RYE BROOK, N.Y.- Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues, today reported full-year 2019 revenue of $5.25 billion, up one percent on a reported basis and four percent on an organic basis. Full-year reported net income was $401 million, or $2.21 per share, with a reported operating margin of 9.3 percent. Adjusted net income, which excludes the impact of restructuring, realignment and special charges, was $547 million, or $3.02 per share. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was 19.5 percent, flat year-over-year. Xylem delivered full-year 2019 adjusted operating margin of 13.9 percent, up 20 basis points versus the prior year. The Company generated $613 million in free cash flow, representing a 124 percent conversion.

In the fourth quarter 2019, Xylem generated net income of $118 million, or $0.65 per share, and adjusted net income of $161 million, or $0.89 per share, which excludes the impact of restructuring, realignment and special charges. Fourth quarter revenue was $1.37 billion reflecting ongoing softness in Industrial and Commercial end markets. Adjusted EBITDA declined 10 basis points to 20.5 percent. Reported operating margin in the quarter was 14.2 percent and adjusted operating margin declined 10 basis points year-over-year to 15.0 percent.

“Our teams continued to capitalize on Xylem’s portfolio of industry-leading technologies throughout 2019, again delivering mid-single-digit growth in the Utilities market globally, including double-digit growth in China and India,” said Patrick Decker, president and CEO of Xylem. “However, soft Industrial and Commercial markets in the second half slowed our overall revenue growth and margin progress for the year. In response to those challenges, we effectively contained costs, significantly improved working capital, and exceeded our free cash flow conversion commitments.”

“We’ve entered 2020 with strong operational discipline, solid foundations underpinning continued growth, and an energized global team leading the industry on sustainability,” Decker continued. “We’re confident we can manage through soft conditions persisting through the first half, and we foresee a moderate second-half recovery in our short-cycle businesses in parallel with ramp-ups in several large Utilities projects in our backlog. We expect a return to mid-single-digit growth in the second half of the year.”

Xylem announced that its Board of Directors declared a dividend in the amount of $0.26 per share, an increase of 8 percent. The dividend is payable on March 26, 2020, to shareholders of record as of February 27, 2020.

Full-year 2020 Outlook

Xylem forecasts full-year 2020 organic revenue in the range of $5.3 to $5.35 billion, up one to three percent.

Full-year 2020 adjusted operating margin is expected to be in the range of 14.0 to 14.5 percent, resulting in adjusted earnings per share of $2.96 to $3.16. This represents an increase of one to eight percent from Xylem’s 2019 adjusted results, excluding the impact of foreign exchange translation and a reduction in non-cash pension income. The Company’s adjusted earnings outlook excludes projected restructuring and realignment costs in the range of $35 million to $45 million for the year. Excluding revenue, Xylem provides guidance only on a non-GAAP basis due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting certain amounts that would be included in GAAP earnings, such as discrete tax items, without unreasonable effort.

Fourth Quarter Segment Results

Water Infrastructure

Xylem’s Water Infrastructure segment consists of its portfolio of businesses serving clean water delivery, wastewater transport and treatment, and dewatering.

• Fourth quarter 2019 revenue was $603 million, up one percent organically compared with fourth quarter 2018. This increase was driven by solid results in the Utilities end market in the Emerging Markets and Europe. This was largely offset by declines in its short-cycle industrial dewatering business.


• Fourth quarter reported operating income for the segment was $119 million. Adjusted operating income for the segment, which excludes $6 million of restructuring and realignment, was $125 million. Reported operating margin for the Water Infrastructure segment was 19.7 percent, up 20 basis points versus the prior year, and adjusted operating margin was 20.7 percent, flat with prior year. Strong productivity benefits and cost control offset inflation, lower volumes, and unfavorable mix from our high-margin Dewatering business.

Applied Water

Xylem’s Applied Water segment consists of its portfolio of businesses in residential and commercial building services, and industrial applications.

• Fourth quarter 2019 Applied Water revenue was $392 million, a two percent decline organically year-over-year. Volume weakness in the Commercial and Industrial end markets continued in the quarter, with particular softness in the United States and Europe, partly offset by modest growth in Emerging Markets.


• Fourth quarter reported operating income for the segment was $62 million and adjusted operating income, which excludes $3 million of restructuring and realignment costs, was $65 million, a six percent decrease versus the comparable period last year. The segment reported operating margin was 15.8 percent, down 60 basis points versus the prior year period. Adjusted operating margin declined 60 basis points to 16.6 percent. Strong productivity and price realization in the segment was more than offset by inflation, unfavorable mix, and lower volumes.

Measurement & Control Solutions

Xylem’s Measurement & Control Solutions segment consists of its portfolio of businesses in smart metering, network technologies, advanced infrastructure analytics and analytic instrumentation.

• Fourth quarter 2019 Measurement & Control Solutions revenue was $376 million, up two percent organically versus the prior year, driven by higher energy project deployments in the United States, and stronger international water metrology demand.


• Fourth quarter reported operating income for the segment was $27 million, and adjusted operating income, which excludes $2 million of restructuring and realignment costs, was $29 million. Measurement & Control Solutions segment reported operating margin was 7.2 percent. Adjusted operating margin of 7.7 percent increased 20 basis points over the prior year period. Productivity benefits and price realization offset inflation and mix headwinds to modestly expand margins.

Supplemental information on Xylem’s fourth quarter 2019 earnings and reconciliations for certain non-GAAP items is posted at www.xylem.com/investors.

About Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology company committed to developing innovative technology solutions to the world’s water challenges. The Company’s products and services move, treat, analyze, monitor and return water to the environment in public utility, industrial, residential and commercial building services settings. Xylem also provides a leading portfolio of smart metering, network technologies and advanced infrastructure analytics solutions for water, electric and gas utilities. The Company’s more than 16,000 employees bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on identifying comprehensive, sustainable solutions. Headquartered in Rye Brook, New York, with 2019 revenue of $5.25 billion, Xylem does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands.

The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of our water-centric business by linking it with the best water transportation of all – that which occurs in nature. For more information, please visit us at www.xylem.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains information that may constitute “forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Generally, the words “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “forecast,” “believe,” “target,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include any statements that are not historical in nature, including any statements about the capitalization of the Company, the Company’s restructuring and realignment, future strategic plans and other statements that describe the Company’s business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals. All statements that address operating or financial performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future - including statements relating to orders, revenues, operating margins and earnings per share growth, and statements expressing general views about future operating results - are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in, or reasonably inferred from, such forward-looking statements.

Factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated include: overall economic and business conditions; geopolitical and other risks associated with our international operations, including military actions, protectionism, economic sanctions or trade barriers including tariffs and embargoes that could affect customer markets and our business, and non-compliance with laws, including foreign corrupt practice laws, data privacy, export and import laws and competition laws; actual or potential pandemics; potential for unexpected cancellations or delays of customer orders in our reported backlog; our exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; disruption, competition and pricing pressures in the markets we serve; industrial, governmental and private sector spending; the strength of housing and related markets; weather conditions; ability to retain and attract talent and key members of management; our relationship with and the performance of our supply chain including channel partners; our ability to successfully identify, complete and integrate acquisitions; our ability to borrow or to refinance our existing indebtedness and availability of liquidity sufficient to meet our needs; uncertainty from the expected discontinuance of LIBOR and transition to any other interest rate benchmark; changes in the value of goodwill or intangible assets; risks relating to product defects, product security, product liability and recalls; claims or investigations by governmental or regulatory bodies; cybersecurity attacks, breaches or other disruptions of information technology systems on which we rely; litigation and contingent liabilities; and other factors set forth under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 ("2018 Annual Report") and with subsequent filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information currently available to the Company as of the date of this Report. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Xylem Inc. Non-GAAP Measures

Management reviews key performance indicators including revenue, gross margins, segment operating income and margins, orders growth, working capital and backlog, among others. In addition, we consider certain non-GAAP (or "adjusted") measures to be useful to management and investors evaluating our operating performance for the periods presented, and to provide a tool for evaluating our ongoing operations, liquidity and management of assets. This information can assist investors in assessing our financial performance and measures our ability to generate capital for deployment among competing strategic alternatives and initiatives, including but not limited to, dividends, acquisitions, share repurchases and debt repayment. Excluding revenue, Xylem provides guidance only on a non-GAAP basis due to the inherent difficulty in forecasting certain amounts that would be included in GAAP earnings, such as discrete tax items, without unreasonable effort. These adjusted metrics are consistent with how management views our business and are used to make financial, operating and planning decisions. These metrics, however, are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered a substitute for revenue, operating income, net income, earnings per share (basic and diluted) or net cash from operating activities as determined in accordance with GAAP. We consider the following non-GAAP measures, which may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies, to be key performance indicators:

“Organic revenue" and "Organic orders” defined as revenue and orders, respectively, excluding the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency translation and contributions from acquisitions and divestitures. Divestitures include sales of insignificant portions of our business that did not meet the criteria for classification as a discontinued operation. The period-over-period change resulting from foreign currency translation impacts is determined by translating current period and prior period activity using the same currency conversion rate.

“Constant currency” defined as financial results adjusted for foreign currency translation impacts by translating current period and prior period activity using the same currency conversion rate. This approach is used for countries whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar.

“EBITDA” defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense. “Adjusted EBITDA” reflects the adjustment to EBITDA to exclude share-based compensation charges, restructuring and realignment costs, gain or loss from sale of businesses and special charges.

"Adjusted Operating Income", "Adjusted Segment Operating Income", "Adjusted Net Income" and “Adjusted EPS” defined as operating income, segment operating income, net income and earnings per share, adjusted to exclude restructuring and realignment costs, gain or loss from sale of businesses, special charges and tax-related special items, as applicable.

“Free Cash Flow” defined as net cash from operating activities, as reported in the Statement of Cash Flow, less capital expenditures as well as adjustments for other significant items that impact current results which management believes are not related to our ongoing operations and performance. Our definition of "free cash flow" does not consider certain non-discretionary cash payments, such as debt.

“Realignment costs” defined as costs not included in restructuring costs that are incurred as part of actions taken to reposition our business, including items such as professional fees, severance, relocation, travel, facility set-up and other costs.

“Sensus Acquisition Related Costs" defined as costs incurred by the Company associated with the acquisition of Sensus that are being reported within operating income. These costs include integration costs, acquisition costs, costs related to the recognition of the backlog intangible asset amortization recorded in purchase accounting.

“Special charges" defined as costs incurred by the Company, such as acquisition and integration related costs not included in "Sensus Acquisition Related Costs", non-cash impairment charges and other special non-operating items.

“Tax-related special items" defined as tax items, such as tax return versus tax provision adjustments, tax exam impacts, tax law change impacts, significant reserves for cash repatriation, excess tax benefits/losses and other discrete tax adjustments.