Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated net sales increased by 6.6% to $380.3 million, setting a new quarterly record [18][6] - Gross margin exceeded 38%, reflecting a sequential improvement of 320 basis points [7][19] - Adjusted EBITDA reached a record $86.4 million, an increase of 1.4% year over year [22] - Adjusted net income per diluted share increased by 6.3% year over year to $0.334, setting a new third-quarter record [23] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Water Supply Solutions (WSS) net sales increased by 4.1% to $216.6 million, driven by volume growth in iron gate and specialty valves [23] - Water Management Solutions (WMS) net sales increased by 10.2% to $163.7 million, led by strong volume growth of repair products and hydrants [26] - Adjusted operating income for WSS increased by 4.7% to $60.5 million, while WMS adjusted operating income increased by 12.6% to $30.3 million [24][26] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The residential construction market is experiencing a slowdown, particularly in single-family housing starts, influenced by high interest rates and macroeconomic uncertainty [38] - The municipal repair and replacement market remains strong, driven by the need to repair aging infrastructure [40] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to enhance manufacturing efficiencies and operational excellence while navigating external challenges such as tariffs [17][12] - The closure of the legacy brass foundry is expected to yield benefits in the fourth quarter and into the next year [13][19] - The company is focused on sustainability and innovation, as highlighted in their annual ESG report [10] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in achieving record results for the second consecutive year, despite external uncertainties [9][17] - The anticipated impact of tariffs has been lower than initially expected, with updated estimates for annualized tariff impact decreasing to approximately 3% to 4% of cost of sales [14] - The company is prepared to implement additional pricing actions to offset higher input costs as needed [16] Other Important Information - Free cash flow for the first nine months of the year was $103 million, representing 71% of adjusted net income [28] - The company ended the quarter with $451 million in total debt and $372 million in cash and cash equivalents, maintaining a strong balance sheet [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on end markets and stability - Management noted a slowdown in the residential construction market, particularly in single-family housing starts, while the municipal market remains strong [38][40] Question: Margin outlook and FX impact - Management indicated that the FX headwind was a one-time event and discussed expectations for margins moving forward [41][42] Question: Legacy brass foundry impact on margins - The legacy brass foundry closure is expected to improve margins, with management anticipating an 8-10 basis point improvement [47] Question: Infrastructure funding and market conditions - Management highlighted that infrastructure funding has been slow, with no immediate benefits expected from the infrastructure bill [74][75] Question: Pricing actions and demand pull forward - Management confirmed no significant pre-buy demand was observed, and pricing adjustments were made in response to tariffs [66][72]