Gretchen W. McClain
Analyst · Janney Montgomery Scott
Thanks, Mike. Let's turn to Slide 16. There's no question, today's economic conditions are volatile, but we have faced similar conditions in the past and we have successfully managed through them with strong focus and attention to the many levers that we control in our business. In 2009, our business declined 9% on an organic basis. Despite the external factors, we were able to hold our operating margins flat year-over-year. Our demonstrated performance and our continued margin expansion are the result of several key drivers and management decisions. These include a portfolio of businesses that have demonstrated resiliency during difficult times, thanks to the large install base of leading products and critical customer applications and strong customer relationships. A disciplined management approach, including proactive actions beginning in 2008 at the onset of the decline, and again this year, taking appropriate steps to position us in the future in the face of continued economic uncertainty. In addition, we are aggressively managing our costs through our continued customer and operational excellence initiatives. This has enabled us to continue to invest in our business, to capture growth as markets rebound and to gain market share. And our acquisition strategy has led to higher than average profitability, while expanding our market reach. As the slide illustrates, based on our midpoint guidance, we expect and have expanded operating margin by 290 basis points since 2008. Collectively, through the actions we control, we have shaped the company into what it is today, and we are laying the path for Xylem's future, a better positioned leader in the global water industry. Now turn to Slide 17. In summary, we had strong second quarter operating performance. Our business's performance illustrates the stability of our portfolio in the face of challenging global economics, backed by disciplined execution. However, we're not immune to the environment and we expect some headwinds during the second half of the year, particularly in Europe. We are addressing the challenge head-on, taking actions and making strategic investments today that will drive future growth. And of course, our strong cash flow generation and financial position provides the flexibility to continue to execute our long-term strategy. With that, we'll be happy to take your questions. Brandi?