2 Reasons to Like XYL and 1 to Stay Skeptical

Xylem trades at $140.11 and has moved in lockstep with the market. Its shares have returned 7% over the last six months while the S&P 500 has gained 11.3%.

Is XYL a buy right now? Find out in our full research report, it’s free.

Why Does Xylem Spark Debate?

Formed through a spinoff, Xylem (NYSE:XYL) manufactures and services engineered products across a wide variety of applications primarily in the water sector.

Two Things to Like:

1. Skyrocketing Revenue Shows Strong Momentum

Reviewing a company’s long-term sales performance reveals insights into its quality. Even a bad business can shine for one or two quarters, but a top-tier one grows for years. Over the last five years, Xylem grew its sales at an excellent 12.8% compounded annual growth rate. Its growth beat the average industrials company and shows its offerings resonate with customers.

2. Outstanding Long-Term EPS Growth

We track the long-term change in earnings per share (EPS) because it highlights whether a company’s growth is profitable.

Xylem’s EPS grew at an astounding 17.7% compounded annual growth rate over the last five years, higher than its 12.8% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became more profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded.

One Reason to be Careful:

Slow Organic Growth Suggests Waning Demand In Core Business

Investors interested in Water Infrastructure companies should track organic revenue in addition to reported revenue. This metric gives visibility into Xylem’s core business because it excludes one-time events such as mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures along with foreign currency fluctuations - non-fundamental factors that can manipulate the income statement.

Over the last two years, Xylem’s organic revenue averaged 6.1% year-on-year growth. This performance slightly lagged the sector and suggests it may need to improve its products, pricing, or go-to-market strategy, which can add an extra layer of complexity to its operations.

Final Judgment

Xylem’s positive characteristics outweigh the negatives, but at $140.11 per share (or 25.6× forward P/E), is now the time to initiate a position? See for yourself in our full research report, it’s free.

Stocks We Like Even More Than Xylem

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