Company: AOS
Filing Date: 2025-02-27
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001193125-25-037641
Chunk: 77

Company: SMITH A O CORP
Filing Date: 2025-02-27
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 77
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 related to regulatory filings. Audit-Related Fees consist of $684,000 for acquisition-related and transition advice fees and $10,000 for governmental filings. In reliance on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited financial statements be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-Kfor the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC. The Committee appointed Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2025, subject to stockholder ratification, and provisionally approved its estimated fees for first and second quarter reviews, audit related and tax services. Michael M. Larsen, Chairperson Todd W. Fister, Committee Member Christopher L. Mapes, Committee Member Lois M. Martin, Committee Member 2025 Proxy Statement 61

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of our company has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as our company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2025. Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP have been invited to be present at the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to provide a statement and respond to stockholder questions. Although not required to be submitted to a vote of the stockholders, the Board of Directors believes it appropriate to obtain stockholder ratification of the Audit Committee’s action in appointing Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm. The Board of Directors has itself ratified the Audit Committee’s action. Should such appointment not be ratified by the stockholders, the Audit Committee will reconsider the matter. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may select a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the fiscal year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interest of our company and our stockholders.

62A. O. Smith Corporation

REPORT OF THE NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

The Nominating and Governance Committee met six times during the year, two of which were special meetings. The Committee monitored the status of legislation impacting corporate governance and reviewed a governance best practice or SEC topic at its three regular meetings. Further, the Committee reviewed and ratified its Charter, which provides that the Committee is responsible for the nomination of directors, review of director independence and compensation committee consultant independence, review of compensation to be paid to directors and our company’s corporate governance practices, especially in light of SEC and NYSE rules and governance