Xylem Unveils Multi-Year Growth Strategy at 2024 Investor Day

Rhea-AI Summary

Xylem (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company, unveiled its multi-year growth strategy and long-term financial framework at its 2024 Investor Day. CEO Matthew Pine, along with senior leaders, outlined plans for above-market growth, margin acceleration through business simplification, and capital allocation updates. The company reaffirmed its 2024 guidance and provided new financial targets through 2027. Xylem projects annual organic revenue growth of 4-6%, with a 100 basis points annual EBITDA margin expansion. The company aims for mid-teens adjusted EPS growth and low-double-digit free cash flow margins annually. The strategy includes updates on the Evoqua integration and new growth opportunities.

Positive

• Projected annual organic revenue growth of 4-6%.
• Anticipated annual adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of 100 basis points.
• Mid-teens adjusted EPS growth per year.
• Low-double-digit annual free cash flow margin.
• Emphasis on business simplification to accelerate margins.
• Integration of Evoqua highlights expansion and growth opportunities.

Negative

• Revenue synergies offset by simplification initiatives, potentially limiting growth.
• No changes in the financial outlook since May 2, 2024, may indicate conservative estimates.

Introduces Long-Term Financial Framework and Reaffirms Current Year Outlook

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL), a leading global water technology company that empowers customers and communities to build a more water-secure world, will unveil its multi-year growth strategy and set out its long-term financial framework today at its Investor Day. Xylem President and CEO Matthew Pine and other senior leaders will provide an update on the Company’s plans to drive above-market growth, accelerate margins through business simplification, and provide an update on capital allocation priorities.

The program will also offer updates on the integration of Evoqua and the Company’s current and future growth opportunities, and provide new financial targets through 2027. The Company is reiterating its 2024 guidance as previously provided on May 2, 2024. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session for in-person and virtual attendees.

“Water flows through every part of the global economy, and Xylem is at the forefront of creating value from water management,” Pine said. “Our industry-leading platform will deliver strong returns by empowering customers and communities to thrive in the transition to a water-secure world. We are creating lasting value by driving resilient above-market growth with significant margin expansion, while deploying capital to compound earnings, as we solve the world’s most critical water challenges.”

“Today, we are unveiling our multi-year financial framework and enhanced sustainability goals. Together, they represent an outlook of purpose-driven, profitable growth that creates distinctive value for our shareholders and shapes a more water-secure and sustainable future.”

Long-term Financial Framework

Xylem’s long-term financial framework anticipates annual organic revenue growth in the range of 4 percent to 6 percent, with approximately 1 percent from implied revenue synergies offset by the impact of simplification initiatives. This results in average annual adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of approximately 100 basis points per year, an acceleration of margin expansion compared to Xylem’s previous long-term framework of 50 to 75 basis points. The growth and margin outlook, combined with disciplined capital allocation, enables mid-teens adjusted EPS growth per year. Additionally, Xylem is committed to a low-double-digit annual free cash flow margin.

2024 Outlook

The Company is reaffirming its 2024 outlook previously provided on May 2, 2024. Further 2024 outlook and planning assumptions are included in Xylem’s first-quarter earnings materials posted at www.xylem.com/investors.

A live stream and replay of the Investor Day event will be available, along with all presentation materials, on Investors Events | Xylem US.

About Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology company committed to solving the world’s critical water challenges with innovation and expertise. Our 23,000 diverse employees delivered combined pro forma revenue of $8.1 billion in 2023. 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 and Let’s Solve Water.

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," “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 (including those related to our social, environmental and other sustainability 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. 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: the impact of overall industry and general economic conditions, including industrial, governmental, and public and private sector spending, interest rates, inflation and related monetary policy by governments in response to inflation, and the strength of the residential and commercial real estate markets, on economic activity and our operations; geopolitical events, including the ongoing and possible escalation of the conflicts involving Russia and Ukraine, and the Middle East, as well as regulatory, economic and other risks associated with our global sales and operations, including those related to domestic content requirements applicable to projects receiving governmental funding; manufacturing and operating cost increases due to macroeconomic conditions, including inflation, energy supply, supply chain shortages, logistics challenges, tight labor markets, prevailing price changes, tariffs and other factors; demand for our products, disruption, competition or pricing pressures in the markets we serve; cybersecurity incidents or other disruptions of information technology systems on which we rely, or involving our connected products and services; lack of availability or delays in receiving parts and raw materials from our supply chain, including electronic components (in particular, semiconductors); disruptions in operations at our facilities or that of third parties upon which we rely; uncertainty related to the realization of the benefits and synergies from our acquisition of Evoqua Water Technologies Corp.; safe and compliant treatment and handling of water, wastewater and hazardous materials; failure to successfully execute large projects, including with respect to meeting performance guarantees and customers’ budgets, timelines and safety requirements; our ability to retain and attract leadership and other diverse and key talent, as well as competition for overall talent and labor; defects, security, warranty and liability claims, and recalls related to our products; uncertainty around restructuring and realignment actions and related costs and savings; our ability to execute strategic investments for growth, including related to acquisitions and divestitures; availability, regulation or interference with radio spectrum used by certain of our products; volatility in served markets or impacts on our business and operations due to weather conditions, including the effects of climate change; risks related to our sustainability commitments and related disclosures; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; difficulty predicting our financial results; risk of future impairments to goodwill and other intangible assets; changes in our effective tax rates or tax expenses; financial market risks related to our pension and other defined benefit plans; failure to comply with, or changes in, laws or regulations, including those pertaining to our business conduct, operations, products and services, including anti-corruption, data privacy and security, trade, competition, the environment, climate change and health and safety; legal, governmental or regulatory claims, investigations or proceedings and associated contingent liabilities; matters related to intellectual property infringement or expiration of rights; and other factors set forth under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 ("2023 Annual Report") and in subsequent filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Forward-looking and other statements in this press release regarding our environmental and other sustainability plans and goals are not an indication that these statements are necessarily material to investors, to our business, operating results, financial condition, outlook, or strategy, to our impacts on sustainability matters or other parties, or are required to be disclosed in our filings with the SEC. In addition, historical, current, and forward-looking social, environmental and sustainability-related statements may be based on standards for measuring progress that are still developing, internal controls and processes that continue to evolve, and assumptions that are subject to change in the future. 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240530296123/en/

Houston Spencer (Media)

+1 (914) 240-3046

Houston.Spencer@xylem.com



Andrea van der Berg (Investors)

+1 (914) 260-8612

Andrea.vanderBerg@xylem.com

Source: Xylem Inc.

FAQ

What growth strategy did Xylem unveil at its 2024 Investor Day?

Xylem introduced a multi-year growth strategy focusing on above-market growth, margin acceleration through business simplification, and disciplined capital allocation.

What are Xylem's long-term financial goals?

Xylem aims for 4-6% annual organic revenue growth, 100 basis points annual EBITDA margin expansion, mid-teens adjusted EPS growth, and low-double-digit free cash flow margin.

What did Xylem reaffirm at their 2024 Investor Day?

Xylem reaffirmed its 2024 guidance previously provided on May 2, 2024.

How will Xylem's business simplification impact their growth?

Business simplification is expected to accelerate margins, contributing to a projected 100 basis points annual EBITDA margin expansion.

What integration updates were provided at Xylem's 2024 Investor Day?

Xylem provided updates on the integration of Evoqua and new growth opportunities stemming from it.