“The team delivered a fourth quarter to close a record-breaking year for Xylem,” said Matthew Pine, Xylem’s CEO. “We set new benchmarks for full-year revenue, net income and adjusted EBITDA margins, and earnings per share, with the team showing great operating discipline across the portfolio. All segments delivered strong Q4 orders growth, giving us momentum coming into 2025 on resilient underlying demand.”
“In a year of transition and transformation, the team focused on what matters while delivering on the initiatives that have laid the foundation for sustainable growth and value creation. Our 2025 guidance reflects the team’s commitment to our long-term framework as we continue to enable our customers to address the world’s greatest water challenges.”
Net income for the quarter was $326 million, or $1.34 per share. Net income margin increased 190 basis points to 14.5 percent. These results are driven by a non-recurring gain on the remeasurement of our previously held equity interest in Idrica and strong operational performance, partially offset by non-recurring tax benefits in the prior year, a loss on sale of businesses, and increased restructuring and realignment costs. Adjusted net income was $287 million, or $1.18 per share, which excludes the impacts of the gain on remeasurement of previously held equity investment, loss on sale of businesses, purchase accounting intangible amortization, restructuring and realignment costs, and special charges.
Fourth-quarter adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin was 21.0 percent, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 140 basis points. Productivity savings, strong price realization and higher volume drove the margin expansion, exceeding the impact of inflation and strategic investments.
The Board of Directors of Xylem has declared a first-quarter dividend of $0.40 per share, an increase of 11 percent. The dividend is payable on March 19, 2025, to shareholders of record as of February 18, 2025.
Outlook
Xylem forecasts full-year 2025 revenue of approximately $8.6 to $8.7 billion, up approximately 0 to 2 percent on a reported basis and up approximately 3 to 4 percent on an organic basis.
Full-year 2025 adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to be approximately 21.3 to 21.8 percent, an increase of 70 to 120 basis points from Xylem’s 2024 adjusted results. Full-year free cash flow margin is expected to be approximately 9 to 10 percent.
Further 2025 planning assumptions are included in Xylem’s fourth-quarter 2024 earnings materials. 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.
Source: Xylem Inc.
