Watsco Boosts Annual Dividends 11% to $7.10

MIAMI, April 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Watsco, Inc.’s (NYSE: WSO) Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $1.775 on each outstanding share of its Common and Class B common stock payable on April 30, 2020 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 15, 2020. The Company previously announced in February 2020 that its Board approved an 11% increase in its annual dividend rate to $7.10 per share following 2019’s record operating cash flow.

Watsco has paid dividends for 46 consecutive years. The Company’s philosophy is to share increasing amounts of cash flow with shareholders through higher dividends while maintaining a conservative financial position. Future dividends will be considered in light of investment opportunities, cash flow, general economic conditions and the Company’s financial condition.

About Watsco

Watsco is the largest distribution network for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC/R) products with locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico, and on an export basis to Latin America and the Caribbean. Watsco estimates that over 300,000 contractors and technicians visit or call one of its 606 locations each year to get information, obtain technical support and buy products. HVAC/R products provide comfort to homes and businesses regardless of the outdoor climate. Older systems often operate below today’s government mandated energy efficiency and environmental standards. Watsco has an opportunity to accelerate the replacement of these systems at a scale greater than its competitors as the movement toward reducing energy consumption and its environmental impact continues. This is especially important since heating and cooling accounts for approximately half of the energy consumed in a typical U.S. home. Additional information about Watsco may be found at http://www.watsco.com.

This document includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in economic, business, competitive market, new housing starts and completions, capital spending in commercial construction, consumer spending and debt levels, regulatory and other factors, including, without limitation, the effects of supplier concentration, competitive conditions within Watsco’s industry, seasonal nature of sales of Watsco’s products, the ability of the Company to expand its business, insurance coverage risks and final GAAP adjustments. Detailed information about these factors and additional important factors can be found in the documents that Watsco files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements were made. Watsco assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information.

Barry S. Logan                                                                                                                                                    
Executive Vice President                                                                                                                                     
(305) 714-4102
e-mail: [email protected]