Veralto (VLTO) 10-K2023 FY Annual report

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As of February 16, 2024, the number of shares of Registrant’s common stock outstanding was 246,541,873. Prior to the separation of Registrant from Danaher Corporation on September 30, 2023, the Registrant was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation. Consequently, there was no aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of June 30, 2023, the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. The aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of February 16, 2024 was $21.2 billion, based upon the closing price of the Registrant’s common stock on the New York Stock Exchange.

Certain statements included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report, in other documents we file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in our press releases, webcasts, conference calls, materials delivered to shareholders and other communications, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements other than historical factual information are forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding: projections of revenue, expenses, profit, profit margins, pricing, tax rates, tax provisions, cash flows, pension and benefit obligations and funding requirements, our liquidity position or other projected financial measures; management’s plans and strategies for future operations, including statements relating to anticipated operating performance, cost reductions, restructuring activities, new product and service developments, competitive strengths or market position, acquisitions and the integration thereof, divestitures, spin-offs, split-offs, initial public offerings, other securities offerings or other distributions, strategic opportunities, stock repurchases, dividends and executive compensation; growth, declines and other trends in markets we sell into; new or modified laws, regulations and accounting pronouncements; future regulatory approvals and the timing and conditionality thereof; outstanding claims, legal proceedings, tax audits and assessments and other contingent liabilities; future foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; the potential or anticipated direct or indirect impact of COVID-19 on our business, results of operations and/or financial condition; general economic and capital markets conditions; the anticipated timing of any of the foregoing; assumptions underlying any of the foregoing; and any other statements that address events or developments that Veralto intends or believes will or may occur in the future. Terminology such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “should,” “could,” “intend,” “will,” “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “target,” “may,” “possible,” “potential,” “forecast” and “positioned” and similar references to future periods are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements are accompanied by such words. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the risks and uncertainties set forth below and under “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Annual Report.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from the results, developments and business decisions contemplated by our forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the report, document, press release, webcast, call, materials or other communication in which they are made. Except to the extent required by applicable law, we do not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise.

Below is a summary of material risks and uncertainties we face, which are discussed more fully in “Item 1A. Risk Factors”:

Veralto operates through two segments – Water Quality (“WQ”) and Product Quality & Innovation (“PQI”). Our businesses within these segments have strong globally recognized brands as a result of our leadership in served markets over several decades. Our WQ segment provides innovative products and services that improve the quality and reliability of water with leading brands including Hach, Trojan Technologies and ChemTreat. Our PQI segment enables our customers to promote consumer trust in their products and help enable product innovation with leading brands including Videojet, Linx, Esko, X-Rite and Pantone. We believe our leading positions result from the strength of our commercial organizations, our legacy of innovation, and our close and long-term connectivity to our customers and knowledge of their workflows, underpinned by our culture of continuous improvement. This has resulted in a large installed base of instruments that drive ongoing consumables and software sales to support our customers. As a result, our business generates recurring sales which represented approximately 59% of total sales during the year ended December 31, 2023. Our business model also supports a strong margin profile with limited capital expenditure requirements and has generated attractive cash flows. We believe these attributes allow us to deliver financial performance that is resilient across economic cycles.

Veralto uses VES tools to improve our profitability and cash flows, which support our ability to expand our addressable market and improve our market position through investments in areas such as our commercial organization and research and development (“R&D”), including software and digital solutions. Our cash flows also support acquisitions to enhance our product capabilities and expansion into new and attractive markets, which we have successfully done through the acquisition of approximately 80 businesses over more than two decades.

Our two segments are described below:

Our Water Quality segment provides one of the most comprehensive portfolios of water analytics and differentiated water treatment solutions that enable the reliable delivery of safe drinking water by public and private utilities - from source water to the consumer and back into the water cycle. In addition, we help improve the efficiency of processes and production operations of our customers and ensure that their wastewater discharge meets regulatory standards and their environmental and sustainability targets. Under our Hach, Trojan Technologies, ChemTreat, and other globally recognized WQ brands, we provide proprietary precision instrumentation and advanced water treatment technologies that our customers rely on to measure, analyze and treat the world’s water in residential, commercial, municipal, industrial, research and natural resource applications. In addition to instrumentation, our suite of water solutions includes elements used on a recurring basis such as chemical reagents, services and digital solutions. Together, these offerings help promote the quality and reliability of water and optimize our customers’ operations, decision making and regulatory compliance activities.

WQ focuses on what management believes are the most attractive sub-segments of the water value chain helping our customers address some of their most pressing and complex challenges, such as water scarcity, water safety, severe weather events and management of precious natural resources. Our businesses have been at the forefront of delivering breakthrough innovations to our customers. For example, Hach has been a leading player in the field of turbidity testing for over 60 years, pioneering the first regulated method and introducing multiple new generations of instruments and related products. Today, we have one of the most comprehensive portfolios of solutions allowing our customers to test the broadest range of analytical parameters and the ability to harness their data across installed assets. Increasingly, our customers leverage our digital solutions to support regulatory compliance, automate workflows and allow for remote operations and predictive capabilities to address new challenges posed by changing regulations and an aging and less experienced workforce.

Our key WQ brands provide solutions that our customers rely upon to manage critical operations involving water.

Our Product Quality & Innovation segment provides a broad set of solutions for brand owners and consumer packaged goods companies that enable speed to market as well as traceability and quality control of their products. Our solutions play a central role in helping our customers ensure the quality and safety of their products and build trust with consumers. Under our Videojet, Linx, Esko, X-Rite, Pantone and other globally recognized PQI brands, we provide marking and coding, and packaging and color instrumentation and related consumables. Our customers across consumer, pharmaceutical and industrial sectors utilize our offerings to bring products to market, mark packaging in compliance with industry and regulatory standards and convey the safety of products to customers. Our solutions also enable the effective execution of product recalls, thereby helping to mitigate public health risks. Our software solutions are designed to address higher-value, design-oriented portions of the packaging management value chain, such as digital asset management (“DAM”), marketing resource management (“MRM”) and product information management (“PIM”), that help our customers maximize efficiency of operations while generating an attractive source of recurring sales for us. We estimate that a majority of the top 25 global consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) brands (based on 2023 revenues) and a majority of the top 20 pharmaceutical brands (based on 2023 revenues) use PQI’s solutions, enabling confidence and trust in the brands and products consumers use daily.

Our PQI brands provide brand owners and consumer packaged goods companies with essential solutions that improve their ability to develop, maintain and ensure authenticity of their brands.

Veralto’s manufacturing operations employ a wide variety of raw materials, including metallic-based components, electronic components, chemistries, OEM products, plastics and other petroleum-based products. Prices of oil and gas also affect Veralto’s costs for freight and utilities and also have an indirect impact on the cost of other purchased materials. While the price of, and global instability with respect to the supply of, oil and gas did not materially, adversely affect Veralto’s operations in 2023, Veralto is continuing to monitor the oil and gas commodity markets and will seek to mitigate price and/or availability risks as needed. Veralto purchases raw materials from a large number of independent sources around the world. No single supplier is material, although for some components that require particular specifications or regulatory or other qualifications there may be a single supplier or a limited number of suppliers that can readily provide such components. Veralto utilizes a number of techniques to address potential disruption in and other risks relating to its supply chain, including in certain cases the use of safety stock, alternative materials and qualification of multiple supply sources.

The supply chain disruptions that began in 2021 for a number of our businesses continued in 2023 (including in some cases shortages of supply, cost inflation and shipping delays), as well as labor availability constraints and labor cost increases. Through the application of VES tools and processes (including the implementation of price increases), Veralto largely mitigated the impact of these pressures on Veralto’s profitability and as a result these pressures did not have a material, adverse effect on the business in 2023. These pressures continue to varying degrees as of the date of this annual report. We are continuing to work with our suppliers to understand the existing and potential future impacts of these trends on our supply chain and we continue to take actions in an effort to mitigate such impacts, including purchasing components in the open market and qualifying additional suppliers. Due to the uncertainty regarding the duration and impact of these trends in 2024, there can be no assurance that these factors will not have an adverse impact on our business and financial statements in the future. For a further discussion of risks related to the materials and components required for Veralto’s operations, refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

In 2022, Veralto suspended the shipment of products to Russia. In the first quarter of 2022, Veralto recorded a pretax charge of $1 million, primarily related to the impairment of accounts receivable and inventory related to Russian operations. Russia has significantly reduced the export of natural gas to Europe, creating uncertainty on natural gas prices and a reduced supply of natural gas. If this trend continues, Veralto’s European manufacturing facilities could face increased costs and risks of production disruptions. Veralto’s European customers and suppliers could experience similar adverse impacts, which could further adversely impact Veralto’s supply chain and also adversely impact the demand for its products. Veralto will continue monitoring the military, social, political, regulatory and economic environment in Ukraine and Russia and its broader impacts, and will consider further actions as appropriate. For a discussion of risks related to Veralto’s operations as a result of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

The Company owns numerous patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and licenses to intellectual property owned by others. Although in aggregate the Company’s intellectual property is important to its operations, the Company does not consider any single patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or license (or any related group of any such items) to be of material importance to any segment or to the business as a whole. From time to time the Company engages in litigation to protect its intellectual property rights. For a discussion of risks related to the Company’s intellectual property, refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” All capitalized brands and product names throughout this document are trademarks owned by, or licensed to, Veralto.

Although Veralto’s businesses generally operate in highly competitive markets, Veralto’s competitive position cannot be determined accurately in the aggregate or by segment since none of its competitors offer all of the same product and service lines or serve all of the same markets as Veralto, or any of its segments, does. Because of the range of the products and services Veralto sells and the variety of markets it serves, Veralto encounters a wide variety of competitors, including well-established regional competitors, competitors who are more specialized than it is in particular markets, as well as large companies or divisions of large companies with substantial sales, marketing, research and financial capabilities. Veralto is facing increased competition in a number of its served markets as a result of the entry of well-resourced companies into certain markets, the entry of competitors based in low-cost manufacturing locations, the development of competitive technologies by early-stage and emerging companies and increasing consolidation in particular markets. The number of competitors varies by product and service line. Management believes that Veralto has a leadership position in many of the markets it serves. Key competitive

factors vary among Veralto’s businesses and product and service lines, but include the specific factors noted above with respect to each particular business and typically also include price, quality, performance, delivery speed, application expertise, service and support, technology and innovation, distribution network, breadth of product, service and software offerings and brand name recognition. For a discussion of risks related to competition, refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Our business is sensitive to general economic conditions. Slower economic growth in the domestic and/or international markets, inflation, actual or anticipated default on sovereign debt, volatility in the currency and credit markets, military conflicts, high levels of unemployment or underemployment, labor availability constraints, reduced levels of capital expenditures, changes or anticipation of potential changes in government trade, fiscal, tax and monetary policies, changes in capital requirements for financial institutions, government budget negotiation dynamics, sequestration, austerity measures and other challenges that affect economies of the world have in the past adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, the Company and its distributors, customers and suppliers, including having the effect of:

If growth in any key economy of the world or in any of the markets we serve slows for a significant period, if there is significant deterioration in any such economy or such markets or if economic improvements do not benefit the markets we serve, our business and financial statements can be adversely affected.

Our businesses operate in industries that are intensely competitive. Because of the range of the products and services we sell and the variety of markets we serve, we encounter a wide variety of competitors; refer to “Item 1. Business—Competition” for additional details. In order to compete effectively, we must retain longstanding relationships with major customers and continue to grow our business by establishing relationships with new customers, continually developing new products and services to maintain and expand our brand recognition and leadership position in various product and service categories and penetrating new markets, including high-growth markets.

Our ability to compete can also be impacted by changing customer preferences and requirements (for example increased demand for products incorporating digital capabilities or more environmentally-friendly products and supplier practices). Cost containment efforts by governments and the private sector are also resulting in increased emphasis on products that reduce costs and improve efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, significant shifts in industry demand have occurred and may in the future occur in connection with product problems, safety alerts and publications about products, reflecting the competitive significance of product quality, product efficacy and quality systems in our industry.

Our failure to compete effectively and/or pricing pressures resulting from competition may adversely impact our business and financial statements, and our expansion into new markets may result in greater-than-expected risks, liabilities and expenses. In addition, the Company’s competitors and customers have from time to time introduced, and may in the future introduce, low-cost products or consumables that compete with the Company’s products at lower price points. New, disruptive technologies may emerge that displace the Company’s existing technologies. Competitors’ products can capture significant market share or lead to a decrease in market prices overall, resulting in an adverse effect on the Company’s business and financial statements.

We generally sell our products and services in industries that are characterized by rapid technological changes, frequent new product introductions and changing industry standards. If we do not innovate and develop new and enhanced products and services on a timely basis, our offerings will become obsolete over time and our business and financial statements will suffer. Our success depends on several factors, including our ability to:

If we fail to accurately predict future customer needs and preferences or fail to produce viable technologies, we may invest heavily in R&D of products and services that do not lead to significant revenue, which would adversely affect our business and financial statements. Even when we successfully innovate and develop new and enhanced products and services, we often incur substantial costs in doing so, and our profitability may suffer. In addition, promising new offerings may fail to reach the market or realize only limited commercial success because of real or perceived efficacy or safety concerns. Competitors may also develop after-market services and parts for our products which may detract from our sales.

In 2023, approximately 57% of our sales were derived from customers outside the U.S. In addition, many of our manufacturing operations, suppliers and employees are located outside the U.S. Since our growth strategy depends in part on our ability to further penetrate markets outside the U.S. and increase the localization of our products and services, we expect to continue to increase our sales and presence outside the U.S., particularly in the high-growth markets. Our non-U.S. business (and particularly our business in high-growth markets) is subject to risks that include:

International business risks have in the past and may in the future negatively affect our business and financial statements.

Our growth depends in part on the growth of the markets which we serve, and visibility into our markets can be limited (particularly for markets into which we sell through distribution). Our quarterly sales and profits depend substantially on the volume and timing of orders received during the quarter, which are difficult to forecast. Any decline or lower than expected growth in our served markets can diminish demand for our products and services and adversely affect our business and financial statements. Certain of our businesses operate in industries that have experienced and may experience periodic, cyclical downturns. In addition, in certain of our businesses demand depends on customers’ capital spending budgets as well as government funding policies, and matters of public policy and government budget dynamics as well as product and economic cycles can affect the spending decisions of these entities. Demand for our products and services is also sensitive to changes in customer order patterns, which may be affected by announced price changes, marketing or promotional programs, new product introductions, the timing of industry trade shows and changes in distributor or customer inventory levels due to distributor or customer management thereof or other factors. Any of these factors could adversely affect our business and financial statements in any given period.

Our global operations expose us to risks associated with public health crises, including epidemics and pandemics such as COVID-19. The global spread of COVID-19 led to unprecedented restrictions on, and disruptions in, business and personal activities, including as a result of preventive and precautionary measures that we, other businesses, our communities and governments undertook to mitigate the spread.

The direct impact of COVID-19 and the preventive measures implemented as a result thereof adversely affected certain elements of our Company (including to a different degree our operations, commercial organizations, supply chains and distribution systems). While the direct impact of COVID-19 and many of the preventive measures moderated in 2023, any resurgence of COVID-19 (or the outbreak of any other epidemic or pandemic) or the reinstatement of similar preventive measures in the future could negatively impact the economies and financial markets of the world and our businesses and financial statements.

Our ability to grow revenues, earnings and cash flow at or above our historic rates depends in part upon our ability to identify and successfully acquire and integrate businesses at appropriate prices and realize anticipated synergies, and to make appropriate investments that support our long-term strategy. We may not be able to consummate acquisitions at rates similar to the past, which could adversely impact our business. Attractive acquisitions and investments are difficult to identify and complete for a number of reasons, including high valuations, competition among prospective buyers or investors, the availability of affordable funding in the capital markets and the need to satisfy applicable closing conditions and obtain applicable antitrust and other regulatory approvals on acceptable terms. In addition, competition for acquisitions and investments has resulted and may result in higher purchase prices. Changes in accounting or regulatory requirements or instability in the credit markets could also adversely impact our ability to consummate acquisitions and investments.

As part of our business strategy, we acquire businesses, make investments and enter into joint ventures and other strategic relationships in the ordinary course, and we also from time to time complete more significant transactions, including divestitures of existing businesses as we continually assess our business strategy. Transactions such as these involve a number of financial, accounting, managerial, operational, legal, compliance and other risks and challenges, including but not limited to the following, any of which can adversely affect our business and our financial statements:

We rely on information technology systems, some of which are provided and/or managed by third-parties, to process, transmit and store electronic information (including sensitive data such as confidential business information and personal data relating to employees, customers, other business partners and patients), and to manage or support a variety of critical business processes and activities (such as receiving and fulfilling orders, billing, collecting and making payments, shipping products, providing services and support to customers and fulfilling contractual obligations). In addition, some of our remote monitoring products and services incorporate software and information technology that house personal data and some products or software we sell to customers connect to our systems for maintenance or other purposes. These systems, products and services (including those we acquire through business acquisitions) can be damaged, disrupted or shut down due to attacks by computer hackers, computer

viruses, ransomware, human error or malfeasance (including by employees), power outages, hardware failures, telecommunication or utility failures, catastrophes or other unforeseen events, and in any such circumstances our system redundancy and other disaster recovery planning may be ineffective or inadequate. Attacks can also target hardware, software and information installed, stored or transmitted in our products after such products have been purchased and incorporated into third-party products, facilities or infrastructure. Security breaches of systems provided or enabled by us, regardless of whether the breach is attributable to a vulnerability in our products or services, or security breaches of third-party suppliers we rely on to process, store or transmit electronic information, can result in the misappropriation, destruction or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information or personal data belonging to us or to our employees, partners, customers, patients or suppliers. Like most multinational corporations, our information technology systems and data have been subject to computer viruses, malicious codes, unauthorized access and other cyber-attacks and we expect the sophistication and frequency of such attacks to continue to increase. Unauthorized tampering, adulteration or interference with our products may also adversely affect product functionality and result in loss of data, risk to patient safety and product recalls or field actions. The attacks, breaches, misappropriations and other disruptions and damage described above can interrupt our operations or the operations of our customers and partners, delay production and shipments, result in theft of our and our customers’ intellectual property and trade secrets, result in disclosure of personal data, damage customer, patient, business partner and employee relationships and our reputation and result in defective products or services, legal claims and proceedings, liability and penalties under privacy and other laws and increased costs for security and remediation, in each case resulting in an adverse effect on our business and financial statements. Our liability insurance may not be sufficient in type or amount to cover us against claims related to security breaches, cyber-attacks and other related breaches.

In addition, our information technology systems require an ongoing commitment of significant resources to maintain and enhance existing systems and develop new systems to keep pace with continuing changes in information processing technology, evolving legal and regulatory standards, evolving customer expectations, changes in the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to data and information systems, and the information technology needs associated with our changing products and services. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully maintain, enhance and upgrade our systems as necessary to effectively address these requirements.

Any inability to maintain reliable information technology systems and appropriate controls with respect to global data privacy and security requirements and prevent data breaches can result in adverse regulatory and business consequences and litigation. As a global organization, we are subject to data privacy and security laws, regulations and customer-imposed controls in numerous jurisdictions as a result of having access to and processing confidential, personal and/or sensitive data in the course of our business. Failure to comply with the requirements of the GDPR and the applicable national data protection laws of the EU member states and other states subject to the GDPR may result in fines of up to €20 million or up to 4% of total worldwide annual turnover for the preceding financial year, whichever is higher, and other administrative penalties. Several other countries such as China and Russia are, and other countries are considering passing, laws that require some or all personal data relating to their citizens to be maintained on local servers or impose significant restrictions on data transfer. State privacy laws in California impose some of the same features as the GDPR and have prompted several other states in the U.S. to enact similar laws.

Additionally, a bipartisan bill under consideration in Congress would, if adopted, impose broad privacy requirements at the U.S. federal level and provide enhanced enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission. Government investigations and enforcement actions can be costly and interrupt the regular operation of our business, and data breaches or violations of data privacy laws can result in civil and criminal, monetary and non-monetary penalties and damage to customer, patient, business partner and employee relationships and to our reputation, any of which may adversely affect our business and financial statements. In addition, compliance with the varying data privacy regulations across the U.S. and around the world has required significant expenditures and may require additional expenditures, and may require further changes in our products or business models that increase competition or reduce revenue.

Manufacturing or design defects or “bugs” in, unanticipated use of, safety or quality issues (or the perception of such issues) with respect to or inadequate disclosure of risks relating to the use of products and services that we make or sell (including items that we source from third-parties) can lead to personal injury, death, property damage and/or regulatory violations that can adversely affect our business and financial statements. These events can lead to recalls or safety alerts, result in the removal of a product or service from the market and result in product liability or similar claims being brought against us. Recalls, removals and product liability and similar claims (regardless of their validity or ultimate outcome) can result in significant costs, as well as negative publicity and damage to our reputation that could reduce demand for our products and services. Any of the above can result in the discontinuation of sale of such products in one or more countries and give rise to

claims for damages from persons who believe they have been injured as a result of product issues, including claims by individuals or groups seeking to represent a class.

Our facilities, supply chains, distribution systems and information technology systems are subject to catastrophic loss due to fire, flood, cyber-attack, earthquake, hurricane, power shortage or outage, public health crisis (including epidemics and pandemics) and the reaction thereto, war, terrorism, riot, public protest or other natural or man-made disasters, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. If any of these facilities, supply chains or systems were to experience a catastrophic loss, it could disrupt our operations, delay production and shipments, result in defective products or services, diminish demand, damage customer relationships and our reputation and result in legal exposure and significant repair or replacement expenses. The third-party insurance coverage that we maintain varies from time to time in both type and amount depending on cost, availability and our decisions regarding risk retention, and may be unavailable or insufficient to protect us against such losses.

Climate change resulting from increased concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere presents risks to our operations. Physical risk resulting from acute changes (such as hurricane, tornado, wildfire or flooding) or chronic changes (such as droughts, heat waves or sea level changes) in climate patterns can adversely impact our facilities and operations and disrupt our supply chains and distribution systems. Concern over climate change can also result in new or additional legal, regulatory or quasi-regulatory requirements designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and/or mitigate the effects of climate change on the environment (such as taxation of, or caps on the use of, carbon-based energy). Any such new or additional requirements may increase the costs associated with, or disrupt, sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of our products, which may adversely affect our business and financial statements. In addition, any failure to adequately address stakeholder expectations with respect to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) matters may result in the loss of business, adverse reputational impacts, diminished market valuations and challenges in attracting and retaining customers and talented employees. For example, our ability to achieve our current and future ESG goals is uncertain and remains subject to numerous risks, including evolving regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations, our ability to recruit, develop and retain a diverse workforce, the availability of suppliers and other business partners that can meet our ESG expectations, the effects of the organic and inorganic growth of our business, cost considerations and the development and availability of cost-effective technologies or resources that support our goals.

Our profitability could also be adversely impacted if we are unable to adjust our purchases to reflect changes in customer demand and market fluctuations, including those caused by seasonality or cyclicality. During a market upturn, suppliers from time to time extend lead times, limit supplies or increase prices. Conversely, in order to secure supplies for the production of

products, we sometimes enter into noncancelable purchase commitments with vendors, which can impact our ability to adjust our inventory to reflect declining market demands.

Because we cannot always immediately adapt our production capacity and related cost structures to changing market conditions, at times our manufacturing capacity exceeds or falls short of our production requirements. Any or all of these problems can result in the loss of customers or cost inefficiencies, provide an opportunity for competing products to gain market acceptance and otherwise adversely affect our business and financial statements.

The market for highly skilled workers and leaders in our industries, particularly in the areas of science and technology, is extremely competitive and expectations from qualified talent in many areas of the labor market have evolved and escalated recently. In addition, in 2023 we faced labor availability constraints and labor cost inflation in certain areas of our business. If we are less successful in our recruiting efforts, if we cannot retain and motivate highly skilled workers and key leaders representing diverse backgrounds, experiences and skill sets, or if we experience labor disputes, our business and financial statements may be adversely affected.

We have implemented significant restructuring activities across our businesses to adjust our cost structure, and we may engage in similar restructuring activities in the future. These restructuring activities and our regular ongoing cost reduction activities could diminish our resources and competitiveness, and delays or failures in implementing planned restructuring activities may diminish the expected operational or financial benefits from such actions. Any of the circumstances described above could adversely impact our business and financial statements.

Many of the markets we serve are technology-driven, and as a result intellectual property rights play a significant role in product development and differentiation. We own numerous patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property and licenses to intellectual property owned by others, which in aggregate are important to our business. The intellectual property rights that we obtain, however, are not always sufficiently broad and do not always provide us a significant competitive advantage, and patents may not be issued for pending or future patent applications owned by or licensed to us. In addition, the steps that we and our licensors have taken to maintain and protect our intellectual property do not always prevent it from being challenged, invalidated, circumvented, designed-around or becoming subject to compulsory licensing.

In some circumstances, enforcement is not available to us because an infringer has a dominant intellectual property position or for other business reasons. We also rely on nondisclosure and noncompetition agreements with employees, consultants and other parties to protect, in part, trade secrets and other proprietary rights. There can be no assurance that these agreements adequately protect our trade secrets and other proprietary rights and will not be breached, that we will have adequate remedies for any breach, that others will not independently develop substantially equivalent proprietary information or that third-parties will not otherwise gain access to our trade secrets or other proprietary rights. Our failure to obtain or maintain intellectual property rights that convey competitive advantage and adequately protect our intellectual property, our failure to detect or prevent circumvention or unauthorized use of such property, and the cost of enforcing our intellectual property rights each can adversely impact our business and financial statements.

These risks are particularly pronounced in countries in which we do business that do not have levels of protection of corporate proprietary information, intellectual property, technology and other assets comparable to the United States. The risks we encounter in such countries include but are not limited to the following:

Any of these risks can adversely impact our business and financial statements. Refer to “—International economic, political, legal, compliance, social and business factors could negatively affect our financial statements” for a discussion of additional risks relating to our international operations.

From time to time, we receive notices from third parties alleging intellectual property infringement or misappropriation of third parties’ intellectual property and cannot be certain that the conduct of our business does not and will not infringe or misappropriate the intellectual property rights of others. Disputes or litigations regarding intellectual property can be costly and time-consuming to defend due to the complexity of many of our technologies and the uncertainty of intellectual property litigation. Our intellectual property portfolio may not be useful in asserting a counterclaim, or negotiating a license, in response to a claim of infringement or misappropriation. In addition, as a result of such claims of infringement or misappropriation, we could lose our rights to critical technology, be unable to license critical technology or sell critical products and services, be required to pay substantial damages or license fees with respect to the infringed rights, be required to license technology or other intellectual property rights from others, be required to cease marketing, manufacturing or using certain products or be required to redesign, re-engineer or re-brand our products at substantial cost, any of which could adversely impact our business and financial statements. Third-party intellectual property rights may also make it more difficult or expensive for us to meet market demand for particular product or design innovations. When we are required to seek licenses under patents or other intellectual property rights of others, we are not always able to acquire these licenses on acceptable terms, if at all. Even if we successfully defend against claims of infringement or misappropriation, we may incur significant costs and diversion of management attention and resources, which could adversely affect our business and financial statements.

As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately $2.6 billion in outstanding indebtedness. In addition, we had the ability to incur approximately $1.5 billion of additional indebtedness under a revolving credit agreement, and in the future we may incur additional indebtedness. Our debt level and related debt service obligations can have negative consequences, including (1) requiring us to dedicate significant cash flow from operations to the payment of principal and interest on our debt, which reduces the funds we have available for other purposes such as acquisitions and other investments; (2) reducing our flexibility in planning for or reacting to changes in our business and market conditions; and (3) exposing us to interest rate risk on any variable rate debt we may issue. If our credit ratings are downgraded or put on watch for a potential downgrade, we may not be able to sell additional debt securities or borrow money in the amounts, at the times or interest rates or upon the more favorable terms and conditions that might be available if our current credit ratings were maintained.

Our credit facilities and long-term debt obligations also impose certain restrictions on us, including certain restrictions on our ability to incur liens on our assets, and a requirement under our credit facilities to maintain a consolidated net leverage ratio (the ratio of consolidated indebtedness to consolidated indebtedness plus shareholders’ equity) of 3.75 to 1.0 or less. If we breach any of these restrictions and cannot obtain a waiver from the lenders on favorable terms, subject to applicable cure periods, the outstanding indebtedness (and any other indebtedness with cross-default provisions) could be declared immediately due and

payable, which would adversely affect our business and financial statements (including our liquidity). If we add new debt in the future, the risks described above would increase.

Sales and purchases in currencies other than the U.S. dollar expose us to fluctuations in foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar, which have in the past and may in the future adversely affect our financial statements. Increased strength of the U.S. dollar increases the effective price of our products sold in U.S. dollars into other countries, which can adversely affect sales or require us to lower our prices.

A decline in the strength of the U.S. dollar adversely affects the cost of materials, products and services we purchase overseas. Sales and earnings of our non-U.S. businesses are also translated into U.S. dollars for reporting purposes and the strengthening of the U.S. dollar generally results in unfavorable translation effects. In addition, certain of our businesses invoice customers in a currency other than the business’ functional currency, and movements in the invoiced currency relative to the functional currency can also result in unfavorable translation effects. The Company also faces exchange rate risk from its investments in subsidiaries owned and operated in foreign countries.

We are subject to income taxes in the U.S. and in numerous non-U.S. jurisdictions. Due to the potential for changes to tax laws and regulations or changes to the interpretation thereof (including regulations and interpretations pertaining to the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”)), the ambiguity of tax laws and regulations, the subjectivity of factual interpretations, the complexity of our intercompany arrangements, uncertainties regarding the geographic mix of earnings in any particular period, and other factors, our estimates of effective tax rate and income tax assets and liabilities can be incorrect and our financial statements could be adversely affected.

The impact of the factors referenced in the preceding sentence may be substantially different from period-to-period. In addition, the amount of income taxes we pay is subject to ongoing audits by U.S. federal, state and local tax authorities and by non-U.S. tax authorities, such as the audits described in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) and the Company’s Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements. If audits result in payments or assessments different from our reserves, our results can be adversely affected. Any further changes to the tax system in the United States or in other jurisdictions could also adversely affect our financial statements.

Legislative bodies and government agencies in the U.S. and other countries as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and G20 Finance Ministers (“OECD/G20”) have focused on issues related to the taxation of multinational corporations. The OECD/G20 proposed legislation regarding the Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and published the Pillar Two model rules designed to address the tax challenges arising from the digitalization of the global economy. The legislative proposals ensure that income earned in each jurisdiction that a multinational enterprise operates in is subject to a minimum corporate income tax rate of at least 15%. Discussions related to the formal implementation of this agreement, including within the tax law of each member jurisdiction including the United States, are ongoing. Enactment of this regulation in its current form would increase the amount of global corporate income tax paid by the Company.

Pillar Two legislation has been enacted or substantively enacted in certain jurisdictions where we operate. The legislation will be effective for the financial year beginning January 1, 2024. We are in scope of the enacted or substantively enacted legislation and have performed an assessment of the potential exposure to Pillar Two income taxes. The assessment of the potential exposure to Pillar Two income taxes is based on the most recent tax filings, country-by-country reporting and financial statements for the constituent entities. Based on the assessment, the Pillar Two effective tax rates in most of the

jurisdictions in which we operate are above the 15% global minimum tax. However, there are a limited number of jurisdictions where the transitional safe harbor relief does not apply and the Pillar Two effective tax rate is close to 15%. We do not expect a material impact to Pillar Two income taxes in the jurisdictions where we operate.

In addition to the environmental, health, safety, anticorruption, data privacy and other regulations noted elsewhere in this Annual Report, our businesses are subject to extensive regulation by U.S. and non-U.S. governmental and self-regulatory entities at the supranational, federal, state, local and other jurisdictional levels, including for example the following:

These are not the only regulations that our businesses must comply with. The regulations we are subject to have tended to become more stringent over time and can be inconsistent across jurisdictions. We, our representatives and the industries in which we operate are at times under review and/or investigation by regulatory authorities. Failure to comply (or any alleged or perceived failure to comply) with the regulations referenced above or any other regulations can result in import detentions, fines, damages, civil and administrative penalties, injunctions, consent decrees, suspensions or losses of regulatory approvals, operating restrictions, refusal of the government to approve product export applications or allow us to enter into supply contracts, disbarment from selling to certain governmental agencies, integrity oversight and reporting obligations to resolve allegations of non-compliance, disruption of our business, limitation on our ability to manufacture, import, export and sell products and services, loss of customers, significant legal and investigatory fees, disgorgement, individual imprisonment, reputational harm, contractual damages, diminished profits, curtailment or restricting of business operations, criminal prosecution and other monetary and non-monetary penalties. Compliance with these and other regulations can also affect our returns on investment, require us to incur significant expenses or modify our business model or impair our flexibility in modifying product, marketing, pricing or other strategies for growing our business. Our products and operations are also often subject to the rules of industrial standards bodies such as the International Standards Organization, and failure to comply with these rules can result in withdrawal of certifications needed to sell our products and services and otherwise adversely impact our business and financial statements. For additional information regarding these risks, refer to “Item 1. Business—Regulatory Matters.”

As a public company, we are required to maintain internal controls over financial reporting and to report any material weaknesses in such internal controls. In addition, beginning with our second annual report on Form 10-K, we will be required to furnish a report by management on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”). Our independent registered public accounting firm will also be required to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. At such time, our independent registered public accounting firm may issue a report that is adverse in the event it is not satisfied with the level at which our internal control over financial reporting is documented, designed or operating.

The process of designing, implementing, and testing the internal control over financial reporting required to comply with this obligation is time consuming, costly, and complicated. If we identify material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, if we are unable to comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in a timely manner or to assert that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm is unable to express an opinion as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports and the market price of our common stock could be negatively affected, and we could become subject to investigations by the NYSE, the SEC, or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.

The separation agreement, among other things, provides for indemnification obligations (for uncapped amounts) designed to make Veralto financially responsible for substantially all liabilities that may exist relating to its business activities, whether incurred prior to or after the separation, as well as any other liabilities it agrees to assume pursuant to the separation agreement. If Veralto is required to indemnify Danaher under the circumstances set forth in the separation agreement, Veralto may be subject to substantial liabilities.

Pursuant to the separation agreement and certain other agreements with Danaher, Danaher will agree to indemnify Veralto for certain liabilities. However, third parties could also seek to hold Veralto responsible for any of the liabilities that Danaher has agreed to retain, and there can be no assurance that the indemnity from Danaher will be sufficient to protect Veralto against the full amount of such liabilities, or that Danaher will be able to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations. In addition, Danaher’s insurance will not necessarily be available to Veralto for liabilities associated with occurrences of indemnified liabilities prior to the separation, and in any event Danaher’s insurers may deny coverage to Veralto for liabilities associated with certain occurrences of indemnified liabilities prior to the separation. Moreover, even if Veralto ultimately succeeds in recovering from Danaher or such insurance providers any amounts for which Veralto is held liable, Veralto may be temporarily required to bear these losses. Each of these risks could negatively affect Veralto’s business and financial statements.

The distribution, along with certain related transactions, was conditioned upon the receipt by Danaher of (i) the ruling from the IRS substantially to the effect that, among other things, the distribution, together with certain related transactions, will qualify as a transaction that is tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code and (ii) an opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, tax counsel to Danaher, to the effect that, among other things, the distribution, together with certain related transactions, qualified as a reorganization within the meaning of Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code. Danaher received the ruling from the IRS. The ruling and the opinion of tax counsel relied on certain facts, assumptions, representations and undertakings from Danaher and Veralto regarding the past and future conduct of the companies’ respective businesses and other matters. If any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are incorrect or not otherwise satisfied, Danaher and its stockholders may not be able to rely on the ruling or the opinion of tax counsel and could be subject to significant tax liabilities. Notwithstanding the ruling or opinion of tax counsel, the IRS could determine on audit that the distribution or any of the certain related transactions is taxable if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings are not correct or have been violated or if it disagrees with the conclusions in the opinion that are not covered by the ruling, or for other reasons, including as a result of certain significant changes in the stock ownership of Danaher or Veralto after the distribution. If the distribution or any of the certain related transactions is determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, Danaher and/or its stockholders could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities, and Veralto could also incur significant liabilities.

In addition, under the tax matters agreement between Danaher and Veralto, Veralto is generally required to indemnify Danaher against taxes and related liabilities incurred by Danaher that result from a breach of any representation made by us, or as a result of us taking or failing to take, as the case may be, certain actions, including in each case those provided in connection with the ruling from the IRS or opinion of tax counsel, that result in the distribution, together with certain related transactions, failing to meet the requirements of a tax-free distribution under Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D) of the Code.

To preserve the tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes to Danaher and its stockholders of the distribution and certain related transactions, under the tax matters agreement that Veralto entered into with Danaher, Veralto is restricted from taking any action that prevents the distribution, together with certain related transactions, from being tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Under the tax matters agreement, for the two-year period following the distribution, Veralto is subject to specific restrictions on its ability to enter into acquisition, merger, liquidation, sale and stock redemption transactions. These restrictions may limit Veralto’s ability to pursue certain strategic transactions or other transactions that it may believe to be in the best interests of its stockholders or that might increase the value of its business. These restrictions will not limit the acquisition of other businesses by Veralto for cash consideration. In addition, under the tax matters agreement, Veralto may be required to indemnify Danaher against any such tax liabilities as a result of an acquisition of Veralto’s stock or assets, even if Veralto does not participate in or otherwise facilitate the acquisition. Furthermore, Veralto is subject to specific restrictions on discontinuing the active conduct of its trade or business, issuing or selling its stock or other securities (including securities convertible into Veralto stock but excluding certain compensatory arrangements), and selling its assets outside the ordinary course of business. Such restrictions may reduce Veralto’s strategic and operating flexibility.

Because of their current or former positions with Danaher, certain of Veralto’s executive officers and directors own equity interests in Danaher. Continuing ownership of shares of Danaher common stock and equity awards could create, or appear to create, potential conflicts of interest if Veralto and Danaher face decisions that could have implications for both Danaher and Veralto. In addition, certain of Danaher’s current directors (Linda Filler, Walter G. Lohr, Jr. and John T. Schwieters) as well as a current Danaher officer (William H. King) and a current Danaher employee who previously served as Danaher’s Chief Financial Officer (Daniel L. Comas) have joined Veralto’s Board, and this could create, or appear to create, potential conflicts of interest when Veralto and Danaher encounter opportunities or face decisions that could have implications for both companies or in connection with the allocation of such directors’ time between Danaher and Veralto.

Danaher will not be restricted from competing with Veralto. If Danaher in the future decides to engage in the type of business Veralto conducts, it may have a competitive advantage over Veralto, which may cause Veralto’s business and financial statements to be materially adversely affected.

The separation agreement and other agreements entered into in connection with the separation determine the allocation of assets and liabilities between the companies following the separation for those respective areas and include any necessary indemnifications related to liabilities and obligations. The transition services agreement provides for the performance of certain services by each company for the benefit of the other for a period of time after the separation. Veralto is relying on Danaher after the separation to satisfy its performance and payment obligations under these agreements. If Danaher is unable or unwilling to satisfy its obligations under these agreements, including its indemnification obligations, Veralto could incur operational difficulties or losses. If Veralto does not have in place its own systems and services, or if Veralto does not have agreements with other providers of these services once certain transition services terminate, Veralto may not be able to operate its businesses effectively and its profitability may decline. Veralto has created its own, or engaged third parties to provide, systems and services to replace many of the systems and services that Danaher previously provided to Veralto. However, Veralto may not be successful in implementing these systems and services or in transitioning data from Danaher’s systems to Veralto’s.

The Company takes a risk-based approach to cybersecurity and has implemented cybersecurity policies throughout its operations that are designed to address cybersecurity threats and incidents.

The Company’s cyber risk management program identifies, tracks, escalates, remediates, and reports risks at the corporate level and across each operating company. These risk areas include internal, product, vendor, supply chain, and external services leveraged across the Company. These risks are assessed, prioritized, and both tactically and strategically addressed via process, technology, and personnel improvements to ensure ongoing mitigation and tracking.

The Company’s cybersecurity strategy is guided by prioritized risk, identified areas for improvement based on the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, and emerging business needs. This strategy is shared with the executive leadership at least annually. The Company maintains a global incident response plan, coupled with a global continuous monitoring program. This plan and program include incident alerting, comprehensive incident criticality

assessments, and escalation processes to support teams, senior leadership, and the Board. This escalation process also includes cross-functional materiality determinations and applicable reporting requirements.

The Company’s cybersecurity operations team manages all facets of the security monitoring and global incident program, coordinating with a sourced managed services security provider and internal analysts across our operating companies. Applicable company employees are provided cybersecurity awareness training, which includes topics on the Company’s policies and procedures for reporting potential incidents. The Company’s cybersecurity team is continuously evaluating emerging risks, regulations, and compliance matters and updating the policies and procedures accordingly.

Cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents, have not materially affected the Company, including its business strategy, results of operations or financial condition. The Company does not believe that cybersecurity threats resulting from any previous cybersecurity incidents of which it is aware are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company. Refer to the risk factor captioned “Significant disruptions in, or breaches in security of, our information technology systems or data or violation of data privacy laws can adversely affect our business and financial statements” in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” for additional description of cybersecurity risks and potential related impacts on the Company.

The Board oversees the Company’s risk management process, including cybersecurity risks, directly and through its committees. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee of the Board provides compliance oversight to the Company’s risk assessment and risk management policies, which includes cybersecurity, and the steps management has taken to monitor and mitigate such exposures and risks.

The Company’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), in coordination with Chief Information Officer, is responsible for leading the assessment and management of cybersecurity risks. The current CISO has over 25 years of experience in information security and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). The CISO reports to the Board, the Audit Committee and management on cybersecurity risk assessment, policies, incident prevention, detection, mitigation, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents on a quarterly or as needed basis.

Consistent with SEC Regulation S-K Item 103, we have elected to disclose those environmental proceedings (if any) with a governmental entity as a party where the Company reasonably believes such proceeding would result in monetary sanctions, exclusive of interest and costs, of $1 million or more.

The Company declared its first dividend on December 20, 2023 of $0.09 per share paid on January 31, 2024 to holders of record of Veralto’s common stock as of the close of business on December 29, 2023. Any future payments of dividends on the Company’s common stock will be determined by Veralto’s Board of Directors and will depend on business conditions, Veralto’s earnings and other factors that Veralto’s Board deems relevant.

None

This MD&A is designed to provide a reader of our financial statements with a narrative from the perspective of management. Our MD&A is divided into seven sections:

Following the Separation, the Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Veralto and those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries and no longer include any allocations from Danaher.

These Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements may not be indicative of our results had we been a separate stand-alone entity throughout the periods presented, nor are the results stated herein indicative of what our financial position, results of operations and cash flows may be in the future.

Net earnings attributable to common stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2023 totaled approximately $839 million, or $3.40 per diluted common share, compared to approximately $845 million, or $3.43 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in net earnings in 2023 as compared to 2022 was driven by higher operating expenses, standalone public company costs and interest expense post separation from Danaher. Refer to “—Results of Operations” for further discussion of the year-over-year changes in net earnings and diluted net earnings per common share for the year ended December 31, 2023.

For a discussion of the impact of supply chain disruptions, labor availability constraints and increased labor costs on our businesses in 2023, please see “Item 1. Business – Materials.” For a discussion of the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on our businesses in 2022, please see “Item 1. Business – Russia-Ukraine Conflict.”

Overall, the conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic generally improved in 2023 compared to 2022 (including the announcement on April 10, 2023 that the U.S. public health emergency related to COVID-19 ended) but conditions vary by geography. We continue to assess the impact of any potential disruption on all aspects of our business, as well as our ability to execute our business strategies and objectives.

For additional information on the risks of COVID-19 to the Company’s operations, refer to the section titled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” included in this annual report.

As a result of the separation, the Company is subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Company is now required to have additional procedures and practices as a separate public company. As a result, the Company has incurred and will continue to incur additional personnel and corporate governance costs, such as internal and external audit, investor relations, stock administration and regulatory compliance costs.

In this report, references to the non-GAAP measures of core sales (also referred to as core revenues or sales/revenues from existing businesses) refer to sales from continuing operations calculated according to GAAP but excluding:

Core sales growth should be considered in addition to, and not as a replacement for or superior to, sales growth, and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Management believes that reporting these non-GAAP financial measures provides useful information to investors by helping identify underlying growth trends in the Company’s business and facilitating comparisons of the Company’s revenue performance with its performance in prior and future periods and to the Company’s peers. Management also uses these non-GAAP financial measures to measure the Company’s operating and financial performance and uses core sales growth as one of the performance measures in the Company’s executive short-term cash incentive program. The Company excludes the effect of currency translation from these measures because currency translation is not under management’s control, is subject to volatility and can obscure underlying business trends, and excludes the effect of acquisitions and divestiture-related items because the nature, size, timing and number of acquisitions and divestitures can vary dramatically from period-to-period and between the Company and its peers and can also obscure underlying business trends and make comparisons of long-term performance difficult.

Throughout this discussion, references to sales growth or decline refer to the impact of both price and unit sales and references to productivity improvements generally refer to improved cost efficiencies resulting from the ongoing application of VES.

Sales by business segment for the years ended December 31 are as follows ($ in millions):

Sales and operating profit at the business segment level are discussed in detail below. For information regarding the Company’s sales by geographical region, refer to Note 4 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements.

Gross profit margins increased 110 basis points on a year-over-year basis during 2023 as compared to 2022. Gross profit margins were impacted by positive pricing actions discussed below and to a lesser extent lower material costs, partially offset by the impacts from foreign currency exchange rates and higher labor costs.

SG&A expenses as a percentage of sales increased 120 basis points on a year-over-year basis for 2023 compared with 2022. The percentage increase was driven primarily by the increase in the Company’s SG&A expenses exceeding the increase in the Company’s sales, resulting from investments in sales and marketing growth initiatives, intangible asset impairments and

increased labor costs as well as the costs to operate as a stand-alone company. Intangible asset impairment charges totaling $12 million in 2023, net of $9 million intangible asset impairment charges in 2022 increased SG&A expenses as a percentage of sales.

R&D expenses as a percentage of sales in 2023 was flat compared with 2022. The increase in R&D expense in 2023 was primarily attributable to select projects within the Water Quality segment.

Core sales in the Water Quality segment increased 5.1% year-over-year compared to the comparable period of 2022. Price increases in the segment contributed 5.4% sales growth during 2023 as compared with 2022.

Geographically, the year-over-year increase in core sales was driven by North America, Western Europe and the high-growth markets, which increased 6.9%, 4.9% and 2.9%, respectively. The high-growth markets core sales increase was impacted by high single digit decreases in China. The increase in core sales was driven primarily by the chemical treatment solutions business and to a lesser extent by the analytical instrumentation business. Year-over-year core sales in the chemical treatment solutions business increased 9.0% as a result of higher core sales across all major served end-markets. Core sales in the analytical instrumentation business increased 3.2% driven primarily by higher core sales in the municipal and industrial end-markets. Core sales in the ultraviolet water disinfection and filtration business increased 4.5% in 2023, driven primarily by the municipal end-market.

The Company’s Product Quality & Innovation segment provides instruments, consumables, software and services for various marking and coding, traceability, printing, packaging design and quality management, packaging converting and color and appearance management applications for consumer packaged goods and industrial products.

Income tax expense and deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect management’s assessment of future taxes expected to be paid on items reflected in the Company’s Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements. The Company records the tax effect of discrete items and items that are reported net of their tax effects in the period in which they occur.

The Company’s effective tax rate can be impacted by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with different statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, accruals related to contingent tax liabilities and period-to-period changes in such accruals, the results of audits and examinations of previously filed tax returns (as discussed below), the expiration of statutes of limitations, the implementation of tax planning strategies, tax rulings, court decisions, and changes in tax laws and regulations, and legislative policy changes (for example, any changes that may result from the OECD’s initiative on Base Erosion, Profit Shifting and Pillar 2). For a description of the tax treatment of earnings that are planned to be reinvested indefinitely outside the United States, refer to “Liquidity and Capital Resources” below.

The following table summarizes the Company’s effective tax rate:

The Company’s effective tax rate for 2022 differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% due principally to the Company’s earnings outside the United States that are taxed at rates different than the U.S. federal statutory rate, and state taxes, partially offset by net discrete tax benefits of $4 million. The net discrete tax benefits related primarily to excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation, partially offset by changes in estimates associated with prior period uncertain tax positions and audit settlements.

The Company’s effective tax rate for 2021 differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% due principally to net discrete tax benefits of $65 million primarily related to the release of reserves for uncertain tax positions from the expiration of statutes of limitation and audit settlements and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation, partially offset by changes in estimates associated with prior period uncertain tax positions. The impact of the net discrete tax benefits were partially offset by the Company’s earnings outside the United States that are taxed at rates different than the U.S. federal statutory rate, state taxes and changes in estimates associated with prior period uncertain tax positions.

The Company is routinely examined by various domestic and international taxing authorities. In connection with the Separation, the Company entered into certain agreements with Danaher, including a tax matters agreement. The tax matters agreement distinguishes between the treatment of tax matters for “Joint” filings compared to “Separate” filings prior to the Separation. “Joint” filings involve legal entities, such as those in the United States, that include operations from both Danaher and the Company. By contrast, “Separate” filings involve certain entities (primarily outside of the United States) that exclusively include either Danaher’s or the Company’s operations, respectively. In accordance with the tax matters agreement, Danaher is liable for and has indemnified the Company against all income tax liabilities involving “Joint” filings for periods prior to the Separation. The Company remains liable for certain pre-Separation income tax liabilities including those related to the Company’s “Separate” filings.

The amount of income taxes the Company pays is subject to ongoing audits by federal, state and foreign tax authorities, which often result in proposed assessments. Management performs a comprehensive review of its global tax positions on a quarterly basis. Based on these reviews, the results of discussions and resolutions of matters with certain tax authorities, tax rulings and court decisions and the expiration of statutes of limitations, reserves for contingent tax liabilities are accrued or adjusted, as necessary. For a discussion of risks related to these and other tax matters, refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors”.

Currency exchange rates positively impacted 2023 reported sales on a year-over-year basis primarily due to the weakening of the U.S. dollar against most major currencies during 2023. Strengthening of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies compared to the exchange rates in effect as of December 31, 2023 would adversely impact the Company’s sales and results of operations on an overall basis. Any further weakening of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies compared to the exchange rates in effect as of December 31, 2023 would positively impact the Company’s sales and results of operations.

The Company has generally accepted the exposure to exchange rate movements without using derivative financial instruments to manage this transactional exchange risk, although the Company has used foreign currency-denominated debt to hedge a portion of its net investments in non-U.S. operations against adverse movements in exchange rates. Both positive and negative movements in currency exchange rates against the U.S. dollar will continue to affect the reported amount of sales and net earnings in the Company’s Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements. In addition, the Company has assets and liabilities held in foreign currencies. A 10% depreciation in major currencies relative to the U.S. dollar as of December 31, 2023 would have reduced foreign currency-denominated net assets and equity by approximately $171 million. Refer to Note 13 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements for information regarding the Company’s hedging of a portion of its net investment in non-U.S. operations.

In addition, concentrations of credit risk arising from receivables from customers are limited due to the diversity of the Company’s customers. The Company’s businesses perform credit evaluations of their customers’ financial conditions as deemed appropriate and also obtain collateral or other security when deemed appropriate.

The Company enters into derivative transactions infrequently and typically with high-quality financial institutions, so that exposure at any one institution is limited.

Before the Separation, the Company was dependent upon Danaher for all of its working capital and financing requirements under Danaher’s centralized approach to cash management and financing of operations of its subsidiaries. Because the Company was part of Danaher during the nine-month period ended September 29, 2023, only cash, cash equivalents and borrowings clearly associated with Veralto and related to the Separation, including the financing transactions described below, were included in the Combined Financial Statements. Other financial transactions relating to the business operations of the Company during the period were accounted for through the Net Former Parent investment account of the Company.

As a result of the Separation, the Company no longer participates in Danaher’s cash management and financing operations. Management assesses the Company’s liquidity in terms of its ability to generate cash to fund its operating and investing activities. The Company continues to generate substantial cash from operating activities and believes that its operating cash flow and other sources of liquidity will be sufficient to allow it to continue to invest in existing businesses, consummate strategic acquisitions, make interest payments on its outstanding indebtedness, and manage its capital structure on a short and long-term basis.

During 2023, the Company completed the following financing transactions:

These financing activities yielded net proceeds of approximately $2.6 billion, of which approximately $2.6 billion was paid to Danaher in September 2023 as consideration for the contribution of assets to Veralto by Danaher in connection with the Separation. Refer to Note 12 of the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements for more information related to the Company’s long-term indebtedness.

In connection with the issuance of the U.S. Dollar Notes, we entered into a registration rights agreement, pursuant to which we are obligated to use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC, and cause to be declared effective, a registration statement with respect to an offer to exchange each series of Notes for registered notes with terms that are substantially identical to the Notes of such series. Alternatively, if the exchange offers are not available or cannot be completed, we would be required to use commercially reasonable efforts to file, and cause to be declared effective, a shelf registration statement to cover resales of the Notes under the Securities Act. If we do not comply with these obligations, we will be required to pay additional interest on the Notes. We expect to file the required registration statement during the second half of 2024.

Following is an overview of the Company’s cash flows and liquidity for the years ended December 31:

The Company generally intends to use available cash and internally generated funds to meet these cash requirements, but in the event that additional liquidity is required, the Company may also borrow under its commercial paper programs (if available) or borrow under the Company’s Credit Facility, enter into new credit facilities and either borrow directly thereunder or use such credit facilities to backstop additional borrowing capacity under its commercial paper programs (if available) and/or access the

capital markets. The Company also may from time to time seek to access the capital markets to take advantage of favorable interest rate environments or other market conditions.

Repatriation of some cash held outside the United States may be restricted by local laws. Following enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the associated Transition Tax, in general, repatriation of cash to the United States can be completed with no material incremental U.S. tax; however, repatriation of cash could subject the Company to non-U.S. taxes on distributions. The cash that the Company’s non-U.S. subsidiaries hold for indefinite reinvestment is generally used to finance foreign operations and investments, including acquisitions. The income taxes, if any, applicable to such earnings including basis differences in our foreign subsidiaries are not readily determinable. As of December 31, 2023, management believes that it has sufficient sources of liquidity to satisfy its cash needs, including its cash needs in the United States.

During 2023, the Company contributed $5 million to its defined benefit pension plans. During 2024, the Company’s cash contribution requirements for its defined benefit pension plans are forecasted to be approximately $6 million. The ultimate amounts to be contributed depend upon, among other things, legal requirements, underlying asset returns, the plan’s funded status, the anticipated tax deductibility of the contribution, local practices, market conditions, interest rates and other factors.

The Company believes the following accounting estimates are most critical to an understanding of its financial statements. Estimates are considered to be critical if they meet both of the following criteria: (1) the estimate requires assumptions about material matters that are uncertain at the time the estimate is made, and (2) material changes in the estimate are reasonably likely from period-to-period. For a detailed discussion on the application of these and other accounting estimates, refer to Note 1 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements.

In performing its goodwill impairment testing, the Company estimates the fair value of its reporting units primarily using a market-based approach which relies on current trading multiples of forecasted EBITDA for peer companies and recent transactions for comparable companies operating in businesses similar to each of the Company’s reporting units to calculate an estimated fair value of each reporting unit. In evaluating the estimates derived by the market-based approach, management makes judgments about the relevance and reliability of the multiples by considering factors unique to its reporting units, including operating results, business plans, economic projections, anticipated future cash flows, as well as judgments about recent market sale transactions of comparable companies and the comparability of selected peer companies. There are inherent uncertainties related to these assumptions and management’s judgment in applying them to the analysis of goodwill impairment.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had three reporting units for goodwill impairment testing. Reporting units resulting from recent acquisitions generally present the highest risk of impairment. Management believes the impairment risk associated with these reporting units generally decreases as these businesses are integrated into the Company and better positioned for potential future earnings growth. The Company’s annual goodwill impairment analysis and the analysis after the change in the Company’s reporting units in 2023 indicated that in all instances, the fair values of the Company’s reporting units exceeded their carrying values and consequently did not result in an impairment charge. The excess of the estimated fair value over carrying value (expressed as a percentage of carrying value for the respective reporting unit) for each of the Company’s reporting units as of the annual testing date ranged from approximately 150% to approximately 750%. To evaluate the sensitivity of the fair value calculations used in the goodwill impairment test, the Company applied a hypothetical 10% decrease to the fair values of each reporting unit and compared those hypothetical values to the reporting unit carrying values. Based on this hypothetical 10% decrease, the excess of the estimated fair value over carrying value (expressed as a percentage of carrying value for the respective reporting unit) for each of the Company’s reporting units ranged from approximately 125% to approximately 670%.

The Company reviews identified intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Determining whether an impairment loss occurred for finite-lived intangibles requires a comparison of the carrying amount to the sum of undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. These analyses require management to make judgments and estimates about future revenues, expenses, market conditions and discount rates related to these assets. Indefinite-lived intangibles are subject to impairment testing at least annually or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that potential impairment exists. Determining whether an impairment loss occurred for indefinite-lived intangible assets involves calculating the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible assets and comparing the fair value to their carrying value. If the fair value is less than the carrying value, the difference is recorded as an impairment loss. Refer to Note 9 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements for a description of intangible assets impairment charges recorded during 2023.

If actual results are not consistent with management’s estimates and assumptions, goodwill and other intangible assets may be overstated and a charge would need to be taken against net earnings which would adversely affect the Company’s financial statements. Historically, the Company’s estimates of goodwill and intangible assets have been materially correct.

The Company provides for unrecognized tax benefits when, based upon the technical merits, it is “more likely than not” that an uncertain tax position will not be sustained upon examination. Judgment is required in evaluating tax positions and determining

income tax provisions. The Company re-evaluates the technical merits of its tax positions and may recognize an uncertain tax benefit in certain circumstances, including when: (1) a tax audit is completed; (2) applicable tax laws change, including a tax case ruling or legislative guidance; or (3) the applicable statute of limitations expires.

In addition, certain of the Company’s tax returns are currently under review by tax authorities (refer to “—Results of Operations—Income Taxes” and Note 6 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements). Management believes the positions taken in these returns are in accordance with the relevant tax laws. However, the outcome of these audits is uncertain and could result in the Company being required to record charges for prior year tax obligations which could have a material adverse impact to the Company’s financial statements, including its effective tax rate.

On August 24, 2023, the Board of Directors of Danaher Corporation (“Danaher” or “Former Parent”) approved the separation of Danaher’s Environmental & Applied Solutions segment through the pro rata distribution of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of Veralto Corporation (“Veralto” or the “Company”) to Danaher's stockholders (the “Separation”). In connection with the Separation, on September 20, 2023, the net assets of the Veralto businesses were contributed to Veralto, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Former Parent, and, as partial consideration for such contribution the Company made a cash payment to Danaher in the amount of $2.6 billion. In addition, on September 29, 2023, the 100 shares of Veralto common stock held by Danaher were recapitalized into 246,291,342 shares of Veralto common stock held by Danaher. All per share amounts in the Consolidated and Combined Statements of Earnings have been retroactively adjusted to give effect to this recapitalization.

Veralto’s Registration Statement on Form 10, as amended, was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on September 11, 2023. In connection with the Separation, on September 29, 2023, Danaher and Veralto entered into a separation and distribution agreement as well as various other related agreements (collectively the “Agreements”) that govern the Separation and the relationships between the parties going forward, including a transition services agreement, employee matters agreement, tax matters agreement, an intellectual property matters agreement, a Veralto Enterprise System (“VES”) license agreement, and a framework agreement governing certain commercial arrangements between subsidiaries of Danaher and Veralto. In accordance with the tax matters agreement, Danaher is retaining certain net tax liabilities that are subject to joint and several liability between Danaher and the Company with respect to the taxable periods (or portions thereof) ended on or prior to the Separation.

Veralto completed its separation from Danaher on September 30, 2023, the first day of its fiscal fourth quarter. The Separation was completed on such date in the form of a pro rata distribution to Danaher stockholders of record on September 13, 2023 of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Veralto common stock held by Danaher. Each Danaher stockholder of record as of the close of business on September 13, 2023 received one share of Veralto common stock for every three shares of Danaher common stock held on the record date. Because September 30, 2023 was a Saturday, not a business day, the shares were credited to “street name” stockholders through the Depository Trust Company on the first trading day thereafter, October 2, 2023. Veralto’s common stock began “regular way” trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “VLTO” on October 2, 2023.

The Company historically operated as part of the Former Parent and not as a separate, publicly-traded company. The financial statements for the periods prior to the Separation have been derived from the Former Parent’s historical accounting records and are presented on a carve-out basis. All revenues and costs as well as assets and liabilities directly associated with the business activity of the Company are included as a component of the Combined Financial Statements. The financial statements also include allocations of certain general, administrative, sales and marketing expenses from the Former Parent’s corporate office to the Company and the Former Parent’s investment, as applicable. The allocations have been determined on a reasonable basis; however, the amounts are not necessarily representative of the amounts that would have been reflected in the financial statements had the Company been an entity that operated independently of the Former Parent. Related-party allocations are discussed further in Note 18.

Following the Separation, the consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Veralto and those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries and no longer include any allocations from Danaher. Accordingly:

Net Former Parent investment, which includes retained earnings, represents Former Parent’s interest in the recorded net assets of the Company. All significant transactions between the Company and Former Parent have been included in the accompanying Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements. Transactions with Former Parent are reflected in the accompanying Consolidated and Combined Statements of Equity as “Net transfers to Former Parent” and in the accompanying Consolidated and Combined Balance Sheets within “Net Former Parent investment.”

Before the Separation, the Company was dependent upon Danaher for all of its working capital and financing requirements under Danaher’s centralized approach to cash management and financing of operations of its subsidiaries. Because the Company was part of Danaher during the nine-months ended September 29, 2023, only cash, cash equivalents and borrowings clearly associated with Veralto and related to the Separation have been included in the Combined Financial Statements. Other financial transactions relating to the business operations of the Company during the above period were accounted for through the Net Former Parent investment account of the Company.

The Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements may not be indicative of future performance and do not necessarily reflect what the Consolidated and Combined Statements of Earnings, Balance Sheets and Statements of Cash Flows would have been had the Company operated as a separate business during the periods presented.

doubtful accounts. The allowances for doubtful accounts represent management’s best estimate of the expected future credit losses from the Company’s trade accounts, contract and finance receivable portfolios. Determination of the allowances requires management to exercise judgment about the timing, frequency and severity of credit losses that could materially affect the provision for credit losses and, therefore, net earnings. The Company regularly performs detailed reviews of its portfolios to determine if an impairment has occurred and evaluates the collectability of receivables based on a combination of various financial and qualitative factors that may affect customers’ ability to pay, including customers’ financial condition, collateral, debt-servicing ability, past payment experience and credit bureau information. In circumstances where the Company is aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations, a specific reserve is recorded against amounts due to reduce the recognized receivable to the amount reasonably expected to be collected. Additions to the allowances for doubtful accounts are charged to current period earnings, amounts determined to be uncollectible are charged directly against the allowances, while amounts recovered on previously written-off accounts increase the allowances. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional reserves would be required. The Company does not believe that trade accounts receivable represents significant concentrations of credit risk because of the diversified portfolio of individual customers and geographical areas. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts as of December 31, 2023 reflects the Company’s best estimate of the expected future losses for its accounts receivables; however, these estimates may change and future actual losses may differ from the Company’s estimates. The Company will continue to monitor economic conditions and will revise the estimates of the expected future losses for accounts receivable as necessary. The Company recorded $10 million, $9 million and $4 million of expense associated with doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Included in the Company’s trade accounts receivable and other long-term assets as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 are $153 million and $129 million of net aggregate financing receivables, respectively. All financing receivables are evaluated for impairment based on individual customer credit profiles.

The classes of inventory as of December 31 are summarized as follows ($ in millions):

Estimated useful lives are periodically reviewed and, when appropriate, changes to estimates are made prospectively.

The classes of property, plant and equipment as of December 31 are summarized as follows ($ in millions):

based upon the period of time elapsed under the arrangement. Revenue for other long-term contracts is generally recognized based upon the cost-to-cost method, which measures costs incurred relative to total estimated costs, provided that the Company meets the criteria associated with transferring control of the good or service over time.

For a contract with multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the contract’s transaction price to each performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis using the Company’s best estimate of the standalone selling price of each distinct product or service in the contract. The primary method used to estimate standalone selling price is the price observed in standalone sales to customers. Allocation of the transaction price is determined at the contracts’ inception.

Income taxes for the Company are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities in the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements and their respective tax basis. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to be applied to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are reported in other assets and other liabilities in the Consolidated and Combined Balance Sheets, respectively. The effect on deferred income tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is generally recognized in income tax expense in the period that includes the enactment date. Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”) is accounted for as a current tax expense in the year the tax is incurred.

Valuation allowances are recorded if it is more likely than not that some portion of the deferred income tax assets will not be realized. In evaluating the need for a valuation allowance, the Company considers various factors, including the expected level of future taxable income and available tax planning strategies. Any changes in judgment about the valuation allowance are recorded through income tax expense and are based on changes in facts and circumstances regarding realizability of deferred tax assets.

The Company must presume that an income tax position taken in a tax return will be examined by the relevant tax authority and determine whether it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination based upon the technical merits of the position. An income tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The Company establishes a liability for unrecognized income tax benefits for income tax positions for which it is more likely than not that a tax position will not be sustained upon examination by the respective taxing authority to the extent such tax positions reduce the Company’s income tax liability. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized income tax benefits in income tax expense in the Consolidated and Combined Statements of Earnings.

The Company makes an initial allocation of the purchase price at the date of acquisition based upon its understanding of the fair value of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities. The Company obtains the information used for the purchase price allocation during due diligence and through other sources. In the months after closing, as the Company obtains additional information about the acquired assets and liabilities, including through tangible and intangible asset appraisals, and learns more about the newly acquired business, it is able to refine the estimates of fair value and more accurately allocate the purchase price. The fair values of acquired intangibles are determined based on estimates and assumptions that are deemed reasonable by the Company. Significant assumptions include the discount rates and certain assumptions that form the basis of the forecasted results of the acquired business including earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), revenue, revenue growth rates, royalty rates and technology obsolescence rates. These assumptions are forward looking and could be affected by future economic and market conditions. The Company engages third-party valuation specialists who review the Company’s critical assumptions and calculations of the fair value of acquired intangible assets in connection with significant acquisitions. Only facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date are considered for subsequent adjustment.

The following briefly describes the Company’s acquisition activity for the three years ended December 31, 2023.

The Company had no acquisitions for the year ended December 31, 2023.

We were incorporated on October 26, 2022, accordingly, we had no shares or common equivalent shares outstanding prior to that date. The total number of shares outstanding immediately after the recapitalization described above was 246.3 million and is utilized for the calculation of both basic and diluted EPS for all periods prior to the Separation.

Information related to the calculation of net earnings per common share from continuing operations for the years ended December 31 is summarized as follows ($ and shares in millions, except per share amounts):

Remaining performance obligations represent the aggregate transaction price allocated to performance obligations with an original contract term greater than one year which are fully or partially unsatisfied at the end of the period. Remaining performance obligations include noncancelable purchase orders, the non-lease portion of minimum purchase commitments under long-term consumable supply arrangements, extended warranty and service and other long-term contracts. These remaining performance obligations do not include revenue from contracts with customers with an original term of one year or less, revenue from long-term consumable supply arrangements with no minimum purchase requirements or revenue expected from purchases made in excess of the minimum purchase requirements or revenue from equipment leased to customers. While the remaining performance obligation disclosure is similar in concept to backlog, the definition of remaining performance obligations excludes leases and contracts that provide the customer with the right to cancel or terminate for convenience with no substantial penalty, even if historical experience indicates the likelihood of cancellation or termination is remote. Additionally, the Company has elected to exclude contracts with customers with an original term of one year or less from remaining performance obligations while these contracts are included within backlog.

As of December 31, 2023, the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was approximately $290 million. The Company expects to recognize revenue on approximately 42% of the remaining performance obligations over the next 12 months, 34% over the subsequent 12 months, and the remainder recognized thereafter.

The Company often receives cash payments from customers in advance of the Company’s performance resulting in contract liabilities that are classified as either current or long-term in the Combined Balance Sheets based on the timing of when the Company expects to recognize revenue. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, contract liabilities were approximately $223 million and $206 million, respectively, and are included within accrued expenses and other liabilities and other long-term liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated and Combined Balance Sheets. Revenue recognized during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 that was included in the opening contract liability balance was approximately $187 million and $169 million, respectively.

Detailed segment data for the years ended December 31 is as follows ($ in millions):