Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Overview
The following discussion and analysis are provided to increase the understanding of, and should be read in conjunction with, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements and related notes. In this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, references to “the Company,” “Watts,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to Watts Water Technologies, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.
We are a leading supplier of products, solutions and systems that manage and conserve the flow of fluids and energy into, through and out of buildings in the commercial, industrial and residential markets in the Americas, Europe and APMEA. For nearly 150 years, we have designed and produced valve systems that safeguard and regulate water systems, energy efficient heating and hydronic systems, drainage systems and water filtration technology that helps purify and conserve water. We earn revenue and income almost exclusively from the sale of our products. Our principal product lines include:
● Residential & commercial flow control and protection products—includes products typically sold into plumbing and hot water applications such as backflow preventers, water pressure regulators, temperature and pressure relief valves, thermostatic mixing valves and leak detection and protection products. Many of our flow control and protection products are now smart and connected enabled, warning of leaks and floods with alerts to Building Management Systems (BMS) and/or personal devices giving our customers greater insight into their water management and the ability to shut off the water supply to avoid waste and mitigate damage.
● HVAC & gas products—includes commercial high-efficiency boilers, water heaters and heating solutions, hydronic and electric heating systems for under-floor radiant applications, custom heat and hot water solutions, hydronic pump groups for boiler manufacturers and alternative energy control packages, and flexible stainless steel connectors for natural and liquid propane gas in commercial food service and residential applications. Most of our HVAC products feature advanced controls enabling customers to easily connect to the BMS for better monitoring, control and operation. HVAC is an acronym for heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
● Drainage & water re-use products—includes drainage products and engineered rain water harvesting solutions for commercial, industrial, marine and residential applications, including connected roof drain systems.
● Water quality products—includes point-of-use and point-of-entry water filtration, monitoring, conditioning and scale prevention systems for commercial, marine and residential applications.
Our business is reported in three geographic segments: Americas, Europe, and APMEA. We distribute our products through four primary distribution channels: wholesale, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), specialty, and do-it-yourself (DIY).
We believe that the factors relating to our future growth include continued product innovation that meets the needs of our customers and our end markets; our ability to continue to make selective acquisitions, both in our core markets as well as in complementary markets; regulatory requirements relating to the quality and conservation of water and the safe use of water; increased demand for clean water; and continued enforcement of plumbing and building codes. We have completed 12 acquisitions since 2013. Our acquisition strategy focuses on businesses that promote our key macro themes around safety and regulation, energy efficiency and water conservation. We target businesses that will provide us with one or more of the following: an entry into new markets and/or new geographies, improved channel access, unique and/or proprietary technologies, including smart and connected technologies, advanced production capabilities or complementary solution offerings.