Milwaukee, Wis.—Due to the success of its on-going cost reduction initiatives, A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS-NYSE) today stated it expected third quarter 2002 earnings to range between $.32 and $.34 per share, compared with the analysts' estimate of $.30 per share.

The company will release its third-quarter earnings results on Monday, Oct. 14 and will host a conference call beginning at 11:00 a.m. (eastern time) to more fully discuss its third quarter performance and full-year expectations. The call can be heard on the company's web site, www.aosmith.com.

A. O. Smith Corporation, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis., a leading manufacturer of electric motors, with a comprehensive line of hermetic motors, fractional horsepower A/C and D/C, and integral horsepower motors, as well as one of North America's largest manufacturers of residential and commercial water heaters. The company has facilities in the United States, Mexico, Canada, England, Ireland, Hungary, the Netherlands, and China and employs approximately 15,000 people.