GRACO INC (GGG)

Item 2. GRACO INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

The Company supplies technology and expertise for the management of fluids and coatings in both industrial and commercial applications. It designs, manufactures and markets systems and equipment to move, measure, control, dispense and spray fluid and coating materials. Management classifies the Company’s business into three reportable segments: Contractor, Industrial and Expansion Markets. Key strategies include developing and marketing new products, leveraging products and technologies into additional, growing end-user markets, expanding distribution globally and completing strategic acquisitions that provide additional channels and technologies.

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis reviews significant factors affecting the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Tariffs

On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision invalidating certain tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act ("IEEPA"). The U.S. Court of International Trade subsequently issued orders directing the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to refund previously collected IEEPA tariffs. The situation continues to evolve, and further legislative, regulatory, or judicial developments may affect the ultimate outcome and the availability or timing of any refunds. Given the significant uncertainty involved, the Company determined to only recognize IEEPA tariff refunds upon receipt. The Company began receiving IEEPA tariff refunds during the second quarter of 2026. Through the three and six months ended June 26, 2026, the Company received $9 million in refunds, net of related surcharges.

Consolidated Results

A summary of financial results follows (in millions except per share amounts):

(1) Adjusted operating earnings, adjusted net earnings and adjusted diluted net earnings per common share reflect the Company's updated non-GAAP methodology. See below for additional information.

Net sales for the second quarter increased 3 percent, with 3 percentage points of sales growth from acquired operations and 1 percentage point of sales growth from the effects of favorable changes in currency translation rates. Sales growth for the quarter was partially offset by a 1 percentage point organic decline related to the timing of finishing system sales and other project activity in the Industrial segment.

Operating earnings increased 11 percent for the second quarter. Adjusted operating earnings increased 11 percent, due primarily to a higher gross margin rate driven by lower operating expenses and the receipt of $9 million in tariff refunds, net of related surcharges.

Net earnings increased 14 percent for the second quarter. Adjusted net earnings increased 15 percent, driven by higher operating earnings and $5 million in lower exchange losses on net assets of foreign operations.

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Beginning in the second quarter of 2026, the Company updated its non-GAAP adjusted measurements to exclude acquisition costs and amortization of acquired intangible assets. The Company excludes acquisition costs and amortization of acquired intangible assets to provide a consistent comparison of operating results across reporting periods. While the Company has a history of acquisition activity, the Company's acquisitions do not occur on a predictable cycle, and transactions vary in complexity, timing, size and nature. Acquisition costs include third-party legal, valuation, consulting and other incremental costs incurred in connection with acquisition activities as well as purchase accounting adjustments. Management uses these adjusted measures to evaluate operating performance and, for acquisition costs, in determining incentive compensation. These excluded items to the non-GAAP adjusted measurements provide supplemental information useful in evaluating the Company's underlying operating performance. Prior-period amounts have been recast to conform to the current presentation.

Excluding the impact of acquisition costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, the related income tax effects of these items and excess tax benefits from stock option exercises presents a more consistent basis for comparison of financial results. A calculation of the non-GAAP adjusted measurements of operating earnings, earnings before income taxes, income taxes, effective income tax rate, net earnings and diluted earnings per share follows (in millions except per share amounts):

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The following table presents an overview of components of net earnings as a percentage of net sales:

Net Sales

The following table presents net sales by geographic region (in millions):

(1)     North, South and Central America, including the United States

(2)    Europe, Middle East and Africa

The following table presents the components of net sales change by geographic region:

Gross Profit

The gross profit margin rate increased approximately 1 percentage point for the second quarter and was flat for the year to date from the comparable periods last year. For the quarter, price realization and the receipt of $9 million in tariff refunds, net of related surcharges, more than offset the unfavorable effects of lower margin rates from acquired operations. For the year to date, price realization and $9 million in tariff refunds, net of related surcharges, more than offset $6 million of incremental tariff costs, unfavorable product and channel mix and lower margin rates of acquired operations.

Operating Expenses

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Total operating expenses decreased modestly for the second quarter and increased $9 million (3 percentage points) year to date compared to the same periods last year. Incremental expenses from acquired operations of $5 million for the quarter and $11 million for the year to date were partially offset by decreases in stock compensation, product development spending and selling, marketing and distribution expenses.

Other (Income) Expense

Other non-operating income increased by $6 million in the second quarter and $1 million for the year to date from the comparable periods last year, primarily due to lower foreign exchange losses on net assets of foreign operations of $5 million and $6 million, respectively. The year to date increase in other non-operating income was partially offset by a prior year gain of $5 million from the sale of a former manufacturing and distribution facility in Switzerland

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis reviews significant factors affecting the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial condition and liquidity. This discussion should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the accompanying notes to the financial statements. A discussion of changes in our financial condition and the results of operations from the year ended December 27, 2024 compared to December 29, 2023 can be found in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 27, 2024. The discussion is organized in the following sections:

•Overview

•Results of Operations

•Segment Results

•Financial Condition and Cash Flow

•Critical Accounting Estimates

Overview

Graco designs, manufactures and markets systems and equipment used to move, measure, mix, control, dispense and spray a wide variety of fluid and powder materials. The Company specializes in equipment for applications that involve difficult-to-handle materials with high viscosities, materials with abrasive or corrosive properties and multiple-component materials that require precise ratio control. Graco sells primarily through independent third-party distributors worldwide to industrial and contractor end users. Graco’s business is classified by management into three reportable segments: Contractor, Industrial and Expansion Markets. Each segment is responsible for product development, manufacturing, marketing and sales of their products.

Graco’s key strategies include developing and marketing new products, leveraging products and technologies into additional, growing end-user markets, expanding distribution globally and completing strategic acquisitions that provide additional channels and technologies. Long-term financial growth targets accompany these strategies, including our objectives of 10 percent revenue growth and 12 percent consolidated net earnings growth per annum. We continue to develop new products in each operating segment that are expected to drive incremental sales growth, as well as continued refreshes and upgrades of existing product lines. Graco has made a number of strategic acquisitions that expand and complement organically developed products and provide new market and channel opportunities.

Manufacturing is a key competency of the Company. Our management team in Minneapolis provides strategic manufacturing expertise and is also responsible for factories not fully aligned with a single division. Our largest manufacturing facilities are in the U.S. We also manufacture some of our products in Switzerland (Industrial segment), Italy (Industrial and Contractor segment), the P.R.C. (all segments), India (Contractor segment), Belgium (all segments) and Romania (Industrial segment). Our primary distribution facilities are located in the U.S., Belgium, Switzerland, United Kingdom, P.R.C., Japan, Italy, South Korea, India, Australia and Brazil.

Results of Operations

A summary of financial results follows (in millions except per share amounts):

(1)     Excludes the impact of excess tax benefits from stock option exercises, contingent consideration fair value adjustments, certain non-recurring tax provision adjustments and prior year business reorganization charges. See

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Financial Results Adjusted for Comparability below for a reconciliation of adjusted non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP.

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Certain events in the last two years caused fluctuations in financial results. Excess tax benefits related to stock option exercises reduced income taxes by $6 million in 2025 and $15 million in 2024. Other non-recurring tax provision adjustments from tax planning activities further reduced income taxes by $3 million in 2025. Operating earnings were increased by contingent consideration fair value adjustments of $14 million in 2025 and reduced by business reorganization charges of $8 million in 2024. Excluding the impacts of those items presents a more consistent basis for comparison of financial results, which management believes is useful information to help investors and others evaluate the Company's performance relative to other similarly-situated companies. A calculation of the non-GAAP adjusted measurements of operating earnings, earnings before income taxes, income taxes, effective income tax rates, net earnings and diluted earnings per share follows (in millions except per share amounts):

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Components of Net Earnings as a Percentage of Sales:

The following table presents an overview of components of net earnings as a percentage of net sales:

Net Sales

The following table presents net sales by geographic region (in millions):

(1)     North, Central and South America, including the U.S. Sales in the U.S. were $1,170 million in 2025 and $1,149 million in 2024.

(2)    Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The following table presents the components of net sales change by geographic region:

In 2025, net sales increased in all regions compared to 2024, driven mostly by acquisitions in the Contractor and Industrial segments. Improved industrial and vehicle services end markets in the Americas were partially offset by continued softness in residential and non-residential construction markets. In EMEA, increased industrial and finishing system project activity led to higher sales in 2025. Sales growth in China in 2025 from improved construction and semiconductor end markets more than offset reduced industrial activity in the rest of the Asia Pacific region.

Gross Profit

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The gross profit margin rate for 2025 decreased approximately 1 percentage point compared to 2024 as price realization was unable to offset higher product costs, including $14 million of increased tariff costs, and the unfavorable effect of lower margin rates of acquired operations.

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses decreased $4 million (1 percent) for 2025 compared to 2024. Operating expenses for 2025 included $36 million of expenses from acquired operations and were mostly offset by a $14 million non-cash gain from the reduction in the fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration recognized in the current year and $21 million of litigation and business reorganization costs from the prior year that did not repeat. Investment in new product development in 2025 was $82 million, approximately 4 percent of sales.

Operating Earnings

Sales growth and decreased operating expenses led to a 10 percent increase in operating earnings. Operating earnings expressed as a percentage of sales in 2025 increased approximately 1 percentage point compared to 2024 primarily due to a $14 million non-cash gain from the reduction in the fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration in 2025.

Interest & Other (Income) Expense

Interest expense for 2025 was flat compared to 2024. Other income decreased $3 million in 2025 compared to 2024 and included higher exchange losses on net liabilities of certain foreign operations of $8 million and decreased interest income of $8 million. Partially offsetting these items were a $5 million gain in 2025 from the sale of a former manufacturing and distribution facility in Switzerland and $2 million of favorable market valuation changes on investments held to fund certain retirement benefits.

Income Taxes

The effective income tax rate for 2025 was 19 percent, up 1 percentage point from 2024. The increase in 2025 was largely due to variations in excess tax benefits from stock option exercises.

Segment Results

The Company has four operating segments which are aggregated into three reportable segments: Contractor, Industrial and Expansion Markets. Refer to Part I Item 1. Business, for a description of the Company’s three reportable segments. Management assesses the performance of segments by reference to operating earnings excluding unallocated corporate expenses and asset impairments.

The following table presents net sales and operating earnings by reporting segment (in millions):

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