WSO 10-K
Watsco Inc (WSO)
Table of Contents
Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 |
Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
(Zip Code) |
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | ||||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ||||
| Emerging growth company | ||||||
Table of Contents
WATSCO, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Form 10-K
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2024
INDEX
| Page | ||||||
| Item 1. |
Business | 3 | ||||
| Item 1A. |
Risk Factors | 13 | ||||
| Item 1B. |
Unresolved Staff Comments | 18 | ||||
| Item 1C. |
Cybersecurity | 19 | ||||
| Item 2. |
Properties | 20 | ||||
| Item 3. |
Legal Proceedings | 21 | ||||
| Item 4. |
Mine Safety Disclosures | 21 | ||||
| Item 5. |
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities | 21 | ||||
| Item 6. |
[Reserved] | 23 | ||||
| Item 7. |
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 23 | ||||
| Item 7A. |
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | 23 | ||||
| Item 8. |
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data | 23 | ||||
| Item 9. |
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure | 23 | ||||
| Item 9A. |
Controls and Procedures | 23 | ||||
| Item 9B. |
Other Information | 25 | ||||
| Item 9C. |
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections | 25 | ||||
| Item 15. |
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules | 26 | ||||
| Item 16. |
Form 10-K Summary | 30 | ||||
| 31 | ||||||
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PART I
Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains or incorporates by reference statements that are not historical in nature and that are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements which are not historical in nature, including the words “anticipate,” “estimate,” “could,” “should,” “may,” “plan,” “seek,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” “target,” “will,” “project,” “focused,” “outlook,” “goal,” “designed,” and variations of these words and negatives thereof and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, including statements regarding, among other things, (i) economic conditions, (ii) business and acquisition strategies, (iii) potential acquisitions and/or joint ventures and investments in unconsolidated entities, (iv) financing plans, and (v) industry, demographic, regulatory, and other trends affecting our financial condition or results of operations. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations, are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and changes in circumstances, certain of which are beyond our control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including, but not limited to:
| • | general economic conditions, both in the United States and in the international markets we serve; |
| • | competitive factors within the HVAC/R industry; |
| • | effects of supplier concentration, including conditions that impact the supply chain; |
| • | fluctuations in certain commodity costs; |
| • | consumer spending; |
| • | consumer debt levels; |
| • | new housing starts and completions; |
| • | capital spending in the commercial construction market; |
| • | access to liquidity needed for operations; |
| • | seasonal nature of product sales; |
| • | weather patterns and conditions; |
| • | insurance coverage risks; |
| • | federal, state, and local regulations impacting our industry and products; |
| • | prevailing interest rates; |
| • | the effect of inflation; |
| • | foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; |
| • | international risk; |
| • | cybersecurity risk; and |
| • | the continued viability of our business strategy. |
We believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable; however, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations. For additional information regarding important factors that may affect our operations and could cause actual results to vary materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please see Item 1A “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the other documents and reports that we file with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements were made. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking information or the discussion of such risks and uncertainties to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law. We qualify any and all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary factors.
| ITEM 1. | BUSINESS |
General
Watsco, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Watsco,” the “Company”, or “we,” “us,” or “our”) was incorporated in Florida in 1956 and is the largest distributor of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration equipment and related parts and supplies (“HVAC/R”) in the HVAC/R distribution industry in North America. At December 31, 2024, we operated from 690 locations in 43 U.S. States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico with additional market coverage on an export basis to portions
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of Latin America and the Caribbean, through which we serve more than 130,000 active contractors that service the replacement and new construction markets. Our revenues in HVAC/R distribution have increased from $64.1 million in 1989 to $7.6 billion in 2024, resulting from our strategic acquisition of companies with established market positions and subsequent building of revenues and profit through a combination of additional locations, introduction of new products, and other initiatives.
Our principal executive office is located at 2665 South Bayshore Drive, Suite 901, Miami, Florida 33133, and our telephone number is (305) 714-4100. Our website address on the Internet is www.watsco.com and e-mails may be sent to [email protected]. Our website address is included in this report only as an inactive textual reference. Information contained on, or available through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, or made a part of, this report.
Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Industry
The HVAC/R distribution industry is highly fragmented. According to data published in the November 2024 IBIS World Industry Report for Heating and Air Conditioning Wholesaling in the U.S., the HVAC/R distribution industry has approximately 2,100 distribution companies with an aggregate estimated annual market size of $74.0 billion. The estimated annual market on an installed basis, which adds the contractor’s value to the market size, for residential HVAC/R products is approximately $134.0 billion according to the October 2024 IBIS World Industry Report for Heating and Air Conditioning Contractors in the U.S. The industry in the United States and Canada is well-established, having had its primary period of growth during the post-World War II era with the advent of affordable central air conditioning and heating systems for both residential and commercial applications. The advent of HVAC/R products in Latin America and the Caribbean is also well-established but has emerged in more recent years as those economies have grown and products have become more affordable and have matured from luxury to necessity.
Air conditioning and heating equipment is manufactured primarily by eight major companies that together account for approximately 90% of all units shipped in the United States each year. These companies are Carrier Global Corporation (“Carrier”); Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc. (“Daikin”), a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd.; Rheem Manufacturing Company (“Rheem”); Trane Technologies plc (“Trane”); York International Corporation, a subsidiary of Bosch Group; Lennox International Inc. (“Lennox”); Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US LLC (“Mitsubishi”); and Nortek Global HVAC, LLC, a subsidiary of Rheem. These manufacturers distribute their products through a combination of factory-owned locations and independent distributors who, in turn, supply the equipment and related parts and supplies to contractors and dealers that sell to and install the products for consumers, businesses, and other end-users.
Air conditioning and heating equipment is sold to the replacement and new construction markets for both residential and commercial applications. The residential replacement market has increased in size and importance over the past several years as a result of the aging of the installed base of residential central air conditioners and furnaces, the introduction of new higher energy efficient models to address both regulatory mandates as well as consumer optionality, the remodeling and expansion of existing homes, the addition of central air conditioning to homes that previously had only heating products, and consumers’ overall unwillingness to live without air conditioning or heating products. The mechanical life of central air conditioning and furnaces varies by geographical region due to usage and ranges from approximately 8 to 20 years. According to data published by the Energy Information Administration in March 2023, there are approximately 102 million central air conditioning and heating systems installed in the United States that have been in service for more than 10 years. Many installed units operate well below current minimum efficiency standards and are currently reaching the end of their useful lives, which we believe long-term provides a growing and stable replacement market.
Additionally, we sell a variety of non-equipment products including parts, ductwork, air movement products, insulation, tools, installation supplies, thermostats, and air quality products. We distribute products manufactured by Flexible Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Smiths Group plc (“Flexible Technologies”), Resideo Technologies, Inc. (“Resideo”), Southwark Metal Mfg. Co. (“Southwark”), Johns Manville, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (“Johns Manville”), and Owens Corning Insulating Systems, LLC (“Owens Corning”), among others.
We also sell products to the commercial refrigeration market. These products include condensing units, compressors, evaporators, valves, refrigerants, walk-in coolers, and ice machines for industrial and commercial applications. We distribute products manufactured by Copeland Corporation, LLC (“Copeland”), The Chemours Company (“Chemours”), Mueller Industries, Inc. (“Mueller”), and Pentair, Inc. (“Pentair”), among others.
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Culture and Business Strategy
Watsco began its HVAC/R distribution strategy in 1989 and has grown by using a “buy and build” philosophy, resulting in substantial long-term growth in revenues and profits. The “buy” component of the strategy has focused on acquiring or investing in market leaders to either expand into new geographic areas or complement our presence in existing markets. We have employed a disciplined and conservative approach, which seeks opportunities that fit well-defined financial and strategic criteria. The “build” component of the strategy has focused on encouraging growth at acquired companies, by adding products and locations to better serve customers, investing in scalable technologies, and exchanging ideas and business concepts amongst leadership teams. Newly acquired businesses have access to our capital resources and established vendor relationships, allowing them to provide their customers with an expanded array of product lines on favorable terms and conditions with an intensified commitment to service. We have also developed a culture whereby leaders, managers and employees are provided the opportunity to own shares of Watsco through a variety of stock-based equity plans. We believe that this culture instills a performance-driven, long-term focus on the part of our employees and aligns their interests with the interests of other Watsco shareholders.
Culture of Innovation & Technology Strategy
We have established a strong culture of innovation, whereby people, processes and technology have evolved to modernize and digitize our business. With this digital evolution in mind, our efforts have addressed how customers are served, how internal processes and practices can be improved, and how data and analytics can be created and used to enhance long-term performance. Investments include the addition of approximately 300 technology employees along with investments in our locations and infrastructure to enable these technologies.
To that end, several scalable technology platforms have been launched with the largest focus on customer-focused technologies, which are improving and transforming the customer experience at all of our locations. Specific initiatives include: (i) mobile applications for iOS and Android devices to help customers operate more efficiently and interact with our locations more easily; (ii) e-commerce between our customers and our subsidiaries; (iii) supply chain optimization; (iv) building and maintaining product information management, which is our leading repository of digitized HVAC/R product information used in our mobile applications and e-ecommerce platform; and (v) the development of business intelligence systems and related data sets, which provide enhanced management tools. In addition, through our subsidiary, Watsco Ventures, LLC (“Watsco Ventures”), we have developed (internally and through external collaboration) a variety of early-stage technologies intended to help contractor customers grow and become more profitable, and otherwise compliment the initiatives set forth above. These initiatives include, among others, OnCall Air®, our digital sales platform, and OnCall Air Finance+, its companion consumer financing platform.
Strategy in Existing Markets
Our strategy for growth in existing markets focuses on customer service, product expansion, and the implementation of technology to satisfy the needs of the higher growth, higher margin replacement market, in which customers generally demand immediate, convenient, and reliable service. We respond to this need by: (i) offering a broad range of product lines, including the necessary equipment at an array of price-points, parts, and supplies to enable a contractor to install or repair a central air conditioner, furnace, or refrigeration system; (ii) maintaining a strong density of warehouse locations for increased customer convenience; (iii) maintaining well-stocked inventories to ensure that customer orders are filled in a timely manner; (iv) providing a high degree of technical expertise at the point of sale; (v) collaborating with customers to advertise and market their business and services in local markets; and (vi) developing and implementing technology to further enhance customer service capabilities. We believe these concepts provide a competitive advantage over smaller, less-capitalized competitors that are unable to commit resources to open and maintain additional locations, implement technological business solutions, provide the same range of products, maintain the same inventory levels, or attract the wide range of expertise that is required to support a diverse product offering. In some geographic areas, we believe we have a competitive advantage over factory-operated distribution networks, which typically do not maintain inventories of parts and supplies that are as diversified as ours and which have fewer warehouse locations than we do, making it more difficult for these competitors to meet the time-sensitive demands of the replacement market.
In addition to the replacement market, we sell to the new construction market, including new homes and commercial construction. We believe our reputation for reliable, high-quality service, and relationships with contractors, who may serve both the replacement and new construction markets, allows us to compete effectively in these markets.
Product Line Expansion
We actively seek new and expanded territories of distribution from our key equipment suppliers. We continually evaluate new parts and supply products to support equipment sales and further enhance service to our customers. This initiative includes increasing our product offering with existing vendors and identifying new product opportunities through traditional and non-traditional supply channels. We have also introduced private-label products to obtain market share and grow revenues. We believe that our private-label branded products complement our existing product offerings at selected locations, based on customer needs and the particular market position and price of these products.
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Acquisition Strategy
We focus on acquiring and investing in businesses that either complement our presence in existing markets or establish a presence in new geographic markets. Since 1989, we have acquired 70 HVAC/R distribution businesses, some of which are now primary operating subsidiaries. Other smaller acquired distributors have been integrated into or are under the management of our primary operating subsidiaries. Through a combination of sales and market share growth, opening of new locations, tuck-in acquisitions, expansion of product lines, improved pricing, and programs that have resulted in higher gross profit, performance incentives, and a culture of equity value for key leadership, we have produced substantial sales and earnings growth in our acquired businesses. We continue to pursue additional strategic acquisitions, investments and joint ventures to allow further penetration in existing markets and expansion into new geographic markets.
Operating Philosophy
We encourage our local leadership to operate in a manner that builds upon the long-term relationships they have established with their suppliers and customers. Typically, we maintain the identity of acquired businesses by retaining their historical trade names, management teams and sales organizations, and continuity of their product brand-name offerings. We believe this strategy allows us to build on the value of the acquired operations by creating additional sales opportunities while providing an attractive exit strategy for the former owners of these companies.
We maintain a specialized staff at our corporate headquarters that provides functional support for our subsidiaries’ growth strategies in their respective markets. Such functional support staff includes specialists in finance, accounting, product procurement, information technology, treasury and working capital management, tax planning, risk management, legal, and safety. Certain general and administrative expenses are targeted for cost savings by leveraging the overall business volume and improving operating efficiencies.
Human Capital Management
Employee Population and Turnover
As the largest distributor of HVAC/R equipment and related parts and supplies in North America, we have a wide variety of employees. Given the breadth of our employee base, we tailor our human capital management policies with a view to specific employee populations. As of December 31, 2024, we employed approximately 7,220 full-time and 75 part-time employees (approximately 7,295 total employees), substantially all of whom were non-union employees. Of these employees, approximately 8% were located in Canada and Mexico. Additionally, we use independent contractors and temporary personnel in the normal course of business to supplement our workforce.
We closely monitor employee turnover, utilizing exit interviews to gather pertinent information that we use to refine our retention strategies. The voluntary turnover rate for our U.S. employees in 2024, 2023, and 2022 was approximately 18%, 19%, and 20%, respectively. We believe this rate is typical for a company of our size that employs a large hourly workforce such as ours.
Talent Attraction, Development, and Retention
Our culture celebrates talent sharing, career development, and agility across the Company. We provide a wide variety of opportunities for professional growth and talent development for all employees, including online training, on-the-job experience, mentorships, and education tuition assistance.
We are committed to ensuring equal access to, and participation in, employment and advancement opportunities, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran or military status, pregnancy status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status. We value and foster the diversity and inclusion of the people with whom we work. Diverse teams facilitate contributions from people of different backgrounds, experiences, and varied points of view. We believe that when employees feel valued, understood, and inspired, the entire Company benefits. Moreover, fostering an equal opportunity environment promotes innovative solutions and cultivates high-performing, engaged teams that collaborate to achieve our strategic goals.
Compensation and Benefits
We focus on attracting and retaining employees by providing compensation and benefits programs that are competitive within our industry, taking into account each job position’s location and responsibilities. In addition to salaries, commission programs, cash incentives, and stock-based equity plans, we also provide a 401(k) retirement plan with a company match, an employee stock purchase plan in which most of our employees may purchase our stock at a discount, healthcare and insurance benefits, health savings accounts, paid time off, and various services and tools to support our employees’ health and wellness.
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Ownership Culture
We maintain an ownership culture that helps align the long-term interests of our shareholders with a long-term wealth-building opportunity for our employees through a variety of stock-based equity plans. These plans include the contribution of Watsco shares to employees participating in our 401(k) plan, the availability of an employee stock purchase plan for our U.S. employees, and the granting of stock options and restricted stock based on individual merit and measures of performance. As a result, approximately 4,200 employees are Watsco shareholders. Our equity compensation plans are designed to promote long-term performance, as well as to create long-term employee retention, continuity of leadership, and an ownership culture whereby management and employees think and act as owners of the Company. We believe that our restricted stock program is unique because an employee’s restricted share grants generally vest only at the end of his or her career (age 62 or later) and, prior to retirement, these grants remain subject to significant risk of forfeiture.
Workforce Health and Safety
We continuously strive to improve all aspects of our work practices. We actively support a culture of safety and wellness for the benefit of our employees and their families along with our customers. Providing a safe and healthy work environment is a business priority and is core to our values. Health and safety are an essential part of a broader workforce strategy that reduces the risk of harm to employees and helps them remain healthy, engaged and productive.
To build and sustain a culture based on these principles, our commitment to safety and wellness is incorporated into the incentive structure of our key operational leaders. For wellness, we measure employee engagement in completing an annual physical to help ensure that our philosophical values are put into action. For safety, we measure and carefully evaluate incidents related to workers compensation, vehicle accidents and injuries to third-parties, and we continuously seek to improve safety measures intended to reduce the number of such incidents.
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Products
We sell an expansive line of products and maintain a diverse mix of inventory to meet our customers’ immediate needs, and we seek to provide products a contractor would generally require when installing or repairing a central air conditioner, furnace, or refrigeration system on short notice. The cooling capacity of air conditioning units is measured in tons. One ton of cooling capacity is equivalent to 12,000 British Thermal Units (“BTUs”) and is generally adequate to air condition approximately 500 square feet of residential space. The products we distribute consist of: (i) equipment, including residential ducted and ductless air conditioners ranging from 1 to 5 tons, gas, electric, and oil furnaces ranging from 50,000 to 150,000 BTUs, commercial air conditioning and heating equipment systems ranging from 1-1/2 to 25 tons, and other specialized equipment; (ii) parts, including replacement compressors, evaporator coils, motors, and other component parts; (iii) supplies, including thermostats, insulation material, refrigerants, ductwork, grills, registers, sheet metal, tools, copper tubing, concrete pads, tape, adhesives, and other ancillary supplies; and (iv) plumbing and bathroom remodeling supplies in a limited number of stores.
Sales of HVAC equipment, which we currently source from approximately 20 vendors, accounted for 69% of our revenues in both 2024 and 2023. Sales of other HVAC products, which we currently source from more than 1,500 vendors, comprised 27% of our revenues in both 2024 and 2023. Sales of commercial refrigeration products, which we currently source from approximately 150 vendors, accounted for 4% of our revenues in both 2024 and 2023.
Distribution and Sales
At December 31, 2024, we operated from 690 locations, a vast majority of which are located in regions that we believe have demographic trends favorable to our business. We maintain large inventories at each of our warehouse locations and either deliver products to customers using our trucks or third-party logistics providers, or we make products available for pick-up at the location nearest to the particular customer. We have approximately 1,100 salespeople, averaging 11 years of experience in the HVAC/R distribution industry.
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% of Revenues for the Year Ended December 31, 2024 |
Number of Locations as of December 31, 2024 |
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| United States |
90 | % | 628 | |||||
| Canada |
5 | % | 36 | |||||
| Latin America and the Caribbean |
5 | % | 26 | |||||
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|
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| Total |
100 | % | 690 | |||||
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The largest market we serve is the United States, in which the most significant markets for HVAC/R products are in the Sun Belt states. Accordingly, most of our distribution locations are in the Sun Belt, with the highest concentration in Florida and Texas. These markets have been a strategic focus of ours given their size, the reliance by homeowners and businesses on HVAC/R products to maintain a comfortable indoor environment, and the population growth in these areas during the post-World War II era, which has led to a substantial installed base requiring replacement, a shorter useful life for equipment given the significant hours of operation, and the focus by electrical utilities on consumer incentives designed to promote replacement of HVAC/R equipment in an effort to improve energy efficiency.
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Markets
The table below identifies the number of our stores by location as of December 31, 2024:
| Florida |
102 | |||
| Texas |
88 | |||
| North Carolina |
52 | |||
| South Carolina |
50 | |||
| California |
35 | |||
| Georgia |
34 | |||
| Louisiana |
33 | |||
| Virginia |
28 | |||
| Tennessee |
23 | |||
| New York |
20 | |||
| Pennsylvania |
20 | |||
| Illinois |
14 | |||
| New Jersey |
14 | |||
| Alabama |
10 | |||
| Massachusetts |
9 | |||
| Mississippi |
9 | |||
| Missouri |
9 | |||
| Arizona |
8 | |||
| Connecticut |
7 | |||
| Kansas |
7 | |||
| Maryland |
6 | |||
| Indiana |
5 | |||
| Oklahoma |
5 | |||
| Utah |
5 | |||
| Arkansas |
4 | |||
| Kentucky |
3 | |||
| Minnesota |
3 | |||
| Nevada |
3 | |||
| Iowa |
2 | |||
| Maine |
2 | |||
| Nebraska |
2 | |||
| New Hampshire |
2 | |||
| South Dakota |
2 | |||
| West Virginia |
2 | |||
| Wisconsin |
2 | |||
| Colorado |
1 | |||
| Delaware |
1 | |||
| Michigan |
1 | |||
| New Mexico |
1 | |||
| North Dakota |
1 | |||
| Ohio |
1 | |||
| Rhode Island |
1 | |||
| Vermont |
1 | |||
|
|
|
|||
| United States |
628 | |||
| Canada |
36 | |||
| Puerto Rico |
16 | |||
| Mexico |
10 | |||
|
|
|
|||
| Total |
690 | |||
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Joint Ventures with Carrier Global Corporation
In 2009, we formed a joint venture with Carrier, which we refer to as Carrier Enterprise I, in which Carrier contributed company-owned locations in the Sun Belt states and Puerto Rico, and its export division in Miami, Florida, and we contributed certain locations that distributed Carrier products. We have an 80% controlling interest in Carrier Enterprise I, and Carrier has a 20% non-controlling interest.
In 2019, Carrier Enterprise I acquired substantially all of the HVAC assets and assumed certain of the liabilities of Peirce-Phelps, Inc., an HVAC distributor operating in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Carrier Enterprise I has a 38.4% ownership interest in Russell Sigler, Inc. (“RSI”), an HVAC distributor operating from 36 locations in the Western U.S. RSI is Carrier’s second largest independent North American distributor and had sales of approximately $1.3 billion in 2024.
In 2011, we formed a second joint venture with Carrier, which we refer to as Carrier Enterprise II, in which Carrier contributed company-owned locations in the Northeast U.S., and we contributed certain locations operating as Homans Associates LLC (“Homans”), a Watsco subsidiary, in the Northeast U.S. Subsequently, Carrier Enterprise II purchased Carrier’s distribution operations in Mexico. We have an 80% controlling interest in Carrier Enterprise II, and Carrier has a 20% non-controlling interest. In 2019, we repurchased the 20% ownership interest in Homans from Carrier Enterprise II and have since solely owned and operated Homans.
In 2012, we formed a third joint venture with Carrier, which we refer to as Carrier Enterprise III, to which Carrier contributed company-owned locations in Canada. We have a 60% controlling interest in Carrier Enterprise III, and Carrier has a 40% non-controlling interest.
In 2021, we and Carrier formed a new joint venture and acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities comprising the HVAC distribution business of Temperature Equipment Corporation (“TEC”), one of Carrier’s independent distributors with locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. We have an 80% controlling interest in TEC, and Carrier has a 20% non-controlling interest.
Combined, our joint ventures with Carrier represented 54% of our revenues in 2024. See Supplier Concentration and Supply Chain Risks in “Business Risk Factors” in Item 1A.
The business and affairs of the joint ventures are controlled, directed, and managed exclusively by their respective boards of directors (the “Boards”) pursuant to related operating agreements. The Boards have full, complete and exclusive authority, power, and discretion to manage and control the business, property, and affairs of their respective joint ventures, and to make all decisions regarding those matters and to perform activities customary or incident to the management of such joint ventures, including approval of distributions to us and Carrier. The Boards are each composed of five directors, of whom three directors represent our controlling interest and two directors represent Carrier’s non-controlling interest. Matters presented to the Boards for vote are considered approved or consented to upon the receipt of the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all directors entitled to vote with the exception of certain governance matters, which require joint approval of us and Carrier.
Customers and Customer Service
Air conditioning and heating contractors that install HVAC/R products in homes and businesses must be licensed given the highly regulated nature of the products, refrigerant, natural gas, and building and zoning requirements. We currently serve more than 130,000 active contractors who service the replacement and new construction markets for residential and commercial central air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration systems. No single customer in 2024, 2023, or 2022 represented more than 2% of our consolidated revenues. We focus on providing products where and when the customer needs them, technical support by phone or on site as required, and quick and efficient service at our locations. Increased customer convenience is also provided through mobile applications and e-commerce, which allows customers to access information online 24 hours a day, seven days a week to search for desired products, verify inventory availability, obtain pricing, place orders, check order status, schedule pickup or delivery times, and make payments. We believe we compete successfully with other distributors primarily based on an experienced sales organization, strong service support, maintenance of well-stocked inventories, density of warehouse locations, high quality reputation, broad product lines, and the ability to foresee customer demand for new products.
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Key Supplier Relationships
Given our leadership position, Watsco represents a strategic business relationship to many of the leading manufacturers in our industry. Significant relationships with HVAC/R equipment manufacturers include Carrier, Rheem, Daikin, Mitsubishi, Pentair, Gree Electric Appliances, Inc., Bosch Group, Trane, Lennox, and Midea Group. In addition, we have substantial relationships with manufacturers of non-equipment HVAC/R products, including Flexible Technologies, Southwark, DiversiTech Corp., Resideo, Mueller, Copeland, Johns Manville, Owens Corning, and Chemours.
We believe the diversity of products that we sell, along with the manufacturers’ current product offerings, quality, marketability, and brand-name recognition, allow us to operate favorably relative to our competitors. To maintain brand-name recognition, HVAC/R equipment manufacturers provide national advertising and participate with us in cooperative advertising programs and promotional incentives that are targeted to both dealers and end-users. We estimate that the replacement market for residential air conditioning equipment is approximately 85%-90% of industry unit sales in the United States, and we expect this percentage to increase as units installed in the past 20 years wear out or otherwise become practical to replace sooner with newer, more energy-efficient models.
The Company’s top ten suppliers accounted for 85% of our purchases, including 62% from Carrier, and 9% from Rheem. Given the significant concentration of our suppliers, particularly with Carrier and Rheem, any material interruption with these suppliers, including limitations on the ability of our suppliers to manufacture, or procure from manufacturers, the products we sell, or to meet delivery requirements and commitments, whether due to supply chain disruptions, labor shortages or otherwise, could temporarily disrupt the operations of certain of our subsidiaries, impact current inventory levels, and could adversely affect our financial results.
If the Trump administration imposes restrictions or significant tariff increases under existing trade agreements on products imported or assembled outside the United States by our top ten suppliers, particularly from Mexico, where a significant portion of residential HVAC equipment is assembled, and China, we may incur higher inventory costs and we would, in turn, need to raise our selling prices. This could adversely impact our sales and market share and negatively impact our business. Future financial results are also materially dependent upon the continued market acceptance of these manufacturers’ respective products and their ability to continue to manufacture products that comply with laws relating to environmental and efficiency standards. However, the Company believes that alternative or substitute products would be readily available in the event of disruption of current supplier relationships given the Company’s prominence in the marketplace, including the number of locations, sales personnel, support structure, marketing and sales expertise, financial position, and established market share. See “Business Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion.
Distribution Agreements
We maintain trade name and distribution agreements with Carrier, Rheem, and Mitsubishi that provide us with distribution rights on an exclusive basis in specified territories and are not subject to a stated term or expiration date. We also maintain distribution agreements with various other suppliers, either on an exclusive or non-exclusive basis, for various terms ranging from one to ten years. Certain distribution agreements for particular branded products contain provisions that restrict or limit the sale of competitive products in the locations that sell such branded products. Other than where such location-level restrictions apply, we may distribute the lines of other manufacturers’ air conditioning or heating equipment in other locations in the same territories.
See Supplier Concentration and Supply Chain Risks in “Business Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Seasonality
Sales of residential central air conditioners, heating equipment, and parts and supplies are seasonal. Furthermore, profitability can be impacted favorably or unfavorably based on weather patterns, particularly during Summer and Winter selling seasons. Demand related to the residential central air conditioning replacement market is typically highest in the second and third quarters, and demand for heating equipment is usually highest in the first and fourth quarters. Demand related to the new construction sectors throughout most of the markets we serve tends to be fairly evenly distributed throughout the year and depends largely on housing completions and related weather and economic conditions.
Competition
We operate in highly competitive environments. We compete with a number of distributors and also with several air conditioning and heating equipment manufacturers that distribute a significant portion of their products through their own distribution organizations in certain markets. Competition within any given geographic market is based upon product availability, customer service, price, and quality. Competitive pressures or other factors could cause our products or services to lose market acceptance or result in significant price erosion, all of which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows, and liquidity.
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Order Backlog
Order backlog is not a material aspect of our business, and no material portion of our business is subject to government contracts.
Government Regulations, Environmental, and Health and Safety Matters
Our business is subject to federal, state and local laws, and regulations relating to the storage, handling, transportation, and release of hazardous materials into the environment. These laws and regulations include the Clean Air Act, relating to minimum energy efficiency standards of HVAC systems, and the production, servicing, and disposal of more environmentally friendly refrigerants used in such systems, including those established by the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol concerning the phase-down of the production of HFC-based refrigerants for use in new equipment. We are also subject to regulations concerning the transport of hazardous materials, including regulations adopted pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1990. Our operations are also subject to health and safety requirements including, but not limited to, the Occupational, Safety and Health Act.
These laws and regulations are continuously changing, and compliance is costly and can require changes to our business practices and significant management time and effort. However, it is our opinion that the costs related to compliance requirements for government, environmental, or other regulations will not have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. We believe that we operate our business in substantial compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, and regulations.
Our industry and business are also subject to United States Department of Energy (“DOE”) standards related to the minimum required efficiency levels of residential central air conditioning systems and heat pumps. For purposes of establishing these energy conservation standards, the DOE divides the United States into three regions (the North, the Southeast, and the Southwest) according to the number of hours that an air conditioner operates to cool a home during the hotter months. The seasonal energy efficiency rating, or SEER, is the metric used to measure HVAC energy efficiency. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the HVAC equipment.
Beginning in 2023, the minimum efficiency level for residential HVAC systems under 45,000 BTUs became 14 SEER in the North and 15 SEER in the Southeast and Southwest. For systems over 45,000 BTUs, the minimum efficiency level is 14 SEER in the North and 14.5 SEER in the Southeast and Southwest. Heat pump efficiency levels, which are measured by the equipment’s heating seasonal performance factor (“HSPF”), became 8.8 HSPF compared with the 8.2 HSPF that had been required by the prior standard for all three regions. We completed the transition of our inventory to the higher SEER products during 2023.
In December 2020, the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (the “AIM Act”) was enacted, which gave the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) regulatory authority to address hydrofluorocarbon (“HFC”) refrigerants. Although HFCs were introduced as alternatives to ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons, they are now recognized as potent greenhouse gases due to their high global warming potential (“GWP”). Consequently, a phasedown of HFC production and consumption by 85% over a 15-year period commenced on January 1, 2022, and regulations were established requiring HVAC systems manufactured to use refrigerants with a GWP under 700 by January 1, 2025. In response to these regulations, OEMs have transitioned their products to incorporate the new refrigerants. The sell-through period for existing HVAC systems using HFC refrigerants with a GWP above 700 extends through December 31, 2025. The Company expects these regulations to reduce the carbon footprint of end-users and increase average selling prices over time, subject to customary risks of quality, availability, and performance of new HVAC systems.
Climate Change and Reductions in CO2e Emissions
We believe that our business plays an important and significant role in the drive to lower CO2e emissions. According to the DOE, heating and air conditioning accounts for roughly half of household energy consumption in the United States. As such, replacing older, less efficient HVAC systems with higher efficiency systems is one of the most meaningful steps homeowners can take to reduce their electricity costs and carbon footprints.
The overwhelming majority of new HVAC systems that we sell replace systems that likely operate below current minimum efficiency standards in the United States and may use more harmful refrigerants that have been, or are being, phased out. As consumers replace HVAC systems with new, higher-efficiency systems, homeowners will consume less energy, save costs, and reduce their carbon footprints.
The sale of high-efficiency systems has long been a focus of ours, and we have invested in tools and technology intended to capture an increasingly richer sales mix over time. In addition, regulatory mandates will likely periodically increase the required minimum Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio rating, referred to as SEER, thus providing a catalyst for greater sales of higher-efficiency systems.
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We offer a broad variety of systems that operate above the minimum SEER standards, ranging from base-level efficiency to systems that exceed 20 SEER. Based on estimates validated by independent sources, we averted an estimated 22.8 million metric tons of CO2e emissions from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024 through the sale of replacement residential HVAC systems at higher-efficiency standards – the equivalent of nearly 5.3 million gas powered vehicles driven over the course of one year. More information, including sources and assumptions used to support our estimates, can be found at www.watsco.com/environment. Information contained on, or available through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, or made a part of, this report.
Federal Tax Credits and State Incentives
Demand for higher-efficiency products, such as variable-speed systems and heat pumps, is expected to increase due to the passage of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IRA”) in August 2022. This legislation is intended, in part, to promote the replacement of existing systems in favor of high-efficiency heat pump systems that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as compared to older systems, and thereby combat climate change. According to the DOE, heat pumps can reduce electricity use for heating by approximately 65% as compared to gas furnaces. Programs under the IRA include enhanced tax credits for homeowners who install qualifying HVAC equipment and tax deductions for owners of commercial buildings that are upgraded to achieve defined energy savings. The IRA also sets aside $4.3 billion for state-administered consumer rebate programs designed to promote energy savings for low and medium-income households, including HVAC systems. Further details, including qualifying products, specific programs, states participating, and other regulatory requirements contemplated by the IRA are still being finalized. However, the Trump administration has indicated that credits enacted under the IRA may be subject to reduction or elimination; therefore, the availability of these credits in 2025 and thereafter is uncertain.
Available Information
We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Information that we file with the SEC is available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our website is at www.watsco.com. Our investor relations website is located at https://investors.watsco.com. We make available, free of charge, on our investor relations website under the heading “SEC Filings” our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Our website address is included in this report only as an inactive textual reference. Information contained on, or available through, our website is not incorporated by reference in, or made a part of, this report.
Code of Ethics and Conduct
The Board of Directors has adopted codes of ethics and conduct that are designed to ensure that our directors, officers, and employees are aware of their ethical responsibilities and avoid conduct that may pose risks to the Company. We maintain (i) an Employee Code of Business Ethics and Conduct that is applicable to all employees (including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer), and (ii) a Code of Conduct for Executives that is applicable to members of our Board of Directors, our executive officers (including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer), and other senior operating and financial personnel. Amendments to either code of conduct or any grant of a waiver requiring disclosure under applicable SEC rules will be disclosed on our website, www.watsco.com. There were no amendments to or waivers from either code of conduct in 2024. Oversight of investigations of known or potential violations under either code of conduct is the responsibility of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Audit Committee”). To obtain copies of our Codes of Ethics and Conduct, please visit our investor relations website at https://investors.watsco.com under the section captioned “Governance.”
| ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS |
Business Risk Factors
Supplier Concentration and Supply Chain Risks
The Company’s top ten suppliers accounted for 85% of our purchases during 2024, including 62% from Carrier and 9% from Rheem. Carrier provides a diverse variety of brands of HVAC systems including Carrier, Bryant, Payne, Tempstar, Heil, Comfortmaker, and Grandaire (a private label product created by the Company), along with complimentary replacement parts. Rheem provides Rheem-brand HVAC systems along with complimentary replacement parts. Given the significant
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concentration of our supply chain, particularly with Carrier and Rheem, any significant interruption by any of the key manufacturers or a termination of a relationship could temporarily disrupt the operations of certain of our subsidiaries. Additionally, our operations are materially dependent upon the continued market acceptance and quality of these manufacturers’ products and their ability to continue to manufacture products that are competitive, that comply with laws relating to environmental and efficiency standards, and that keep up with shifting consumer preferences. Our inability to obtain products from one or more of these manufacturers or a decline in market acceptance of these manufacturers’ products, including new HVAC systems that use refrigerants with a lower GWP, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows, and liquidity.
Many HVAC equipment and component manufacturers, including Carrier and Rheem, source component parts from China and Mexico and/or assemble a significant number of products for residential and light-commercial applications in Mexico. If any restrictions, including as a result of overall trade relations or a potential increase in tariffs (which the Trump administration has proposed), are imposed related to such products sourced from, or assembled in, Mexico and China, including as a result of amendments to existing trade agreements, and our product costs consequently increase, we would be required to raise our prices, which may result in cost inflation, the loss of customers, and harm to our business.
We maintain trade name and distribution agreements with Carrier and Rheem that provide us with distribution rights on an exclusive basis in specified territories. Such agreements are not subject to a stated term or expiration date.
We also maintain other distribution agreements with various other suppliers, either on an exclusive or non-exclusive basis, for various terms ranging from one to ten years. Certain distribution agreements contain provisions that restrict or limit the sale of competitive products in the locations that sell such branded products. Other than where such location-level restrictions apply, we may distribute other manufacturers’ lines of air conditioning or heating equipment in other locations in the same territories.
Risks Inherent in Acquisitions
As part of our strategy, we intend to pursue additional acquisitions of complementary businesses, including through joint ventures and investments in unconsolidated entities. If we complete future acquisitions, including investments in unconsolidated entities, or enter into new joint ventures, we may be required to incur or assume additional debt and/or issue additional shares of our common stock as consideration, which will dilute our existing shareholders’ ownership interest and may affect our results of operations. Growth through acquisitions involves a number of risks, including, but not limited to, the following:
| • | the ability to identify and consummate transactions with complementary acquisition candidates; |
| • | the successful operation and/or integration of acquired companies; |
| • | the efficiency and effectiveness of an acquired company’s internal control environment; |
| • | diversion of management’s attention from other daily functions; |
| • | issuance by us of equity securities that dilute the ownership of our existing shareholders; |
| • | incurrence and/or assumption of significant debt and contingent liabilities; and |
| • | possible loss of key employees and/or customer relationships of the acquired companies. |
In addition, acquired companies and investments made in unconsolidated entities may have liabilities that we failed or were unable to discover while performing due diligence investigations. We cannot assure you that the indemnification, if any, granted to us by sellers of acquired companies or by joint venture partners will be sufficient in amount, scope, or duration to offset the possible liabilities associated with businesses or properties that we assume upon consummation of an acquisition or joint venture. Any such liabilities, individually or in the aggregate, could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Failure to successfully manage the operational challenges and risks associated with, or resulting from, acquisitions could adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows, and liquidity.
Competition
We operate in highly competitive environments. We compete with other distributors and several air conditioning and heating equipment manufacturers that distribute a significant portion of their products through their own distribution organizations in certain markets. Competition within any given geographic market is based upon product availability, customer service, price, and quality. Competitive pressures or other factors could cause our products or services to lose market acceptance or result in significant price erosion, all of which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows, and liquidity.
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Cybersecurity Risks
In addition to the disruptions that may occur from interruptions in our information technology systems, cybersecurity threats and sophisticated and targeted cyberattacks pose a risk to our information technology systems. Cyberattacks may be further enhanced in frequency or effectiveness through threat actors’ use of artificial intelligence. We have established security policies, processes and defenses designed to help identify and protect against intentional and unintentional misappropriation or corruption of our information technology systems and information and disruption of our operations. Despite these efforts, our information technology systems may be damaged, disrupted or shut down due to attacks by hackers and other persons obtaining unauthorized access, malicious software, ransomware, computer viruses, undetected intrusion, hardware failures or other events, and in these circumstances our disaster recovery plans may be ineffective or inadequate. These breaches or intrusions could lead to business interruption, exposure of proprietary or confidential information, data corruption, damage to our reputation, exposure to legal and regulatory proceedings and other costs. Such events could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. In addition, we could be adversely affected if any of our significant customers or suppliers experiences any similar events that disrupt their business operations or damage their reputation.
Failure to successfully manage the operational challenges and risks associated with, or resulting from, upgrades and conversions to newer versions of our information technology systems core to our operations could adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows, and liquidity.
We maintain change management processes, monitoring practices, and protections of our information technology to reduce these risks and test our systems on an ongoing basis for potential threats. The Audit Committee is briefed on information security matters at least once a year. We carry cybersecurity insurance to help mitigate financial exposure and related notification procedures in the event of intentional intrusion. There can be no assurance, however, that our efforts will prevent the risk of a security breach of our databases or systems that could adversely affect our business.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Fluctuations
The functional currency of our operations in Canada is the Canadian dollar, and the functional currency of our operations in Mexico is the U.S. dollar because the majority of our Mexican transactions are denominated in U.S. dollars. Foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations may have an impact on transactions denominated in Canadian dollars and Mexican Pesos, and, therefore, could adversely affect our financial performance. Although we use foreign currency forward contracts to mitigate the impact of currency exchange rate movements, we do not currently hold any derivative contracts that hedge our foreign currency translational exposure.
Seasonality
Sales of residential central air conditioners, heating equipment, and parts and supplies are seasonal, resulting in fluctuations in our revenue from quarter to quarter. Furthermore, profitability can be impacted favorably or unfavorably based on the severity or mildness of weather patterns during Summer or Winter selling seasons. Demand related to the residential central air conditioning replacement market is typically highest in the second and third quarters, and demand for heating equipment is usually highest in the first and fourth quarters. Demand related to the new construction sectors throughout most of the markets is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year and depends largely on housing completions and related weather and economic conditions.
Dependence on Key Personnel
Much of our success has depended on the skills and experience of senior management personnel. The loss of any of our executive officers or other key senior management personnel could harm our business. We must continuously recruit, retain, and motivate management and other employees to both maintain our current business and to execute our strategic initiatives. Our success has also depended on the contributions and abilities of our store employees upon whom we rely on to give customers a superior in-store experience. Accordingly, our performance depends on our ability to recruit and retain high quality employees to work in and manage our stores. If we are unable to adequately recruit, retain, and motivate employees our projected growth and expansion, and our business and financial performance may be adversely affected.
Decline in Economic Conditions
We rely predominantly on the credit markets and, to a lesser extent, on the capital markets to meet our financial commitments and short-term liquidity needs if internal funds are not available from our operations. Access to funds under our line of credit is dependent on the ability of the syndicate banks to meet their respective funding commitments. Disruptions in the credit and
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capital markets could adversely affect our ability to draw on our revolving credit agreement and may also adversely affect the determination of interest rates. Additionally, disruptions in the credit and capital markets could also result in increased borrowing costs and/or reduced borrowing capacity under our revolving credit agreement. Any long-term disruption could require us to take measures to conserve cash until the markets stabilize, or until alternative credit arrangements or other funding for our business needs can be arranged. Such measures could include reducing or eliminating dividend payments, deferring capital expenditures, and reducing or eliminating other discretionary uses of cash.
A decline in economic conditions and lack of availability of business and consumer credit could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Any capital or credit market disruption could cause broader economic downturns, which may lead to reduced demand for our products and an increased incidence of customers’ inability to pay their accounts. Further, bankruptcies or similar events by customers may cause us to incur increased levels of bad debt expense. Also, our suppliers may be negatively impacted by deteriorating economic conditions, causing disruption or delay of product availability. These events would adversely impact our results of operations, cash flows, and financial position. Additionally, if the conditions of the capital and credit markets adversely affect the financial institutions that have committed to extend us credit, they may be unable to fund borrowings under such commitments, which could have an adverse impact on our financial condition, liquidity, and our ability to borrow funds for working capital, acquisitions, capital expenditures, and other corporate purposes.
International Risk
Our international sales and operations, as well as sourcing of products from suppliers with international operations, are subject to various risks associated with changes in local laws, regulations, and policies, including those related to tariffs, trade restrictions and trade agreements, investments, taxation, capital controls, employment regulations, different liability standards, and limitations on the repatriation of funds due to foreign currency controls. Our international sales and operations, as well as sourcing of products from suppliers with international operations, are also sensitive to changes in foreign national priorities, including government budgets, as well as political and economic instability. In addition, post-pandemic delays and closures in China may disrupt the operations of certain of our suppliers, which could negatively impact our business. Unfavorable changes in any of the foregoing could adversely affect our results of operations or could cause a disruption in our supply chain for products sourced internationally. Additionally, failure to comply with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act could subject us to, among other things, penalties and legal expenses that could harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Goodwill, Intangibles and Long-Lived Assets
At December 31, 2024, goodwill, intangibles, and long-lived assets represented approximately 31% of our total assets. The recoverability of goodwill, indefinite lived intangibles, and long-lived assets is evaluated at least annually and when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. The identification and measurement of goodwill impairment involves the estimation of the fair value of our reporting unit and contains uncertainty because management must use judgment in determining appropriate assumptions to be used in the measurement of fair value. The estimates of fair value of our reporting unit, indefinite lived intangibles, and long-lived assets are based on the best information available as of the date of the assessment and incorporate management’s assumptions about expected future cash flows and contemplates other valuation techniques. Future cash flows can be affected by changes in the industry, a declining economic environment, or market conditions. We cannot assure you that we will not suffer material impairments to goodwill, intangibles, or long-lived assets in the future.
Risks Related to Loss Contingencies
We carry general liability, comprehensive property damage, workers’ compensation, health benefits, cybersecurity, and other insurance coverage that management considers adequate for the protection of its assets and operations at reasonable premiums. There can be no assurance that the coverage limits and related premiums of such policies will be adequate to cover claims, losses and expenses for lawsuits which have been, or may be, brought against us. A loss in excess of insurance coverage could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and/or profitability. Certain self-insurance risks for casualty insurance programs and health benefits are retained and reserves are established based on claims filed and estimates of claims incurred but not yet reported. Assurance cannot be provided that actual claims will not exceed present estimates. Exposure to catastrophic losses has been limited by maintaining excess and aggregate liability coverage and implementing stop-loss control programs. However, more frequent catastrophic weather events may impact the availability and cost of property and casualty insurance.
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Risks Related to Natural Disasters, Epidemics, or Other Unexpected Events
The occurrence of one or more natural disasters, including those linked to climate change, power outages, or other unexpected events, including hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods and other forms of severe weather, health epidemics, pandemics or other contagious outbreaks, conflicts, wars or terrorist acts, in the U.S. or in other countries in which we or our suppliers or customers operate could adversely affect our operations and financial performance. Natural disasters, power outages or other unexpected events could damage or close one or more of our locations or disrupt our operations temporarily or long-term, such as by causing business interruptions or by affecting the availability of products we sell. Existing insurance arrangements may not cover all of the costs or lost cash flows that may arise from such events. The occurrence of any of these events could also increase our insurance and other operating costs or impact our sales. Moreover, litigation related to sustainability practices could result in potential operating expenses arising from fines, settlements, and legal costs, as well as reputational impacts.
Risks Related to our Common Stock
Class B Common Stock and Insider Ownership
As of December 31, 2024, our directors and executive officers and entities affiliated with them owned: (i) Common stock representing less than 1% of the outstanding shares of Common stock and (ii) Class B common stock representing 90% of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock. These interests represent 55% of the aggregate combined voting power (including 53% beneficially owned by Albert H. Nahmad, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), Aaron J. Nahmad, President (the son of our Chairman and CEO), and Valerie Schimel, Director (the daughter of our Chairman and CEO), through shares owned by them and shares held by affiliated limited partnerships, various family trusts, and a charitable foundation. Accordingly, our directors and executive officers collectively have the voting power to elect six members of our nine-person Board of Directors.
Our Class B common stock is substantially identical to our Common stock except: (i) Common stock is entitled to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, and each share of Class B common stock is entitled to ten votes; (ii) shareholders of Common stock are entitled to elect 25% of our Board of Directors (rounded up to the nearest whole number), and Class B shareholders are entitled to elect the balance of the Board of Directors; (iii) cash dividends may be paid on Common stock without paying a cash dividend on Class B common stock, and no cash dividend may be paid on Class B common stock unless at least an equal cash dividend is paid on Common stock; and (iv) Class B common stock is convertible at any time into Common stock on a one-for-one basis at the option of the shareholder.
Future Sales
We are not restricted from issuing additional shares of our Common stock or Class B common stock (which we refer to together as common stock), including securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, our common stock or any substantially similar securities in the future. We may issue shares of our common stock or other securities in one or more registered or unregistered offerings, and we may also issue our securities in connection with investments or acquisitions. On March 29, 2024, we implemented the Watsco, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“DRIP”) under which existing shareholders may, in accordance with the DRIP, acquire shares of common stock, as applicable, by reinvesting all or a portion of the cash dividends paid on such shareholders’ shares of common stock. The number of shares of our common stock issued in connection with any of the foregoing may result in dilution to holders of our common stock.
Volatility
The market price of our common stock has been and may continue to be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations. Securities markets worldwide experience significant price and volume fluctuations. This market volatility, as well as general economic, market or political conditions, could reduce the market price of shares of our common stock despite our operating performance. The trading price of our common stock may be adversely affected due to many factors, most of which we cannot predict or control, such as the following:
| • | fluctuations in our operating results; |
| • | a decision by the Board of Directors to reduce or eliminate cash dividends on our common stock; |
| • | changes in recommendations or earnings estimates by securities analysts; |
| • | general market conditions in our industry or in the economy as a whole; and |
| • | political instability, natural disasters, war and/or events of terrorism. |
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Payment of Dividends
The amount of any future dividends that we will pay, if any, will depend upon a number of factors. Future dividends will be declared and paid at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend upon such factors as cash flow generated by operations, profitability, financial condition, cash requirements, potential dilution related to our dividend reinvestment plan, prospects, and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors. The right of our Board of Directors to declare dividends, however, is subject to the availability of sufficient funds under Florida law to pay dividends. In addition, our ability to pay dividends depends on certain restrictions in our credit agreement.
Securities Analyst Research and Reports
The trading markets for our common stock rely in part on the research and reports that industry or financial analysts publish about us or our business or industry. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our stock or our industry, or the stock of Carrier or any of our competitors, publish negative or unfavorable research about our business, the price of our stock could decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of us or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the market, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
| ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS |
None.
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ITEM 1C. |
CYBERSECURITY |
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| ITEM 2. | PROPERTIES |
Our main properties include warehousing and distribution facilities, trucks, and administrative office space.
Warehousing and Distribution Facilities
At December 31, 2024, we operated 690 warehousing and distribution facilities across 43 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, having an aggregate of approximately 16.5 million square feet of space, of which approximately 16.4 million square feet is leased. The majority of these leases are for terms of three to five years. We believe that our facilities are sufficient to meet our present operating needs.
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Trucks
At December 31, 2024, we operated 783 ground transport vehicles, including delivery and pick-up trucks, vans, and tractors. Of this number, 611 trucks were leased, and the others were owned. We believe that the present size of our truck fleet is adequate to support our operations.
Administrative Facilities
Senior management and support staff are located at various administrative offices in approximately 0.3 million square feet of space.
| ITEM 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
Information with respect to this item may be found in Note 18 to our audited consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Litigation, Claims, and Assessments,” which information is incorporated by reference in this Item 3 of Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
| ITEM 4. | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES |
Not applicable.
PART II
| ITEM 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
Market Information
Our Common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WSO, and our Class B common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol WSOB.
Holders
At February 25, 2025, there were 302 registered holders of our Common stock and 127 registered holders of our Class B common stock.
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Shareholder Return Performance
The following graph compares the cumulative five-year total shareholder return attained by holders of our common stock relative to the cumulative total returns of the Russell 2000 index, the S&P MidCap 400 index, the S&P 500 index, and the S&P 400 Industrials index. Given our position as the largest distributor of HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies in North America, our unique, sole line of business, the nature of our customers (air conditioning and heating contractors), and the products and markets we serve, we cannot reasonably identify an appropriate peer group; therefore, we have included in the graph below the performance of certain major market indices, which contain companies with market capitalizations similar to our own, including the S&P 400 Industrials Index because the component companies of such index more closely relate to the industry in which we operate. The graph tracks the performance of a $100 investment in our common stock and in each index (with the reinvestment of all dividends) from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2024.
The performance graph shall not be deemed incorporated by reference by any general statement incorporating by reference this annual report into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, except to the extent we specifically incorporate this information by reference and shall not otherwise be deemed filed under such acts.
| 12/31/19 | 12/31/20 | 12/31/21 | 12/31/22 | 12/31/23 | 12/31/24 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Watsco, Inc. |
100.00 | 130.51 | 185.42 | 152.56 | 270.02 | 305.64 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Watsco, Inc. Class B |
100.00 | 133.31 | 180.68 | 153.34 | 264.15 | 343.14 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Russell 2000 Index |
100.00 | 119.96 | 137.74 | 109.59 | 128.14 | 142.93 | ||||||||||||||||||
| S&P MidCap 400 Index |
100.00 | 113.66 | 141.80 | 123.28 | 143.54 | 163.54 | ||||||||||||||||||
| S&P 500 Index |
100.00 | 118.40 | 152.39 | 124.79 | 157.59 | 197.02 | ||||||||||||||||||
| S&P 400 Industrials Index |
100.00 | 116.49 | 149.62 | 132.42 | 174.04 | 197.51 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
| Period |
Total Number of Shares Purchased (1) |
Average Price Paid per Share |
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs (1) |
Maximum Dollar Value that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (1) |
||||||||||||
| October 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024 |
— | $ | — | — | $ | — | ||||||||||
| November 1, 2024 to November 30, 2024 |
517 | 535.00 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| December 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 |
71,702 | 509.75 | — | — | ||||||||||||
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| Total |
72,219 | $ | 509.93 | — | $ | — | ||||||||||
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| (1) | During the quarter ended December 31, 2024, we purchased an aggregate of 72,219 shares of our common stock to satisfy the tax withholding obligations in connection with the vesting of restricted stock. |
In September 1999, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase, at management’s discretion, of up to 7,500,000 shares of common stock in the open market or via private transactions. No shares were repurchased under this plan during 2024, 2023 or 2022. In aggregate, 6,370,913 shares of common stock have been repurchased at a cost of $114.4 million since the inception of this plan. At December 31, 2024, there were 1,129,087 shares remaining authorized for repurchase under this plan. Shares were last repurchased by the Company under this plan in 2008.
| ITEM 6. | [RESERVED] |
| ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
Our 2024 Annual Report contains “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” which section is incorporated herein by reference.
| ITEM 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
Our 2024 Annual Report contains “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk,” which section is incorporated herein by reference.
| ITEM 8. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA |
Our 2024 and 2023 Consolidated Balance Sheets and other consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, together with the report thereon (for the applicable periods covered by their reports) of Deloitte & Touche LLP dated February 28, 2025, and KPMG LLP (Auditor Firm ID: 185, Miami, FL) dated February 24, 2023, except for Note 20, as to which the date is February 28, 2025, included in our 2024 Annual Report are incorporated herein by reference.
| ITEM 9. | CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE |
None.
| ITEM 9A. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES |
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) that are, among other things, designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), Executive Vice President (“EVP”), and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure and appropriate SEC filings.
Our management, with the participation of our CEO, EVP and CFO, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report, and, based on that evaluation, our CEO, EVP and CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective, at a reasonable assurance level, at and as of such date.
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Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our 2024 Annual Report contains “Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting” and the report thereon of Deloitte & Touche LLP dated February 28, 2025, and each is incorporated herein by reference.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We continuously seek to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our internal controls. This results in refinements to processes throughout the Company. However, there were no changes in internal controls over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the quarter ended December 31, 2024, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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ITEM 9B. |
OTHER INFORMATION |
ITEM 9C. |
DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS |
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PART IV
| ITEM 15. | EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES |
| (a)(1) | Financial Statements. Our consolidated financial statements are incorporated by reference from our 2024 Annual Report. | |
| (2) | Financial Statement Schedules. The schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or the required information is shown in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto. | |
| (3) | Exhibits. The following exhibits are submitted with this Annual Report on Form 10-K or, where indicated, incorporated by reference to other filings. | |
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
| 3.1 | Composite Articles of Incorporation of Watsco, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference). | |
| 3.2 | Watsco, Inc. Second Amended and Restated Bylaws effective August 1, 2016 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K on August 5, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference). | |
| 4.1 | Specimen form of Class B Common Stock Certificate (filed as Exhibit 4.6 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (No. 33-56646) and incorporated herein by reference). (P) | |
| 4.2 | Specimen form of Common Stock Certificate (filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1994 and incorporated herein by reference). (P) | |
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| # | filed herewith. |
| + | furnished herewith. |
| * | management contract or compensation plan or arrangement. |
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| ITEM 16. | FORM 10-K SUMMARY |
None.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| WATSCO, INC. | ||||||
| February 28, 2025 | By: | /s/ Albert H. Nahmad | ||||
| Albert H. Nahmad, Chief Executive Officer | ||||||
| February 28, 2025 | By: | /s/ Ana M. Menendez | ||||
| Ana M. Menendez, Chief Financial Officer | ||||||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| SIGNATURE |
TITLE |
DATE | ||
| /S/ ALBERT H. NAHMAD Albert H. Nahmad |
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) | February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ ANA M. MENENDEZ Ana M. Menendez |
Chief Financial Officer (principal accounting officer and principal financial officer) |
February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ CESAR L. ALVAREZ Cesar L. Alvarez |
Director | February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ J. MICHAEL CUSTER J. Michael Custer |
Director | February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ DENISE DICKINS Denise Dickins |
Director | February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ Barry S. Logan Barry S. Logan |
Director and Executive Vice President | February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ ANA LOPEZ-BLAZQUEZ Ana Lopez-Blazquez |
Director | February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ AARON J. NAHMAD Aaron J. Nahmad |
Director and President | February 28, 2025 | ||
| /S/ VALERIE F. SCHIMEL Valerie F. Schimel |
Director | February 28, 2025 | ||
|
Gary L. Tapella |
Director | February 28, 2025 | ||
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