Background and Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Background and Basis of Presentation

Background and Basis of Presentation

Background

Xylem Inc. (“Xylem” or the “Company”) is a leading equipment and service provider for water and wastewater applications with a broad portfolio of products and services addressing the full cycle of water, from collection, distribution and use to the return of water to the environment.

Xylem operates in three segments, Water Infrastructure, Applied Water and Measurement & Control Solutions. See Note 19, "Segment Information", to the condensed consolidated financial statements for further segment background information.

Except as otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, "Xylem," "we," "us," "our" and the "Company" refer to Xylem Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Basis of Presentation

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements reflect our financial position and results of operations in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"). All intercompany transactions between our businesses have been eliminated.

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments (which include normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such SEC rules. We believe that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. We consistently applied the accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 ("2019 Annual Report") in preparing these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, with the exception of accounting standard updates described in Note 2. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes included in our 2019 Annual Report.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates are revised as additional information becomes available. Estimates and assumptions are used for, but not limited to, postretirement obligations and assets, revenue recognition, income tax contingency accruals and valuation allowances, goodwill and indefinite lived intangible impairment testing, contingent liabilities and lease accounting. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Our quarterly financial periods end on the Saturday closest to the last day of the calendar quarter, except for the fourth quarter which ends on December 31. For ease of presentation, the condensed consolidated financial statements included herein are described as ending on the last day of the calendar quarter.