Item 1. BUSINESS

Emerson (“the Company”) was incorporated in Missouri in 1890, and has evolved through internal growth and strategic acquisitions and divestitures from a regional manufacturer of electric motors and fans into a diversified global leader that brings technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions for customers in a wide range of industrial, commercial and consumer markets around the world.

The Company is organized into the five business segments described below, based on the nature of the products and services rendered:

•	Process Management - provides measurement, control and diagnostic capabilities for automated industrial processes producing items such as fuels, chemicals, foods, medicines and power.

•	Industrial Automation - brings integrated manufacturing solutions to diverse industries worldwide.

•	Network Power - provides power conditioning and reliability, and environmental control to help keep telecommunication systems, data networks and other critical business applications operating continuously.

•	Climate Technologies - enhances household and commercial comfort, as well as food safety and energy efficiency, through heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technology.

•	Commercial & Residential Solutions - provides tools for professionals and homeowners, residential storage systems and appliance solutions.

Sales, earnings before interest and income taxes, and total assets attributable to each business segment for the three years ended September 30, 2015, are set forth in Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of the 2015 Annual Report, which note is hereby incorporated by reference. Sales by segment in 2015, as a percentage of the total Company, were: Process Management, 37 percent; Industrial Automation, 18 percent; Network Power, 19 percent; Climate Technologies, 18 percent; and Commercial & Residential Solutions, 8 percent. Total Emerson sales by geographic destination in 2015 were: the United States and Canada, 48 percent; Asia, 22 percent; Europe, 18 percent; Latin America, 6 percent; and Middle East/Africa, 6 percent. Information with respect to acquisition and divestiture activity, the planned strategic portfolio repositioning actions and rationalization of operations is set forth in Notes 3 and 5 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of the 2015 Annual Report, which notes are hereby incorporated by reference.

In June 2015, the Company announced plans to spin off its network power systems business through a tax-free distribution to shareholders as part of a strategic plan to streamline its portfolio, enhance growth potential and profitability, and accelerate value creation for shareholders. The Company is also exploring strategic alternatives, including potential sale, for its power generation and motors, drives, and residential storage businesses. In addition, the Company is bringing its corporate services and structure into alignment with the Company’s expected smaller scale and sharper focus. These transactions are subject to risks and uncertainties. See Item 1A - "Risk Factors” and Item 7 - "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

PROCESS MANAGEMENT

The Process Management segment offers customers products and technology, and engineering, project management and consulting services for precision measurement, control, monitoring, asset optimization, and safety and reliability of oil and gas reservoirs and plants that process or treat various items. The Company’s array of products and services helps customers optimize their plant capabilities in the areas of plant safety and reliability, product quality and output efficiency. Significant end markets served include oil and gas, refining, chemicals and power generation, as well as pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, pulp and paper, metals and mining, and municipal water supplies. Sales by geographic destination in 2015 for Process Management were: the United States and Canada, 42 percent; Asia, 24 percent; Europe, 17 percent; Latin America, 7 percent; and Middle East/Africa, 10 percent.

1#

Process Management Systems and Software

Process Management systems and software control plant processes by collecting and analyzing information from measurement devices in the plant, and then uses that information to adjust valves, pumps, motors, drives and other control hardware for maximum product quality and process efficiency and safety. Software capabilities also include upstream oil and gas reservoir simulation and modeling for production optimization. The Company’s process control systems can be extended wirelessly to support a mobile workforce with handheld tools/communicators, provide site-wide location tracking of people and assets, and enable video monitoring and communication with wireless field devices, thereby increasing the information available to operators.

Measurement and Analytical Instrumentation

Measurement instrumentation measures the physical properties of liquids or gases in a process stream, such as pressure, temperature, level, rate and amount of flow, and communicates this information to a process control system. Measurement technologies provided by the Company include Coriolis direct mass flow, magnetic flow, vortex flow, ultrasonic flow, differential pressure, ultra-low flow fluid measurement, temperature sensors, radar-based tank gauging and magnetic level gauging. The Company’s measurement products are also often used in custody transfer applications, such as the transfer of gasoline from a storage tank to a tanker truck, where precise metering of the amount of fluid transferred helps ensure accurate asset management. Complementary products include onshore and subsea multi-phase meters, wetgas meters, downhole gauges and corrosion/erosion measuring instruments.

Analytical instrumentation analyzes the chemical composition of process fluids and emissions to enhance quality and efficiency, as well as environmental compliance. The Company’s analytical technologies include process gas chromatographs, in-situ oxygen analyzers, infrared gas and process fluid analyzers, combustion analyzers and systems, and analyzers that measure pH, conductivity and water quality. The Company provides sensors to detect combustible and toxic gases, and flames. These devices support the safety of both people and process plant assets.

Measurement and analytical instrumentation technologies are also available with wireless communication capability, allowing customers to monitor processes or equipment that were previously not measurable (remote, moving/rotating) or not economical to measure due to the high cost and difficulty of running wires in industrial process plants.

Valves, Actuators and Regulators

Control valves respond to commands from a control system to continuously and precisely modulate the flow of process fluids to provide maximum process efficiency and product quality. Engineered on/off valves are typically used to achieve tight shutoff, even in high pressure and temperature processes. The Company designs, engineers and manufactures ball valves, sliding stem valves, rotary valves, high performance butterfly valves and severe service valves for critical applications, and related valve actuators and controllers. The Company provides a line of industrial and residential regulators, whose function is to reduce the pressure of fluids moving from high-pressure supply lines into lower pressure systems, and also manufactures tank and terminal safety equipment, including hatches, vent pressure and vacuum relief valves, and flame arrestors for storage tanks in the oil and gas, petrochemical, refining and other process industries.

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PlantWeb Digital Plant Architecture

PlantWeb digital plant architecture combines the technologies described above with the advantages of “intelligent” plant devices (valves and measurement instruments with advanced diagnostic capabilities), open communication standards (nonproprietary wired and wireless digital protocols allowing plant devices and control systems to “talk” with one another) and integrated modular software, not only to better control the process but also to collect and analyze valuable information about the process and the plant assets. This capability gives the Company's customers the ability to detect or predict changes in equipment and process performance, and the associated impact on plant operations. PlantWeb architecture provides customers the insight to improve plant availability and safety, and also furnishes a platform to continually improve asset management and standards compliance, and to reduce startup, operating and maintenance costs.

2#

Industry Services and Solutions

Process Management’s array of process automation and asset optimization services improve automation project implementation time and costs, increase process availability and productivity, and reduce the total cost of ownership. Reliability consulting services help process plant owners and operators improve plant availability through implementation of on-site and corporate-wide reliability programs. Through proven project methodologies and deep knowledge of plant assets, the Company helps industrial plants to improve safety, increase plant uptime and reduce maintenance costs. The Company’s Global Industry Centers offer engineering and project management services to help customers extract maximum performance and reliability from their process equipment and automation assets. These Centers serve industries such as oil and gas, pulp and paper, chemicals, power, food and beverage, and life sciences. They also assist customers in diagnosing equipment problems and plant inefficiencies.

Distribution

The principal worldwide distribution channel for Process Management is a direct sales force, although a network of independent sales representatives, and to a lesser extent independent distributors purchasing products for resale, are also utilized. Approximately half of the sales in the United States are made through a direct sales force with the remainder primarily through independent sales representatives. In Europe and Asia, sales are primarily made through a direct sales force with the remainder split evenly between independent sales representatives and distributors.

Brands

Service/trademarks and trade names within Process Management include Emerson Process Management, AMS Suite, Baumann, Bettis, Bristol, CSI, Damcos, Daniel, DeltaV, EIM, El-O-Matic, Fisher, Go Switch, Guardian, Micro Motion, Net Safety, Ovation, PlantWeb, ROC, Rosemount, Roxar, Smart Process, SureService, Tescom, TopWorx, Valvetop and Virgo.

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

The Industrial Automation segment provides integrated manufacturing solutions to its customers at the source of manufacturing their own products. Products include motors, drives, power generating alternators, fluid controls, electrical distribution devices and materials joining equipment. Through these offerings, the Company brings technology and enhanced quality to its customers' final products. Sales by geographic destination in 2015 for Industrial Automation were: the United States and Canada, 40 percent; Asia, 19 percent; Europe, 34 percent; Latin America, 3 percent; and Middle East/Africa, 4 percent.

Motors and Drives

Industrial Automation provides a broad line of drives and electric motors that are used in a wide variety of manufacturing operations and products, including production assembly lines, escalators in shopping malls and supermarket checkout stations. Products in this category include alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electrical variable speed drives, servo motors, pump motors, drive control systems, integral horsepower motors (1 HP and above), fractional horsepower motors (less than 1 HP), hermetic motors and gear drives.

Power Generation

Power generation products include low, medium and high voltage alternators for use in diesel and gas powered generator sets, as well as high frequency alternators, AC motor/generator sets, traction generators, wind power generators, wind turbine pitch control systems and solar photovoltaic converters.

Fluid Power and Control

These products control and power the flow of fluids (liquids and gases) in manufacturing operations such as automobile assembly, food processing, textile manufacturing and petrochemical processing. Products include solenoid and pneumatic valves, valve position indicators, pneumatic cylinders, air preparation equipment, and pressure, vacuum and temperature switches.

3#

Electrical Distribution

Electrical distribution consists of a broad line of components for current- and noncurrent-carrying electrical distribution devices, including conduit and cable fittings, plugs and other receptacles, industrial lighting, enclosures and controls. Products are used in hazardous, industrial, commercial and construction environments, such as oil and gas drilling and production sites, pulp and paper mills and petrochemical plants.

Materials Joining and Precision Cleaning

The Company supplies plastic and metal joining technologies and equipment to a diversified manufacturing customer base, including automotive, medical devices and toys. The Company also provides precision cleaning and liquid processing solutions to industrial and commercial manufacturers. Products include ultrasonic joining and cleaning equipment; linear and orbital vibration welding equipment; systems for hot plate, spin and laser welding equipment; and aqueous, semi-aqueous and vapor cleaning systems.

Distribution

On a worldwide basis, the primary distribution channel for Industrial Automation is through direct sales forces, including to original equipment manufacturers. Independent distributors constitute the next significant sales channel, mostly to reach end users. To a lesser extent, independent sales representatives are utilized, particularly for electrical distribution products in the United States.

Brands

Service/trademarks and trade names within Industrial Automation include Emerson Industrial Automation, Appleton, ASCO, ASCO Joucomatic, ASCO Numatics, Branson Ultrasonics, Control Techniques, Kato Engineering, Leroy Somer, Nutsteel, O-Z/Gedney, SSB Wind Systems and Trident.

NETWORK POWER

The Network Power segment designs, manufactures, installs and maintains products providing electric power conditioning, power reliability and environmental control for telecommunications networks, data centers and other critical applications, and also provides comprehensive data center infrastructure management solutions. Products in this segment include critical power systems, uninterruptible power systems, thermal management, integrated data center control devices, software, monitoring and 24-hour service. Sales by geographic destination in 2015 for Network Power were: the United States and Canada, 43 percent; Asia, 28 percent; Europe, 19 percent; Latin America, 6 percent; and Middle East/Africa, 4 percent.

Critical Power Systems

Critical power technology provides reliable power systems which automatically transfer critical application loads from a utility to emergency backup generators in the event of a blackout or brownout. Products include automatic transfer switches, load banks, surge protection, field services, paralleling and synchronizing gear, and related distribution equipment and control systems.

Uninterruptible Power Systems

Uninterruptible AC and DC power systems provide reliable, conditioned power to telecommunication networks, data centers and other critical equipment in the event of blackouts or line surges and spikes. Products range from stand-alone desktop solutions to complete systems incorporating rectifiers, inverters, power distribution units, surge protection, batteries and system supervision.

Thermal Management

Thermal management equipment provides efficient, reliable and cost-effective management of heat in mission- critical facilities. Applications include data center and telecom sites ranging from small network closets, to computer rooms, to hyperscale-sized facilities. Additionally, the thermal management portfolio spans a variety of offerings, including chilled water, direct expansion and evaporative equipment, software and controls.

4#

Data Center Infrastructure Management

The Company provides comprehensive data center management solutions through server access technologies that enable access, monitoring and control of the information technology infrastructure and provide linkage with data center operations.

Service and Site Operations

Network Power staffs Customer Resolution Centers in more than 30 countries and deploys field service personnel worldwide to assist customers in managing their critical infrastructure. Services include on-site operations management, energy consumption monitoring, preventive maintenance, electrical testing, remote monitoring and management, and 24-hour service capability.

Distribution

Network Power segment sales are primarily through worldwide direct sales forces, particularly in Europe and Asia. The remainder of sales are handled by independent sales representatives, particularly in the United States, and independent distributors.

Brands

Service/trademarks and trade names within Network Power include Emerson Network Power, Aperture, ASCO Power Technologies, Avocent, Chloride, Knürr, Liebert, Liebert Services, NetXtend and Netsure.

CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES

The Climate Technologies segment provides products and services for all areas of the climate control industry, including residential heating and cooling, commercial air conditioning, and commercial and industrial refrigeration. The Company's technologies enable homeowners and businesses to better manage their heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems for improved control and comfort, and lower energy costs. Climate Technologies also provides services that digitally control and remotely monitor refrigeration units in grocery stores and other food distribution outlets to enhance food freshness and safety. Sales by geographic destination in 2015 for Climate Technologies were: the United States and Canada, 55 percent; Asia, 23 percent; Europe, 10 percent; Latin America, 7 percent; and Middle East/Africa, 5 percent.

Residential and Commercial Heating and Air Conditioning

The Company provides a full range of heating and air conditioning products that help reduce operational and energy costs and create comfortable environments in all types of buildings. These products include reciprocating and scroll air conditioning compressors, including ultra-efficient residential scroll compressors with two stages of cooling capacity, as well as variable speed scroll compressors; system protector and flow control devices; standard, programmable and Wi-Fi thermostats; monitoring equipment and electronic controls for gas and electric heating systems; gas valves for furnaces and water heaters; ignition systems for furnaces; sensors and thermistors for home appliances; and temperature sensors and controls.

Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration

The Company's technology is incorporated into equipment to refrigerate food and beverages in supermarkets, convenience stores, food service operations, refrigerated trucks and refrigerated marine transport containers. Climate Technologies refrigeration products are also used in a wide variety of industrial applications, including medical applications, food processing and cold storage. Products include reciprocating, scroll and screw compressors; precision flow controls; system diagnostics and controls that provide precise temperature management; and environmental control systems.

5#

Services and Solutions

Services and solutions enable global customers to optimize the performance of facilities including large-scale retailers, supermarkets, convenience stores and food services facilities. By providing expertise in air conditioning, refrigeration and lighting control, Climate Technologies performs as a complete facility manager for its customers. The Company’s expertise allows customers to reduce energy and maintenance costs, thereby improving overall facility uptime. In addition to industry-leading controls, services include facility design and product management, site commissioning, facility monitoring and energy modeling.

Distribution

Climate Technologies segment sales, primarily to original equipment manufacturers and end users, are made predominately through worldwide direct sales forces. Remaining sales are primarily through independent distributor networks throughout the world.

Brands

Service/trademarks and trade names within the Climate Technologies segment include Emerson Climate Technologies, Control Products, Clive Samuels & Associates, Computer Process Controls, Copeland, Design Services Network, Dixell, Emerson Climate Technologies Distribution Services, Emerson Climate Technologies Educational Services, Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Services, Fusite, Therm-O-Disc, Vilter and White-Rodgers.

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL SOLUTIONS

The Company’s Commercial & Residential Solutions segment includes a broad range of tools, storage products and appliance solutions. Sales by geographic destination in 2015 for this segment were: the United States and Canada, 86 percent; Asia, 4 percent; Europe, 6 percent; Latin America, 2 percent; and Middle East/Africa, 2 percent.

Professional and Do-It-Yourself Tools

Pipe-working tools are used by plumbing and mechanical professionals to install and repair piping systems. Products include pipe wrenches, pipe cutters, pipe threading and roll grooving equipment, mechanical crimping tube joining systems, drain cleaners, tubing tools, and diagnostic systems, including closed-circuit television pipe inspection and locating equipment. Other professional tools include water jetters, wet-dry vacuums, commercial vacuums and bolt cutters. Do-it-yourself tools, available at retail home improvement outlets, include drain cleaning equipment, pipe and tube working tools, and wet-dry vacuums.

Storage Solutions

The Company provides a wide variety of freestanding, fixed and mobile storage products for residential applications. Products for the home include shelving systems, cabinet and closet organizers, home office storage, and drawer systems and containers, available in wire, stainless steel and laminate.

Appliance Solutions

The Company provides a number of appliance solutions, including residential and commercial food waste disposers, ceiling fans, instant hot water dispensers and compact electric water heaters.

Distribution

The principal worldwide distribution channels for Commercial & Residential Solutions are distributors and direct sales forces. Professional tools are sold worldwide almost exclusively through distributors. Independent sales representatives are utilized to a lesser extent. Appliance solutions are sold through direct sales force networks and distributors. Approximately one-third of this segment's sales are made to a small number of big box retailers.

6#

Brands

Service/trademarks and trade names within the Commercial & Residential Solutions segment include Emerson, Emerson Appliance Solutions, Emerson Professional Tools, Emerson Storage Solutions, ClosetMaid, InSinkErator, ProTeam and RIDGID.

PRODUCTION

The Company utilizes various production operations and methods. The principal production operations are electronics assembly, metal stamping, forming, casting, machining, welding, plating, heat treating, painting and assembly. In addition, the Company uses specialized production operations, including automatic and semiautomatic testing, automated material handling and storage, ferrous and nonferrous machining, and special furnaces for heat treating and foundry applications. Management believes the equipment, machinery and tooling used in these processes are of modern design and well maintained.

RAW MATERIALS

The Company's major requirements for basic raw materials include steel, copper, cast iron, electronics, rare earth metals, aluminum and brass; and to a lesser extent, plastics and other petroleum-based chemicals. The Company seeks to have many sources of supply for each of its major requirements in order to avoid significant dependence on any one or a few suppliers. However, the supply of materials or other items could be disrupted by natural disasters or other events. Despite market price volatility for certain requirements and materials pricing pressures at some of our businesses, the raw materials and various purchased components needed for the Company’s products have generally been available in sufficient quantities.

PATENTS, TRADEMARKS AND LICENSES

The Company maintains an intellectual property portfolio it has developed or acquired over a number of years, including patents, trademarks and licenses. The Company also continues to develop or acquire new intellectual property on an ongoing basis. New patent applications are continuously filed to protect the Company’s ongoing research and development activities. The Company’s trademark registrations may be renewed and their duration is dependent upon national laws and trademark use. While this proprietary intellectual property portfolio is important to the Company in the aggregate, management does not regard any of its segments as being dependent on any single patent, trademark registration or license.

BACKLOG

The Company’s estimated consolidated order backlog was $5,986 million and $6,714 million at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The vast majority of the consolidated backlog as of September 30, 2015 is expected to be shipped within one year. Estimated backlog by business segment at September 30, 2015 and 2014 follows (dollars in millions). The declines in Industrial Automation and Commercial & Residential Solutions include the impacts from divesting the power transmission solutions and commercial storage businesses.

	2014				2015
Process Management	$	4,141			3,725
Industrial Automation	646				481
Network Power	1,368				1,342
Climate Technologies	452				370
Commercial & Residential Solutions	107				68
Total Backlog	$	6,714			5,986

7#

COMPETITION

The Company's businesses operate in end markets that are highly competitive. The Company competes based on product performance, quality, service and/or price across the industries and markets served. A significant element of the Company's competitive strategy is to deliver solutions to our customers by manufacturing high-quality products at the best relevant global cost. Although no single company competes directly with Emerson in all of the Company's product lines, various companies compete in one or more product lines with the number of competitors varying by product line. Some competitors have substantially greater sales, assets and financial resources than Emerson and the Company also competes with many smaller companies. Management believes Emerson has a market leadership position in many of its product lines.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Costs associated with Company-sponsored research and development activities were $506 million, $541 million and $576 million in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

ENVIRONMENT

The Company's manufacturing locations generate waste, of which treatment, storage, transportation and disposal are subject to federal, state, foreign and/or local laws and regulations relating to protection of the environment. Compliance with laws regulating the discharge of materials into the environment or otherwise relating to protection of the environment has not had a material effect on the Company's capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position. The Company does not anticipate having material capital expenditures for environmental control facilities during the next fiscal year.

EMPLOYEES

The Company and its subsidiaries had an average of approximately 110,800 employees during 2015. Management believes that the Company's employee relations are favorable. Some of the Company's employees are represented under collective bargaining agreements, but none of these agreements are considered significant.

DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN OPERATIONS

International sales were $12,521 million in 2015, $14,227 million in 2014 and $14,669 million in 2013, including U.S. exports of $1,330 million, $1,396 million and $1,604 million in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. There are additional risks attendant to foreign operations, such as possible nationalization of facilities, currency fluctuations and potential restrictions on the movement of funds. See Note 17 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements of the 2015 Annual Report, which note is hereby incorporated by reference, for further information with respect to foreign operations.

INTERNET ACCESS

Emerson's reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and all amendments to those reports are available without charge through the Company’s website on the Internet as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). They may be accessed as follows: www.Emerson.com, Investor Relations, SEC Filings. Information on the Company’s website does not constitute part of this Form 10-K.

The information set forth under “Item 1A - Risk Factors” is hereby incorporated by reference.