RYE BROOK, N.Y. — Xylem Inc., a leading global water technology company, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Sensus for approximately $1.7 billion in cash.

Sensus, owned by investment funds affiliated with The Jordan Company and GS Capital Partners 2000, is a provider of smart meters, network technologies, and advanced data analytics services for the water, electric, and gas industries. It has more than 80 million metering devices installed globally, and its FlexNet® communications network technology uses licensed spectrum in the U.S. and other geographies and provides secure connectivity solutions that support multiple applications.

Sensus generated $837 million in adjusted revenue and $159 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) in fiscal 2016, which ended March 31, 2016. The $1.7 billion cash purchase price is 10.7 times Sensus’ fiscal year 2016 adjusted EBITDA. Xylem expects to achieve at least $50 million in annual cost synergies to be substantially realized within three years of closing as Xylem extends its global procurement and continuous improvement initiatives into this business, with significant additional revenue synergy potential. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Xylem’s adjusted earnings in 2017.

“With Sensus, we will acquire a strategically valuable asset that will accelerate our ability to bring systems intelligence solutions to customers across the water and energy industries, establish a foundation for future growth, and create significant shareholder value,” said Patrick Decker, Xylem president and chief executive officer. “This will be an important milestone in our strategy to move Xylem’s portfolio of solutions up the technology curve. The combination of Xylem’s world-class brands and products with Sensus’ leading-edge smart technologies will create a differentiated offering that will better meet our customers’ evolving needs, including greater energy efficiency, water conservation, and improved life-cycle costs.

“Sensus has a very broad product portfolio in metering and is well positioned in the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) segment,” continued Decker. “The AMI segment is growing at nearly twice the rate of the total metering space, driven in part by regulations and customers’ growing need for real-time data and reduced operational costs. Our expansive customer relationships will be able to extend the reach of Sensus’ products and technologies to new markets globally, particularly in emerging markets. As a combined company, we expect Xylem to grow faster and be more profitable.”

Decker added, “Sensus’ network platform, FlexNet, can support many of Xylem’s connected product offerings and enable expansion into adjacent Internet of Things markets. We also see natural opportunities to extend the company’s advanced data analytics platform, which provides actionable insights for customers, to Xylem products. Both platforms provide a powerful foundation for future organic and inorganic growth opportunities.”

Sensus has approximately 3,300 employees and major locations in the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Slovakia, and China. Nearly 70 percent of 2016 revenues were generated in the U.S.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory review. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016.

For more information, visit www.xylem.com.

Publication date: 8/25/2016

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