Core Insights - Itron, Inc. has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Urbint, Inc. for $325 million, which will enhance Itron's portfolio in advanced technologies for utilities [1][8] - The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025 [1][8] Acquisition Details - Urbint's AI-driven operational resilience solutions will strengthen Itron's existing offerings and help address industry challenges [2] - The acquisition aligns with Itron's mission to provide critical solutions to utilities, focusing on public safety, asset protection, and environmental considerations [2] Market Position and Growth Drivers - Itron has a solid backlog and is positioned to capitalize on trends in global energy, water, and smart infrastructure [3] - Growth is driven by factors such as data center demand, reindustrialization, electrification of transportation and homes, and automation of water infrastructure [3] Strategic Collaborations - Itron entered a joint marketing agreement with Current Lighting Solutions to enhance streetlighting systems through intelligent control and management technologies [4] Financial Outlook - Itron projects 2025 revenues between $2.35 billion and $2.4 billion, with an upward revision in full-year EPS outlook to a range of $6.00 to $6.20 [5] - The company has seen a 13% increase in its EPS outlook midpoint due to rising customer demand and improved operational efficiency [5] Stock Performance - Itron currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) and has outperformed the Zacks Electronics - Testing Equipment industry, gaining 16.7% over the past year [6]

Core Insights - Itron, Inc. has entered a joint marketing agreement with Current Lighting Solutions to deliver a smart lighting solution aimed at enhancing streetlight performance and expanding IoT capabilities [1][5] Group 1: Joint Offering and Technology - The collaboration combines Itron's management and control technologies from its CityEdge portfolio with Current's advanced LED fixtures, including the Evolve Roadway product line [1][4] - The joint offering allows cities and utilities to optimize streetlight performance, leveraging high-efficiency LED luminaires that produce more lumens per watt compared to older technologies, thus saving energy and reducing costs [2][4] Group 2: Features and Benefits - Itron's CityEdge portfolio enhances smart lighting management by providing remote asset monitoring, streetlight fault detection, and integration with additional sensors for air quality, traffic, and weather [3] - The Evolve Roadway products are designed for outdoor environments, offering advanced glare control and optical precision to ensure uniform light distribution and improved visibility, which helps reduce light pollution and enhance pedestrian safety [4][5] Group 3: Strategic Importance - The partnership is positioned as a step towards building smarter, more connected cities, providing utilities and local governments with full control over their lighting systems [6] - The integrated solution aims to connect various aspects of city management, from back office operations to street-level implementations, thereby improving community safety and operational efficiency [5][6]

Core Insights - Itron, Inc. is collaborating with Norgesnett to implement the first edge computing deployment in the Nordic region, utilizing Itron's Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio to modernize the electricity grid [1][2] Group 1: Partnership and Deployment - The partnership aims to enhance visibility and control across the distribution system, supporting Norgesnett's Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) strategy [2] - The initiative will commence in early 2026 with the deployment of 10,000 distributed intelligence (DI)-enabled smart endpoints [4] - The collaboration will provide Norgesnett access to Itron's broader ecosystem, enabling tailored applications for grid modernization [4] Group 2: Technological Advancements - The DI-enabled endpoints will facilitate two-way communication, allowing for remote updates and real-time energy data management [5] - The project aligns with Nordic Innovation's 2030 vision for sustainability and interconnectedness, enabling real-time data analysis to prevent outages and transformer overloads [6] Group 3: Market Context and Growth Drivers - Norway's energy sector is nearly 100% renewable, with electric vehicles (EVs) constituting 96% of new car registrations as of January 2025, positioning the country as a leader in clean energy adoption [3] - Itron's Grid Edge Intelligence platform is experiencing growth due to factors such as data center demand, reindustrialization, and the electrification of transportation and homes [7] - The total backlog for Itron at the end of the fourth quarter was $4.7 billion, indicating strong market demand for grid resiliency and automation solutions [7] Group 4: Financial Performance - Itron's 2024 bookings reached $2.7 billion, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of 1:11, with a significant portion of the backlog consisting of grid-edge intelligence platform content [8] - The company anticipates 2025 revenues to be between $2.4 billion and $2.5 billion, reflecting a flat year-over-year growth at the midpoint [8]

Core Viewpoint - Itron Inc (ITRI) has demonstrated resilience in a volatile market, achieving a 16.3% gain over the past year, driven by strong demand for its solutions related to grid resiliency, capacity, safety, and automation [1][6]. Performance Summary - ITRI has outperformed the Electronic Test Equipment industry's decline of 8.5%, as well as the Zacks Computer and Technology sector and the S&P 500 composite's growth of 3.8% and 8.2%, respectively [2]. - The stock closed at $104.76, which is 16% lower than its 52-week high of $124.90, raising questions about potential buying opportunities [5]. Demand and Growth Drivers - Steady market demand and strong operational performance are key growth drivers for Itron [6]. - The Grid Edge Intelligence platform is experiencing momentum, fueled by data center demand, reindustrialization, electrification of transportation and homes, and automation of water infrastructure [7]. - Itron's total backlog at the end of Q4 2024 was $4.7 billion, with 2024 bookings of $2.7 billion, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of 1:11 [8]. Revenue Guidance - Itron anticipates 2025 revenues to be between $2.4 billion and $2.5 billion, projecting total revenues of $2,445.1 million for 2025, which is flat year-over-year at the midpoint [9]. Estimate Revisions - Analysts show bullish sentiment towards ITRI, as indicated by solid estimate revision activity, with significant increases in consensus estimates over the past 60 days [10]. Product Launches - Frequent product launches, such as IntelliFLEX and CityEdge, position Itron to capture market share by addressing changing market demands [11][12]. Operational Efficiency - Itron's gross margin improved to 34.9%, expanding by 90 basis points year-over-year due to enhanced operational efficiencies [13]. Valuation - ITRI presents an attractive investment opportunity with a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 18.82X, slightly below the industry average of 21.48X [14]. Investment Outlook - Increasing business pipeline activities and favorable macro trends, combined with a discounted valuation and robust estimate revisions, make ITRI an appealing investment opportunity [17].