ITT vs WSO Comparison

ITT began its journey as International Telephone & Telegraph in 1920. Through decades of acquisitions in the mid-1900s, ITT went from manufacturing telephone switching equipment to operating hotels, car rentals, insurance agencies, and bread bakeries. In 1995, the firm split into three separate entities, one of which is the ITT in current operation. After a few more spinoffs in 2011, today ITT Inc. sells automotive, industrial, and aerospace products such as brake pads, seals, pumps, valves, connectors, and regulators. It has operations around the globe with notable exposures to North America, Europe, and Asia.

Watsco is the largest HVAC and refrigeration products distributor in North America with approximately 13% market share. The company primarily operates in the United States (90% of revenue) with significant exposure in the Sunbelt states. Watsco also has operations in Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The company's customer base comprises more than 120,000 dealers and contractors serving the replacement and new-construction HVAC/R markets for residential and light-commercial applications. As much as 20% of residential HVAC units are distributed through Watsco in any given year. Revenue is approximately 75%-80% residential HVAC and 20%-25% commercial, with relatively small exposure to more complex "applied" solutions.