Cover and table of contents

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021

OR

For the transition period from to

Commission file number 0-7977

NORDSON CORPORATION

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio

(State of incorporation)

28601 Clemens Road Westlake, Ohio

(Address of principal executive offices)

34-0590250

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

44145

(Zip Code)

(440) 892-1580

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No ☐

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No x

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months, and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No x

The aggregate market value of Common Shares, no par value per share, held by nonaffiliates (based on the closing sale price on the Nasdaq Stock Market) as of April 30, 2021 was approximately $12,262,663,905.

There were 58,176,606 Common Shares outstanding as of November 30, 2021.

Documents incorporated by reference:

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting - Part III of the Form 10-K

Nordson Corporation 2

Nordson Corporation 3

PART I

NOTE REGARDING AMOUNTS AND FISCAL YEAR REFERENCES

In this annual report, all amounts related to United States dollars and foreign currency and to the number of Nordson Corporation’s common shares, except for per share earnings and dividend amounts, are expressed in thousands unless otherwise indicated. Unless the context otherwise indicates, all references to “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company” mean Nordson Corporation.

Unless otherwise noted, all references to years relate to our fiscal year ending October 31.