our customers, which could affect their ability to pay amounts owed to their vendors, including us. We also believe our level of business activity is influenced by commercial and residential starts and renovation and remodeling, which are, in turn, heavily influenced by interest rates, consumer debt levels, changes in disposable income, employment growth and consumer confidence. Credit market conditions may prevent commercial and residential builders or developers from obtaining the necessary capital to continue existing projects or to start new projects. Increases in prevailing interest rates or disruptions in financial markets and banking systems could make credit and capital markets difficult for us or our customers to access and could significantly raise the cost of new debt for us or our customers. This may result in the delay or cancellation of orders from our customers or potential customers and may adversely affect our revenues and our ability to manage inventory levels, collect customer receivables and maintain profitability. Economic conditions and financial markets in the United States and globally have experienced significant volatility in recent periods. If these market conditions persist, we may see diminished liquidity and credit availability, inability to access capital markets, and the bankruptcy, failure, collapse, or sale of various entities that could directly or indirectly impact our business, including certain of our customers and

suppliers. If economic conditions worsen in the future, our revenues and profits could decrease or trigger goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets, or long-lived asset impairments and could have a material adverse effect

on our financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in the costs of raw materials and purchased components, including imposition of or changes in tariff rates, as well as supply chain and logistics disruptions, could reduce our profit margins and adversely affect our ability to meet our customer delivery commitments.

Our products are made using various purchased components and raw materials, including primarily bronze, brass, cast iron, stainless steel, steel and plastic. Substantially all of the raw materials we require to manufacture our products are purchased from outside sources. The costs and availability of raw materials and components may be subject to change due to, among other things, interruptions in production by suppliers, changes in worldwide prices, demand levels, exchange rates and imposition of or changes in tariff rates. We typically do not enter into long-term supply agreements. Our inability to obtain supplies of raw materials and purchased components for our products at favorable costs could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations by decreasing our profit margins. Commodity prices, particularly copper and stainless-steel prices, have experienced tremendous volatility over the past several years, mainly due to global macroeconomic trends, including global price inflation, supply chain disruption and international conflicts. Should commodity costs or purchased component costs increase substantially, we may not be able to recover such costs, through selling price increases to our customers or other product cost reductions, which would have a negative effect on our financial results. If commodity costs or purchased component costs decline, we may experience pressure from customers to reduce our selling prices. Additionally, we continue to purchase components and finished goods from international sources. In limited cases, these components or finished goods are single-sourced. The availability of components and finished goods from international sources could be adversely impacted by a range of factors such as a public health crisis, extreme weather events, suppliers’ allocations to other purchasers, threats of wars and global geo-political instability, and new laws, tariffs or regulations that might cause short term / long term supply chain disruptions.

As a global manufacturer and distributor, we are facing additional risks related to ongoing disruptions and increased costs in our supply chain and logistics. Although recent global supply chain disruptions have normalized, labor shortages have affected our manufacturing and distribution processes, as well as those of our suppliers. The ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza have added strain to the European markets and the global economy, as well as exacerbated inflation, particularly energy inflation.

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We face intense competition and, if we are not able to respond to competition in our markets, our revenues and profits may decrease.

Competitive pressures in our markets could adversely affect our competitive position, leading to a possible loss of market share or a decrease in prices, either of which could result in decreased revenues and profits. We encounter intense competition in all areas of our business. To remain competitive, we will need to invest continually in manufacturing, product development, marketing, customer service and support and our distribution networks. We may not have sufficient resources to continue to make such investments and we may be unable to maintain our competitive position. In addition, we may have to reduce the prices of some of our products to stay competitive, potentially resulting in a reduction in the profit margin for, and inventory valuation of, these products. Some of our competitors are based in foreign countries and have cost structures and prices in foreign currencies. Accordingly, currency fluctuations could cause our U.S. dollar costed products to be less competitive than our competitors’ products costed in other currencies.

We are subject to risks associated with changing technology, product innovation, manufacturing techniques, operational flexibility and business continuity, which could place us at a competitive disadvantage.

The successful implementation of our business strategy requires us to continually evolve our existing products and introduce new products to meet customers’ needs in the industries we serve, as evidenced by our investments in our smart and connected strategy. Many of our products are characterized by stringent performance and specification requirements that mandate a high degree of manufacturing, engineering, and technological expertise. If we fail to meet these requirements, or if our product offerings, including our smart and connected products, are not accepted by the market, our business could be at risk. We believe that our customers rigorously evaluate their suppliers on the basis of a number of factors, including product quality, price competitiveness, technical and manufacturing expertise, development and product design capability, new product innovation, reliability and timeliness of delivery, operational flexibility, impact on the environment, customer service and overall management. Our success will depend on our ability to continue to meet customers’ changing specifications with respect to these criteria. Further, we must continue to effectively adapt our products and services to a changing technological and regulatory environment to drive growth and defend against disruption caused by competitors, regulators or other external forces impacting our business and operations. If we are unable to be agile and responsive to disruption in the development of new products, services and technologies, including technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. We cannot ensure that we will be able to address technological advances or introduce new products that may be necessary to remain competitive within our business. We cannot ensure that we can adequately protect any of our technological developments to produce a sustainable competitive advantage. Furthermore, we may be subject to business continuity risk in the event of an unexpected loss of a material facility or operation. We cannot ensure that we adequately protect against such loss.

Economic and other risks associated with international sales and operations could adversely affect our business and future operating results.

Since we sell and manufacture our products worldwide, our business is subject to risks associated with doing business internationally. Our business and future operating results could be harmed by a variety of factors, including:

● expropriation, nationalization or other protectionist activities;

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Company Risk Factors

Our business, reputation and financial performance may be adversely affected by cyber-security attacks, information technology failures and other business disruptions.

Our business may be impacted by disruptions, including cyber-security attacks or information technology failures, threats to physical security, as well as damaging weather, fire or other acts of nature. We depend heavily on the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our information technology infrastructure and systems, including third-party data centers and third-party cloud services to manage our business objectives and operations, support our customers’ requirements and protect proprietary and other sensitive information, including personal information. Any damage to, or failure of, our systems or a third-party hosting facility or other service that we use, could severely impact our ability to conduct our business operations, attract new customers, maintain existing customers, or result in a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, any of which could materially adversely affect our future operating results. While we have taken steps designed to reduce interruptions by implementing internal controls, a cybersecurity risk management program, network and data center resiliency, and redundancy and recovery processes, these measures may be inadequate.

Cyber-security attacks, in particular, are evolving as threat actors become increasingly sophisticated in using techniques and tools (including artificial intelligence) to circumvent security controls. Such attacks include, but are not limited to, malicious software, misconfigurations, bugs, attempts to gain unauthorized access to data (including through social engineering/phishing or the use of malware/ransomware), and other electronic security breaches that could lead to disruptions in systems, unauthorized release of confidential or otherwise protected information and corruption of data. Cybersecurity may also be breached due to employee error, malfeasance, system errors or vulnerabilities, including vulnerabilities of our customers, distributors, vendors, suppliers, and their products. We have been impacted by certain cyber-security attacks, either directly or indirectly via our supply chain or third-party vendors, and may continue to experience them going forward, potentially with more frequency. While to date no attacks have had a material impact on our operations or financial results, we cannot guarantee that material attacks will not occur in the future. We also have a

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portion of our workforce working remotely, which may heighten these risks. In addition, we have designed products and services that connect to and are part of the “Internet of Things” which may also be vulnerable to cyber-security breaches. As we continue to design and develop smart and connected products, services and solutions that leverage our hosted or cloud-based resources, the Internet-of-Things and other wireless/remote technologies, and include networks of distributed and interconnected devices that contain sensors, data transfers and other computing capabilities, our customers' data and systems may be subjected to harmful or illegal content or attacks, including potential cybersecurity threats. Additionally, we may not have adequately anticipated or precluded such cybersecurity threats through our product design or development. Consequently, these products, services and solutions also may be subjected to harmful or illegal content or attacks that develop vulnerabilities or critical security issues that cannot be disclosed without compromising security. If we need to address multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously, we may also need to make prioritization decisions in determining which vulnerabilities or security defects to fix first, and the timing of these fixes, which could result in compromised security. These vulnerabilities and security defects could expose us or our customers to a risk of loss, disclosure, or misuse of data; adversely affect our operating results; result in litigation (including class actions), liability, or regulatory action (including under laws related to privacy, data protection, data security, network security, and consumer protection); deter customers or sellers from using our products, services and solutions; result in significant incident response, system restoration or remediation costs; and otherwise harm our business and reputation. We maintain a cybersecurity risk management program and have adopted measures and incurred cost with the intention of mitigating potential risks associated with information technology disruptions and cybersecurity threats; however, there is no assurance that these measures will be fully implemented, complied with or effective at preventing or detecting cyber-attacks or security breaches, or other vulnerabilities, which may allow them to persist in the environment over long periods of time. In addition, cybersecurity and data privacy and protection laws and regulations are evolving and present increasing compliance challenges, which may increase our costs, affect our competitiveness and expose us to substantial fines or other penalties. Further, customers and third-party providers increasingly demand rigorous contractual provisions regarding privacy, cybersecurity, data protection, confidentiality, and intellectual property, which may also increase our overall compliance burden and related costs. Finally, we cannot guarantee that any costs and liabilities incurred in relation to an attack or incident will be covered by our existing insurance policies or that applicable insurance will be available to us in the future on economically reasonable terms or at all.

We also may experience unplanned system interruptions or outages of our primary ERP system as it continues to age, which may affect our ability to support and maintain the system in an effective manner. Any disruptions, delays or deficiencies related to our primary ERP system could lead to substantial business interruption, including our ability to perform routine business transactions, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial results.

Given the unpredictability of the timing, nature and scope of such disruptions, we could potentially be subject to production downtimes, operational delays, other detrimental impacts on our operations or ability to provide products to our customers, the compromising of confidential or otherwise protected information, misappropriation, destruction or corruption of data, security breaches, other manipulation or improper use of our systems, networks or our products, financial losses from remedial actions, loss of business or potential liability, and/or damage to our reputation, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

We are in the process of replacing our current primary ERP system with a new ERP system, and this system implementation is expected to occur in phases over the next several years. Any software implementation requires significant investment of human and financial resources and we may experience significant delays, increased costs and other difficulties. Any significant disruption or deficiency in the design and implementation of our software systems, including our new ERP, could adversely affect our ability to process orders, ship product, send invoices and track payments, fulfill contractual obligations or otherwise operate our business. While we invest significant resources in planning and project management, significant issues may arise, which could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. In addition, our current primary ERP system will continue to be used over the course of the phased implementation and we may experience system interruptions or deficiencies as described in the paragraph above.

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Implementation of our strategic initiatives, including acquisition and dispositions, and integration of acquired businesses may not be successful, which could affect our ability to increase our revenues or our profitability.

One of our strategies is to increase our revenues and profitability and expand our business through acquisitions that will provide us with complementary products and solutions and enhance our existing product offerings. In addition, from time to time, we may divest assets or businesses based on an evaluation of our business portfolio. We cannot be certain that we will be able to identify, acquire or profitably manage additional companies or successfully integrate such additional companies without substantial costs, delays or other problems. The identification, evaluation, and negotiation of potential acquisitions and other strategic transactions such as divestitures may divert the attention of management and entail various expenses, whether or not such transactions are ultimately completed. We have faced increasing competition for acquisition candidates, which has resulted in significant increases in the purchase prices of many acquisition candidates. This competition, and the resulting purchase price increases, may limit the number of acquisition opportunities available to us, possibly leading to a decrease in the rate of growth of our revenues and profitability. Also, companies acquired recently and in the future may not achieve anticipated revenues, cost synergies, profitability or cash flows that justify our investment, or divestitures may not realize the expected benefits or synergies of such transactions. In addition, acquisitions may involve a number of risks, including, but not limited to:

● diversion of management’s attention;

● investigations of, or challenges to, acquisitions by competition authorities;

● loss of key personnel at acquired companies;

● unanticipated management or operational problems or legal liabilities; and

We are subject to risks related to product defects, which could result in product recalls and could subject us to warranty claims in excess of our warranty provisions or which are greater than anticipated due to the unenforceability of liability limitations.

We cannot be certain that our quality controls and procedures, including the testing of raw materials and safety testing of selected finished products, will reveal latent defects in our products or the materials from which they are made, which may not become apparent until after the products have been sold into the market. We also cannot be certain that our suppliers will always eliminate latent defects in products we purchase from them. Accordingly, there is a risk that product defects will occur, which could require a product recall. Product recalls can be expensive to implement and, if a product recall occurs during the product’s warranty period, we may be required to replace the defective product. In addition, a product recall may damage our relationship with our customers and we may lose market share with our customers. Our insurance policies may not cover the costs of a product recall.

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Our standard warranties contain limits on damages and exclusions of liability for consequential damages and for misuse, improper installation, alteration, accident or mishandling while in the possession of someone other than us. We may incur additional operating expenses if our warranty provision does not reflect the actual cost of resolving issues related to defects in our products. If these additional expenses are significant, it could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We use important intellectual property in our business. If we are unable to protect our intellectual property or if a third party makes assertions against us or our customers relating to intellectual property rights, our business could be adversely affected.

We own important intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. We cannot guarantee, however, that we will be able to secure all desired protection, nor that the steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property will be adequate, to prevent infringement of our rights or misappropriation or theft of our technology, trade secrets or know-how. For example, effective patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret protection may be unavailable or limited in some of the countries in which we operate. In addition, while we generally enter into confidentiality agreements with our employees and third parties to protect our trade secrets, know-how, business strategy and other proprietary information, such confidentiality agreements could be breached or otherwise may not provide meaningful protection for our trade secrets and know-how related to the design, manufacture or operation of our products. If it became necessary for us to resort to litigation to protect our intellectual property rights, any proceedings could be burdensome and costly, and we may not prevail. Further, adequate remedies may not be available in the event of an unauthorized use or disclosure of our trade secrets and manufacturing expertise. Finally, for those products in our portfolio that rely on patent protection, once a patent has expired, the product is generally open to competition. Products under patent protection usually generate higher revenues and profitability than those not protected by patents. If we fail to successfully enforce our intellectual property rights, our competitive position could suffer, which could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In addition, our competitors may develop technologies that are similar or superior to our proprietary technologies or design around the patents we own or license. Further, as we expand our operations in jurisdictions where the protection of intellectual property rights is less robust, the risk of others duplicating our proprietary technologies increases, despite efforts we undertake to protect them. Foreign governments may adopt regulations, and foreign governments or courts may render decisions, requiring compulsory licensing of intellectual property rights, or foreign governments may require products to meet standards that serve to favor local companies or provide reduced protection relative to other countries.

We face risks from product liability and other lawsuits, which may adversely affect our business.

We have been and expect to continue to be subject to various product liability claims or other lawsuits, including, among others, alleging that our products include inadequate or improper instructions for use or installation, inadequate warnings concerning the effects of the failure of our products, alleged manufacturing or design defects, or allegations that our products contain asbestos. If we do not have adequate insurance or contractual indemnification, damages from these claims would have to be paid from our assets and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition. Like other manufacturers and distributors of products designed to control and regulate fluids and gases, we face an inherent risk of exposure to product liability claims and other lawsuits in the event that the use of our products results in personal injury, property damage or business interruption to our customers. We cannot be certain that our products will be completely free from defect. In addition, in certain cases, we rely on third-party manufacturers for our products or components of our products. We cannot be certain that our insurance coverage will continue to be available to us at a reasonable cost, or, if available, will be adequate to cover any such liabilities. For more information, see Item 1. “Business—Product Liability, Environmental and Other Litigation Matters” and Note 16 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

We face risks from costs for environmental compliance and/or to address potential liabilities under environmental laws and regulations.

Our operations and facilities in all jurisdictions in which we operate are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations related to pollution and the protection of the environment, health and safety, including, but not limited to those governing air emissions, discharges to water, water usage, the generation, handling, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes and other materials, and the remediation of contaminated sites. A failure by us to comply with applicable requirements or maintain the permits required for our operations could result in civil or criminal fines,

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penalties, enforcement actions, third-party claims for property damage and personal injury, requirements to clean up property or to pay for the costs of cleanup or regulatory or judicial orders enjoining or curtailing operations or requiring corrective measures, including the installation of pollution control equipment or remedial actions.

Certain environmental laws and regulations impose on present and former owners and operators of facilities and sites, and on potentially responsible parties (“PRPs”) for sites to which parties may have sent waste for disposal, requirements to investigate and remediate contamination. PRP designation typically requires the funding of site investigations and subsequent remedial activities. Such liability can be imposed without regard to fault and, under certain circumstances, may be joint and several, which may result in one PRP being held responsible for the entire obligation. Liability may also include damages to natural resources. On occasion, we are involved in the investigation and/or remedial activities at sites that we currently own or operate or formerly owned or operated, or sites to which we sent waste for disposal, and we have been and could continue to be named as a PRP at such other sites.

The discovery of additional contamination, including at acquired facilities, the imposition of more stringent environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, including cleanup requirements, or the insolvency, or other grounds for refusing to participate, of other responsible parties could require us to incur capital expenditures or operating costs materially in excess of our accruals, increase costs of compliance, decrease demand for our products, create reputational harm or require us to manufacture with alternative technologies and materials. Future investigations we undertake may lead to discoveries of contamination that must be remediated, and decisions to close facilities may trigger remediation requirements that are not currently applicable. We may also face liability for alleged personal injury or property damage due to exposure to hazardous substances used or disposed of by us, contained within our current or former products, or present in the soil or groundwater at our current or former facilities. We could incur significant costs in connection with such liabilities. See Item 1. “Business—Product Liability, Environmental and Other Litigation Matters” and Note 16 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Climate change, and legislation or regulations addressing climate change, may have an adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

The impacts of climate change are highly unpredictable and vary depending on geographical location, but could include changing temperatures, droughts, water shortages, wildfires, changes in weather and rainfall patterns, changes in sea levels, and changing storm patterns and intensities. These impacts present several potential challenges to water and energy related products, such as potential degradation of water quality and changes in water conservation or energy efficiency requirements, particularly during periods of increased precipitation, flooding, or water shortages. Inclement weather and extreme weather events may have varying impacts on our business. Certain events may disrupt the operations of our customers, creating customer shutdowns that prevent or defer sales of our product, while other events may drive increased demand for our products, which may create volatility in our financial results. Additionally, these events may disrupt our own operations and the operations of our suppliers, including the operation of manufacturing plants, the transportation of raw materials from our suppliers, and the transportation of products to our customers, any of which may increase our costs, reduce our productivity and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Additionally, concern over climate change has and may continue to result in new or increased legal and regulatory requirements to reduce or mitigate the effects of climate change, including limitations on greenhouse gas emissions, or to disclose our efforts regarding such matters, which could increase our costs or require additional investments in our facilities and equipment, and require us to make significant new disclosures regarding the climate-related impacts of our business. New legislation and regulatory requirements may also impact our customers and suppliers, which could affect demand for our products or our ability to source key materials. In addition, our customers and suppliers may impose their own requirements with respect to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, that may require us to incur additional costs to comply with such requirements. Any failure to comply with those requirements may also affect demand for our products or our ability to source key materials. We also establish our own goals with respect to reducing our impact on the environment. Any failure to achieve our own goals, or any perception of a failure to act responsibly with respect to the environment or to effectively respond to regulatory requirements concerning climate change, or failure to accurately report on our progress toward achieving our goal or in environmental and sustainability programs can lead to adverse publicity or litigation, resulting in an adverse effect on our business or damage to our reputation.

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Increased scrutiny of, and evolving expectations regarding, sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) matters could increase our costs, harm our reputation and adversely impact our financial results.

Companies are facing increasing and evolving scrutiny related to ESG practices and disclosures from certain investors, government entities, customers, employees, and other stakeholders or third parties. With this increased focus, public reporting regarding ESG practices is becoming more broadly expected, which could lead to increased scrutiny of our ESG practices or lack thereof. Such increased scrutiny may result in increased costs, increased risk of litigation or reputational damage relating to our ESG practices or performance, enhanced compliance, or disclosure obligations, or other adverse impacts on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. While we may at times engage in voluntary initiatives (such as voluntary disclosures or goals), such initiatives may be costly and may not have the desired effect. For example, we may commit to certain initiatives and we may not ultimately be able to achieve such initiatives due to cost, technological constraints or other factors that are within or outside of our control. Even if we achieve our initiatives, our actions may subsequently be determined to be insufficient by various stakeholders or other third parties. If our ESG practices and reporting do not meet investor, regulator, customer, employee, or other stakeholder or third party expectations, which continue to evolve, our brand, reputation and/or business relationships may be negatively impacted, and we may be subject to investor or regulator engagement regarding such matters. Certain market participants, including major institutional investors, use third-party benchmarks, ratings, or scores to measure our ESG practices in making investment and voting decisions. Unfavorable ratings or scores of us or our industry may lead to negative investor sentiment and the diversion of investment to other companies or industries, which could have a negative impact on our stock price and our access to and cost of capital. As ESG best practices, reporting standards, and disclosure requirements continue to develop, we may incur increasing costs related to ESG monitoring and reporting. In addition, new ESG rules and regulations have been adopted and may continue to be introduced in various states and other jurisdictions. Our failure to comply with any applicable rules or regulations could lead to penalties and adversely impact our reputation, customer attraction and retention, access to capital, and employee retention. Such ESG matters may also impact our suppliers, customers, and business partners, which may augment or cause additional impacts on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our ability to achieve savings through our restructuring and business transformation activities may be adversely affected by management’s ability to fully execute such plans as a result of local regulations, geo-political risk or other factors within or beyond the control of management.

We have implemented a number of restructuring and business transformation activities, which include steps that we believe are necessary to enhance the value and performance of the Company, including reducing operating costs and increasing efficiencies throughout our manufacturing, sales and distribution footprint. Factors within the control of management, or factors beyond management’s control such as local labor regulations or legal or political intervention, may change the total estimated costs or the timing of when the savings will be achieved under the plans. Further, if we are not successful in completing the restructuring or business transformation activities timely or if additional or unanticipated issues such as labor disruptions, inability to retain key personnel during and after the transformation or higher exit costs arise, our expected cost savings may not be met and our operating results could be negatively affected. In addition, our restructuring and transformation activities may place substantial demands on our management, which could lead to diversion of management’s attention from other business priorities and result in a reduced customer focus.

The requirements to evaluate goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets and long-lived assets for impairment may result in a write-off of all or a portion of our recorded amounts, which would negatively affect our operating results and financial condition.

As of December 31, 2023, our balance sheet included goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets, amortizable intangible assets and property, plant and equipment of $693.0 million, $65.5 million, $150.6 million and $248.2 million, respectively. In lieu of amortization, we are required to perform an annual impairment review of both goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets. In 2023, 2022 and 2021, none of our goodwill reporting units or our indefinite lived tradenames were impaired. We are also required to perform an impairment review of our long-lived assets if indicators of impairment exist. In 2022, we recognized a pre-tax non-cash impairment charge of $1.3 million related to a technology intangible asset. This impairment was due to market value expectations indicating the carrying amounts of these assets were in excess of the fair value. In 2023 and 2021 none of our long-lived assets were impaired.

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There can be no assurances that future goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets or other long-lived asset impairments will not occur. We perform our annual test for indications of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets impairment in the fourth quarter of our fiscal year or sooner if indicators of impairment exist.

The loss or financial instability of major customers could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

In 2023, our top ten customers accounted for approximately 21% of our total net sales with no one customer accounting for more than 10% of our total net sales. Our customers generally are not obligated to purchase any minimum volume of products from us and are able to terminate their relationships with us at any time. In addition, increases in the prices of our products could result in a reduction in orders from our customers. A significant reduction in orders from, or change in terms of contracts with, any significant customers could have a material adverse effect on our future results of operations.

Our credit facility may limit our ability to pay dividends, incur additional debt and make acquisitions and other investments.

Our revolving credit facility contains operational and financial covenants that restrict our ability to make distributions to stockholders, incur additional debt and make acquisitions and other investments unless we satisfy certain financial tests and comply with various financial ratios. If we do not maintain compliance with these covenants, our creditors could declare a default under our revolving credit facility, and our indebtedness could be declared immediately due and payable. Our ability to comply with the provisions of our indebtedness may be affected by changes in economic or business conditions beyond our control. Further, one of our strategies is to increase our revenues and profitability and expand our business through acquisitions. We may require capital in excess of our available cash and the unused portion of our revolving credit facility to make large acquisitions, which we would generally obtain from access to the credit markets. There can be no assurance that if a large acquisition is identified that we would have access to sufficient capital to complete such acquisition. Should we require additional debt financing above our existing credit limit, we cannot be assured such financing would be available to us or available to us on reasonable economic terms.

Our inability to attract and retain key personnel may adversely affect our business.

Our success depends on our ability to recruit, retain and develop highly-skilled management and key personnel. Competition for these individuals in our industry is intense and we may not be able to successfully recruit, train or retain qualified personnel, or to effectively implement successions to existing personnel. If we fail to retain and recruit the necessary personnel or arrange for successors to key personnel, our business could materially suffer.

Investment Risk Factors

One of our stockholders can exercise substantial influence over our Company.

As of December 31, 2023, Timothy P. Horne beneficially owned 5,938,290 shares of Class B common stock. Our Class B common stock entitles its holders to ten votes for each share, and our Class A common stock entitles its holders to one vote per share. As of December 31, 2023, Timothy P. Horne beneficially owned approximately 17.9% of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock (assuming conversion of all shares of Class B common stock beneficially owned by Mr. Horne into Class A common stock) and approximately 99.7% of our outstanding shares of Class B common stock, which represents approximately 68.3% of the total outstanding voting power. As long as Mr. Horne controls shares representing at least a majority of the total voting power of our outstanding stock, Mr. Horne will be able to unilaterally determine the outcome of most stockholder votes, and other stockholders will not be able to affect the outcome of any such votes.

Conversion and subsequent sale of a significant number of shares of our Class B common stock could adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.

As of December 31, 2023, there were outstanding 27,352,701 shares of our Class A common stock and 5,958,290 shares of our Class B common stock. Shares of our Class B common stock may be converted into Class A common stock at any time on a one for one basis. Under the terms of a registration rights agreement with respect to outstanding shares of our Class B common stock, the holders of our Class B common stock have rights with respect to the registration of the underlying Class A common stock. Under these registration rights, the holders of Class B common stock may require, on

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up to two occasions that we register their shares for public resale. If we are eligible to use Form S-3 or a similar short-form registration statement, the holders of Class B common stock may require that we register their shares for public resale up to two times per year. If we elect to register any shares of Class A common stock for any public offering, the holders of Class B common stock are entitled to include shares of Class A common stock into which such shares of Class B common stock may be converted in such registration. However, we may reduce the number of shares proposed to be registered in view of market conditions. We will pay all expenses in connection with any registration, other than underwriting discounts and commissions. If all of the available registered shares are sold into the public market the trading price of our Class A common stock could decline.

General Risk Factors

Changes in regulations or standards could adversely affect our business.

Our products and business are subject to a wide variety of statutory, regulatory and industry standards and requirements. A significant change to regulatory requirements, whether federal, foreign, state or local, or to industry standards, could substantially increase manufacturing costs, impact the size and timing of demand for our products, require us to manufacture with alternative technologies or materials, or put us at a competitive disadvantage, any of which could harm our business and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.

Our operating results could be negatively affected by changes in tax rates, the adoption of new tax legislation, or exposure to additional tax liabilities.

As a global company, we are subject to taxation in numerous countries, states and other jurisdictions. As a result, our effective rate is derived from a combination of applicable tax rates in the various places that we operate. Our future taxes could be affected by numerous factors, including changes in the mix of our profitability from country to country, the results of examinations and audits of our tax filings, adjustments to our uncertain tax positions, changes in accounting for income taxes and changes in tax laws.

In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Significant judgment is required in determining our global provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets or liabilities, and in evaluating our tax positions. Our tax filings are regularly under audit by tax authorities and the ultimate tax outcome may differ from the amounts recorded and may materially affect our financial results in the period or periods for which such determination is made.

In October 2021, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (“OECD”) issued model rules for a new global minimum tax framework, commonly referred to as “Pillar Two,” which includes the introduction of a 15% global minimum tax to become effective beginning after January 1, 2024. To date, approximately 140 countries have tentatively signed a framework agreeing in principle to this initiative and several countries are in various stages of implementing Pillar Two proposals in local tax legislation. The OECD continues to refine the technical guidance. Our effective tax rate and cash tax payments could increase in future years as a result of these changes.

The U.S. enacted the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) in August 2022, which, among other provisions, creates a new corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) of at least 15% for certain large corporations that have at least an average of $1 billion in adjusted financial statement income over a consecutive three-year period effective in tax years beginning after December 31, 2022. The IRA also includes a 1% excise tax on new corporate stock repurchases beginning in 2023. We do not expect to meet the CAMT threshold in the near term nor expect the IRA to have a material impact on our financial statements. However, it is possible that the U.S. Congress could advance other tax legislation proposals in the future that could have a material impact on our financial statements.

Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

None.

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Item 1C.CYBERSECURITY

Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy

We have developed and implemented a cybersecurity risk management program intended to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our critical systems and information.

We design and assess our program based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (“NIST CSF”). This does not imply that we meet any particular technical standards, specifications, or requirements. We use the NIST CSF as a guide to help us identify, assess, and manage cybersecurity risks relevant to our business.

Our cybersecurity risk management program is integrated into our overall enterprise risk management program and shares common methodologies, reporting channels, and governance processes that apply across the enterprise risk management program to other legal, compliance, strategic, operational, and financial risk areas.

Our cybersecurity risk management program includes the following:

There can be no assurance that our cybersecurity risk management program and processes, including our policies, controls or procedures, will be fully implemented, complied with or effective in protecting our systems and information.

Ongoing Risks

We have not experienced any material cybersecurity incidents. We have not identified risks from known cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any prior cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected us, including our operations, business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. We face risks from cybersecurity threats that, if realized, are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our operations, business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. For a full discussion of cybersecurity risks, please see our Risk Factors in Item 1A.

Management Oversight of Cybersecurity

Our Chief Information Officer (“CIO”) and the Vice President (“VP”) of Information Security have primary responsibility for our overall cybersecurity risk management program and supervise both our internal cybersecurity personnel and our retained external cybersecurity consultants. Our CIO’s and VP of Information Security’s collectively have over 25 years of experience in leading information technology and security functions across strategy, architecture, engineering, and operations.

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The CIO and VP of Information Security supervise efforts to prevent, detect, mitigate, and remediate cybersecurity risks and incidents through various means, which may include but are not limited to risk assessments, including with the support of external advisors, briefings from internal security personnel; threat intelligence and other information obtained from governmental, public or private sources, including external consultants engaged by us; and alerts and reports produced by security tools deployed in the IT environment.

Our Cybersecurity Council, comprised of cross-functional senior leaders from operations, finance, internal audit, product management, and information technology teams, also reviews and assesses security risks and issues from a business and technology perspective across all organizations within Watts on a quarterly basis, with the guidance and input of the CIO and VP of Information Security. Our executive management team is primarily responsible for assessing and managing our material or reasonably likely to be material risks from cybersecurity threats with the advice and input of the CIO and VP of Information Security, including based on the above and from external advisors as necessary.

Board Oversight of Cybersecurity

Our Board considers cybersecurity risks as part of its risk oversight function and has delegated to the Audit Committee oversight of cybersecurity and other information technology risks.

The Audit Committee oversees management’s implementation of our cybersecurity risk management program and receives updates on the cybersecurity risk management program from the CIO and the VP of Information Security at least twice yearly. In addition, management updates the Audit Committee regarding any material or significant cybersecurity incidents, as well as incidents with lesser impact potential as necessary.

The Audit Committee reports to the full Board annually regarding cybersecurity. The full Board also receives annual briefings from the CIO and the VP of Information Security on cybersecurity, or from external experts on cybersecurity as part of the Board’s continuing education on topics that impact public companies.

Item 2. PROPERTIES.

We maintain 35 principal manufacturing, warehouse and distribution centers worldwide, including our corporate headquarters located in North Andover, Massachusetts. Additionally, we maintain numerous sales offices and other smaller manufacturing facilities and warehouses. The principal properties in each of our three geographic segments and their location, principal use and ownership status are set forth below:

Americas:

Location Principal Use Owned/Leased

North Andover, MA Corporate Headquarters Owned

Burlington, ON, Canada Distribution Center Owned

Export, PA Manufacturing Owned

Franklin, NH Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

St. Pauls, NC Manufacturing Owned

Menomonee Falls, WI Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Germantown, WI Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Michigan City, IN Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Spindale, NC Distribution Center Owned

Fort Worth, TX Manufacturing/Distribution Leased

Fort Myers, FL Manufacturing/Distribution Leased

Blauvelt, NY Manufacturing/Distribution Leased

Sparks, NV Distribution Center Leased

Vernon, BC, Canada Manufacturing/Distribution Leased

Woodland, CA Manufacturing Leased

Groveport, OH Distribution Center Leased

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Europe:

Location Principal Use Owned/Leased

Biassono, Italy Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Hautvillers, France Manufacturing Owned

Landau, Germany Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Plovdiv, Bulgaria Manufacturing Owned

Sorgues, France Distribution Center Owned

Vildbjerg, Denmark Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Virey-le-Grand, France Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Rosières, France Manufacturing/Distribution Owned

Gardolo, Italy Manufacturing Owned

Monastir, Tunisia Manufacturing Leased

St. Neots, United Kingdom Distribution Leased

Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa:

Location Principal Use Owned/Leased

Ningbo, Beilun, China Manufacturing Owned

Shanghai, China APMEA Headquarters Leased

Ningbo, Beilun District, China Distribution Center Leased

Auckland, New Zealand Manufacturing/Distribution Leased

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Sales Office/Distribution Leased

Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia Manufacturing/Distribution Leased

Kewdale, Western Australia, Australia Distribution Leased

Campbellfield, Victoria, Australia Distribution Leased

We believe that our properties, including machinery, tools and equipment, are in good condition, well maintained and adequate and suitable for their intended uses.

Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

We are from time to time involved in various legal and administrative proceedings. See Item 1. “Business—Product Liability, Environmental and Other Litigation Matters,” and Note 16 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5.MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

Our Class A common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “WTS.”

There is no established public trading market for our Class B common stock, which is held by members of the Horne family. The principal holders of such stock are subject to restrictions on transfer with respect to their shares. Each share of our Class B common stock (10 votes per share) is convertible into one share of Class A common stock (1 vote per share).

The number of record holders of our Class A common stock as of January 28, 2024 was 58. The number of record holders of our Class B common stock as of January 28, 2024 was 10.

Aggregate common stock dividend payments in 2023 were $46.5 million, which consisted of $38.3 million and $8.2 million for Class A shares and Class B shares, respectively. Aggregate common stock dividend payments in 2022 were $39.5 million, which consisted of $32.5 million and $7.0 million for Class A shares and Class B shares, respectively. While we presently intend to continue to pay comparable cash dividends, the payment of future cash dividends depends upon the Board of Directors’ assessment of our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors.

We satisfy the minimum withholding tax obligation due upon the vesting of shares of restricted stock by repurchasing a number of shares with an aggregate fair market value on the date of such vesting that would satisfy the withholding amount due. We did not have any such repurchases in the three-month period ended December 31, 2023.

The following table includes information with respect to repurchases of our Class A common stock during the three-month period ended December 31, 2023 under our stock repurchase programs.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities (1)

(d) Maximum Number (or

(a) Total (c) Total Number of Approximate Dollar

Number of (b) Average Shares (or Units) Value) of Shares (or

Shares (or Price Paid Purchased as Part of Units) that May Yet Be

Units) per Share Publicly Announced Purchased Under the

Period Purchased(1) (or Unit) Plans or Programs Plans or Programs

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Performance Graph

Set forth below is a line graph comparing the cumulative total shareholder return on our Class A common stock for the last five years with the cumulative return of companies on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index and the Russell 2000 Index. We chose the Russell 2000 Index because it represents companies with a market capitalization similar to that of Watts Water. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our Class A common stock and each index was $100 at December 31, 2018 and that all dividends were reinvested.

Cumulative Total Return

The above Performance Graph and related information shall not be deemed “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference into such filing.

Item 6. [Reserved]

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Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

Overview

We are a leading supplier of products and solutions that manage and conserve the flow of fluids and energy into, through and out of buildings in the commercial, industrial and residential markets in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (“APMEA”). For 150 years, we have designed and produced valve systems that safeguard and regulate water systems, energy efficient heating and hydronic systems, drainage systems and water filtration technology that helps purify and conserve water. We earn revenue and income almost exclusively from the sale of our products. Our principal product and solutions categories include:

Our business is reported in three geographic segments: Americas, Europe, and APMEA. We distribute our products through four primary distribution channels: wholesale, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), specialty, and do-it-yourself (DIY).

We believe that the factors relating to our future growth include continued product innovation that meets the needs of our customers and our end markets; our ability to continue to make selective acquisitions, both in our core markets as well as in complementary markets; regulatory requirements relating to the quality and conservation of water and the safe use of water; increased demand for clean water; and continued enforcement of plumbing and building codes. We have completed 14 acquisitions since 2013, including three in the last twelve months. Our acquisition strategy focuses on businesses that promote our key macro themes around safety and regulation, energy efficiency and water conservation. We target businesses that will provide us with one or more of the following: an entry into new markets and/or new geographies, improved channel access, unique and/or proprietary technologies, including smart and connected technologies, advanced production capabilities or complementary solution offerings.

We believe that sustainability guides and permeates every aspect of our business, including our product development strategy and design, and how we structure our operations. Our innovation strategy is focused on differentiated products and solutions that will provide greater opportunity to distinguish ourselves in the marketplace, while at the same time creating innovative products and smart solutions to protect, control, and conserve critical resources, and help our customers with their sustainability efforts through the use of our products. We continually look for strategic opportunities to invest in new products and markets or divest existing product lines where necessary in order to meet those objectives.

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Over the past several years we have been building our smart and connected products foundation by expanding our internal capabilities and making strategic acquisitions. Our strategy is to deliver superior customer value through smart and connected products and solutions. This strategy focuses on three dimensions: Connect, Control and Conserve. We are focused on introducing products that connect our customers with smart systems, control systems for optimal performance, and conserve critical resources by increasing operability, efficiency and safety.

Products representing a majority of our sales are subject to regulatory standards and code enforcement, which typically require that these products meet stringent performance criteria. We have consistently advocated for the development and enforcement of such plumbing codes. We are focused on maintaining stringent quality control and testing procedures at each of our manufacturing facilities in order to manufacture products in compliance with code requirements and take advantage of the resulting demand for compliant products. We believe that product development, product testing capability and investment in plant and equipment needed to manufacture products in compliance with code requirements, represent a competitive advantage for us.

Global economic indicators are mixed and show some signs of softer market conditions in 2024. Elevated interest rates may impact new construction. The European economy continues to show signs of weakening, China’s economy has decelerated, and geo-political risks have heightened. Despite these anticipated challenges, we continue to invest in our business, including new products, our smart and connected solutions and our growth and productivity initiatives. We remain focused on our customers’ needs and executing on our long-term strategy.

Due to the above circumstances and as described generally in this Form 10-K, our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of future results. Management cannot predict the full impact of the uncertainties discussed above. For further information regarding the impact on the Company, see Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”

Financial Overview

Net sales for 2023 increased 3.9%, or $76.8 million, on a reported basis and 0.8%, or $16.3 million, on an organic basis, compared to 2022, primarily driven by incremental price across all of our operating segments, partially offset by lower volumes. The reported sales increase included acquired sales of 3.0%, or $58.6 million, with $33.4 million reported within the Americas segment and $25.2 million reported with APMEA, and the favorable impact of foreign exchange of 0.1%, or $1.9 million. The foreign exchange impact was primarily driven by the depreciation of the U.S. dollar against the euro, partially offset by the unfavorable impact of the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar and Chinese yuan. Operating income of $350.9 million increased by $35.9 million, or 11.4%, in 2023 compared to 2022. This increase was primarily driven by favorable price, product mix, productivity, and cost savings from prior restructuring actions, partially offset by inflation, lower volume and incremental investments.

In discussing our results of operations, we refer to non-GAAP financial measures, including organic sales, organic selling, general and administrative expenses, and organic operating income, that excludes the impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and foreign exchange from year-over-year comparisons. Management believes reporting these non-GAAP financial measures provides useful information to investors, potential investors and others, because it allows for additional insight into underlying trends by providing growth on a consistent basis. We reconcile the change in these non-GAAP financial measures to our reported results below.

Management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021 can be found in Item 7 of Part II, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

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Acquisitions

On March 31, 2023, we completed the acquisition of the primary business assets of Enware Australia Pty Ltd (“Enware”) in an all-cash transaction. Enware is based near Sydney, Australia, and has been a leading supplier for specialty plumbing and safety equipment used in the Australian institutional and commercial end markets since 1937. The acquisition of Enware aligns with our strategy to expand geographically into countries with mature and enforced plumbing codes. Enware is expected to enhance our product offering and channel access into the Australian marketplace. The acquisition of Enware was deemed not to be material.

On October 23, 2023, we completed the acquisition of Bradley Corporation following its conversion into Bradley Company, LLC (“Bradley”) in a share purchase transaction. The aggregate net purchase price, including an estimated working capital adjustment, was approximately $301.2 million and is subject to a final post-closing working capital adjustment. We funded the transaction with $210 million of borrowings under our Credit Agreement with the remainder being funded by cash on hand. The net transaction value was approximately $266 million after deducting the estimated net present value of expected tax benefits of approximately $35 million. We accounted for the transaction as a business combination in the fourth quarter of 2023. Bradley’s annual revenues for 2023 were approximately $200 million, of which $33.4 million was included in our 2023 Consolidated Financial Statements. Please see Note 5 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding operating results of Bradley.

Bradley is based in Menomonee Falls, WI, and has been a trusted provider and manufacturer of commercial washroom and emergency safety products serving commercial (primarily institutional) and industrial end markets for over 100 years. Bradley offers a comprehensive product portfolio that includes plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories and emergency safety products to a diverse customer base. Bradley’s complementary portfolio will enable us to provide our customers with innovative water solutions, as it adds front-of-the-wall applications to our differentiated back-of-the-wall portfolio and we intend to leverage the combined strengths of our sales networks and channel relationships to facilitate cross selling and accelerate growth.The acquisition of Bradley aligns with our strategy to enhance our product offerings, drive growth and serve our customers.

Recent Developments

Effective January 1, 2024, we completed the acquisition of Josam Company following its conversion into Josam Industries, LLC (“Josam”) in a share purchase transaction funded with cash on hand. The aggregate net purchase price was approximately $98.7 million and is subject to a final post-closing working capital adjustment. The net transaction value was approximately $88.7 million after adjusting for the estimated net present value of expected tax benefits of approximately $10 million. Josam is based in Michigan City, Indiana, and is a leading provider and manufacturer of drainage and plumbing products, serving commercial, industrial, and multi-family end markets for over 100 years. Josam’s annualized sales are approximately $35 million. We will account for the transaction as a business combination in the first quarter of 2024.

On February 7, 2024, the Board of Directors elected Rebecca J. Boll to serve as a member of the Board of Directors. Ms. Boll was appointed as a member of the Governance and Sustainability Committee and the Audit Committee.

On February 7, 2024, we declared a quarterly dividend of thirty-six cents ($0.36) per share on each outstanding share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock payable on March 15, 2024 to stockholders of record on March 1, 2024.

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Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2022

Net Sales. Our business is reported in three geographic segments: Americas, Europe and APMEA. Our net sales in each of these segments for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 were as follows:

Year Ended Year Ended % Change to

December 31, 2023 December 31, 2022 Consolidated

Net Sales % Sales Net Sales % Sales Change Net Sales

(dollars in millions)

The change in net sales was attributable to the following:

Change As a % Change As a %

of Consolidated Net Sales of Segment Net Sales

(dollars in millions)

Our products are sold to wholesalers, OEMs, DIY chains, and through various specialty channels. The change in organic net sales by channel was attributable to the following:

Change As a %

of Prior Year Sales

Wholesale OEMs DIY Specialty Total Wholesale OEMs DIY Specialty

(dollars in millions)

Europe (1.4) 5.2 — — 3.8 (0.4) 2.9 — —

APMEA 4.8 (0.3) — — 4.5 5.8 (3.8) — —

Total $ 50.4 $ 1.7 $ (1.9) $ (33.9) $ 16.3

Americas net sales increased $38.1 million, or 2.7%, in 2023 compared to 2022. The change in net sales was negatively impacted by $3.3 million, or 0.2%, of foreign currency translation, which was more than offset by $33.4 million, or 2.4%, of acquired sales related to the Bradley acquisition completed in the fourth quarter of 2023. Organic net sales increased $8.0 million, or 0.5%, primarily due to incremental price realization partially offset by lower volumes. The organic net sales increase was primarily in the wholesale channel due to growth across our core valve products, mostly offset by decreases in the specialty channel primarily due to volume declines in our gas connectors and marine instrumentation and decreases in products sold through the OEM channel into the residential end markets.

Europe net sales increased $13.0 million, or 2.6%, in 2023 compared to 2022. The change in net sales was positively impacted by $9.2 million, or 1.8%, of foreign currency translation. Organic net sales increased $3.8 million, or 0.8%, primarily due to higher price realization, partially offset by lower volumes. The growth was driven from sales in our fluid solution products, including sales of our HVAC products within the OEM markets in Germany, offset partly by a decline in our drains products.

APMEA net sales increased $25.7 million, or 28.4%, in 2023 compared to 2022. The change in net sales was negatively impacted by $4.0 million, or 4.5%, of foreign currency translation, which was more than offset by $25.2 million, or 27.9%, of acquired sales related to the Enware acquisition completed in the second quarter of 2023. Organic net sales increased $4.5 million, or 5.0%, due to higher prices realization and volumes, primarily from growth in the Middle East and Australia, partially offset by declines in China.

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The net increase in sales due to foreign exchange was mostly due to the favorable impact of the depreciation of the U.S. dollar against the euro, partially offset by the unfavorable impact of the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar and Chinese yuan in 2023. We cannot predict whether foreign currencies will appreciate or depreciate against the U.S. dollar in future periods or whether future foreign exchange rate fluctuations will have a positive or negative impact on our net sales.

Gross Profit. Gross profit and gross profit as a percent of net sales (gross margin) for 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

Year Ended

(dollars in millions)

Gross profit and gross margin increased primarily from higher prices, favorable product mix and productivity, partially offset by inflation and lower volume.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative, or SG&A, expenses increased $55.8 million, or 10.2%, in 2023 compared to 2022. The increase in SG&A expenses was attributable to the following:

(in millions) % Change

Foreign exchange 0.6 0.1

The organic increase was primarily due to an increase in net investments of $17.9 million, including in our smart and connected and other strategic initiatives, general inflation of $13.7 million, acquisition-related costs of $7.1 million, higher travel and marketing costs of $5.2 million and a net increase in short-term and long-term compensation accruals of $6.0 million, compared to 2022. These increases were partially offset by $6.6 million from productivity initiatives, $4.8 million of restructuring savings and $4.1 million reduction in freight costs. The increase in foreign exchange was mainly due to the depreciation of the U.S. dollar against the euro, partially offset by the appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Canadian dollar and Chinese yuan. The acquired SG&A costs related to the Bradley acquisition in the Americas segment in the fourth quarter of 2023 and the Enware acquisition in the APMEA segment in the second quarter of 2023. Total SG&A expenses, as a percentage of sales, were 29.4% in 2023 compared to 27.8% in 2022.

Restructuring.In 2023, we recorded a net restructuring charge of $5.5 million, which primarily related to immaterial cost reduction actions in all regions primarily related to severance and other exit costs. In 2022, we recorded a net restructuring charge of $10.6 million, which related to a 2021 French restructuring program as well as other actions related to the decommissioning of machinery at one of our facilities in the Americas and cost reduction actions in Europe and the Americas. For a more detailed description of our current restructuring plans, see Note 3 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report Form 10-K.

Operating Income (Loss). Operating income (loss) by geographic segment for 2023 and 2022 was as follows:

% Change to

Year Ended Consolidated

December 31, December 31, Operating

(dollars in millions)

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The increase (decrease) in operating income (loss) is attributable to the following:

Change As a % of Change As a % of

(dollars in millions)

Operating income increased $35.9 million, or 11.4%, in 2023 compared to 2022. Operating income was positively impacted by $2.2 million, or 0.7%, of acquired sales and the foreign currency translation impact was flat compared to 2022. The increase in organic operating income of $28.7 million, or 9.0%, was due to higher price, favorable product mix, productivity, and savings from prior restructuring actions. These increases were partially offset by inflation, lower volume, incremental investments and acquisition-related costs.

Interest Income.Interest income increased $6.6 million in 2023 as compared to 2022 primarily due to higher interest rates earned on our cash and cash equivalents.

Interest Expense.Interest expense increased $1.2 million, or 17.1%, in 2023 as compared to 2022 primarily due to higher principal balance of debt outstanding due to the acquisition of Bradley during 2023 and an increase in interest rates. Refer to Note 12 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details.

Other Expense (Income), Net. Other expense (income) decreased $0.6 million compared to 2022. The decrease was primarily due to $1.0 million of reduced expense as a result of the increase in deferred compensation plan assets. Refer to Note 17 Financial Instruments of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details.

Income Taxes.Our effective income tax rate increased to 24.9% in 2023, from 18.2% in 2022. The increase is primarily due to the $16.1 million tax benefit in 2022 related to the modification of the structure of our Mexican supply chain operations and the additional foreign withholding taxes associated with the repatriation of funds in 2023.

Net Income.Net income for 2023 was $262.1 million, or $7.82 per common share on a diluted basis, compared to $251.5 million, or $7.48 per common share on a diluted basis, for 2022. Results for 2023 include after-tax charges of $8.3 million, or $0.25 per common share, for acquisition-related costs, $5.3 million, or $0.16 per common share, primarily for an income tax adjustment related to repatriation of foreign funds and $4.1 million, or $0.12 per common share, for restructuring; partially offset by an after-tax benefit of $2.5 million, or $0.08 per common share, for an adjustment to contingent consideration.

Results for 2022 include an after-tax benefit of $18.2 million, or $0.54 per common share, primarily for an income tax benefit related to the modification of the structure of our Mexican supply chain operations and $1.4 million, or $0.04 per common share, for an after-tax gain on sale of asset; partially offset by an after-tax charge of $7.9 million, or $0.23 per common share, for restructuring.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

2023 and 2022 Cash Flows

We generated $310.8 million of net cash from operating activities in 2023 as compared to $224.0 million in 2022. The increase in cash generated was primarily due to higher net income and reduced working capital investments, partially offset by increased payments related to income taxes and customer incentives.

We used $343.1 million of net cash for investing activities in 2023 compared to $22.9 million used in 2022. We spent $313.4 million more cash for the acquisitions in our Americas and APMEA segments and $1.6 million more cash for net capital expenditures in 2023 compared to 2022.

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We generated $69.0 million of net cash from financing activities in 2023 primarily due to proceeds from drawdowns of $240.0 million offset by long-term debt repayments on our line of credit totaling $90.0 million, and partially offset by tax withholding payments on vested stock awards of $15.8 million, dividend payments of $46.5 million and payments of $16.0 million to repurchase 91,622 shares of Class A common stock. In 2022, we used $121.7 million of net cash from financing activities primarily due to long-term debt repayments of $80.0 million, dividend payments of $39.5 million, tax withholding payments on vested stock awards of $13.3 million and payments of $69.4 million to repurchase 493,733 shares of Class A common stock. These payments were partially offset by proceeds from drawdowns on our line of credit totaling $85.0 million.

On March 30, 2021, we and certain of our subsidiaries entered into the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent , as amended by Amendment no. 1 dated August 2, 2022, Amendment no. 2 dated December 12, 2023 and as may be further amended, restated, amended and restated, modified or supplemented from time to time (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement establishes senior unsecured revolving credit facility of $800 million from February 12, 2022 to March 30, 2026 (the “Revolving Credit Facility”). The maturity date of the Revolving Credit Facility is March 30, 2026 subject to extension under certain circumstances and subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement provides for our maximum consolidated leverage ratio of 3.50 to 1.00 (or 4.00 to 1.00 during temporary step-ups following certain acquisitions) and the minimum consolidated interest ratio of 3.50 to 1.00.

The Revolving Credit Facility also includes sub-limits of $100 million for letters of credit and $15 million for swing line loans. As of December 31, 2023, we had drawn down $300.0 million on this line of credit and had $12.5 million in letters of credit outstanding, which resulted in $487.5 million of unused and available credit under the Revolving Credit Facility as of such date. Borrowings outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a fluctuating rate per annum equal to an applicable percentage defined as (i) in the case of Term Benchmark loans, the Term Benchmark rate plus an applicable percentage, ranging from 1.075% to 1.325%, or (ii) in the case of alternate base rate loans and swing line loans, interest (which at all times will not be less than 1.00%) at the greatest of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day, (b) the FRBNY Rate in effect on such day plus 0.50% and (c) the Term Benchmark rate plus 1.00% for a one month interest period, in each case, determined by reference to our consolidated leverage ratio. For the borrowings denominated in dollars, there is fixed 10 basis point adjustment if the reference rate is Term SOFR. The weighted average interest rate on debt outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility as of December 31, 2023 was 6.53%. The weighted average interest rate on debt outstanding inclusive of the interest rate swaps discussed in Note 12 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and interest rates under the Revolving Credit Facility as of December 31, 2023 was 4.89%. In addition to paying interest under the Credit Agreement, we are also required to pay certain fees in connection with the Revolving Credit Facility, including, but not limited to, an unused facility fee and letter of credit fees. We may repay loans outstanding under the Credit Agreement from time to time without premium or penalty, other than customary breakage costs, if any, and subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement. As of December 31, 2023, we were in compliance with all covenants related to the Credit Agreement.

As of December 31, 2023, we held $350.1 million in cash and cash equivalents. Of this amount, $171.7 million was held by foreign subsidiaries.In the fourth quarter of 2023, we determined we would make a one-time repatriation of foreign earnings to assist in funding recent acquisitions. In 2023 we repatriated approximately $117.9 million of both previously taxed foreign earnings and the fourth quarter one-time repatriation of foreign earnings, using the majority of that cash to reduce our outstanding debt and to fund acquisitions. Our U.S. operations typically generate sufficient cash flows to meet our domestic obligations. However, if we did have to borrow to fund some or all of our expected cash outlays, we can do so at reasonable interest rates by utilizing the undrawn borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility. Subsequent to recording the Toll Tax as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, our intent, other than with respect to the one-time repatriation of foreign earnings in 2023, has been to permanently reinvest undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries, and we do not have any current plans to repatriate additional post-Toll Tax foreign earnings to fund operations in the United States. However, if amounts held by foreign subsidiaries were needed to fund operations in the United States, we could be required to accrue and pay taxes to repatriate these funds. Such charges may include potential state income taxes and other tax charges.

Covenant Compliance

Under the Credit Agreement, we are required to satisfy and maintain specified financial ratios and other financial condition tests as of December 31, 2023. The financial ratios include a consolidated interest coverage ratio based on

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consolidated earnings before income taxes, interest expense, depreciation, and amortization (Consolidated EBITDA) to consolidated interest expense, as defined in the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement defines Consolidated EBITDA to exclude unusual or non-recurring charges and gains. We are also required to maintain a consolidated leverage ratio of consolidated funded debt to Consolidated EBITDA. Consolidated funded debt, as defined in the Credit Agreement, includes all long and short-term debt, finance lease obligations and any trade letters of credit that are outstanding, less cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet.

As of December 31, 2023, our actual financial ratios calculated in accordance with the Credit Agreement compared to the required levels under the Credit Agreement were as follows:

Actual Ratio Required Level

Minimum level

Maximum level

As of December 31, 2023, we were in compliance with all covenants related to the Credit Agreement.

In addition to financial ratios, the Credit Agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants that include limitations on disposition or sale of assets, prohibitions on assuming or incurring any liens on assets with limited exceptions and limitations on making investments other than those permitted by the agreement.

Working capital (defined as current assets less current liabilities) as of December 31, 2023 was $655.2 million compared to $571.9 million as of December 31, 2022. The ratio of current assets to current liabilities was 2.6 to 1 as of December 31, 2023 compared to 2.5 to 1 as of December 31, 2022. The increase in working capital is primarily related to the increase in cash and cash equivalents as a result of increased cash from operating activities.

Material Cash Requirements

We expect existing cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operations and financing activities to be sufficient to meet our cash needs during 2024 and thereafter for the foreseeable future.

We anticipate investing between $55 million to $65 million in capital expenditures during 2024 to improve our manufacturing capabilities and invest in technology and other commercial and operational excellence initiatives.

We intend to continue to repurchase shares of Class A common stock consistent with prior years. The repurchases are executed from time to time on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. The timing and number of shares repurchased will be determined based on our evaluation of market conditions and other factors, see Note 13 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

While we presently intend to continue to pay comparable quarterly cash dividends on both Class A and B common stock, the payment of future cash dividends depends upon our Board of Directors’ assessment of our earnings, financial condition, capital requirements and other factors.

We maintain letters of credit that guarantee our performance or payment to third parties in accordance with specified terms and conditions. Amounts outstanding were approximately $12.5 million as of December 31, 2023 and $12.1 million as of December 31, 2022. Our letters of credit are primarily associated with insurance coverage and, to a lesser extent, foreign purchases and generally expire within one year of issuance. These instruments may exist or expire without being drawn down; therefore, they do not necessarily represent future cash flow obligations.

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Our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2023 are presented in the following table:

Next Beyond

Contractual Obligations Total 12 Months 12 Months

(in millions)

Operating lease obligations(b) 64.1 11.8 52.3

Finance lease obligations(c) 2.6 1.3 1.3

Pension contributions(d) 9.2 0.5 8.7

2017 Tax Act Toll Tax payable(f) 15.3 6.8 8.5

Capital expenditures(g) 6.1 6.1 —

(a) Relates to drawdowns on the line of credit under the Credit Agreement as recognized in the consolidated balance sheet. See Note 12 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report for further disclosures.

(b) Relates to the lease liabilities recognized for right-of-use assets of operating leases with a lease term longer than twelve months. See Note 9 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report for further disclosures.

(c) Relates to the lease liabilities recognized for right-of-use assets of financing leases with a lease term longer than twelve months. See Note 9 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report for further disclosures.

(d) Relates to estimated future obligations for the Europe pension plans. See Note 15 of Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in this Annual Report for further disclosures.

(e) Represents the current estimate of future interest payments due on the current drawdown on the line of credit under the Credit Agreement referenced above at (a).

(f) Relates to the 2017 Tax Act one time transition tax on accumulated foreign subsidiary earnings not previously subject to U.S. income tax which was payable over a number of years.

(g) Relates to capital expenditure obligations included in the anticipated capital expenditure investment totals of $55 million to $65 million discussed above.

(h) Primarily includes the $98.7 million of a preliminary net purchase price related to the definitive agreement we entered into on December 11, 2023 to acquire Josam, $49.7 million of commodity commitments and $19.4 million relates to cost obligations for an Information Technology investment program.

We have no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that are material to investors.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In accordance with the SEC's Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K, the following provides definitions of the non-GAAP measures used by management. We believe that these measures enhance the overall understanding of underlying business results and trends. These non-GAAP measures are not intended to be considered by the user in place of the related GAAP measure, but rather as supplemental information to more fully understand our business results. These non-GAAP measures may not be the same as similar measures used by other companies due to possible differences in method and in the items or events being adjusted.

Organic net sales growth is a non-GAAP measure of net sales growth that excludes the impacts of acquisitions, divestitures and foreign exchange from period-over-period comparisons. A reconciliation to the most closely related U.S.

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GAAP measure, net sales, has been included in our discussion within “Results of Operations” above. Organic net sales should be considered in addition to, and not as a replacement for or as a superior measure to net sales. Management believes reporting organic sales growth provides useful information to investors, potential investors and others, by facilitating easier comparisons of our revenue performance with prior and future periods.

Adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margins, adjusted net income, and adjusted earnings per share are non-GAAP measures that exclude certain expenses incurred and benefits recognized in the periods presented that relate primarily to our global restructuring programs, acquisition-related costs, contingent consideration adjustment, gain on sale of asset, and the related income tax impacts on these items and other tax adjustments. Management believes reporting these financial measures provides useful information to investors, potential investors and others, by facilitating easier comparisons of our performance with prior and future periods.

A reconciliation of U.S. GAAP results to these adjusted non-GAAP measures is provided below (dollars in millions, except per share amounts):

Year Ended

December 31, December 31,

Operating income - as reported 350.9 315.0

Operating margin % 17.1% 15.9%

Adjustments for special items:

Restructuring 5.5 10.6

Acquisition-related costs 11.3 —

Contingent consideration adjustment (2.5) —

Gain on sale of asset — (1.8)

Total adjustments for special items $ 14.3 $ 8.8

Operating income - as adjusted $ 365.2 $ 323.8

Adjusted operating margin % 17.8% 16.4%

Net income - as reported $ 262.1 $ 251.5

Adjustments for special items - tax effected:

Restructuring 4.1 7.9

Acquisition-related costs 8.3 —

Contingent consideration adjustment (2.5) —

Gain on sale of asset — (1.4)

Discrete tax items 5.3 (18.2)

Total adjustments for special items - tax effected: $ 15.2 $ (11.7)

Net income as adjusted $ 277.3 $ 239.8

Diluted earnings per share - as reported $ 7.82 $ 7.48

Acquisition-related costs 0.25 —

Contingent consideration adjustment (0.08) —

Gain on sale of asset — (0.04)

Discrete tax items 0.16 (0.54)

Diluted earnings per share - as adjusted $ 8.27 $ 7.13

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Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure that does not represent cash generated from operating activities in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Therefore, it should not be considered an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities as an indication of our performance. The cash conversion rate of free cash flow to net income is also a measure of our performance in cash flow generation. We believe free cash flow and cash flow conversion rate to be an appropriate supplemental measure of our operating performance because it provides investors with a measure of our ability to generate cash, repay debt, pay dividends, repurchase stock and fund acquisitions.

A reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow and calculation of our cash conversion rate is provided below:

Year Ended

December 31, December 31,

(in millions)

Net cash provided by operating activities $ 310.8 $ 224.0

Less: additions to property, plant, and equipment (29.7) (28.1)

Plus: proceeds from the sale of property, plant, and equipment — 5.2

Net income —as reported $ 262.1 $ 251.5

Cash conversion rate of free cash flow to net income 107.2 % 80.0 %

Our free cash flow increased in 2023 when compared to 2022 primarily driven by higher net income and reduced working capital investment, partially offset by increased payments related to income taxes and customer incentives.

WTS US Equity

WTS · 10-K · period ended 2023-12-31

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS.

Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

Item 1C.CYBERSECURITY

Item 2. PROPERTIES.

Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Item 5.MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

WTS US Equity☆

WTS · 10-K · period ended 2023-12-31

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS.

Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

Item 1C.CYBERSECURITY

Item 2. PROPERTIES.

Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Item 5.MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

WTS US Equity