GRACO INC.

88 Eleventh Avenue N.E.

Minneapolis, MN 55413

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Dear Shareholder:

The 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Graco Inc. will be held on April 26, 2024, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Central Time. This year’s meeting will again be a completely virtual meeting of shareholders. Our virtual shareholder meeting format uses technology designed to increase shareholder access, save the Company and our shareholders time and money, and provide our shareholders with rights and opportunities to participate in the meeting similar to what they would have at an in-person meeting. In addition to online attendance, we provide shareholders with an opportunity to hear all portions of the official meeting as conducted by the Chair of the Board and the Secretary, submit written questions and comments during the meeting, and vote online during the open poll portion of the meeting. You may attend the meeting, vote your shares and submit questions electronically during the meeting via live webcast by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GGG2024. You will need the 16-digit control number that is printed in the box marked by the arrow on your Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials to enter the annual meeting. We recommend that you log in 15 minutes before the meeting to ensure you are logged in when the meeting starts.

At this meeting, shareholders will consider the following matters:

Shareholders of record at the close of business on February 26, 2024, are entitled to vote at this meeting or any adjournment.

We encourage you to join us via the Internet and vote at the meeting. Regardless of whether you plan on joining the meeting, we encourage you to vote by Internet, or by requesting a paper copy of the proxy card and voting by telephone or by returning your proxy card by mail, as described in further detail later in this Proxy Statement.

If you do not vote by Internet, telephone, returning a proxy card or voting your shares online during the meeting, you will lose your right to vote on matters that are important to you as a shareholder. Accordingly, please vote your shares in one of the methods identified above. Instructions on how to vote while participating in the meeting live via the Internet are posted at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GGG2024.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

GRACO INC.

88 Eleventh Avenue N.E.

Minneapolis, MN 55413

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD APRIL 26, 2024

Your proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of Graco Inc. in connection with our Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on April 26, 2024, and any adjournments of that meeting (the “Meeting”). Throughout this Proxy Statement, we may refer to Graco Inc. as “us,” “we,” “Graco,” “our Company” or “the Company.”

We have provided you with access to our proxy materials on the Internet. We are providing a Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) to our shareholders of record and our beneficial owners. All shareholders will have the ability to access the proxy materials free of charge on the website identified in the Notice or request email or paper copies of the proxy materials. The Notice contains instructions on how to access the proxy materials through the Internet or request electronic or paper copies. If your shares are held by a broker, bank, broker-dealer or similar organization, you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and the Notice will be forwarded to you by that organization. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to direct the organization holding your shares how to vote the shares.

The costs of the solicitation, including the cost of preparing and mailing the Notice, Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and this Proxy Statement, will be paid by us. Solicitation will be primarily through Internet availability of this Proxy Statement to all shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting. Proxies may be solicited by our officers personally, but at no compensation in addition to their regular compensation as officers. We may reimburse brokers, banks and others holding shares in their names for third parties for the cost of forwarding proxy material to, and obtaining proxies from, third parties. The Notice will be mailed to shareholders on or about March 13, 2024, and the proxy materials will be available at that time on www.proxyvote.com.

Proxies may be revoked at any time prior to being voted by giving written notice of revocation to our Secretary or by voting online during the Meeting. All properly executed proxies received by management will be voted in the manner set forth in this Proxy Statement or as otherwise specified by the shareholder giving the proxy.

Shares voted as abstentions on any matter will be counted as shares that are present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum at the Meeting, and as unvoted (although present and entitled to vote) for purposes of determining the approval of each matter as to which the shareholder has abstained. If a broker submits a proxy which indicates that the broker does not have discretionary authority as to certain shares to vote on one or more matters, those shares will be counted as shares that are present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum at the Meeting, but will not be considered as present and entitled to vote with respect to such matters. The election of directors, the advisory vote on our executive compensation, and the approval of the Amended and Restated 2019 Stock Incentive Plan will be considered proposals on which your broker does not have discretionary authority to vote. Thus, if your shares are held in street name and you do not provide instructions as to how your shares are to be voted on these matters, your broker or other nominee will not be able to vote your shares in these matters. Accordingly, we urge you to provide instructions to your broker or nominee so that your votes may be counted on these matters. You should vote your shares by following the instructions provided on the voting instruction card that you receive from your broker.

The vote required for the election of directors in an uncontested election is a majority of votes cast, where the number of votes cast “for” a nominee exceeds the number of votes cast “against” a nominee. In the event an incumbent director does not receive a sufficient number of the votes cast for re-election, our Corporate Governance Guidelines require that the director promptly offer to tender his or her resignation to the Board. The Governance Committee will make a recommendation to the Board on whether to accept or reject the offer. The Board, taking into account the recommendation of the Governance Committee, will decide whether to accept or reject the offer, and will publicly disclose its decision and the rationale behind it within 90 days after the date of the election. In a contested election, which is not expected for the Meeting, the vote required for the election of directors is a plurality of votes cast.

The votes required to ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year 2024 and to approve the Amended and Restated 2019 Stock Incentive Plan require the approval of the greater of a majority of the shares present at the Meeting and entitled to vote, or a majority of the voting power of the minimum number of shares necessary to constitute a quorum. The vote on our executive compensation is advisory and non-binding. However, the Board will consider shareholders to have approved our executive compensation if the number of the votes cast “for” that proposal exceeds the number of votes cast “against” that proposal. An abstention will have no effect on the election of directors or the vote on our executive compensation, but will have the effect of a vote against the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP and a vote against the approval of the Amended and Restated 2019 Stock Incentive Plan.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Only shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 26, 2024, may vote at the Meeting. As of that date, there were 168,508,403 issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, the only class of securities entitled to vote at the Meeting. Each share registered to a shareholder of record is entitled to one vote. Cumulative voting is not permitted.

VOTING METHODS

Registered shareholders may vote by using any one of the following methods:

You may visit www.proxyvote.com to vote your shares on the Internet, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 25, 2024. Have your Notice or proxy card (if you have requested one) in front of you when you access the website, as they include information, including a unique shareholder control number, that is required to access the system.

You may request a paper proxy card by following the instructions on your Notice for requesting a copy of materials. After you receive your paper proxy card, you may call the toll-free phone number, 1-800-690-6903, listed on your proxy card to vote your shares, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 25, 2024. Have your proxy card or Notice in front of you when calling, as they include information, including a unique shareholder control number, which is required to access the system.

You may request a paper proxy card by following the instructions on your Notice for requesting a copy of materials. After you receive your paper proxy card, you may mark, date, and sign the proxy card, and return it to be received no later than April 25, 2024.

You may vote online during the Meeting through the link www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GGG2024. The 16-digit control number provided on your Notice or proxy card is necessary to access this site. The Meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. Central Time (with log-in beginning at 12:45 p.m. Central Time) on April 26, 2024.

If you own your shares through a broker, bank, broker-dealer or similar organization, you may vote by the methods made available to you through your broker. Follow the instructions describing the available processes for voting your stock that are provided to you by your broker.

ADDITIONAL MEETING INFORMATION

Shareholders of record at the close of business on February 26, 2024, may attend and participate in the Meeting. Shareholders will need to use their control number to log into the Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GGG2024.

We encourage you to access the Meeting prior to the start time. Please allow sufficient time for online check-in, which begins at 12:45 p.m. Central Time. You may check your browser’s compatibility any time prior to the Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/GGG2024. If you experience any difficulties accessing the Meeting, please call (612) 623-6770 for assistance.

Shareholders who wish to submit questions may do so electronically before the Meeting (starting at the time of check-in) or during the Meeting. We will post any appropriate questions received during the Meeting and our answers on our Investor Relations website at https://investors.graco.com/webcast-presentation as soon as practical after the Meeting.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

2023 HIGHLIGHTS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nominees and Continuing Directors

The following information is given with respect to the three nominees for election at the Meeting and the other six directors whose terms of office will continue after the Meeting, and includes a description of the particular experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led the Board to conclude that each of the nominees and directors should serve as members of the Board.

Nominees for election at the Meeting to terms expiring in 2027:

Heather L. Anfang

Ms. Anfang, 51, is President, Dairy Foods, Executive Vice President of Land O’ Lakes, Inc., an agribusiness and food company and one of the largest producers of dairy products in the United States. She assumed this position in February 2024. Prior to that, Ms. Anfang held various positions at Land O’ Lakes, including Senior Vice President, General Manager, U.S. Dairy Foods from 2019 to February 2024, Vice President, Ecommerce/Ebusiness from 2017 to 2019, Vice President, Marketing, Land O’ Lakes SUSTAIN during 2017, Vice President, Marketing and General Manager, U.S. Dairy Foods from 2014 to 2016, Director, Marketing and General Manager, Land O’ Lakes, Retail Foods during 2013, Director, Marketing, Retail Foods Butter & Spreads from 2010 to 2013, Director, Sales & Marketing, Ingredients Solutions from 2008 to 2010, Manager, Marketing, Ingredient Solutions from 2005 to 2008, Manager, Marketing, Retail Cheese from 2003 to 2005, and Assistant Manager, Marketing, Retail Butter from 1999 to 2003. Before joining Land O’ Lakes, Ms. Anfang held marketing, sales and client services roles at The Pillsbury Company, LLC and Information Resources, Inc. Ms. Anfang has been a director of Graco since May 2023. Among other qualifications, Ms. Anfang brings to our Board an array of marketing, sales, ecommerce, operational and leadership skills. In her current role at Land O’ Lakes, Ms. Anfang is responsible for overseeing a multibillion-dollar business. This experience, together with the diversity of other professional experiences upon which she is able to draw, provides further depth of insight and new perspectives to our Board and enhances its leadership and strategic capabilities.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Archie C. Black

Mr. Black, 61, was Chief Executive Officer of SPS Commerce, Inc., a cloud-based supply chain management software company, from 2001 until his retirement in October 2023. Since October 2023, he has held the position of Executive Chair of the Board of SPS Commerce. Mr. Black served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of SPS Commerce from 1998 to 2001. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Investment Advisors, Inc. from 1987 to 1998. Before joining Investment Advisors, Inc., Mr. Black spent three years as an auditor at Price Waterhouse. Mr. Black has served as a director of SPS Commerce since 2001, and has served as a director of Proto Labs, Inc. since 2016 and as Chairman of the Board of Proto Labs since May 2020. Mr. Black has been a director of Graco since February 2023. Among other qualifications, Mr. Black brings to our Board unique perspectives on leveraging technology to improve business processes, outcomes and performance, an in-depth understanding of the requirements of managing a public company, proven leadership, and a wealth of valuable insights and business experience. He has been designated by our Board as an audit committee financial expert.

Brett C. Carter

Mr. Carter, 57, was Executive Vice President and Group President, Utilities and Chief Customer Officer of Xcel Energy Inc., a major U.S. electric and natural gas delivery company, from March 2022 until October 2023. Mr. Carter served as Executive Vice President and Chief Customer and Innovation Officer of Xcel Energy from May 2018 to March 2022. Prior to that, Mr. Carter served as Senior Vice President and Shared Services Executive of Bank of America, one of the world’s largest financial institutions, from October 2015 to May 2018, and as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Bank of America from March 2015 to October 2015. Before joining Bank of America, Mr. Carter held several leadership roles at Duke Energy Co. from 2005 to 2015, including most recently as Senior Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer from 2013 to March 2015. Mr. Carter has been a director of Graco since February 2021. Among other qualifications, Mr. Carter brings to our Board substantial experience overseeing key business areas of operations, marketing, information technology, cyber and physical security, customer service and brand strategy at several major public companies. He has been designated by our Board as an audit committee financial expert.

Directors whose terms continue until 2025:

Eric P. Etchart

Mr. Etchart, 67, was Senior Vice President, Business Development of The Manitowoc Company, Inc., a manufacturer of cranes and foodservice equipment, from 2015 until his retirement in 2016. Mr. Etchart served as President of Manitowoc Cranes and Senior Vice President of The Manitowoc Company from 2007 until 2015. From 2001 to 2007, Mr. Etchart was Executive Vice President, Asia Pacific and President, Zhang Jia Gang Company of the Manitowoc Crane Group in Shanghai, China. Prior to that, Mr. Etchart held various management positions at Potain S.A., until it was acquired by Manitowoc Crane Group in 2001, and at PPM Cranes S.A. Mr. Etchart has been a director of Graco since 2010. He also serves as a director of Alamo Group Inc. and of WD-40 Company, and is Chair of the Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee of Alamo Group and is Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee of WD-40 Company. Mr. Etchart is also a director of UPERIO Group, which sells, rents and services tower cranes and self-erecting cranes, and chairs its Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Committee. Mr. Etchart is a National Association of Corporate Directors (“NACD”) Board Leadership Fellow, and has successfully completed the Diligent Climate Leadership and ESG Leadership certification programs, which collectively focus on climate risk and related business strategy, the board’s related fiduciary obligations, climate-related government regulations, reporting and disclosure requirements, investor engagement, ESG oversight and the development of sustainable growth strategies. Among other qualifications, Mr. Etchart brings to our Board over thirty years of global manufacturing experience, as well as extensive knowledge of and expertise in finance and marketing. Mr. Etchart, a French-national with over twenty years of experience in management positions outside of the U.S., including positions in China, Singapore, Italy, France and the Middle East, is particularly well-suited to provide an international perspective to the Board as we develop our business in global markets.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Jody H. Feragen

Ms. Feragen, 68, was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hormel Foods Corporation, a multinational marketer and manufacturer of brand name food and meat products, from 2010 until her retirement in 2016. She served as Hormel’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 2007 to 2010, and as Vice President of Finance and Treasurer from 2005 to 2007. She also served on Hormel’s board of directors from 2007 until 2016. Ms. Feragen has been a director of Graco since 2015 and is also a director of Patterson Companies, Inc. Ms. Feragen brings to our Board a wealth of financial expertise, business acumen, strong leadership skills and extensive public company experience. Our Board recognizes this expertise, leadership and experience through its designation of Ms. Feragen as one of our audit committee financial experts and by her appointment as Chair of the Audit Committee.

J. Kevin Gilligan

Mr. Gilligan, 69, was Chief Executive Officer of Capella Education Company, an online education provider, from 2009 until August 2018. He also served as a director of Capella Education from 2009 until August 2018, and as Chairman from 2010 until August 2018. Mr. Gilligan served as Executive Vice Chairman of Strategic Education, Inc. from August 2018 until July 2019 in connection with its merger with Capella Education, and served as Vice Chairman of Strategic Education from August 2019 to April 2023. Mr. Gilligan was President and Chief Executive Officer of United Subcontractors, Inc., a national construction services company, from 2004 until 2009. Mr. Gilligan was President and Chief Executive Officer, Automation and Control Solutions, Honeywell International, Inc., a diversified technology and manufacturing company, from 2001 until 2004. Mr. Gilligan has been a director of Graco since 2001 and has served as Chair of the Board of Graco since February 2024. From 2004 until 2009, Mr. Gilligan was a director of ADC Telecommunications, Inc., and served as lead director from 2008 until 2009. Among other qualifications, Mr. Gilligan brings to our Board over twenty-five years of global operational experience as well as comprehensive knowledge of the construction industry, one of the key industries Graco serves. Mr. Gilligan’s public company experience as both an executive and a director provides additional depth to our Board’s leadership capabilities. Our Board recognizes this experience and leadership by his appointment as Chair of our Board and Chair of the Governance Committee.

Nominees whose terms continue until 2026:

Martha A. Morfitt

Ms. Morfitt, 66, is President and Chief Executive Officer of River Rock Partners, Inc., a business and cultural transformation consulting firm. She assumed this position in 2008. Ms. Morfitt formerly served as Chief Executive Officer of Airborne, Inc., a manufacturer of dietary supplements, from 2009 until 2012. Ms. Morfitt left her position at Airborne in 2012 as a result of the acquisition of Airborne by Schiff Nutrition Group. She also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of CNS, Inc., a manufacturer and marketer of consumer products, from 2001 until 2007. Ms. Morfitt left her position at CNS in 2007 as a result of the acquisition of CNS by GlaxoSmithKline plc. Ms. Morfitt has been a director of Graco since 1995 and is also a director and Chair of the Board of lululemon athletica inc. and a director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Olaplex Holdings, Inc. From May 2017 until June 2020, Ms. Morfitt served as a director of Mercer International, Inc.; from 2008 until 2015, she served as a director of Life Time Fitness, Inc.; from 1998 until 2007, she served as a director of CNS; from 2005 until 2006, she served as a director of Intrawest Corporation; and from 2007 until 2010, she served as a director of Solta Medical, Inc. f/k/a Thermage, Inc. Among other qualifications, Ms. Morfitt brings a wealth of global marketing and leadership skills to our Board. Her experience as CEO at River Rock Partners, Airborne and CNS, as well as her experience as a Vice President at Pillsbury Company, allow her to provide our Company with significant strategic and product marketing guidance. Ms. Morfitt’s long service on our Board and her considerable knowledge of our business make her well-suited to provide advice with respect to our strategic plans and marketing programs. Our Board recognizes Ms. Morfitt’s expertise, leadership and experience by her appointment as Chair of the Management Organization and Compensation Committee.

Mark W. Sheahan

Mr. Sheahan, 59, is President and Chief Executive Officer of Graco Inc., a position he has held since June 2021. He served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from June 2018 until June 2021. He was Vice President and General Manager, Applied Fluid Technologies Division from 2008 until June 2018. He served as Chief Administrative Officer from 2005 until 2008, and was Vice President and Treasurer from 1998 to 2005. Prior to becoming Treasurer in 1996, he was Manager, Treasury Services. Mr. Sheahan joined the Company in 1995, and has been a director since June 2021. Mr. Sheahan has over twenty-eight years of progressive experience in various manufacturing, finance and administration roles while at Graco. He has extensive operating experience and in-depth knowledge of financial and managerial accounting practices at Graco. Mr. Sheahan also serves on the board of managers of Fernweh Group, LLC, an organization that makes investments in, and provides consulting services to, companies in the industrial and industrial-technology sectors.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Kevin J. Wheeler

Mr. Wheeler, 64, is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of A. O. Smith Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment and air purification products. Mr. Wheeler was elected President and Chief Executive Officer effective September 2018, and before that served as President and Chief Operating Officer of A. O. Smith from June 2017 to August 2018. From 2013 to May 2017, Mr. Wheeler held the position of Senior Vice President of A. O. Smith and President and General Manager of its North America, India, Europe Water Heating and Export business, which was then A. O. Smith’s largest operating unit. Mr. Wheeler previously served as Managing Director of A. O. Smith’s European operations, where he had responsibility for its water heater business in Europe and the Middle East, and upon his return to the United States from the Netherlands, served as Vice President-International, with responsibility for all European and Asian operations, including China. Mr. Wheeler joined A. O. Smith in 1994, and has served as a director of A. O. Smith since July 2017 and as Chairman since May 2020. Mr. Wheeler has been a director of Graco since February 2020. Among other qualifications, Mr. Wheeler brings to our Board extensive sales, manufacturing and international experience, and his background as both an executive and a director of a public company provides additional depth to our Board’s leadership capabilities.

Qualification Standards

Our Company will only consider as candidates for director individuals who possess a high level of ethics and integrity, and who are committed to representing the long-term interests of our shareholders. Such candidates must be able to make a significant contribution to the governance of our Company by virtue of their business and financial expertise, educational and professional background, and current or recent experience as a CEO or other senior leader of a public company or other major organization. The business discipline that may be sought at any given time will vary depending on the needs and strategic direction of our Company and the disciplines represented by incumbent directors. In evaluating candidates for nomination as a director of Graco, the Governance Committee will also consider other criteria, including geographical representation, independence, practical wisdom, mature judgment and the ability of the candidate to represent the interests of all shareholders and not those of a special interest group. One or more of our directors is required to possess the education or experience required to qualify as an audit committee financial expert as defined in the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Once elected, all directors are subject to the standards set forth in our Corporate Governance Guidelines, which include, among others, the requirement to tender the director’s resignation if his or her employment status significantly changes, and the requirement to resign from the Board effective as of the date of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders following the director’s 75^th birthday unless the Board makes the determination that the director has current, substantial engagement in business activities that requires skills relevant to our business and useful to the Board. Each of Lee R. Mitau and R. William Van Sant has reached age 75 and will retire from the Board as of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in April 2024 in accordance with the retirement policy contained in our Corporate Governance Guidelines.

Our Board recognizes that directors need to be in a position to commit sufficient time and energy in order to be effective representatives of our shareholders’ interests. As such, our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that directors who serve as chief executive officers of a public company may not serve on more than two other public company boards and all other directors may not serve on more than three other public company boards, without the prior approval of the Governance Committee.

The Governance Committee is responsible for the identification and recruitment of suitable prospective director candidates and has the sole authority to hire an outside search firm to identify director candidates. The Governance Committee may retain an outside search firm as a resource for future candidate sourcing and succession planning as the Governance Committee deems appropriate. In 2023, Ms. Anfang was introduced to the Company through a director search and placement firm that had been engaged by Ms. Anfang, at a time when the Board was open to adding a new director who satisfied various criteria in terms of characteristics, background and skills, including current experience as an active executive. Following initial introductions to Mr. Sheahan, our President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO) and a director, and Mr. Mitau, then Chair of the Board and Chair of the Governance Committee, the Governance Committee reviewed and evaluated Ms. Anfang as a potential director candidate, including assessing whether she satisfied the standards and expectations described above. Following this process, the Governance Committee recommended that the Board appoint Ms. Anfang as a director.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Qualifications of Current Directors

All of our directors meet the qualification standards and expectations described above. In addition to possessing a high level of ethics, integrity and values, excellent judgment and a commitment to representing the long-term interests of our shareholders, each of our directors brings a particular set of skills and experience that enable him or her to make a significant contribution to the governance of our Company.

Board Diversity

In considering whether to recommend an individual for election to our Board, the Governance Committee considers diversity of experience, geographical representation, gender and race, in addition to the other qualifications described in the “Qualification Standards” section above. The Committee views diversity expansively and considers, among other things, functional areas of business and financial expertise, educational and professional background, and those competencies that it deems appropriate to develop a cohesive Board such as ethics, integrity, values, practical wisdom, mature judgment and the ability of the candidate to represent the interests of all shareholders and not those of a special interest group.

Our Board of Directors and each of its committees engage in an annual self-evaluation process. As part of that process, directors, including our CEO, provide feedback on, among other things, whether the Board has the right set of skills, diversity, experience and expertise. This evaluation encompasses a consideration of diversity as described above.

One of our directors is racially diverse and three of our directors are women.

Nominee Selection Process

The selection process for director candidates reflects guidelines established from time to time by the Governance Committee. A shareholder seeking to recommend a prospective candidate for the Governance Committee’s consideration should submit such recommendation in writing, addressed to the Governance Committee in care of the Secretary of the Company at our Company’s corporate headquarters. Nominees recommended by shareholders will be evaluated in the same manner as nominees from other sources.

To nominate a director, our Bylaws provide that timely notice must be received by the Secretary setting forth: (i) the name, age, business and residential addresses and principal occupation or employment of each nominee proposed in such notice; (ii) the name and address of the shareholder giving the notice and any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is made, as they appear in our Company’s stock register; (iii) the number of shares of capital stock of our Company which are beneficially owned by, or any other direct or indirect interest in the capital stock of our Company held by, each such nominee and such shareholder; and (iv) such other information concerning each such nominee as would be required under the rules of the SEC in a proxy statement soliciting proxies for the election of such nominee. Such notice must also include a signed consent of each such nominee to serve as a director of our Company, if elected. The deadlines for nominating directors for the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are set forth below under “Shareholder Proposals and Nominations for the Annual Meeting in the Year 2025.”

DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Our Board of Directors has determined that Ms. Anfang, Mr. Black, Mr. Carter, Mr. Etchart, Ms. Feragen, Mr. Gilligan, Mr. Mitau, Ms. Morfitt, Mr. Van Sant and Mr. Wheeler are independent directors. The independent directors constitute a majority of the Board, and the only director who is not independent is Mr. Sheahan, our CEO. In making its determination regarding the independence of the directors, our Board noted that each independent director meets the standards for independence set out in the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) corporate governance rules, and that there is no material business relationship between our Company and any independent director, including any business entity with which any independent director is affiliated.

In making its determination, our Board reviewed information provided by each of the independent directors and information gathered by our management, and determined that none of the independent directors, other than Mr. Black, have any relationship with our Company other than as a director and shareholder. The Board specifically considered that Mr. Black served as Chief Executive Officer of SPS Commerce, Inc. until he retired from the role in October 2023, at which time he was appointed Executive Chair of the board of SPS Commerce, a position he continues to hold. In 2023, our Company paid SPS Commerce approximately $45,600 for cloud-based supply chain software services. SPS Commerce does not provide any advisory services to the Company. Our relationship with SPS Commerce predates Mr. Black’s service on our Board, and Mr. Black has not been personally involved in any way in our transactions or relationship with SPS Commerce. The total amount our Company paid to SPS Commerce in 2023 falls significantly below two percent of SPS Commerce’s gross revenues, which is the threshold for determining independence under the NYSE’s independence standards. The Board determined that neither the nature of the relationship between our Company and SPS Commerce nor the amounts of the payments were material to the Company or SPS Commerce, and that Mr. Black does not have a material interest in the foregoing transactions because he was not directly involved in the transactions involving SPS Commerce and he does not derive any special benefit related to the transactions.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Our Bylaws and Corporate Governance Guidelines provide for the position of Chair of the Board of Directors, who may or may not be the same person who serves as our CEO. Mr. Gilligan serves as our independent Chair of the Board, having succeeded Mr. Mitau in such role in February 2024. Our Board currently believes that separating the roles of Chair of the Board and CEO is appropriate for our Company because it is desirable to have our CEO focused on the management and operation of our business without the additional responsibilities of Board Chair. Moreover, Mr. Gilligan has meaningful public company and governance experience. Our Bylaws and Corporate Governance Guidelines set forth several responsibilities of the Chair of the Board, including setting agendas for board meetings and presiding at executive sessions of non-employee directors.

BOARD OVERSIGHT OF RISK

Our Board of Directors takes an active role in oversight of our Company’s risk by assessing risks inherent in our Company’s decisions and key strategies. We have separated the roles of Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer, which the Board believes increases its independence from management and facilitates better risk monitoring and oversight. The Audit Committee specifically discusses policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management as part of its responsibility to oversee our Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee actively oversees the Company’s cybersecurity risks and strategy, with management providing regular reports to the Audit Committee and the Board on cybersecurity risks facing the Company and the systems management has put in place to identify, mitigate and manage those risks.

Our Company engages in an Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) process. The ERM process consists of periodic risk assessments performed by each division, region and functional group during the year, including an annual risk assessment on the Company’s executive compensation program (as discussed in more detail on page 20) and an annual assessment of the Company’s cybersecurity risks. Executive management periodically reviews the divisional, regional and functional risk assessments. These assessments are presented to the Audit Committee each September to ensure completeness, appropriate oversight and review. We believe that the active oversight role played by our Audit Committee, which consists solely of independent directors, provides the appropriate level of independent oversight of risk within our Company.

BOARD OVERSIGHT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MATTERS

Our Board of Directors provides oversight of the Company’s strategies and initiatives related to corporate social responsibility and sustainability, including environmental, social and governance matters, with management providing regular reports to the Board or one of its committees on various topics related to these matters.

MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

During 2023, our Board of Directors met six times. Attendance of our directors at all Board and committee meetings averaged 98%. During 2023, every director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and all committees of the Board on which he or she served. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines require that each director make all reasonable efforts to attend the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In 2023, all of the directors attended the Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board includes an executive session of only non-employee directors, and our independent Chair of the Board presides at the executive sessions.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, a Governance Committee, and a Management Organization and Compensation Committee. Membership as of February 26, 2024, the record date, was as follows:

Ms. Anfang was appointed to serve as a member of the Audit Committee and the Management Organization and Compensation Committee upon her appointment to the Board, effective May 12, 2023. Mr. Gilligan was appointed to succeed Mr. Mitau as the Chair of the Governance Committee, effective February 16, 2024. Ms. Morfitt was appointed to succeed Mr. Gilligan as the Chair of the Management Organization and Compensation Committee, effective February 16, 2024.

Audit Committee (8 meetings in fiscal year 2023)

The Audit Committee is composed entirely of directors who meet the independence requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All of the Audit Committee members are, in the judgment of the Board, financially literate. Our Board has determined that Ms. Feragen and Messrs. Black, Carter and Van Sant are audit committee financial experts.

The Audit Committee assists the Board in its oversight of the integrity of our financial statements, our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, the qualification and independence of the independent auditor, and the performance of the internal audit function and the independent auditors.

The responsibilities of the Audit Committee are set forth in a written charter. The Audit Committee has reviewed and reassessed the adequacy of its charter and concluded that the charter satisfactorily states the responsibilities of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee Charter was most recently approved by the Board on February 18, 2022.

Governance Committee (3 meetings in fiscal year 2023)

The Governance Committee is composed entirely of directors who meet the independence requirements of the NYSE. The Governance Committee has the following functions:

The responsibilities of the Governance Committee are fully set forth in its written charter, which was most recently approved by the Board on February 18, 2022.

Management Organization and Compensation Committee (3 meetings in fiscal year 2023)

The Management Organization and Compensation Committee is composed entirely of directors who meet the independence requirements of the NYSE. The Management Organization and Compensation Committee has the following functions:

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

The responsibilities of the Management Organization and Compensation Committee are fully set forth in its written charter, which was most recently approved by the Board on April 28, 2023.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

A non-employee director may elect to receive shares of our common stock instead of cash for all or part of the director’s annual retainers. A director may choose to receive the shares currently or defer receipt until the director leaves the Board, at which time the director may receive the shares in a lump sum or installments. Payments, whether in a lump sum or by installments, will be made in shares of common stock, plus cash in lieu of any fractional share. When our Board declares a dividend, the director’s deferred stock account is credited with additional shares of deferred stock in an account held by a trustee in the name of the director equivalent to the number of shares that could be purchased with the dividends at the current fair market value of the shares.

Non-employee directors receive an annual option grant. In February 2023, non-employee directors received an annual option grant of 6,250 shares. The number of shares granted was based on a Black-Scholes value of $22.40 per share on February 16, 2023, and an economic value of approximately $140,000. In February 2024, non-employee directors received an annual option grant of 4,830 shares. The number of shares granted was based on a Black-Scholes value of $28.96 per share on February 15, 2024, and an economic value of approximately $140,000. Upon first joining the Board, non-employee directors are also eligible to receive an initial option grant with an economic value equal to that of the most recent option grant for non-employee directors. Mr. Black received an initial option grant of 6,160 shares on February 20, 2023, upon his appointment to the Board. The number of shares granted to Mr. Black was based on a Black-Scholes value of $22.72 on February 17, 2023, and an economic value of approximately $140,000. Ms. Anfang received an initial option grant of 5,940 shares on May 12, 2023, upon her appointment to the Board. The number of shares granted to Ms. Anfang was based on a Black-Scholes value of $23.54 on May 11, 2023, and an economic value of approximately $140,000. Options granted to non-employee directors are issued under the Graco Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The options are non-statutory, have a 10-year duration and become exercisable in equal installments over four years, beginning with the first anniversary of the date of the grant. The option exercise price is the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant, as defined in the Plan. The Plan defines “fair market value” as the closing sales price of the stock on the principal securities market on which it trades on the date immediately preceding the date of grant.

Our Board’s philosophy is to target retainer compensation at a level approximately comparable to the median of the market, and to target equity compensation in the form of stock options at a level approximately comparable to the 75^th percentile of the market, in order to attract and retain capable Board members, to encourage above-market Company performance, and to strengthen the link between our director compensation program and the interests of our shareholders in Graco stock performance.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Our Governance Committee retained Willis Towers Watson to conduct a peer group comparison of director compensation and present such data at its February 2023 meeting. The peer companies selected for the 2023 comparison matched the peer group identified for executive compensation on page 23 of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of the Proxy Statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In reviewing the peer group comparison, the Governance Committee concluded that non-employee director retainer compensation fell below the median of the peer group, and that non-employee director equity compensation was below the 75^th percentile of the peer group. As a result, the Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Governance Committee, determined that the economic value of the annual option grant for non-employee directors would increase from $130,000 to $140,000 effective February 17, 2023, and the annual retainer for non-employee directors would increase from $71,000 to $80,000 effective May 1, 2023. No other adjustments were made to the non-employee directors’ compensation.

Our Governance Committee requested that the Graco Compensation Department conduct a peer group comparison of director compensation and present such data at its February 2024 meeting. The peer companies used for the 2024 benchmarking study matched the peer group identified for executive compensation on page 23 of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement. In reviewing the peer group comparison, the Governance Committee concluded that current non-employee director retainer compensation was approximately at the median of the peer group, and that non-employee director equity compensation was approximately at the 75^th percentile of the peer group, so no changes were proposed for 2024.

Share ownership guidelines for our directors require each of our non-employee directors to own a minimum of approximately five times the total value of their annual retainers in Company stock. Shares of common stock directly and beneficially owned, as well as deferred stock shares, are used to calculate each director’s ownership level; stock options are not used. Directors have five years from their initial date of appointment to reach the minimum ownership level. All of our directors who have served for at least five years exceed this ownership requirement.

In February 2001, our Board terminated the retirement benefit for non-employee directors, which provided that, upon cessation of service, a non-employee director who has served for five full years or more will receive payments for five years at a rate equal to the director’s annual retainer in effect on the director’s last day of service on the Board. The annual retainer calculation is set at the rate then in effect for the non-Chair annual retainer and does not include Committee Chair retainer fees. Such retirement payments will be prorated and made quarterly. Payments will be made in accordance with this retirement benefit to Mr. Mitau and Ms. Morfitt, who satisfied the service requirement in 2001, upon their respective retirements.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Director Compensation Table for Fiscal Year Ended December 29, 2023

The following table summarizes the total compensation paid to or earned by our non-employee directors for their service during the fiscal year ended December 29, 2023:

Information concerning the assumptions used in accounting for equity awards may be found in Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note H to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The aggregate number of outstanding option grants at fiscal year-end 2023 are as follows:

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD

Our Board of Directors welcomes the submission of any comments or concerns from shareholders or other interested parties. These communications will be delivered directly to the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. If a communication does not relate in any way to Board matters, he will deal with the communication as appropriate. If the communication does relate to any matter of relevance to our Board, he will relay the message to the Chair of the Governance Committee, who will determine whether to relay the communication to the entire Board or to the non-employee directors. The Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary will keep a log of all communications addressed to the Board that he receives. If you wish to submit any comments or express any concerns to our Board, you may use one of the following methods:

Board of Directors

Graco Inc.

c/o Joseph J. Humke, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

P.O. Box 1441

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-1441

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS

The charters of the Audit, Governance, and Management Organization and Compensation Committees, as well as our Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, are available on our website at www.graco.com and may be found by selecting the “For Investors” tab and then clicking the “Governance” tab.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

Report of the Audit Committee

The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements of our Company for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2023 (the “Financial Statements”) with both the Company’s management and its independent registered public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP. The Audit Committee has discussed with Deloitte & Touche LLP the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Our management has represented to the Audit Committee that the Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

The Audit Committee has received from Deloitte & Touche LLP the written disclosure and the letter required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee has discussed with Deloitte & Touche LLP its independence. The Audit Committee has also received written material addressing Deloitte & Touche LLP’s internal quality control procedures and other matters, as required by the New York Stock Exchange listing standards. The Audit Committee has considered the effect of non-audit fees on the independence of Deloitte & Touche LLP and has concluded that such non-audit services are compatible with the independence of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

Based on these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to our Board of Directors that the Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2023, be included in the Company’s 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Fees and Services

The following table sets forth the aggregate audit fees incurred by Graco and its subsidiaries from our Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP, the member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and their respective affiliates (collectively, the “Deloitte Firms”), and the fees paid to the Deloitte Firms for services in the other fee categories during the fiscal years ended December 29, 2023 and December 30, 2022. The Audit Committee has considered the scope and fee arrangements for all services provided by the Deloitte Firms to our Company, taking into account whether the provision of non-audit services is compatible with maintaining the Deloitte Firms’ independence. The Audit Committee pre-approved 100% of the services described below.

Pre-Approval Policies

The Audit Committee’s policy on approval of services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm is to pre-approve all audit and permissible non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm during the fiscal year. The Audit Committee reviews each non-audit service to be provided and assesses the impact of the service on the firm’s independence.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Overview

In 2023, the Company continued to invest in its four core strategies for growth and long-term value creation: new product development; new markets; global expansion; and acquisitions. During the year, net sales were $2.196 billion (up 2% from 2022), diluted net earnings per share were $2.94 (up 11% from 2022), dividends paid per share were $0.94 (up 12% from 2022 - our 24^th consecutive annual increase), and share repurchases totaled 1.422 million shares. Total shareholder return during the period was 30%. The Company’s short-term cash incentive plan continued to use net sales and earnings per share as the sole metrics to reward top-line and bottom-line performance. The earnings per share metrics used for determining 2023 cash incentive plan payouts were adjusted to exclude certain items as defined by the Management Organization and Compensation Committee (for purposes of this Executive Compensation section, the “MOCC”) and as described in more detail on page 25, which we refer to as “Incentive EPS.” For 2023, Incentive EPS were $3.07. The following charts detail the Company’s net sales and Incentive EPS results against targets and prior year performance.

The Company’s named executive officers (“Named Executive Officers” or “NEOs”) for 2023 were:

Consideration of “Say-on-Pay” Voting Results

The MOCC targets a competitive and equitable executive compensation program that rewards executives based upon Company and individual performance, and for certain executives, region or worldwide division performance as well. In making executive compensation decisions, the MOCC considers the results of the most recent non-binding advisory vote on the compensation paid to our NEOs. At the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in April of 2022, our shareholders approved the compensation paid to our NEOs by 88.6%. The MOCC believes this favorable outcome reflects our shareholders’ strong support of the Company’s executive compensation philosophy, program and practices. As a result, the MOCC determined it was not necessary to make any material changes to the Company’s executive compensation program for 2023. Our compensation paid to NEOs received 89.7% support at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in April of 2023.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Compensation Philosophy

Compensation Risk Assessment

The Company’s Internal Audit Department conducts an annual risk assessment on the Company’s executive compensation program and presents its findings to the MOCC and the Audit Committee. The risk assessment identifies, among other things, certain potential risks in the Company’s short-term and long-term incentive plans and the Company’s severance and change of control arrangements, and various factors that serve to mitigate those risks. Such mitigating factors include those set forth above, as well as the annual plan design and benchmarking review by the independent compensation consultant and the MOCC, the MOCC’s review and approval of incentive awards, the Company’s internal controls, and the use of “double-triggers” in cash severance and change of control arrangements. At its September 2023 meeting, the MOCC reviewed and discussed the risk assessment and determined that the Company’s executive compensation program is not likely to have a material adverse impact on the Company, and it recommended that the Audit Committee make the same determination as well. As a result, the MOCC did not make any material changes to the structure of the Company’s executive compensation program.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Executive Officer Compensation Processes

The MOCC uses the following resources, processes and procedures to help it effectively perform its responsibilities:

Executive Compensation Consultant

The MOCC has the authority under its charter to engage the services of outside consultants, to determine the scope of the consultants’ services and to terminate such consultants’ engagement. The MOCC retained Willis Towers Watson as its independent outside executive compensation consultant to advise the MOCC on matters relating to the determination of base salary and short-term and long-term incentive programs for the Company’s executive officers.

In its capacity as the executive compensation consultant, Willis Towers Watson advises the MOCC on the following matters:

Our Company’s management engaged Willis Towers Watson to perform certain non-executive compensation services in 2023. The total fees for these services were less than $120,000.

The MOCC reviews the independence of the executive compensation consultant on an annual basis. In evaluating Willis Towers Watson’s independence, the MOCC considers all factors relevant to Willis Towers Watson’s independence from management, including the following:

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Based on its review, the MOCC concluded there was no conflict of interest that impaired Willis Towers Watson’s independence.

Role of Management in Executive Compensation Decisions

Our management is involved in the following executive compensation processes:

Benchmarking

The MOCC annually retains Willis Towers Watson to provide survey market data of companies with similar revenues for all executive officer positions, with a focus on the manufacturing industry. The MOCC meets in the fall of each year to review this market data. The market data is derived from Willis Towers Watson’s database and is statistically adjusted to reflect variation in revenues among the companies. The MOCC is presented with data showing total direct compensation amounts at the 50^th and 75^th percentiles of the market data. In addition, the MOCC considers data from this survey reflecting the general mix of compensation elements among base salary, short-term incentives and long-term incentives. At the same time, the MOCC reviews information showing the relative positioning of the compensation of the Company’s executive officers in relation to the market data. When reviewing the relative positioning of each executive officer’s total direct compensation level, the MOCC compares each executive officer to generally comparable positions identified within the market data. The purpose of this annual review is to gather a general sense for whether the Company’s compensation levels and mix of compensation elements are generally consistent with this market data, with a general expectation that total direct compensation should be between the 50^th and the 75^th percentiles of the market data depending on Company and individual performance. At the same time, Willis Towers Watson provides general information to the MOCC about market trends and expected compensation level changes for the upcoming fiscal year (“Market Increase Projection”).

At the MOCC’s last meeting of each fiscal year, the MOCC sets base salaries for executive officers for the upcoming fiscal year. The decisions about the specific base salary levels are based on individual performance and budgetary constraints and are guided by the 50^th percentile of the market data without a specific market position targeted.

At the MOCC’s first meeting of each fiscal year, the MOCC approves short-term incentive targets and long-term incentive awards. The target short-term cash award is determined as a percentage of base salary for the executive officer annual incentive plan, which percentage has been consistent for many years. The MOCC targets the value of the long-term incentive awards for our NEOs at the 75^th percentile for comparable positions within the Willis Towers Watson database, although the number of shares granted may be adjusted downward based on the Company’s stock dilution guidelines and internal equity. The reason for targeting the 75^th percentile is to encourage above-market performance. In addition, the MOCC believes that the opportunity for above-market compensation should be primarily earned in the area of long-term performance. Once the value of the long-term incentive award is determined, the number of shares subject to the equity awards granted to each executive officer is determined by dividing the long-term incentive award value by a projected Black-Scholes value based on assumptions used for financial accounting purposes.

Refer to the discussions of each compensation element below, as well as the “Compensation of Individual Named Executive Officers” section below, for specific information on how this benchmarking process applied to specific compensation decisions for our NEOs for 2023.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Our Company’s Peer Group

The Company’s compensation peer group (the “Graco Peer Group”) was reviewed and analyzed with Willis Towers Watson in September 2022 to ensure the group is large enough to maintain reliable market outcomes and is appropriately aligned with the Company in terms of industry, size, life cycle stage, labor market, and revenue and market capitalization characteristics. At that time, Willis Towers Watson did not recommend any changes to the Graco Peer Group, and the MOCC determined not to make any changes to the Graco Peer Group, believing it achieved the foregoing objectives. Willis Towers Watson validated the ongoing viability of the Graco Peer Group in September 2023. The following table lists the companies that were in the Graco Peer Group when the MOCC set 2023 compensation levels for the executive officers, and includes financial and headcount data for the Company and the median of the Graco Peer Group:

(1) Represents most recent fiscal year data available from Equilar as of February 6, 2024.

Given that compensation data for the CEO and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) positions of the Graco Peer Group are readily available in securities filings, the MOCC used the applicable Graco Peer Group as a primary source of data when setting 2023 and 2024 compensation levels for the Company’s CEO and CFO. Compensation data for all other executive officer positions in the Graco Peer Group are limited to those executive officers identified in securities filings, which positions may or may not correspond to the positions held by, and responsibilities of, our other executive officers. Therefore, the MOCC used the Willis Towers Watson benchmarking data as a primary source of data, and the relevant Graco Peer Group as a secondary source of data to the extent applicable, when setting 2023 and 2024 compensation levels for the Company’s other executive officers.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Components of the Executive Compensation Program

Our executive compensation program is designed to reward short-term results and motivate long-term performance through the use of three primary total compensation components: base salary; short-term incentives; and long-term incentives. The following table summarizes each of these components of compensation:

In addition to reviewing the benchmarking data described above, the MOCC reviews compensation and benefits tally sheets for our projected NEOs showing their current and potential total compensation and benefits components. The tally sheets also display estimated compensation and benefits for hypothetical change of control and involuntary and voluntary terminations. Specifically, the tally sheets reviewed by the MOCC in September 2023 provided actual compensation for 2021 and 2022 and target annual compensation for 2023. These tally sheets also provided retirement balances as of December 31, 2022, projected to normal retirement age or the age at which the benefit is not subject to reduction, deferred compensation balances and the projected value of stock awards based on assumptions regarding stock price appreciation.

The MOCC strives to maintain a reasonable and competitive balance between fixed and variable elements of compensation. The MOCC believes the compensation mix and amount paid to each of our executive officers is market-based, reasonable and competitive. The 2023 pay mix at target for our CEO and other NEOs is displayed below. The percentage allocation among each pay element may vary based on an individual’s experience, responsibilities, performance and corporate/division/region results. The “performance-based/at risk” pay components comprised between 61% and 87% of the total target annual direct compensation for 2023 to align our NEOs’ compensation with the performance of the Company and the creation of shareholder value.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Base Salary

Base salary is fixed compensation. Annual salary increases are based on individual performance and budgetary constraints and are guided by the 50^th percentile market data.

For 2023, the merit increase decisions for our NEOs were based on the criteria identified above. Additional information on individual salary adjustments for 2023 is provided in the “Compensation of Individual Named Executive Officers” section below.

Short-Term Incentives (STI)

The Graco Inc. Incentive Bonus Plan (the “Incentive Bonus Plan”) is designed to motivate the executive officers of the Company to improve the overall performance of the Company and to reward them when the Company achieves specific measurable results. The Incentive Bonus Plan provides cash rewards to executive officers to encourage them to produce a strong return for the Company’s shareholders and to encourage them to remain employees of the Company. The MOCC has the discretion to designate executive officers and other employees of the Company as participants in the Incentive Bonus Plan. The Incentive Bonus Plan also permits the MOCC to establish performance periods of any length. Potential payouts under the Incentive Bonus Plan are expressed as a percentage of base salary, which percentages have remained constant within each level (CEO and other executive officers) for many years. Specific financial performance thresholds must be attained in order for the executive officers to earn an incentive payment. If specified performance levels are not achieved or exceeded, there is no payout. The annual incentives, to the extent earned, are typically paid in cash in March following the calendar year to which they relate and are based upon the MOCC’s determination of financial performance against pre-established targets.

At its meeting in February 2023, the MOCC approved participation of our CEO and other executive officers in the Incentive Bonus Plan for 2023. The threshold, target and maximum payout levels as a percent of target and as a percent of base salary for 2023 are displayed below. Achievement of performance levels between threshold and target, and target and maximum, result in a payout that is interpolated based on the level of performance, and permit a partial payout as soon as the threshold level of achievement has been exceeded.

The MOCC established two financial measures for the Incentive Bonus Plan: Net Sales and Incentive EPS growth over the prior year. Net Sales and Incentive EPS growth were selected as the metrics against which to measure the executive officers’ performance for the Incentive Bonus Plan because the MOCC desires to motivate the executive officers to achieve profitable business growth consistent with our long-term financial objectives. In 2023, the MOCC adjusted these metrics relative to prior years from a weighting of 50% Net Sales and 50% Incentive EPS growth to a weighting of 40% Net Sales and 60% Incentive EPS growth in order to further increase the incentive to drive earnings. The MOCC utilized projected global gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates as a guide in setting the 2023 target performance levels. At the time the MOCC established the 2023 target performance levels, the MOCC once again determined that final bonus payout calculations for corporate, worldwide division and region Incentive EPS would exclude certain purchase accounting and one-time transaction costs related to acquisitions and divestitures, the initial valuation of acquisitions and potential earn out adjustments, and the effects of excess tax benefits from stock option exercises. Final corporate, worldwide division and region Incentive EPS calculations for 2023 bonus payouts excluded these items. Consistent with its authority to adjust Incentive Bonus Plan awards based on unanticipated or special circumstance, the MOCC also elected to exclude the impact of a non-cash pension settlement loss related to our pension plan restructuring in 2023 when determining final Incentive EPS calculations as the restructuring was determined to be in the Company’s best interest and was not contemplated at the time 2023 target performance levels were established. The MOCC believes these adjustments provide a better measure of operating performance for 2023. These adjustments did not impact the amount of the 2023 Incentive Bonus Plan award payouts, as Incentive EPS growth over 2022, even before taking into account these adjustments, already exceeded the maximum Incentive EPS growth threshold for purposes of calculating such payouts.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

The 2023 Incentive Bonus Plan award payouts were based upon the achievement of specified levels of Net Sales and Incentive EPS at the corporate, worldwide divisional and regional levels. Financial performance levels and actual results for the 2023 Incentive Bonus Plan were as follows:

The 2023 financial results produced above target payouts for the Incentive Bonus Plan for each of our NEOs. The Incentive Bonus Plan targets as a percentage of base salary, awards at target, performance achievements, actual payouts and payouts as a percentage of base salary for each NEO were as follows:

The MOCC has the authority to award special bonuses outside of the Incentive Bonus Plan to individual executive officers, but no such special bonuses were awarded for 2023.

Long-Term Incentives (LTI)

The MOCC typically grants long-term incentive awards in the form of stock options to each executive officer at its regularly scheduled February meeting based on a review of the market data. The MOCC is guided by the 75^th percentile of the market data for comparable groupings of positions to determine the economic value of such awards. The stock option awards are designed to promote the interests of the Company and its shareholders through the attraction and retention of experienced and capable leaders. The MOCC considers, except in the case of the award to our CEO, the recommendation of our CEO for such awards. The MOCC also considers the dilutive effect on our shareholders in determining the number of stock options granted to each executive officer.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

As part of its review of the market data and trends in executive compensation, the MOCC periodically considers whether to utilize other long-term incentive vehicles in addition to or in lieu of stock options. While the MOCC has on rare occasions granted restricted stock to certain executive officers, the MOCC has determined that the use of stock options as the sole long-term incentive vehicle for the executive officer compensation program has successfully motivated the executive officers to attain long-term goals and operational growth for the Company, and has aligned the executive officers’ interests with our shareholders’ interests in creating long-term shareholder value. The MOCC has utilized stock options as the sole long-term incentive vehicle for the executive officer compensation program for over 30 years. Over the past 30 years, the Company’s cumulative total shareholder return has been 14,146% versus 923% for the S&P 500 and 904% for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Assuming all dividends were reinvested, a $1,000 investment in the Company’s common stock at the beginning of the 30-year period would have been worth $142,463 on December 29, 2023, while a $1,000 investment in each of the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index would have been worth $10,226 and $10,040, respectively, on December 29, 2023. The MOCC believes these results demonstrate that stock options have been highly effective in aligning management’s interests with our shareholders’ interests and creating significant value for our shareholders over the long term.

Under the terms of the Graco Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2019 Plan”), the MOCC must approve all stock option grants to executive officers. In February 2023, executive officers were awarded non-qualified stock options with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of our common stock on the grant date, defined in the 2019 Plan as the last sale price of the stock on the day immediately preceding the grant date. Each option has a 10-year term and becomes exercisable in equal installments over four years, beginning with the first anniversary of the grant date. Additionally, the 2019 Plan prohibits the repricing of stock options.

In 2023, the MOCC granted the following stock option awards to our NEOs under the 2019 Plan:

Compensation of Individual Named Executive Officers

Mark W. Sheahan

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Sheahan’s base salary as of December 2022 was below the median of the Graco Peer Group. In December 2022, the MOCC approved a base salary increase of 7% to $985,000 for 2023 based on Mr. Sheahan’s relative position in the market and individual performance. The increase was in line with the Market Increase Projection. Based on 2023 corporate Net Sales and corporate Incentive EPS performance, Mr. Sheahan received a $1,299,436 bonus payment under the Incentive Bonus Plan. Mr. Sheahan’s bonus payout represented 132% of his target award. Based on the process described above for setting long-term incentive awards, Mr. Sheahan received a stock option award of 245,530 shares in February 2023.

David M. Lowe

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Mr. Lowe’s base salary as of December 2022 was below the median of the Graco Peer Group. In December 2022, the MOCC approved a base salary increase of 6% to $449,400 based on Mr. Lowe’s relative position in the market and individual performance. Based on 2023 corporate Net Sales and corporate Incentive EPS performance, Mr. Lowe received a $415,002 bonus payment under the Incentive Bonus Plan. Mr. Lowe’s bonus payout represented 132% of his target award. Based on the process described above for setting long-term incentive awards, Mr. Lowe received a stock option award of 37,940 shares in February 2023.

Christian E. Rothe

President, Worldwide Industrial Division

Mr. Rothe’s base salary as of December 2022 was above the median of the 2022 Willis Towers Watson survey data. In December 2022, the MOCC approved a 4% increase to Mr. Rothe’s base salary to $540,600 for 2023 based on his relative position in the market and individual performance. Based on 2023 corporate Net Sales, corporate Incentive EPS, worldwide Industrial Division Net Sales, and worldwide Industrial Division Incentive EPS performance, Mr. Rothe received a $533,299 bonus payment under the Incentive Bonus Plan. Mr. Rothe’s bonus payout represented 141% of his target award. Based on the process described above for setting long-term incentive awards, Mr. Rothe received a stock option award of 22,320 shares in February 2023.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Dale D. Johnson

Chief Commercial Development Officer

Mr. Johnson’s base salary as of December 2022 was above the median of the 2022 Willis Towers Watson survey data. In December 2022, the MOCC approved a 4% increase to Mr. Johnson’s base salary to $566,400 for 2023 based on individual performance and internal pay relationships. Based on 2023 corporate Net Sales, corporate Incentive EPS, worldwide Contractor Equipment Division Net Sales, and worldwide Contractor Equipment Division Incentive EPS performance, Mr. Johnson received a $495,489 bonus payment under the Incentive Bonus Plan. Mr. Johnson’s bonus payout represented 125% of his target award. Based on the process described above for setting long-term incentive awards, Mr. Johnson received a stock option award of 22,320 shares in February 2023.

Caroline M. Chambers

President, EMEA

Ms. Chambers’ base salary as of December 2022 was above the median of the 2022 Willis Towers Watson survey data. In December 2022, the MOCC approved a base salary increase of 4% to $379,600 for 2023 based on Ms. Chambers’ relative position in the market and individual performance. Based on 2023 corporate Net Sales, corporate Incentive EPS, EMEA Region Net Sales, and EMEA Region Incentive EPS performance, Ms. Chambers received a $360,405 bonus payment under the Incentive Bonus Plan. Ms. Chambers’ bonus payout represented 136% of her target award. Based on the process described above for setting long-term incentive awards, Ms. Chambers received a stock option award of 22,320 shares in February 2023.

Compensation Decisions for 2024

In November 2023, the MOCC increased the base salaries of each of our NEOs between 4% and 6% effective January 1, 2024. At its February 2024 meeting, the MOCC kept each NEO’s target annual cash incentive payout as a percent of base salary the same for 2024, and it granted under the 2019 Plan stock option awards of 189,910 shares to Mr. Sheahan, 32,800 shares to Mr. Lowe, and 17,260 shares to each of Messrs. Johnson and Rothe, and Ms. Chambers.

Benefits and Perquisites

In an effort to attract and retain talented employees, we offer retirement, health and welfare programs competitive within our local markets (the “Benefit Programs”). The only Benefit Programs offered to our U.S. executive officers, either exclusively or with terms different from those offered to other eligible employees, are the following:

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Severance and Change of Control Arrangements

We have entered into Key Employee Agreements with the CEO and each of the other NEOs, the terms of which are described below under “Change of Control and Post-Termination Payments.” The MOCC believes it is in the best interests of our Company and its shareholders to design compensation programs that:

Accordingly, the Key Employee Agreements generally provide for certain benefits if the NEO’s employment or service is involuntarily terminated by our Company without cause prior to a change of control or if, within two years after a change of control, the NEO’s employment or service is terminated involuntarily by the Company without cause or the NEO resigns for good reason. The form of Key Employee Agreement to which each of our NEOs is a party was approved by the MOCC in April 2021 after the MOCC’s review of the key employee agreements previously in effect and current market practices related to severance arrangements and benefit levels related thereto. The MOCC reviews the form of Key Employee Agreement on a periodic basis in consultation with the executive compensation consultant and legal advisors. The MOCC most recently conducted such a review in November 2023, at which time it approved certain changes to the form of Key Employee Agreement, principally to account for developments in local laws related to non-competition agreements that may apply to persons hired or promoted to be executive officers of the Company following such approval, depending on their location. These changes do not impact the Key Employee Agreements we entered into with our executive officers prior to such approval, and we do not anticipate they will impact the form of Key Employee Agreement we offer to persons hired or promoted to be executive officers of the Company following such approval, if the local laws that apply to them do not require these changes.

The MOCC believes it is imperative to diminish any potential distraction of the executive officers by the personal uncertainties and risks created by a pending or threatened change of control. By offering Key Employee Agreements that will financially protect an executive officer in the event their employment or service is involuntarily terminated or terminated by the executive officer for good reason following a change of control, the MOCC believes an executive officer’s full attention and dedication to our Company will be enhanced. The MOCC also believes the executive officers’ dedication will help the Company appropriately evaluate and complete a change of control transaction and facilitate an orderly transition. In the event of a change of control of our Company, the Key Employee Agreements provide benefits only if the executive officer’s employment or service is terminated involuntarily without cause or if the executive officer resigns for good reason, including by reason of material demotion, decrease in compensation, relocation or increased travel, within two years after the change of control. The MOCC believes this “double-trigger” approach is most consistent with the objectives described above. The MOCC believes a termination by an executive officer for good reason may be conceptually the same as termination by our Company without cause, and that a potential acquirer would otherwise have an incentive to constructively terminate the executive officer’s employment to avoid paying severance benefits. Thus, the Key Employee Agreements provide severance benefits in the case of an NEO’s resignation for good reason following a change of control.

The MOCC believes it is important to attract and retain our executive officers by agreeing to provide certain benefits if the executive officer’s employment or service is terminated without cause prior to a change of control. In addition, the MOCC believes that, in jurisdictions where employee non-compete agreements are permitted or where the benefits are conditioned upon not competing, these benefits are appropriate to compensate the executive officers for not working with competitors for a specified period of time following termination of employment, and that compensation enhances the enforceability of these non-compete covenants. The MOCC also believes the Company benefits from obtaining a release of any claims from these former executive officers and the severance payments provide consideration for obtaining the release.

Our equity awards for our NEOs provide for accelerated vesting or lapse of restrictions upon a change of control. The MOCC believes that acceleration upon a change of control is appropriate to minimize the risk that executive officers might favor a transaction based on the likely impact on the executive officers’ equity awards, to increase the likelihood that the employees will remain with us after becoming aware of a pending or threatened change of control, and due to the increased likelihood that employees may be terminated by a successor through no fault of their own.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Prohibition on Hedging and Pledging

The Company’s directors, executive officers and certain employees who may have access and exposure to information about the Company’s financial performance prior to it being released to the public are prohibited from hedging Company stock, and the Company’s directors and executive officers are prohibited from pledging Company stock. The prohibitions on hedging and pledging include, but are not limited to, holding shares of Company stock in a margin account or any other account that could cause such shares to be subject to a margin call or otherwise be available as collateral for a margin loan.

During 2023, there were no Company shares pledged or hedged by directors or executive officers.

Tax Implications of Executive Compensation

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code places a limit of $1 million in compensation per year on the amount public companies may deduct with respect to certain executive officers. Our pay-for-performance philosophy is central to our compensation program, and the MOCC believes shareholder interests are best served if its discretion and flexibility in structuring and awarding compensation is not restricted even though some compensation awards may result in non-deductible compensation expense to the Company.

Report of the Management Organization and Compensation Committee

The Management Organization and Compensation Committee of the Company has reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K with management, and based on such review and discussions, the Management Organization and Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement.

The Members of the Management Organization and Compensation Committee

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Summary Compensation Table

The table below summarizes the total compensation for the last three fiscal years awarded to, earned by or paid to individuals who served as our CEO and our CFO during fiscal year 2023 and each of the other three most highly compensated executive officers who were serving as executive officers at the end of fiscal year 2023, collectively, the NEOs.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Grants of Plan-Based Awards in 2023

On February 17, 2023, the MOCC awarded a non-qualified stock option to each executive officer, including the NEOs, under the 2019 Plan. The amounts shown in the table below in the column entitled “All Other Option Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Options” reflect the number of common shares covered by the stock option granted to each NEO. Each option has a 10-year term and becomes exercisable in equal installments over four years, beginning with the first anniversary of the grant date.

Under the Incentive Bonus Plan, the payout upon achievement of applicable financial measures ranges from a minimum of 0% to a maximum of 150% of base salary for Mr. Sheahan and a minimum of 0% to a maximum of 105% of base salary for the other NEOs.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards for Fiscal Year Ended December 29, 2023

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2023 Fiscal Year End

The following table summarizes the outstanding equity awards held by each Named Executive Officer on December 29, 2023:

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2023

The following table summarizes the options exercised by each Named Executive Officer in 2023:

Change of Control and Post-Termination Payments

Summary of the Key Employee Agreement

The MOCC reviews the form of Key Employee Agreement on a periodic basis in consultation with the executive compensation consultant and legal advisors. As discussed above, in November 2023, the MOCC approved certain changes to the form of Key Employee Agreement, principally to account for developments in local laws related to non-competition agreements that may apply to persons hired or promoted to be executive officers of the Company following such approval, depending on their location (the “New Key Employee Agreement”). These changes do not impact the Key Employee Agreements we entered into with our executive officers prior to such approval (the “Legacy Key Employee Agreement”), which remain unchanged. In addition, we anticipate that, in cases where the local laws applicable to a person hired or promoted to be an executive officer of the Company following such approval do not require these changes, the Legacy Key Employee Agreement will be offered to such person. Where applicable, the following summary of the Key Employee Agreement highlights the material differences between the terms of the New Key Employee Agreement and the Legacy Key Employee Agreement.

The Key Employee Agreement provides for payment of the following benefits if the Company terminates the employment of an executive officer involuntarily without Cause (as defined below) prior to a Change of Control (as defined below):

The Key Employee Agreement provides for payment of the following benefits if, within two years after a Change of Control, the Company without Cause terminates an executive officer’s employment involuntarily or if the executive officer resigns for Good Reason (as defined below):

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

The Key Employee Agreement does not provide for a gross-up of income taxes (and excise taxes related to such gross-up payment) due under the “excess parachute” provisions of Section 280G of the Code in the event the Company terminates an executive officer’s employment involuntarily without Cause or if the executive officer resigns for Good Reason within two years after a Change of Control. Instead, the Key Employee Agreement includes a “best of net” provision to address any potential parachute payments subject to Section 280G of the Code.

The definition of “Change of Control” in the Key Employee Agreements generally includes: (i) acquisition of beneficial ownership by a person or group which results in aggregate beneficial ownership of 30% or more of voting power or common stock, subject to certain exceptions; (ii) change of 50% or more of the Board members, without Board approval; and (iii) consummation of a merger or other business combination unless our Company’s shareholders own a majority of the voting power and common stock of the surviving corporation and other conditions are satisfied.

As used in the Key Employee Agreement, “Cause” means: (i) conviction of, or guilty or no contest plea to, any felony or other criminal act involving moral turpitude; (ii) gross misconduct or any act of fraud, disloyalty or dishonesty related to or connected with the executive officer’s employment or otherwise likely to cause material harm to our Company or its reputation; (iii) a willful and material violation of our Company’s written policies or codes of conduct; (iv) wrongful appropriation of our Company’s funds or property or other material breach of the executive officer’s fiduciary duties to our Company; or (v) the willful and material breach of the Key Employee Agreement by the executive officer.

As used in the Key Employee Agreement, “Good Reason” means: (i) assignment of duties materially inconsistent with, or other material diminution of, the executive officer’s duties, responsibilities or authority as in effect immediately prior to the Change of Control; (ii) material reduction in the executive officer’s annual compensation as in effect immediately prior to the Change of Control; (iii) relocation of the executive officer to a location more than 50 miles from where the executive officer was based immediately prior to the Change of Control, or requiring the executive to travel to a substantially greater extent; or (iv) failure by our Company to assign the Key Employee Agreement to a successor.

Under the Key Employee Agreement, the executive officer agrees to protect our Company’s confidential information. The Legacy Key Employee Agreement includes an agreement by the executive officer to not compete with our Company or solicit employees for one year (two years for CEO) after termination of employment (or, if the executive officer’s employment is terminated involuntarily other than for Cause prior to a Change of Control, the non-compete covenant may expire after the executive officer is no longer receiving severance payments). The non-compete restriction does not apply if the executive officer’s employment is terminated involuntarily without Cause or voluntarily for Good Reason within two years after a Change of Control. The New Key Employee Agreement does not contain a covenant not to compete with our Company and nothing in the New Key Employee Agreement prohibits the executive officer from competing with our Company. However, if the executive officer in fact competes with our Company during the one-year period (two-year period for CEO) following termination of employment, the Company is not obligated to pay to the executive officer any further severance payments to which he or she is otherwise entitled as described above and, if the executive officer has previously received any such severance payment, he or she must return it to the Company, in each case with the exception of that portion of severance equal to one month’s base salary.

In order to receive severance, the executive officer must sign a release of claims in favor of our Company and be in compliance with the terms of the Key Employee Agreement. The term of the Key Employee Agreement for each Named Executive Officer is one year, followed by automatic annual renewals, unless either party gives six months’ notice of non-renewal.

Except as indicated above with respect to the CEO, each Named Executive Officer is party to the same form of Key Employee Agreement (in each case being the Legacy Key Employee Agreement).

Other Compensation and Benefits Payable Upon a Change of Control or Certain Terminations

Each NEO is eligible for the benefits described in this section as part of our Company’s standard practice or policy; however, the benefits are not triggered by any specific termination reason. Incremental amounts for each of these benefits are disclosed in the Summary Compensation Table, Potential Payments Upon Termination or Following a Change of Control table, or Pension Benefits table.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Pursuant to the Incentive Bonus Plan, each participant is eligible to receive a prorated bonus based on the amount of base salary earned during the fiscal year and the bonus percentage actually paid for that year for an employment termination due to death, disability or retirement. Unvested stock option awards provided to any executive officer will automatically accelerate and the options will become fully vested in the event of a Change of Control of our Company or if the executive officer’s employment is terminated due to death, disability or retirement. All unvested restricted stock provided to any executive officer will automatically be accelerated and fully vested in the event of a Change of Control of our Company or if the executive officer’s employment is terminated due to death or disability.

Participants in the Graco Employee Retirement Plan and the Graco Restoration Plan are entitled to receive the accumulated pension benefits over their lifetime, over a specific defined time or at the time of their retirement. These amounts are reflected in the Present Value of Accumulated Benefit column of the Pension Benefits table.

Upon any termination of employment, all employees are eligible to receive payment for any credited but unused paid time off. Each Named Executive Officer would receive reimbursement for any miscellaneous travel and spousal travel perquisites and associated tax gross-up payments incurred during the fiscal year.

The following table discloses the potential payments and benefits, other than those available generally on a nondiscriminatory basis to all U.S. salaried employees, provided upon a Change of Control or termination of employment for each of the Named Executive Officers, calculated as if the Change of Control or termination of employment had occurred on December 29, 2023:

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Following a Change of Control at December 29, 2023

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Under the Key Employee Agreement, the payment may be reduced in situations where the NEO would otherwise be subject to excise tax liability under Section 280G of the Code if the amount of such reduced payment would be greater than the full payment less the excise tax. The amounts in the table above do not reflect any reductions that might be made.

Retirement Benefits

Graco Employee Retirement Plan

The Graco Employee Retirement Plan – Blue (2017 Statement) (the “Retirement Plan”) is a funded, tax-qualified defined benefit pension plan designed to coordinate with Social Security benefits to provide a basic level of retirement benefits for all eligible employees. Eligible executive officers participate in the Retirement Plan on the same terms as the rest of our eligible employees. The Retirement Plan is frozen to employees hired on or after January 1, 2006. Each of the Named Executive Officers is eligible for benefits under the Retirement Plan, except for Mr. Rothe, as he was hired by the Company after January 1, 2006.

Benefits for those eligible under the Retirement Plan consist of a fixed benefit, which is designed to provide a retirement income at age 65 of 43.5% of a participant’s average monthly compensation, less 18% of Social Security-covered compensation (calculated in a life annuity option) for an employee with 30 years of service. Average monthly compensation is defined as the average of the five consecutive highest years’ cash compensation during the last ten years of service, divided by sixty. The Retirement Plan defines eligible cash compensation as base salary, holiday pay, income earned outside of the United States but paid in the United States, annual bonus, CEO award, sales incentive, area differential, short-term disability payments, vacation pay, paid out accrued vacation, deferrals made under a cash or deferred agreement under Code Section 401(k), contributions to a plan established under Code Section 125, and transit and parking reimbursements made under Code Section 132. Benefits under the Retirement Plan vest upon five years of benefit service. Normal retirement age is defined as age 65 or age 62 with at least 30 years of service. Early retirement is available to participants age 55 or older with 5 years of vesting service. The monthly amount of a participant’s benefit when retiring prior to age 65, or age 62 with less than 30 years of benefit service, will be reduced by 0.5% for each month by which a participant’s benefit is to begin prior to the participant turning age 65 (or age 62, as the case may be). If a participant continues in employment with the Company after the participant’s normal retirement date, payment of the benefit shall be suspended for each calendar month during which the participant continues employment.

The default form of pension benefit is a single life annuity that provides a monthly benefit for the life of the participant. A participant may elect an optional form of payment. The optional forms available are a joint and survivor annuity or a term certain annuity. A joint and survivor annuity is an annuity that is payable monthly to and for the lifetime of the participant with a survivor annuity that is payable monthly after the participant dies to and for the lifetime of a participant’s designated joint annuitant in an amount equal to 50%, 66 2/3%, 75% or 100% (as elected by the participant) of the amount payable during the joint lives of the participant and the designated joint annuitant. The value of the amounts payable in the joint and survivor annuity form of pension shall be actuarially equivalent to the value of the amounts payable in the single life annuity form of pension. A term certain annuity is a form of annuity that is payable monthly to and for the lifetime of the participant or, if longer, for 120 or 180 months, as elected by the participant before the participant’s pension is to begin.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Graco Restoration Plan

Because the Code limits the pension benefits that can be accrued under a tax-qualified defined benefit pension plan, we have established the Graco Restoration Plan (2005 Statement) (the “Graco Restoration Plan” or the “Restoration Plan”). This plan is a nonqualified excess benefit plan designed to provide retirement benefits to eligible executives and other highly compensated employees as a replacement for the retirement benefits limited under the Retirement Plan by operation of Section 415 and Section 401(a)(17) of the Code or who have experienced a reduction in benefits due to participant contributions to the Graco Deferred Compensation Plan. The Restoration Plan provides comparable level retirement benefits as a percentage of compensation as those provided to other employees.

An employee who is a participant in the Retirement Plan and who has experienced a legislative reduction in benefits under the Retirement Plan due to limitations imposed by Section 415 of the Code, Section 401(a)(17) of the Code, or who has experienced a reduction in benefits due to participant contributions to the Graco Deferred Compensation Plan (2005 Restatement), and is selected for participation, is eligible to participate in the Restoration Plan.

Benefits under the Restoration Plan supplement the benefits under the Retirement Plan. The Restoration Plan will pay to a participant as a benefit the amount by which the benefit under the Retirement Plan is exceeded by the benefit to which the participant would have been entitled under the Retirement Plan if the benefit limitations under Section 415 of the Code and the compensation limitations of Section 401(a)(17) of the Code did not apply. The Restoration Plan provides for several default forms of distribution. If the participant is single at the time distribution of the participant’s benefit is to commence, the participant’s benefit is to be paid in a single life annuity. If the participant is married at the time distribution of the participant’s benefit is to commence, the participant’s benefit is to be paid in the form of a joint and survivor annuity. The joint and survivor annuity will be paid over the life of the participant and the participant’s spouse, with a reduced annuity paid to the survivor after the death of the participant or the participant’s spouse. Alternatively, a participant may elect any of the distribution options available under the Retirement Plan or a lump sum option. A participant may elect to change the form of distribution to one of the optional forms of distribution. If the participant’s form of payment prior to electing one of the alternate forms is an annuity and the alternate form elected is an actuarially equivalent annuity, the benefit will commence on the same date that the benefit would have been paid but for the election to change the form. If a participant wishes to elect the lump sum option or any option which does not meet the conditions listed above, the election will not take effect until the date that is twelve months after the date on which the participant made the election, and the distribution will be delayed for at least five years after the distribution would have otherwise been made absent the election unless the participant elected a lump sum for the prospective benefits earned after December 31, 2010.

A participant’s benefit will commence on the first day of the month after the later of: (i) the date the participant attains age 62; or (ii) the participant separates from service. In the case of a distribution to a specified employee (as defined in Section 409A of the Code), where commencement is based on the specified employee’s separation from service, the date that the distribution will commence will be the first day of the month following the date that is six months after the specified employee’s separation from service.

If the value of a participant’s benefit under the Restoration Plan is $10,000 or less as of the date the benefit of a participant is to commence, the benefit will be paid in a single lump sum. There is no cap on the maximum benefits under the Restoration Plan.

The actuarial present values of accumulated benefits as of December 29, 2023 for both the Retirement Plan and Restoration Plan are reflected in the Present Value of Accumulated Benefit column of the Pension Benefits table below. The actuarial present values are based on the valuation method and the assumptions applied in the calculations referenced in footnote 1 to the Pension Benefits table.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

Pension Benefits at 2023 Fiscal Year End

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

The Graco Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (2005 Statement) (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”) is a nonqualified, unfunded deferred compensation plan intended to meet the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. Our Company has purchased insurance contracts on the lives of certain employees who are eligible to participate in the Restoration Plan and the Deferred Compensation Plan to fund the Company’s liability under these plans. These insurance contracts are held in trust and are available to general creditors in the event of the Company’s insolvency. Only a select group of management and highly compensated employees are eligible to participate in the Deferred Compensation Plan.

A participant in the Deferred Compensation Plan may elect to defer 1% to 50% of their base salary or sales incentive advances and/or 1% to 100% of their annual bonus and year-end sales incentive award. The Deferred Compensation Plan uses measurement funds to value the performance of the participants’ accounts. Participants can select one or more measurement funds and allocate their accounts in whole percentages. Participants have the ability to change their measurement funds on a daily basis. Participants are fully vested in the funds credited to their account at all times.

Upon enrollment in the Deferred Compensation Plan, the participant elects the year distributions are to begin, which may coincide with the participant’s separation from service, and the form of distribution. The participant may elect a one-time change to the year in which the distribution is to begin. A change will delay the first distribution date for at least five years after the date the distributions would have begun under the original election. Participants have the ability to select between the following distribution forms: lump sum or annual installments for five, ten or fifteen years. In the event of a distribution made in connection with the participant’s separation from service, the account will be distributed as soon as administratively possible in the January next following the date of separation from service. For a specified employee (as defined by Code Section 409A), distributions made due to a separation from service will be delayed until the first of the month following the date that is six months after the date the specified employee separated from service.

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation at 2023 Fiscal Year End

As of December 29, 2023, Ms. Chambers was the only named executive officer contributing to the Deferred Compensation Plan.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement

CEO Succession Planning

Our Board is responsible for reviewing and approving management’s succession plan for key executive positions and for establishing a succession plan for our CEO position. The MOCC is responsible for overseeing executive management succession planning and management organization. Annually, our CEO, together with our CHRO, present to our Board an overview of our talent management program and processes, including the identification of key individuals, their readiness for certain executive positions, and development actions to be taken to prepare them for these positions over a period of time. In addition, our Board annually reviews and discusses succession planning for our CEO position. In doing so, the Board considers our Company’s current and future business and leadership needs, the identification of candidates who may be able to serve as our principal executive officer in an emergency, the development of potential candidates who may be able to serve as our principal executive officer in the longer-term, and progress made by those potential candidates in their development over the past year. Our Board has access to senior executives and key management from time to time through presentations to the full Board and one-on-one meetings with individual directors.

CEO Pay Ratio

As required by Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K, we are providing the ratio of the annual total compensation of our CEO to the median of the annual total compensation of our employees (excluding our CEO). In 2023, the annual total compensation of our CEO was $9,236,066, and the annual total compensation of our median employee was $88,426, resulting in a ratio of approximately 104 to 1.

To identify our median employee, we generated a list of all individuals employed by the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of December 29, 2023, excluding our CEO. We did not exclude any non-U.S. employees from the list. We then used base compensation (defined as base salary or wages) for calendar 2023 as the consistently applied compensation measure for all employees, and sorted the list based on this measure to identify the median compensation of our employees. Compensation in currencies other than the U.S. dollar was converted into U.S. dollars at the applicable exchange rate in effect as of December 29, 2023. We identified an employee at the median of base compensation, and then calculated the total annual compensation of the identified median employee for 2023 using the same methodology we used to calculate the annual total compensation of our CEO in the Summary Compensation Table.

The SEC’s rules for identifying the median employee, calculating the median employee’s annual total compensation, and calculating the pay ratio based on that employee’s annual total compensation allow companies to adopt a variety of methodologies, to apply certain exclusions, and to make reasonable estimates and assumptions that reflect their employee populations and compensation practices. As a result, the pay ratio reported by other companies may not be comparable to the pay ratio reported above, as other companies have different employee populations and compensation practices and may utilize different methodologies, exclusions, estimates and assumptions in calculating their own pay ratios.

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Graco Inc. 2024 Proxy Statement