Milwaukee, Wis.—A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS-NYSE; SMCA-AMEX) announced today that it completed a public offering of 4,776,065 shares of its common stock at a price per share of $28.25.

The number of shares includes the sale of 622,965 shares of the company's common stock pursuant to the exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option. The company will apply the approximately $127.5 million of net proceeds from the offering to pay down debt.

The offering was being made only by means of a prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained from the offices of Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, 777 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wis., 53202, or from one of the other underwriters.