Organization

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization and Basis of Presentation

Mueller Water Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, operates in two business segments: Water Flow Solutions and Water Management Solutions. Water Flow Solutions’ portfolio includes iron gate valves, specialty valves and service brass products. Water Management Solutions’ portfolio includes fire hydrants, repair and installation, natural gas, metering, leak detection, and pressure management and control products and solutions. The “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to Mueller Water Products, Inc. and its subsidiaries. With regard to the Company’s segments, “we,” “us” or “our” may also refer to the segment being discussed.

Our condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), which require us to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, sales and expenses as well as in the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities for the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. These condensed consolidated financial statements do not include all information required by GAAP for complete financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2023. In our opinion, all normal and recurring adjustments that we consider necessary for a fair financial statement presentation have been made. The condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2023 was derived from our audited financial statements.

Our business is seasonal as a result of the impact of cold weather conditions. Net sales and operating income historically have been lowest in the three-month periods ending December 31 and March 31 when the northern United States and most of Canada generally face weather conditions that restrict significant construction activity. Therefore, the results of operations for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of operating results that may be achieved for any other interim period or the full year.

Unless the context indicates otherwise, whenever we refer to a particular year, we mean our fiscal year ended or ending September 30 in that particular calendar year.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-07 “Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures” (“ASU 2023-07”). ASU 2023-07 requires public business entities that disclose information on their reportable segments to provide additional information on their significant expense categories and “other segment items,” which represent the difference between segment revenue less significant segment expense and a segment’s measure of profit or loss. A description of “other segment items” is also required. Further, certain segment related disclosures that were limited to annual disclosure are now required for interim periods. Finally, public business entities are required to disclose the title and position of their Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) and explain how the CODM uses the reported measures of profit or loss to assess segment performance. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Upon adoption, ASU 2023-07 should be applied retrospectively to all prior periods. We do not expect ASU 2023-07 to have a material impact on our financial statements and related disclosures.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No 2023-09 “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Tax Disclosures” (“ASU 2023-09”). ASU 2023-09 requires public business entities to disclose a tabular rate reconciliation utilizing percentages and reporting currency amounts in specific categories with certain reconciling items at or above the specified 5% threshold to improve the transparency and comparability of disclosures. Additionally, entities are required to disclose the year-to-date amount of income taxes paid, net of refunds received, disaggregated by federal (national), state, and foreign jurisdictions. Disclosure of all individual jurisdictions where income taxes paid, net of refunds received, is 5% or more of the total is also required. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 with early adoption permitted. Upon adoption, ASU 2023-09 should be applied on a prospective basis while retrospective application is permitted. We do not expect ASU 2023-09 to have a material impact on our financial statements and related disclosures.

Recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Final Rules

In March 2024, the SEC issued final rules on the enhancement and standardization of climate-related disclosures. The rules will require registrants to disclose certain climate-related information, including Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions and other climate-related topics, in registration statements and annual reports. Additionally, the rules require disclosure in the notes to the financial statements of the effects of severe weather events and other natural conditions, subject to materiality thresholds. The rules will become effective on a phased-in timeline in fiscal years beginning in 2025. In April 2024, due to legal challenges to the rule, the SEC voluntarily stayed implementation of the final rules. We are currently evaluating the impact the rules may have on our disclosures.

Strategic Reorganization and Other Charges

During the nine months ended June 30, 2024, we recorded approximately $12.7 million in Strategic reorganization and other charges, consisting of amounts associated with our leadership transition, certain transaction-related expenses, cybersecurity incidents expense, $1.4 million of non-cash impairment of assets in our Water Management Solutions segment, and severance. During the nine months ended June 30, 2023, we recorded certain amounts related to severance and transaction-related expenses partially offset by a $4.0 million gain, before tax, on the sale of our Aurora, Illinois facility. Activity in accrued strategic reorganization and other charges, reported as part of Other current liabilities, is presented below:


	Nine months ended
	June 30,
	2024		2023
	(in millions)
Beginning balance	$	6.6	$	3.3
Amounts accrued	12.7		0.9
Amounts paid and other adjustments, net	(15.2)		(2.0)
Ending balance	$	4.1	$	2.2

New Markets Tax Credit Program

On December 22, 2020, we entered into a financing transaction with Wells Fargo Community Investment Holdings, LLC (“Wells Fargo”) related to our brass foundry construction project in Decatur, Illinois under a qualified New Markets Tax Credit program (“NMTC”). The NMTC is a federal program intended to encourage capital investment in qualified lower income communities. Under the NMTC, investors claim federal income tax credits over a period of seven years in connection with qualified investments in the equity of community development entities (“CDE”s), which are privately managed investment institutions that are certified to make qualified low-income community investments, such as in our foundry project.

Under the NMTC, Wells Fargo contributed capital of $4.8 million to an investment fund and we loaned $12.2 million to the fund. Wells Fargo is entitled to the associated tax credits, which are subject to 100% recapture if we do not comply with various regulations and contractual provisions surrounding the foundry project. We have indemnified Wells Fargo for any loss or recapture of tax credits related to the transaction until the seven-year period elapses. We do not anticipate any credit recaptures will be required in connection with this arrangement.

The investment fund contributed $16.5 million cash for a 99.99% stake in a joint venture (“Sub-CDE”) with a CDE. The Sub-CDE then loaned $16.2 million to us, with the use of the loan proceeds restricted to foundry project expenditures. This transaction also includes a put/call provision under which we may be obligated or entitled to repurchase Wells Fargo’s interest in the investment fund. We believe that Wells Fargo will exercise its put option in December 2027 for nominal consideration, resulting in our becoming the sole owner of the investment fund, cancelling the related loans, and recognizing an estimated gain of $3.9 million.

We determined that the investment fund and the Sub-CDE are variable interest entities (“VIEs”) and that we are the primary beneficiary of the VIEs. The ongoing activities of the VIEs, namely collecting and remitting interest and fees and administering NMTC compliance, were contemplated in the initial design of the transaction and are not expected to significantly affect economic performance throughout the life of the VIEs. Additionally, we are obligated to deliver tax benefits and provide various other guarantees to Wells Fargo and to absorb the losses of the VIEs. Wells Fargo does not have a material interest in the underlying economics of the project. Consequently, we have included the financial statements of the VIEs in our consolidated financial statements.

Intercompany transactions between us and the VIEs have been eliminated in consolidation. Wells Fargo’s contribution to the investment fund is consolidated in our financial statements within Other noncurrent liabilities as a result of its redemption features.

Direct costs associated with Wells Fargo’s capital contribution were netted against the recorded proceeds, resulting in a net cash contribution of $3.9 million. Other direct costs associated with the transaction were capitalized and are being recognized as interest expense over the seven-year tax credit period. Incremental costs to maintain the structure during the compliance period were expensed as incurred and were immaterial to the financial statements.