tiprankstipranks
Trending News
More News >
A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS)
:AOS
Advertisement

A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
789 Followers

Top Page

AOS

A. O. Smith Corporation

(NYSE:AOS)

Rating:76Outperform
Price Target:
$81.00
▲(14.42%Upside)
A. O. Smith Corporation maintains a strong financial foundation with commendable profitability and a robust balance sheet, which is the most significant factor contributing to its stock score. Technical indicators also show a positive outlook, supporting the stock's potential for growth. However, mixed signals from the recent earnings call and a fair valuation suggest a balanced view with moderate upside potential.
Positive Factors
Leadership Changes
A broader strategic shift could be emerging following the CEO succession, despite near-term headwinds.
Market Share
Management expects share gains in the back half as market conditions normalize.
Sales Performance
Total shipments of commercial water heaters increased 22.3% month over month and 0.8% year over year, indicating a positive sales trend.
Negative Factors
Cost Pressure
Analysts are cautious on the stock due to greater volatility in AOS' near-term results as steel costs rise, pressuring margins.
Margin Pressure
The company's guidance of a 15-20% increase in steel costs suggests operating margin pressure in North America.
Sales Decline
Total shipments of residential water heaters decreased 5.1% year over year, reflecting a decline in residential sales.

A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

A. O. Smith Corporation Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionA. O. Smith Corporation manufactures and markets residential and commercial gas, heat pump and electric water heaters, boilers, tanks, and water treatment products in North America, China, Europe, and India. It operates through two segments, North America and Rest of World. The company offers water heaters for residences, restaurants, hotels and motels, office buildings, laundries, car washes, and small businesses; commercial boilers for hospitals, schools, hotels, and other large commercial buildings, as well as residential boilers for homes, apartments, and condominiums; and water treatment products comprising point-of-entry water softeners, well water solutions, and whole-home water filtration products, on-the-go filtration bottles, point-of-use carbon, and reverse osmosis products for residences, restaurants, hotels, and offices. It also provides food and beverage filtration products; expansion tanks, commercial solar water heating systems, swimming pool and spa heaters, and related products and parts; and heat pumps, electric wall-hung, gas tankless, combi-boiler, heat pump and solar water heaters. The company offers its products primarily under the A. O. Smith, State, Lochinvar, and water softener brands. It distributes its products through independent wholesale plumbing distributors, as well as through retail channels consisting of hardware and home center chains, and manufacturer representative firms; and offers Aquasana branded products directly to consumers through e-commerce, as well as other online retailers. A. O. Smith Corporation was founded in 1874 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
How the Company Makes MoneyA. O. Smith Corporation generates revenue primarily through the sale of water heating and water treatment products. The company's key revenue streams include the manufacture and distribution of residential and commercial water heaters, boilers, and water treatment systems. A. O. Smith sells its products through a network of wholesale distributors, retailers, and directly to consumers, catering to both new construction and replacement markets. The company also capitalizes on its international presence, particularly in high-growth regions like China, where rising urbanization and increased demand for clean water contribute significantly to its earnings. Strategic partnerships with retailers and investments in research and development further enhance A. O. Smith's ability to deliver innovative and efficient products, thus driving sales and profitability.

A. O. Smith Corporation Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Jul 24, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: -0.35%|
Next Earnings Date:Oct 23, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call presented a mixed outlook with several positive achievements, such as growth in the North America boiler and water treatment segments, innovative product launches, and raised EPS guidance. However, these were offset by declines in water heater sales and significant challenges in the China market, along with uncertainties related to tariff impacts.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
North America Boiler Sales Increase
North America boiler sales increased by 6% compared to the second quarter of 2024, driven by higher volumes of high-efficiency commercial boilers.
North America Water Treatment Growth
North America water treatment sales increased slightly in the second quarter, with growth in priority channels such as e-commerce, dealer, and direct-to-consumer offsetting expected retail declines.
Innovation and Product Launches
A. O. Smith introduced new products, including the Adapt SC tankless line and the HomeShield Whole House Water Filter, showcasing a commitment to innovation and leadership in water technology.
EPS Guidance Raised
The 2025 EPS outlook was raised from a range of $3.60 to $3.90 per share to a narrowed range of $3.70 to $3.90 per share, indicating confidence in future performance.
Strong Cash Flow Generation
Operating cash flow of $178 million and free cash flow of $140 million were generated in the first 6 months of 2025, showing robust financial management.
Negative Updates
Decline in North America Water Heater Sales
North America water heater sales decreased 2% in the second quarter due to lower volumes, despite benefiting from demand pull forward related to price increases.
China Sales Decrease
Second quarter sales in China decreased 11% in local currency, attributed to economic challenges and limited government subsidies outside Tier 1 and 2 cities.
Continued Uncertainty with Tariffs
The tariff landscape remains uncertain, with an estimated 5% increase in total company cost of goods sold due to tariffs, affecting margins.
Rest of World Segment Sales Decline
Rest of the World segment sales of $240 million decreased 2% compared to last year, despite growth in the legacy India business.
Challenges in the China Market
A broad assessment of the China business is being initiated to ensure competitiveness, indicating ongoing challenges in the region.
Company Guidance
During the second quarter 2025 earnings call, A. O. Smith provided updated guidance for the year, raising the midpoint of their EPS outlook to a range of $3.70 to $3.90 per share, reflecting a 2% increase compared to 2024. The company expects steel costs to rise by 15% to 20% in the second half of the year, with tariffs anticipated to increase total company cost of goods sold by approximately 5%. A. O. Smith projects a capital expenditure of $90 million to $100 million for 2025, aiming to generate free cash flow between $500 million and $525 million. The effective tax rate is estimated to be between 24% and 24.5%, and the company anticipates ending 2025 with 142 million outstanding diluted shares. The guidance assumes North America water heater and boiler sales will remain stable, while China sales are expected to decrease by 5% to 8% in local currency.

A. O. Smith Corporation Financial Statement Overview

Summary
A. O. Smith Corporation displays a commendable financial performance with solid profitability and a strong balance sheet, characterized by low leverage and high equity. The company effectively generates cash, although recent trends in revenue and free cash flow growth suggest a need for monitoring. Overall, the financial health is strong, providing a stable foundation for future growth.
Income Statement
75
Positive
A. O. Smith Corporation demonstrates stable profitability with a consistent gross profit margin of around 38%. While the TTM revenue shows a slight decrease compared to the previous year, the net profit margin remains strong at approximately 13.7%. The EBIT and EBITDA margins are healthy, indicating efficient operational performance. However, recent revenue growth has slightly declined, which could be a potential area of concern if the trend continues.
Balance Sheet
80
Positive
The balance sheet is robust with a strong equity base, as evidenced by a high equity ratio of approximately 64.4%. The debt-to-equity ratio is low at around 0.16, demonstrating prudent financial leverage. The return on equity is impressive, reflecting efficient utilization of shareholder funds. Overall, the company maintains a stable financial position with low leverage and substantial equity.
Cash Flow
78
Positive
The cash flow statement reveals a solid operating cash flow to net income ratio, indicating strong cash generation capabilities. The free cash flow has decreased slightly over the TTM period, but the free cash flow to net income ratio remains healthy. While the company effectively converts its earnings into cash, the decline in free cash flow growth may warrant attention if it persists.
BreakdownDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue3.82B3.85B3.75B3.54B2.90B
Gross Profit1.46B1.48B1.33B1.31B1.11B
EBITDA786.50M823.80M310.00M707.80M531.20M
Net Income533.60M556.60M235.70M487.10M344.90M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets3.24B3.21B3.33B3.47B3.16B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments276.10M363.40M481.80M631.40M689.60M
Total Debt216.70M155.20M366.90M219.00M147.60M
Total Liabilities1.36B1.37B1.58B1.64B1.31B
Stockholders Equity1.88B1.84B1.75B1.83B1.85B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow473.80M597.70M321.10M566.00M505.30M
Operating Cash Flow581.80M670.30M391.40M641.10M562.10M
Investing Cash Flow-267.10M-24.10M8.10M-349.90M11.80M
Financing Cash Flow-408.40M-684.70M-430.80M-421.00M-374.80M

A. O. Smith Corporation Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price70.79
Price Trends
50DMA
66.81
Positive
100DMA
66.18
Positive
200DMA
68.24
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
1.32
Positive
RSI
56.74
Neutral
STOCH
24.36
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For AOS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 70.79 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 69.71, above the 50-day MA of 66.81, and above the 200-day MA of 68.24, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 1.32 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 56.74 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 24.36 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for AOS.

A. O. Smith Corporation Risk Analysis

A. O. Smith Corporation disclosed 20 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. A. O. Smith Corporation reported the most risks in the "Ability to Sell" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

A. O. Smith Corporation Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (58)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
78
Outperform
$8.76B30.0317.61%0.69%3.89%8.17%
77
Outperform
$8.42B41.9115.24%10.78%30.05%
76
Outperform
$16.78B27.9617.15%0.96%-0.25%-7.32%
76
Outperform
$9.92B19.7427.60%1.92%-3.53%-7.46%
74
Outperform
$11.41B36.7118.22%0.44%3.01%30.34%
62
Neutral
$13.99B29.9112.25%1.71%4.73%-19.15%
58
Neutral
HK$14.20B4.67-2.78%5.88%3.78%-54.63%
* Industrials Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
AOS
A. O. Smith Corporation
70.79
-10.02
-12.40%
IEX
IDEX
163.51
-27.90
-14.58%
PNR
Pentair
102.20
19.47
23.53%
SPXC
SPX
182.39
37.74
26.09%
WTS
Watts Water Technologies
262.32
64.55
32.64%
CR
Crane Company
195.77
50.72
34.97%

A. O. Smith Corporation Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesBusiness Operations and Strategy
A. O. Smith Announces Leadership Transition Effective July 2025
Neutral
Apr 25, 2025

On April 25, 2025, A. O. Smith Corporation announced a leadership transition effective July 1, 2025, with Kevin J. Wheeler moving from Chairman and CEO to Executive Chairman, and Stephen M. Shafer, the current President and COO, being appointed as the new CEO. This change marks a significant shift in the company’s leadership as Shafer, who joined A. O. Smith in March 2024, will be responsible for global operations and strategy development. Under Wheeler’s leadership, the company experienced substantial growth, including key acquisitions and navigating challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jul 26, 2025