Xylem Reports First Quarter 2021 Results

• Revenue growth 12% on a reported basis, 8% organically
• Double-digit orders growth across all business segments, reflecting strong commercial momentum and underlying demand in critical infrastructure
• Adjusted EBITDA margin of 17.1%, up 480 basis points; net income as a percentage of revenue was 6.9%, up 350 basis points
• Reported net income of $87 million or $0.48 per share; adjusted net income of $102 million or $0.56 per share
• Raising full-year organic revenue guidance to a range of 5% to 7%, and adjusted earnings per share to a range of $2.50 to $2.70

Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues, today reported first quarter 2021 revenue of $1.26 billion. Revenues grew 12 percent on a reported basis, and 8 percent organically, reflecting demand growth across all segments.

First quarter adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) margin grew 480 basis points to 17.1 percent. The margin expansion was driven by volume benefits from strong demand, productivity gains and cost discipline. Xylem generated net income of $87 million, or $0.48 per share, and adjusted net income of $102 million, or $0.56 per share, which excludes the impact of restructuring, realignment and special charges.

“Our Xylem team performed exceptionally well in the first quarter, despite ongoing pandemic challenges around the world. I’m so proud of how the team has served our customers and communities,” said Patrick Decker, Xylem’s president and CEO. “We came into the year with growing momentum, and are taking full advantage of resurgent demand alongside broader economic recovery, posting double-digit orders growth across all segments.”

“The positive market signals we are seeing, and our team’s proven ability to manage through a challenging supply chain environment, give us confidence about the remainder of this year and beyond. On that basis, we are raising our guidance for the full year, for both top-line growth and earnings.”

Updated Outlook

Xylem now expects full year organic revenue growth to be in the range of 5 to 7 percent, and 8 to 10 percent on a reported basis. This represents an increase from the Company’s previous full-year organic revenue guidance of 3 to 5 percent, and 6 to 8 percent on a reported basis. Full-year adjusted earnings per share is now expected to be in the range of $2.50 to $2.70, up from the previous range of $2.35 to $2.60. The increased guidance primarily reflects commercial momentum and broad demand recovery.

Further 2021 planning assumptions are included in Xylem’s first quarter 2021 earnings materials posted at www.xylem.com/investors. 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.

First Quarter Segment Results

Water Infrastructure

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

• First quarter 2021 revenue was $509 million, up 11 percent organically, and up 16 percent as reported, compared with first quarter 2020. Double-digit growth in both utilities and industrial end markets was driven by strong demand in wastewater applications and project deliveries in Europe, along with strength in Emerging Markets compared to a COVID-challenged environment in the first quarter of the prior year.
• First quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was 17.3 percent, up 430 basis points from the prior year. Reported operating income for the segment was $71 million and adjusted operating income, which excludes $5 million of restructuring and realignment costs, was $76 million. The segment reported operating margin was 13.9 percent, up 500 basis points versus the prior year period. Adjusted operating margin rose 490 basis points to 14.9 percent. Strong productivity and volume leverage offset inflation.

Applied Water

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

• First quarter 2021 revenue was $393 million, representing 13 percent organic growth year-over-year, and 16 percent growth on a reported basis. Double-digit growth from strong demand in industrial and residential end markets was supplemented by mid-single digit growth in the commercial end market.
• First quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was 19.1 percent, up 250 basis points from the prior year. Reported operating income for the segment was $66 million and adjusted operating income, which excludes $1 million of restructuring and realignment costs and $1 million of special charges, was $68 million. The segment reported operating margin was 16.8 percent, up 290 basis points versus the prior year period. Adjusted operating margin rose 280 basis points to 17.3 percent. Strong productivity, cost savings and volume leverage more than offset inflation.

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.

• First quarter 2021 revenue was $354 million, flat organically and up 2 percent on a reported basis, as modest growth in water applications from strong demand in the test business was offset by declines in energy applications from COVID-19 related delays on smart metrology deployments.
• First quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was 15.5 percent, up 770 basis points from the prior year. Reported operating income for the segment was $9 million and adjusted operating income, which excludes $2 million of restructuring and realignment costs, was $11 million. The segment reported operating margin was 2.5 percent, up 600 basis points versus the prior year period. Adjusted operating margin rose 600 basis points to 3.1 percent. Productivity gains and the effect of lapping a one-time warranty charge in the same period of the prior year more than offset inflation and timing delays on smart metrology deployments.

Supplemental information on Xylem’s first quarter 2021 earnings and reconciliations for certain non-GAAP items are posted at www.xylem.com/investors.

About Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology company committed to solving critical water and infrastructure challenges with innovation. Our more than 16,000 diverse employees delivered revenue of $4.88 billion in 2020. We are creating a more sustainable world by enabling our customers to optimize water and resource management, and helping communities in more than 150 countries become water-secure. Join us at www.xylem.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Generally, the words “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” "contemplate," "predict," “project,” “forecast,” “likely,” “believe,” “target,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” "potential," "may" and similar expressions or their negative, may, but are not necessary to, identify forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements address uncertain matters and include any statements that: are not historical, such as statements about our strategy, financial plans, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals; or address possible or future results of operations or financial performance, including statements relating to orders, revenues, operating margins and earnings per share growth.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in any of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and to inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Additionally, many of these risks and uncertainties are, and may continue to be, amplified by the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. Important factors that could cause our actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in or implied by our forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: overall industry and economic conditions, including industrial, governmental and private sector spending and the strength of the residential and commercial real estate markets; geopolitical, regulatory, economic and other risks associated with international operations; continued uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic’s magnitude, duration and impacts on our business, operations, growth, and financial condition, as well as uncertainty around approved vaccines and the pace of recovery when the pandemic subsides; actual or potential other epidemics, pandemics or global health crises; manufacturing and operating cost increases due to inflation, prevailing price changes, tariffs and other factors; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; disruption, competition and pricing pressures in the markets we serve; cybersecurity incidents or other disruptions of information technology systems on which we rely, or involving our products; disruptions in operations at our facilities or that of third parties upon which we rely; availability of products, parts, electronic components, and raw materials from our supply chain; availability, regulation and interference with radio spectrum used by some of our products; our ability to retain and attract senior management and other key talent; uncertainty related to restructuring and realignment actions and related charges and savings; our ability to continue strategic investments for growth; our ability to successfully identify, execute and integrate acquisitions; risks relating to products, including defects, security, warranty and liability claims, and recalls; difficulty predicting our financial results, including uncertainties due to the nature of our short- and long-cycle businesses; volatility in our results due to weather conditions; our ability to borrow or refinance our existing indebtedness and the availability of liquidity sufficient to meet our needs; risk of future impairments to goodwill and other intangible assets; failure to comply with, or changes in, laws or regulations, including those pertaining to anti-corruption, data privacy and security, export and import, competition, and the environment and climate change; changes in our effective tax rates or tax expenses; legal, governmental or regulatory claims, investigations or proceedings and associated contingent liabilities; and other factors set forth in “Part I Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and in subsequent filings we may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information currently available to us as of the date of this press release. We undertake 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.

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