Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows are subject to a number of risks that could cause the actual results and conditions to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The risks set forth below are those we consider most significant. We face other risks, however, that we do not currently perceive to be material which could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from our expectations. You should evaluate all risks before you invest in our securities. If any of the risks actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows could be adversely impacted. In that case, the trading price of our ordinary shares could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Economic Conditions

The COVID-19 global pandemic and resulting adverse economic conditions have already adversely impacted our business and could have a more material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We continue to closely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on all aspects of our business and geographies, including how it has and will impact our customers, team members, suppliers, vendors, business partners and distribution channels. The COVID-19 global pandemic has created significant volatility, uncertainty and economic disruption, which may continue to affect our business operations and may materially and adversely affect our results of operations, cash flows and financial position.

While our business is largely categorized as “essential” by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the COVID-19 global pandemic has caused certain disruptions to and shutdowns of our business and operations and could cause material disruptions to and shutdowns of our business and operations in the future as a result of, among other things, quarantines, worker absenteeism as a result of illness or other factors, social distancing measures and other travel, health-related, business or other restrictions. Our business and operations have been impacted globally, resulting in lower revenue, supply chain delays and unfavorable foreign currency exchange rate movements. The COVID-19 global pandemic has also adversely impacted, and may continue to adversely impact, our suppliers and their manufacturers and our customers. Some of our purchases are from sole or limited source suppliers for reasons of cost effectiveness, uniqueness of design, or product quality. The effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic may exacerbate supply chain issues with these suppliers. Any delay in receiving critical supplies could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

As a result of the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, our costs have increased (including the costs to address the health and safety of our employees), our ability to obtain products or services from suppliers has been and may be adversely impacted, and our ability to operate at certain impacted locations has been and may be impacted, and, as a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations have been adversely impacted and could be materially adversely affected if the current outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 global pandemic continues.

The COVID-19 global pandemic also resulted in severe disruptions and volatility in financial markets which had a material adverse impact on some of our customers and suppliers. A recurrence in volatility due to a resurgence in the COVID-19 global pandemic could impact our access to capital and credit markets. Notwithstanding the recent introduction of vaccines to combat the COVID-19 global pandemic and measures taken by governments to provide economic stimulus, the severity of the pandemic’s impact on economies in the United States and around the world, the potential length of the economic recovery and the longer term economic impacts are uncertain. The current and potential further outbreaks and spread of the COVID-19 global pandemic or other future pandemics could cause a delayed recovery, a prolonged recession or future economic disruptions, which could have a further adverse impact on our financial condition and operations.

The impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic may also exacerbate other risks discussed in Item 1A. Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, any of which could have a material effect on us. This situation is continuing to evolve rapidly and additional impacts may arise that we are not aware of currently.

Our global operations subject us to economic risks.

Our global operations are dependent upon products manufactured, purchased and sold in the U.S. and internationally. These activities are subject to risks that are inherent in operating globally, including:

• changes in local laws and regulations or imposition of currency restrictions and other restraints;

• limitation of ownership rights, including expropriation of assets by a local government, and limitation on the ability to repatriate earnings;

• sovereign debt crises and currency instability in developed and developing countries;

• trade protection measures such as import or export restrictions and requirements, the imposition of burdensome tariffs and quotas or revocation or material modification of trade agreements;

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• difficulty in staffing and managing global operations;

• difficulty of enforcing agreements, collecting receivables and protecting assets through non-U.S. legal systems;

• national and international conflict, including war, civil disturbances and terrorist acts; and

• recessions, economic downturns, slowing economic growth and social and political instability.

These risks could increase our cost of doing business internationally, increase our counterparty risk, disrupt our operations, disrupt the ability of suppliers and customers to fulfill their obligations, limit our ability to sell products in certain markets and have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.

We face significant competition in the markets that we serve.

The markets that we serve are highly competitive. We compete worldwide with a number of other manufacturers and distributors that produce and sell similar products. There has been consolidation and new entrants (including non-traditional competitors) within our industries and there may be future consolidation and new entrants which could result in increased competition and significantly alter the dynamics of the competitive landscape in which we operate. Due to our global footprint we are competing worldwide with large companies and with smaller, local operators who may have customer, regulatory or economic advantages in the geographies in which they are located. In addition, some of our competitors may employ pricing and other strategies that are not traditional. While we understand our markets and competitive landscape, there is always the risk of disruptive technologies coming from companies that are not traditionally manufacturers or service providers of our products.

Our growth is dependent, in part, on the development, commercialization and acceptance of new products and services.

We must develop and commercialize new products and services in a rapidly changing technological and business environment in order to remain competitive in our current and future markets and in order to continue to grow our business. The development and commercialization of new products and services require a significant investment of resources and an anticipation of the impact of new technologies and the ability to compete with others who may have superior resources in specific technology domains. We cannot provide any assurance that any new product or service will be successfully commercialized in a timely manner, if ever, or, if commercialized, will result in returns greater than our investment. Investment in a product or service could divert our attention and resources from other projects that become more commercially viable in the market. We also cannot provide any assurance that any new product or service will be accepted by our current and future markets. Failure to develop new products and services that are accepted by these markets could have a material adverse impact on our competitive position, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.

Some of the markets in which we operate are cyclical and seasonal and demand for our products and services could be adversely affected by downturns in these industries.

Demand for most of our products and services depends on the level of new capital investment and planned maintenance expenditures by our customers. The level of capital expenditures by our customers fluctuates based on planned expansions, new builds, repairs, commodity prices, general economic conditions, availability of credit, inflation, interest rates, market forecasts, tax and regulatory developments, trade policies, fiscal spending and sociopolitcal factors among others.

Our commercial and residential HVAC businesses provide products and services to a wide range of markets, including significant sales to the commercial and residential construction markets. Weakness in either or both of these construction markets may negatively impact the demand for our products and services.

Demand for our commercial and residential HVAC business is also influenced by weather conditions. For instance, sales in our commercial and residential HVAC businesses historically tend to be seasonally higher in the second and third quarters of the year because, in the U.S. and other northern hemisphere markets, spring and summer are the peak seasons for sales of air conditioning systems and services. The results of any quarterly period may not be indicative of expected results for a full year and unusual weather patterns or events could negatively or positively affect our business and impact overall results of operations.

Decrease in the demand for our products and services could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and cash flow.

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The capital and credit markets are important to our business.

Instability in U.S. and global capital and credit markets, including market disruptions, limited liquidity and interest rate volatility, or reductions in the credit ratings assigned to us by independent rating agencies could reduce our access to capital markets or increase the cost of funding our short and long term credit requirements. In particular, if we are unable to access capital and credit markets on terms that are acceptable to us, we may not be able to make certain investments or fully execute our business plans and strategies.

Our suppliers and customers are also dependent upon the capital and credit markets. Limitations on the ability of customers, suppliers or financial counterparties to access credit at interest rates and on terms that are acceptable to them could lead to insolvencies of key suppliers and customers, limit or prevent customers from obtaining credit to finance purchases of our products and services and cause delays in the delivery of key products from suppliers.

In addition, changes in regulatory standards or industry practices, such as the transition away from LIBOR as a benchmark for short-term interest rates, could create incremental uncertainty in obtaining financing or increase the cost of borrowing for us, our suppliers or our customers.

Currency exchange rate fluctuations and other related risks may adversely affect our results.

We are exposed to a variety of market risks, including the effects of changes in currency exchange rates. See Part II Item 7A, "Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk."

We have operations throughout the world that manufacture and sell products in various international markets. As a result, we are exposed to movements in exchange rates of various currencies against the U.S. dollar as well as against other currencies throughout the world.

Many of our non-U.S. operations have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar, and their results are translated into U.S. dollars for reporting purposes. Therefore, our reported results will be higher or lower depending on the weakening or strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the respective foreign currency.

We use derivative instruments to hedge those material exposures that cannot be naturally offset. The instruments utilized are viewed as risk management tools, and are not used for trading or speculative purposes. To minimize the risk of counter party non-performance, derivative instrument agreements are made only through major financial institutions with significant experience in such derivative instruments.

We also face risks arising from the imposition of exchange controls and currency devaluations. Exchange controls may limit our ability to convert foreign currencies into U.S. dollars or to remit dividends and other payments by our foreign subsidiaries or businesses located in or conducted within a country imposing controls. Currency devaluations result in a diminished value of funds denominated in the currency of the country instituting the devaluation.

Risks Related to Litigation

Material adverse legal judgments, fines, penalties or settlements could adversely affect our results of operations or financial condition.

We are currently and may in the future become involved in legal proceedings and disputes incidental to the operation of our business or the business operations of previously-owned entities. Our business may be adversely affected by the outcome of these proceedings and other contingencies (including, without limitation, contract claims or other commercial disputes, product liability, product defects and asbestos-related matters) that cannot be predicted with certainty. Moreover, any insurance or indemnification rights that we may have may be insufficient or unavailable to protect us against the total aggregate amount of losses sustained as a result of such proceedings and contingencies. As required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, we establish reserves based on our assessment of contingencies. Subsequent developments in legal proceedings and other events could affect our assessment and estimates of the loss contingency recorded as a reserve and we may be required to make additional material payments, which could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.

The Aldrich and Murray Chapter 11 cases involve various risks and uncertainties that could have a material effect on us.

On June 18, 2020, our indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries Aldrich Pump LLC (Aldrich) and Murray Boiler LLC (Murray) each filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of Title 11 the United States Code (the Bankruptcy Code) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina in Charlotte (the Bankruptcy Court). The goal of these Chapter 11 filings is an efficient and permanent resolution of all current and future asbestos claims through court approval of a plan of reorganization, which would establish, in accordance with section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code, a trust to pay all asbestos claims. Such a resolution, if achieved, would likely include a channeling injunction to enjoin asbestos claims resolved in the Chapter 11 cases from being filed or pursued against us or our affiliates. The Chapter 11 cases remain pending.

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Certain of our subsidiaries have entered into funding agreements with Aldrich and Murray (collectively the Funding Agreements), pursuant to which those subsidiaries are obligated, among other things, to fund the costs and expenses of Aldrich and Murray during the pendency of the Chapter 11 cases to the extent distributions from their respective subsidiaries are insufficient to do so and to provide an amount for the funding for a trust established pursuant to section 524(g) of the Bankruptcy Code, to the extent that the other assets of Aldrich and Murray are insufficient to provide the requisite trust funding.

There are a number of risks and uncertainties associated with these Chapter 11 cases, including, among others, those related to:

• the ultimate determination of the asbestos liability of Aldrich and Murray to be satisfied under a Chapter 11 plan;

• the outcome of negotiations with the committee of asbestos personal injury claimants appointed in the Chapter 11 cases, the future claimants' representative appointed in the Chapter 11 cases and other participants in the Chapter 11 cases, including insurers, concerning, among other things, the size and structure of a potential section 524(g) trust to pay the asbestos liability of Aldrich and Murray and the means for funding that trust;

• the actions of representatives of the asbestos claimants, including opposition to the extension of the Bankruptcy Court order temporarily staying asbestos-related claims against us and other potential actions in opposition to, or otherwise inconsistent with, the efforts by Aldrich and Murray to diligently prosecute the Chapter 11 cases and ultimately seek Bankruptcy Court approval of a plan of reorganization;

• the decisions of the Bankruptcy Court relating to numerous substantive and procedural aspects of the Chapter 11 case, including with regard to the extension of the Bankruptcy Court order temporarily staying asbestos-related claims against us and other efforts by Aldrich and Murray to diligently prosecute the Chapter 11 cases and ultimately seek Bankruptcy Court approval of a plan of reorganization, whether such decisions are in response to actions of representatives of the asbestos claimants or otherwise; and

• the decisions of appellate courts regarding approval of a plan of reorganization or relating to orders of the Bankruptcy Court that may be appealed.

The ability of Aldrich and Murray to successfully reorganize and resolve their asbestos liabilities will depend on various factors, including their ability to reach agreements with representatives of the asbestos claimants on the terms of a plan of reorganization that satisfies all applicable legal requirements and to obtain the requisite court approvals of such plan, and remains subject to the risks and uncertainties described above. We cannot ensure that Aldrich and Murray can successfully reorganize, nor can we give any assurances as to the amount of the ultimate obligations under the Funding Agreements or the resulting impact on our financial condition, results of operations or future prospects. We are also unable to predict the timing of any of the foregoing matters or the timing for a resolution of the Chapter 11 cases, all of which could have an impact on us.

It also is possible that, in the Chapter 11 cases, various parties will seek to bring claims against us and other related parties, including by raising allegations that we are liable for the asbestos-related liabilities of Aldrich and Murray. Although we believe we have no such responsibility for liabilities of Aldrich and Murray, except indirectly through our obligation to provide funding to Aldrich and Murray under the terms of the Funding Agreements, we cannot provide assurances that such claims will not be pursued.

In sum, the outcome of the Chapter 11 cases is uncertain and there is uncertainty as to what extent we may have to contribute to a section 524(g) trust under the Funding Agreements.

Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Technology

We are subject to risks relating to our information technology systems.

We rely extensively on information technology systems, some of which are supported by third party vendors including cloud services, to manage and operate our business. We invest in new information technology systems designed to improve our operations. We have had failures of these systems in the past and may have failures of these systems in the future. If these systems cease to function properly, if these systems experience security breaches or disruptions or if these systems do not provide the anticipated benefits, our ability to manage our operations could be impaired, which could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows.

Security breaches or disruptions of the technology systems, infrastructure or products of the Company or our vendors could negatively impact our business and financial results.

Our information technology systems, networks and infrastructure and technology embedded in certain of our control products have been and may be subject to cyber attacks and unauthorized security intrusions. It is possible for such vulnerabilities to remain undetected for an extended period. Like other large companies, certain of our information technology systems and the systems of our vendors have been subject to computer viruses, malicious code, unauthorized access, phishing attempts, denial-of-service attacks and other cyber attacks and we expect that we and our vendors will be subject to similar attacks in the future.

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The methods used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage information technology systems are constantly changing and evolving. Despite having instituted security policies and business continuity plans, and implementing and regularly reviewing and updating processes and procedures to protect against unauthorized access and requiring similar protections from our vendors, the ever-evolving threats mean we must continually evaluate and adapt our systems and processes and ask our vendors to do the same, and there is no guarantee that such steps will be adequate to safeguard against all data security breaches or misuses of data. Hardware, software or applications we develop or obtain from third parties may contain defects in design or deployment or other problems that could unexpectedly result in security breaches or disruptions. Our systems, networks and certain of our control products and those of our vendors may also be vulnerable to system damage, malicious attacks from hackers, employee errors or misconduct, viruses, power and utility outages, and other catastrophic events. Any of these incidents could cause significant harm to our business by negatively impacting our business operations, compromising the security of our proprietary information or the personally identifiable information of our customers, employees and business partners, exposing us to litigation or other legal actions against us or the imposition of penalties, fines, fees or liabilities. Such events could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows and could damage our reputation which could adversely affect our business. Our insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover all the costs related to a cybersecurity attack or disruptions resulting from such attacks. Customers are increasingly requiring cybersecurity protections and mandating cybersecurity standards in our products, and we may incur additional costs to comply with such demands.

Data privacy and protection laws are evolving and present increasing compliance challenges.

The regulatory environment surrounding data privacy and protection is increasingly demanding, with the frequent imposition of new and changing requirements across businesses and geographic areas. We are required to comply with complex regulations when collecting, transferring and using personal data, which increases our costs, affects our competitiveness and can expose us to substantial fines or other penalties.

Intellectual property infringement claims of others and the inability to protect our intellectual property rights could harm our competitive position.

Our intellectual property rights are important to our business and include numerous patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, proprietary technology, technical data, business processes, and other confidential information. Although in aggregate we consider our intellectual property rights to be valuable to our operations, we do not believe that our business is materially dependent on a single intellectual property right or any group of them. In our opinion, engineering, production skills and experience are more responsible for our market position than our patents and/or licenses.

Nonetheless, this intellectual property may be subject to challenge, infringement, invalidation or circumvention by third parties. Despite extensive security measures, our intellectual property may be subject to misappropriation through unauthorized access of our information technology systems, employee theft, or theft by private parties or foreign actors, including those affiliated with or controlled by state actors. Our business and competitive position could be harmed by such events. Our ability to protect our intellectual property rights by legal recourse or otherwise may be limited, particularly in countries where laws or enforcement practices are inadequate or undeveloped. Our inability to enforce our IP rights under any of these circumstances could have an impact on our competitive position and business.

Risks Related to Regulatory Matters

Our reputation, ability to do business and results of operations could be impaired by improper conduct by any of our employees, agents or business partners.

We are subject to regulation under a wide variety of U.S. federal and state and non-U.S. laws, regulations and policies, including laws related to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, export and import compliance, anti-trust and money laundering, due to our global operations. We cannot provide assurance our internal controls will always protect us from the improper conduct of our employees, agents and business partners. Any violations of law or improper conduct could damage our reputation and, depending on the circumstances, subject us to, among other things, civil and criminal penalties, material fines, equitable remedies (including profit disgorgement and injunctions on future conduct), securities litigation and a general loss of investor confidence, any one of which could have a material adverse impact on our business prospects, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, and the market value of our stock.

Our operations are subject to regulatory risks.

Our U.S. and non-U.S. operations are subject to a number of laws and regulations, including among others, laws related to the environment and health and safety. We have made, and will be required to continue to make, significant expenditures to comply with these laws and regulations. Any violations of applicable laws and regulations could lead to significant penalties, fines or other sanctions. Changes in current laws and regulations could require us to increase our compliance expenditures, cause us to

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significantly alter or discontinue offering existing products and services or cause us to develop new products and services. Altering current products and services or developing new products and services to comply with changes in the applicable laws and regulations could require significant research and development investments, increase the cost of providing the products and services and adversely affect the demand for our products and services. The U.S. federal government and various states and municipalities have enacted or may enact legislation intended to deny government contracts to U.S. companies that reincorporate outside of the U.S. or have reincorporated outside of the U.S or may take other actions negatively impacting such companies. If we are unable to effectively respond to changes to applicable laws and regulations, interpretations of applicable laws and regulations, or comply with existing and future laws and regulations, our competitive position, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be materially adversely impacted.

Global climate change and related regulations could negatively affect our business.

Refrigerants are essential to many of our products and there is concern regarding the global warming potential of such materials. As such, national, regional and international regulations and policies are being implemented to curtail their use. As regulations reduce the use of the current class of widely used refrigerants, our next generation solutions are being adopted globally, with sales in more than 30 countries to date. Our climate commitment requires us to offer a full line of next generation, lower global warming potential products by 2030 without compromising safety or energy efficiency. Additionally, while we met our commitment to reduce energy consumption and the greenhouse gas footprint of our operations by 35 percent by 2020, on a normalized basis, our 2030 commitment requires a much more stringent absolute energy use reduction by 10 percent. While we are committed to pursuing these sustainability objectives, there can be no assurance that our commitments will be successful, that our products will be accepted by the market, that proposed regulation or deregulation will not have a negative competitive impact or that economic returns will match the investment that we are making in new product development.

Concerns regarding global climate change have resulted in the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, pursuant to which countries have agreed to a scheduled phase down of certain high global warming potential refrigerants. Countries may pass regulations that are even more restrictive than this international accord. Some countries, including the U.S., have not yet ratified the amendment, lowering customer demand for next generation products in these countries. There continues to be a lack of consistent climate legislation, which creates economic and regulatory uncertainty. Such regulatory uncertainty extends to future incentives for energy efficient buildings and vehicles and costs of compliance, which may impact the demand for our products, obsolescence of our products and our results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Business Operations

Commodity shortages and price increases could adversely affect our financial results.

We rely on suppliers to secure commodities, particularly steel and non-ferrous metals, required for the manufacture of our products. A disruption in deliveries from our suppliers or decreased availability of commodities could have an adverse effect on our ability to meet our commitments to customers or increase our operating costs. We believe that available sources of supply will generally be sufficient for our needs for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, the unavailability of some commodities could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and cash flows.

Volatility in the prices of these commodities or the impact of inflationary increases could increase the costs of our products and services. We may not be able to pass on these costs to our customers and this could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and cash flows. Conversely, in the event there is deflation, we may experience pressure from our customers to reduce prices. There can be no assurance that we would be able to reduce our costs (through negotiations with suppliers or other measures) to offset any such price concessions which could adversely impact results of operations and cash flows. While we may use financial derivatives or supplier price locks to hedge against this volatility, by using these instruments we may potentially forego the benefits that might result from favorable fluctuations in prices and could experience lower margins in periods of declining commodity prices. In addition, while hedging activity may minimize near-term volatility of the commodity prices, it would not protect us from long-term commodity price increases.

Some of our purchases are from sole or limited source suppliers for reasons of cost effectiveness, uniqueness of design, or product quality. If these suppliers encounter financial or operating difficulties, we might not be able to quickly establish or qualify replacement sources of supply.

Our business strategy includes acquiring companies, businesses, product lines, plants and assets, entering into joint ventures and making investments that complement our existing businesses. We also occasionally divest businesses that we own. We may not identify acquisition or joint venture candidates or investment opportunities at the same rate as the past. Acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and investments that we identify could be unsuccessful or consume significant resources, which could adversely affect our operating results.

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We continue to analyze and evaluate the acquisition and divestiture of strategic businesses and product lines, technologies and capabilities, plants and assets, joint ventures and investments with the potential to strengthen our industry position, to enhance our existing set of product and services offerings, to increase productivity and efficiencies, to grow revenues, earnings and cash flow, to help us stay competitive or to reduce costs. There can be no assurance that we will identify or successfully complete transactions with suitable candidates in the future, that we will consummate these transactions at rates similar to the past or that completed transactions will be successful. Strategic transactions may involve significant cash expenditures, debt incurrence, operating losses and expenses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Such transactions involve numerous other risks, including:

• diversion of management time and attention from daily operations;

• difficulties integrating acquired businesses, technologies and personnel into our business without high costs;

• difficulties in obtaining and verifying the financial statements and other business and other due diligence information of acquired businesses;

• inability to obtain required regulatory approvals and/or required financing on favorable terms;

• potential loss of key employees, key contractual relationships or key customers of either acquired businesses or our business;

• assumption of the liabilities and exposure to unforeseen or undisclosed liabilities of acquired businesses and exposure to regulatory sanctions;

• inheriting internal control deficiencies;

• dilution of interests of holders of our common shares through the issuance of equity securities or equity-linked securities; and

• in the case of joint ventures and other investments, interests that diverge from those of our partners without the ability to direct the management and operations of the joint venture or investment in the manner we believe most appropriate to achieve the expected value.

Any acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures or investments may ultimately harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. There are additional risks related to our Reverse Morris Trust transaction, see page 15 under "Risks Related to the Transactions" for more information.

We may be required to recognize impairment charges for our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets.

At December 31, 2020, the net carrying value of our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets totaled $5.3 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively. In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, we assess these assets annually during the fourth quarter for impairment or when there is a significant change in events or circumstances that indicate that the fair value of an asset is more likely than not less than the carrying amount of the asset. Significant negative industry or economic trends, disruptions to our business, unexpected significant changes or planned changes in use of the assets, divestitures and sustained market capitalization declines may result in recognition of impairments to goodwill or other indefinite-lived assets. Any charges relating to such impairments could have a material adverse impact on our results of operations in the periods recognized.

Natural disasters, epidemics or other unexpected events may disrupt our operations, adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition, and may not be fully covered by insurance.

The occurrence of one or more unexpected events including hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, floods and other forms of severe weather, health epidemics or pandemics or other contagious outbreaks or other unexpected events in the U.S. or in other countries in which we operate or are located could adversely affect our operations and financial performance. Natural disasters, power outages, health epidemics or pandemics or other contagious outbreaks or other unexpected events could result in physical damage to and complete or partial closure of one or more of our plants, temporary or long-term disruption of our operations by causing business interruptions or by impacting the availability and cost of materials needed for manufacturing. Existing insurance arrangements may not provide full protection for the costs that may arise from such events, particularly if such events are catastrophic in nature or occur in combination. The occurrence of any of these events could increase our insurance and other operating costs or harm our sales in affected areas.

Our business may be adversely affected by work stoppages, union negotiations, labor disputes and other matters associated with our labor force.

Certain of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements or works councils. We experience from time to time work stoppages, union negotiations, labor disputes and other matters associated with our labor force and some of these events

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could result in significant increases in our cost of labor, impact our productivity or damage our reputation. Additionally, a work stoppage at one of our suppliers could materially and adversely affect our operations if an alternative source of supply were not readily available. Stoppages by employees of our customers could also result in reduced demand for our products.

Risks Relating to Tax Matters

Changes in tax or other laws, regulations or treaties, changes in our status under U.S. or non-U.S. laws or adverse determinations by taxing or other governmental authorities could increase our tax burden or otherwise affect our financial condition or operating results, as well as subject our shareholders to additional taxes.

The realization of any tax benefit related to our operations and corporate structure could be impacted by changes in tax or other laws, treaties or regulations or the interpretation or enforcement thereof by the U.S. or non-U.S. tax or other governmental authorities. Enacted comprehensive tax reform legislation in December 2017 known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) made broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code. As part of the migration from a worldwide system of taxation to a modified territorial system for corporations, the Act imposed a transition tax on certain unrepatriated earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries and an additional annual U.S. tax on the earnings of certain non-U.S. subsidiaries. The Act also imposed new and substantial limitations on, and/or the elimination of, certain tax deductions (including interest) and credits (including foreign tax credits) that could adversely impact our effective tax rate or operating cash flows.

Notwithstanding this change in U.S. tax law, we continue to monitor for other tax changes, U.S. and non-U.S. related, which can also adversely impact our overall tax burden. From time to time, proposals have been made and/or legislation has been introduced to change the tax laws, regulations or interpretations thereof of various jurisdictions or limit tax treaty benefits that if enacted or implemented could materially increase our tax burden and/or effective tax rate and could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has released proposals to create an agreed set of international rules for fighting base erosion and profit shifting, including Pillar One and Pillar Two, such that tax laws in countries in which we do business could change on a prospective or retroactive basis, and any such changes could adversely impact us. Finally, the European Commission has been very active in investigating whether various tax regimes or private tax rulings provided by a country to particular taxpayers may constitute State Aid. We cannot predict the outcome of any of these potential changes or investigations in any of the jurisdictions, but if any of the above occurs and impacts us, this could materially increase our tax burden and/or effective tax rate and could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

While we monitor proposals and other developments that would materially impact our tax burden and/or effective tax rate and investigate our options, we could still be subject to increased taxation on a going forward basis no matter what action we undertake if certain legislative proposals or regulatory changes are enacted, certain tax treaties are amended and/or our interpretation of applicable tax or other laws is challenged and determined to be incorrect. In particular, any changes and/or differing interpretations of applicable tax law that have the effect of disregarding the shareholders' decision to reorganize in Ireland, limiting our ability to take advantage of tax treaties between jurisdictions, modifying or eliminating the deductibility of various currently deductible payments, or increasing the tax burden of operating or being resident in a particular country could subject us to increased taxation.

In addition, tax authorities periodically review tax returns filed by us and can raise issues regarding our filing positions, timing and amount of income or deductions, and the allocation of income among the jurisdictions in which we operate. These examinations on their own, or any subsequent litigation related to the examinations, may result in additional taxes or penalties against us. If the ultimate result of these audits differ from our original or adjusted estimates, they could have a material impact on our tax provision.

Risks Related to our Reverse Morris Trust Transaction

On February 29, 2020 (the Distribution Date), we completed our Reverse Morris Trust transaction (the Transaction) with Gardner Denver Holdings, Inc. (Gardner Denver, which changed its name to Ingersoll Rand Inc. after the Transaction) whereby we distributed Ingersoll-Rand U.S. HoldCo, Inc., which contained our former Industrial segment (Ingersoll Rand Industrial), through a pro rata distribution (the Distribution) to our shareholders of record as of February 24, 2020. Ingersoll Rand Industrial then merged with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gardner Denver. Upon close of the Transaction, our existing shareholders received approximately 50.1% of the shares of Gardner Denver common stock on a fully-diluted basis and Gardner Denver stockholders retained approximately 49.9% of the shares of Gardner Denver on a fully diluted basis. As a result, our shareholders received 0.8824 shares of Gardner Denver common stock with respect to each share of our stock owned as of February 24, 2020. In connection with the Transaction, Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, an affiliate of Ingersoll Rand Industrial, borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $1.9 billion under a senior secured first lien term loan facility (the Term Loan), the proceeds of which were transferred to one of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. The obligations under the Term Loan were retained by Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, which following the Transaction is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ingersoll

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Rand Inc. Following the Transaction, our Company was renamed Trane Technologies plc and trades under the symbol “TT” on the NYSE.

If the Distribution is determined to be taxable for Irish tax purposes, significant Irish tax liabilities may arise for our shareholders.

We received an opinion from Irish Revenue regarding certain tax matters associated with the Distribution, as well as a legal opinion from our Irish counsel Arthur Cox, regarding certain Irish tax consequences for shareholders of the Distribution. For our shareholders that are not resident or ordinarily resident in Ireland for Irish tax purposes and that do not hold their shares in connection with a trade or business carried on by such shareholders through an Irish branch or agency, we consider, based on both opinions taken together, that no adverse Irish tax consequences for such shareholders should have arisen. These opinions relied on certain facts and assumptions and certain representations. Notwithstanding the opinion from Irish Revenue, Irish Revenue could ultimately determine on audit that the Distribution is taxable for Irish tax purposes, for example, if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions or representations are not correct or have been violated. A legal opinion represents the tax adviser’s best legal judgment and is not binding on Irish Revenue or the courts and Irish Revenue or the courts may not agree with the legal opinion. In addition, the legal opinion is based on current law and cannot be relied upon if current law changes with retroactive effect. If the Distribution ultimately is determined to be taxable for Irish tax purposes, certain of our shareholders and we could have significant Irish tax liabilities as a result of the Distribution, and there could be a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows in future reporting periods.

If the Distribution together with certain related transactions do not qualify as tax-free under Sections 355 and 368(a) of the Code, including as a result of subsequent acquisitions of stock of the Company or Ingersoll Rand Inc., then the Company and our shareholders may be required to pay substantial U.S. federal income taxes, and Ingersoll Rand Inc. may be obligated to indemnify the Company for such taxes imposed on the Company.

We received an opinion from our U.S. tax counsel Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (Paul Weiss) substantially to the effect that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Distribution together with certain related transactions undertaken in anticipation of the Distribution and taking into account the merger of Ingersoll Rand Industrial with the wholly-owned subsidiary of Gardner Denver will qualify as a tax-free transaction under Sections 368(a), 361 and 355 of the Code, with the result that we and our shareholders will not recognize any gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the spin-off. The opinion of our counsel was based on, among other things, certain representations and assumptions as to factual matters made by Gardner Denver, Ingersoll Rand Industrial and the Company. The failure of any factual representation or assumption to be true, correct and complete in all material respects could adversely affect the validity of the opinion of counsel. An opinion of counsel represents counsel’s best legal judgment, is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the courts, and the IRS or the courts may not agree with the opinion. In addition, the opinion will be based on current law, and cannot be relied upon if current law changes with retroactive effect. If the Distribution, and/or related internal transactions in anticipation of the Distribution ultimately are determined to be taxable, we could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities, which could cause a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows in future reporting periods, although if this determination resulted from certain actions taken by Ingersoll Rand Industrial or Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Inc. would be required to bear the cost of any resultant tax liability pursuant to the terms of the Tax Matters Agreement.

The Distribution will be taxable to the Company pursuant to Section 355(e) of the Code if there is a 50% or greater change in ownership of either the Company or Ingersoll Rand Industrial, directly or indirectly (including through such a change in ownership of Ingersoll Rand Inc.), as part of a plan or series of related transactions that include the Distribution. A Section 355(e) change of ownership would not make the Distribution taxable to our shareholders, but instead may result in corporate-level taxable gain to certain of our subsidiaries. Because our shareholders will collectively be treated as owning more than 50% of the Ingersoll Rand Inc. common stock following the merger, the merger alone should not cause the Distribution to be taxable to our subsidiaries under Section 355(e). However, Section 355(e) might apply if other acquisitions of stock of the Company before or after the merger, or of Ingersoll Rand Inc. before or after the merger, are considered to be part of a plan or series of related transactions that include the Distribution together with certain related transactions. If Section 355(e) applied, certain of our subsidiaries might recognize a very substantial amount of taxable gain, although if this applied as a result of certain actions taken by Ingersoll Rand Industrial, Ingersoll Rand Inc. or certain specified Ingersoll Rand Inc. stockholders, Ingersoll Rand Inc. would be required to bear the cost of any resultant tax liability under Section 355(e) pursuant to the terms of the Tax Matters Agreement.

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If the merger does not qualify as a tax-free reorganization under Section 368(a) of the Code, our shareholders may be required to pay substantial U.S. federal income taxes.

We have received an opinion from Paul Weiss, and Ingersoll Rand Inc. has received an opinion from their counsel Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, substantially to the effect that the merger will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code with the result that U.S. holders of Ingersoll Rand Industrial common stock who received Gardner Denver common stock in the merger will not recognize any gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes (except with respect to cash received in lieu of fractional shares of Gardner Denver common stock). These opinions were based upon, among other things, certain representations and assumptions as to factual matters made by Ingersoll Rand Inc., the Company, Ingersoll Rand Industrial and the merger subsidiary used by Ingersoll Rand Inc. The failure of any factual representation or assumption to be true, correct and complete in all material respects could adversely affect the validity of the opinions. An opinion of counsel represents counsel’s best legal judgment, is not binding on the IRS or the courts, and the IRS or the courts may not agree with the opinion. In addition, the opinions will be based on current law, and cannot be relied upon if current law changes with retroactive effect. If the merger were taxable, U.S. holders of Ingersoll Rand Industrial would be considered to have made a taxable sale of their Ingersoll Rand Industrial common stock to Ingersoll Rand Inc., and such U.S. holders of Ingersoll Rand Industrial would generally recognize taxable gain or loss on their receipt of Ingersoll Rand Inc. common stock in the merger.

Risks Related to Our Irish Domicile

Irish law differs from the laws in effect in the United States and may afford less protection to holders of our securities.

The United States currently does not have a treaty with Ireland providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. As such, there is some uncertainty as to whether the courts of Ireland would recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers based on U.S. federal or state civil liability laws, including the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal or state securities laws, or hear actions against us or those persons based on those laws.

As an Irish company, we are governed by the Irish Companies Act, which differs in some material respects from laws generally applicable to U.S. corporations and shareholders, including, among others, differences relating to interested director and officer transactions, indemnification of directors and shareholder lawsuits. Likewise, the duties of directors and officers of an Irish company generally are owed to the company only. Shareholders of Irish companies generally do not have a personal right of action against directors or officers of the company and may exercise such rights of action on behalf of the company only in limited circumstances. Accordingly, holders of our securities may have more difficulty protecting their interests than would holders of securities of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction of the United States. In addition, Irish law does not allow for any form of legal proceedings directly equivalent to the class action available in the United States.

Irish law allows shareholders to authorize share capital which then can be issued by a board of directors without shareholder approval. Also, subject to specified exceptions, Irish law grants statutory pre-emptive rights to existing shareholders to subscribe for new issuances of shares for cash, but allows shareholders to authorize the waiver of the statutory pre-emptive rights with respect to any particular allotment of shares. Under Irish law, we must have authority from our shareholders to issue any shares, including shares that are part of the Company’s authorized but unissued share capital. In addition, unless otherwise authorized by its shareholders, when an Irish company issues shares for cash to new shareholders, it is required first to offer those shares on the same or more favorable terms to existing shareholders on a pro-rata basis. If we are unable to obtain these authorizations from our shareholders, or are otherwise limited by the terms of our authorizations, our ability to issue shares or otherwise raise capital could be adversely affected.

Dividends received by our shareholders may be subject to Irish dividend withholding tax.

In certain circumstances, we are required to deduct Irish dividend withholding tax (currently at the rate of 25%) from dividends paid to our shareholders. In the majority of cases, shareholders resident in the United States will not be subject to Irish withholding tax, and shareholders resident in a number of other countries will not be subject to Irish withholding tax provided that they complete certain Irish dividend withholding tax forms. However, some shareholders may be subject to withholding tax, which could have an adverse impact on the price of our shares.

Dividends received by our shareholders could be subject to Irish income tax.

Dividends paid in respect of our shares will generally not be subject to Irish income tax where the beneficial owner of these dividends is exempt from dividend withholding tax, unless the beneficial owner of the dividend has some connection with Ireland other than his or her shareholding in Trane Technologies plc.

Our shareholders who receive their dividends subject to Irish dividend withholding tax will generally have no further liability to Irish income tax on the dividends unless the beneficial owner of the dividend has some connection with Ireland other than his or her shareholding in Trane Technologies plc.

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