AOS vs LW Comparison

A.O. Smith manufactures a broad lineup of water heaters, boilers, and water treatment products. The company has two reporting segments: North America (75% of sales) and rest of world (25% of sales). A.O. Smith is the leading manufacturer of water heaters in North America for the residential and commercial markets, with approximately 37% and 54% market share, respectively. Residential water heaters account for most of North American sales and are distributed equally through wholesale and retail channels. Most of A.O. Smith's international revenue is from China, a market the company entered during the mid-1990s. However, the firm announced a strategic review of its China operations.

Lamb Weston is North America's largest and the world's second-largest producer of branded and private-label frozen potato products, both by volume and value. The company's portfolio is anchored by french fries, but it also sells sweet potato fries, tater tots, diced potatoes, mashed potatoes, hash browns, and chips. Roughly two thirds of revenue comes from its home market of North America, with none of the other 100 countries the company sells into representing a significant share. McDonald's is Lamb Weston's single-largest customer at 15% of fiscal 2025 sales, with no other company representing more than 10%. Lamb Weston became an independent company in 2016 when it was spun off from Conagra.