Mueller Water Products to Address Investors Amid Record Growth

NEW YORK, NY – February 23, 2026 – Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE: MWA), a cornerstone of North America's water infrastructure, is set to take the stage at a pivotal moment for the company and the industry. Management will participate in the Gabelli 36th Annual Pump, Valve and Water Systems Symposium this Thursday, with a fireside chat scheduled for 10:30 a.m. The event provides a high-profile platform for the Atlanta-based manufacturer to engage with the investment community, coming on the heels of record-setting financial performance and a significant leadership transition.

The symposium, a long-standing and influential gathering for investment professionals and industry strategists, offers a forum to dissect critical themes like infrastructure spending, resource security, and technological innovation. For Mueller, this appearance is an opportunity to articulate its strategic direction as it navigates a market defined by both urgent needs and unprecedented investment.

A Bellwether Moment Amidst Strong Performance

Mueller Water Products arrives in New York powered by exceptional financial momentum. The company recently posted record results for its 2025 fiscal year and followed up with a first-quarter 2026 performance that exceeded analyst expectations. For the quarter ending in early 2026, net sales grew 4.6% to $318.2 million, while gross margin expanded by an impressive 380 basis points to 37.6%.

This robust margin growth was attributed to a combination of favorable pricing, significant manufacturing efficiencies, and strategic operational changes, including the closure of a legacy brass foundry. These gains successfully offset persistent headwinds from tariffs and broad inflationary pressures. Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter hit a record $72.1 million, a 13.5% increase year-over-year.

This strong start prompted the company to raise its full-year guidance for fiscal 2026. Mueller now projects net sales growth between 2.8% and 4.2%, with an adjusted EBITDA target of $355 million to $360 million. The positive outlook reflects confidence in sustained demand from municipal clients, whose spending on essential upgrades is more than compensating for softness in the residential construction sector. Investors will be keenly listening during the webcast fireside chat for further details on how the company plans to sustain this trajectory and continue driving margin expansion throughout the year.

New Leadership, Enduring Strategy

Adding another layer of interest to the Gabelli appearance is the company's recent leadership evolution. Paul McAndrew, formerly President and COO, recently took the helm as CEO, succeeding Martie Edmunds Zakas. This transition is viewed not as a shift in strategy, but as a doubling-down on the transformation plan that has yielded the company's current success. McAndrew's deep operational background is seen as ideal for guiding the company through its next phase of growth, which is heavily focused on operational excellence and strategic capital deployment.

The company has been vocal about its investments in modernizing and expanding its domestic iron foundry capabilities. These capital projects, reaffirmed at a planned $60 million to $65 million for fiscal 2026, are central to its long-term goals of increasing production capacity and enhancing profitability. The fireside chat will provide the new CEO with an important opportunity to articulate his vision for continuing these initiatives and leveraging the company's strengthened operational footprint to capture further market share.

Tapping into a Market of Critical Need

Mueller’s strategic focus is perfectly timed with a groundswell of activity in the North American water sector. The continent is grappling with the immense challenge of aging water infrastructure, where pipes and systems installed generations ago are now failing at an accelerating rate. This reality of frequent water main breaks and significant water loss has created a non-discretionary need for massive, sustained investment in repair and replacement.

This need is being met with a significant injection of public funds. Government programs, most notably the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the United States, have allocated billions of dollars specifically for upgrading drinking water and wastewater systems. This federal-level commitment provides a powerful and predictable tailwind for companies like Mueller, whose products are the fundamental building blocks of these renewal projects.

Beyond simple replacement, municipalities are increasingly concerned with water scarcity, conservation, and operational resilience. Climate change, population growth, and drought conditions are forcing utilities to seek smarter ways to manage every drop of water. This drives demand not just for durable pipes and valves, but for technologies that can help monitor, manage, and conserve this vital resource effectively.

Where Intelligence Meets Infrastructure

Mueller Water Products has positioned itself to answer this complex demand by championing its vision of Where Intelligence Meets Infrastructure®. The company's extensive portfolio extends far beyond traditional engineered valves, fire hydrants, and pipe connection products. It now includes a sophisticated suite of technology-driven solutions designed for the modern utility.

These offerings include advanced metering products, acoustic leak detection sensors, and pipe condition assessment technologies that allow municipalities to move from a reactive to a proactive maintenance model. By identifying potential failures before they happen and pinpointing the location of costly leaks, these tools help utilities reduce non-revenue water—water that is treated and pumped but lost before it reaches a customer.

Furthermore, the company's software platforms provide critical system data, enabling utility managers to analyze performance, improve customer service, and prioritize capital spending with greater precision. Rather than replacing infrastructure based on age alone, data-driven insights allow them to target the most critical components first, maximizing the impact of their limited budgets. This integrated approach of combining durable hardware with intelligent software is central to Mueller's value proposition, helping communities build more efficient, resilient, and sustainable water systems for the future.