Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What do you think of the water stock Xylem now that it has bought Sensus? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Xylem Inc., $51.91, symbol XYL on New York (Shares outstanding: 179.2 million; Market cap: $9.2 billion; www.xyleminc.com), sells equipment and services related to managing water. The company’s products help its clients collect, distribute, use and return water to the environment. Xylem is a Greek-derived word that refers to the vascular tissue responsible for carrying water and nutrients throughout plants. The company operates two businesses: The Water Infrastructure operation (61% of its sales) sells a wide range of products, including water and waste-water pumps, controls and systems, as well as water treatment and testing equipment. The Applied Water business (39%) focuses on residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural water users. Its main products include pumps, valves, heat exchangers, controls and dispensing equipment. Xylem was formed on October 31, 2011, after ITT Corp. split itself into three separate companies: Xylem; Exelis Inc., symbol XLS on New York (defense and information…