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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the transition period from to

Commission file number: 1-35229

Xylem Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1 International Drive, Rye Brook, NY 10573

(Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

(914) 323-5700

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ No ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No þ

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes þ No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes þ No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Large Accelerated Filer ☑ Accelerated Filer ☐ Non-Accelerated Filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐ Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. Yes ☑ No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☑

The aggregate market value of the common stock of the registrant held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2020 was approximately $11.6 billion. As of February 19, 2021, there were 180,358,493 outstanding shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareowners, to be held in May 2021, are incorporated by reference into Part II and Part III of this Report.

Xylem Inc.

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

Table of Contents

PART I

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements, including the notes, included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this "Report").

Forward-Looking Statements

This Report contains “forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Generally, the words “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” "contemplate," "predict," “project,” “forecast,” “likely,” “believe,” “target,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” "potential," "may" and similar expressions or their negative, may, but are not necessary to, identify forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements address uncertain matters and include any statements that: are not historical, such as statements about our strategy, financial plans, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals; or address possible or future results of operations or financial performance, including statements relating to orders, revenues, operating margins and earnings per share growth.

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in any of our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ materially from those projected or assumed in any of our forward-looking statements. Our future financial condition and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements, are subject to change and to inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Additionally, many of these risks and uncertainties are, and may continue to be, amplified by the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. Important factors that could cause our actual results, performance and achievements, or industry results to differ materially from estimates or projections contained in or implied by our forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: overall industry and economic conditions, including industrial, governmental and private sector spending and the strength of the residential and commercial real estate markets; geopolitical, regulatory, economic and other risks associated with international operations; continued uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic’s magnitude, duration and impacts on our business, operations, growth, and financial condition, as well as uncertainty around approved vaccines and the pace of recovery when the pandemic subsides; actual or potential other epidemics, pandemics or global health crises; manufacturing and operating cost increases due to inflation, prevailing price changes, tariffs and other factors; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; disruption, competition and pricing pressures in the markets we serve; cybersecurity incidents or other disruptions of information technology systems on which we rely, or involving our products; disruptions in operations at our facilities or that of third parties upon which we rely; availability of products, parts and raw materials from our supply chain; availability, regulation and interference with radio spectrum used by some of our products; our ability to retain and attract senior management and other key talent; uncertainty related to restructuring and realignment actions and related charges and savings; our ability to continue strategic investments for growth; our ability to successfully identify, execute and integrate acquisitions; difficulty predicting our financial results, including uncertainties due to the nature of our short- and long-cycle businesses; volatility in our results due to weather conditions; risks relating to products, including defects, security, warranty and liability claims, and recalls; our ability to borrow or refinance our existing indebtedness and the availability of liquidity sufficient to meet our needs; risk of future impairments to goodwill and other intangible assets; failure to comply with laws or regulations, including those pertaining to anti-corruption, data privacy and security, export and import, competition, and the environment; changes in our effective tax rates or tax expenses; legal, governmental or regulatory claims, investigations or proceedings and associated contingent liabilities; and other factors set forth in “Part I Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this Report and in subsequent filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

All forward-looking statements made herein are based on information currently available to us as of the date of this Report. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.