Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS) Stock Price & How to Invest
Last updated July 2026
Short answer
ZWS is Zurn Elkay Water Solutions, a Milwaukee-based maker of water management and plumbing products (drinking water, drainage, backflow, and hygiene systems) sold mostly into nonresidential construction. It trades as a steady, margin-expanding water play at a premium multiple, so the picture is one of consistent execution priced for continued growth.
ZWS stock price
As of 2026-07-17, Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS) last closed at $47.73, up 27.1% over the past year. Over the past 52 weeks it has traded between $36.79 and $52.80.
Prices are daily closing prices from Yahoo Finance and may be delayed. For the live quote, check your broker or Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp's investor relations page. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.
What does Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS) do?
Zurn Elkay Water Solutions (NYSE: ZWS) designs and manufactures water safety, control, flow, hygienic, and filtered drinking water products used in commercial, institutional, municipal, healthcare, and industrial buildings. The company was formed by the 2022 combination of Zurn Water Solutions and Elkay Manufacturing, and it sells under brands including Zurn, Elkay, Wilkins, Halsey Taylor, World Dryer, and Green Turtle. Its portfolio spans drinking fountains and bottle fillers, backflow preventers, trench and roof drains, faucets, and sensor-based hygiene products, giving it broad exposure to the plumbing content inside nonresidential structures.
The investment picture centers on a focused, higher-margin water pure-play that has delivered steady core growth and expanding profitability since the merger. ZWS carries a light net debt load, generates recurring free cash flow, and returns cash through buybacks and a dividend. The trade-off is valuation: the stock trades at a premium earnings multiple that already reflects strong execution, so results depend on continued margin gains, synergy capture, and a healthy nonresidential construction backdrop.
What's driving Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS)?
1. Water-focused secular demand
ZWS is levered to long-run themes in water quality, safety, conservation, and hygiene across institutional and commercial buildings. Regulatory drivers such as lead-free drinking water mandates and rising focus on building water systems support replacement and upgrade cycles. This gives the top line a structural tailwind beyond the general construction cycle.
2. Margin expansion and synergies
Adjusted EBITDA margins have pushed toward the high-20s percent range, with recent quarters showing continued expansion of over 150 basis points year over year. The company continues to realize cost synergies from the Elkay integration and to run a disciplined operating model. Further mix and productivity gains are the main lever for earnings growth.
3. Strong cash generation and capital return
ZWS produces consistent free cash flow and operates with low net leverage near 0.5 times EBITDA. That balance sheet flexibility funds share repurchases, a dividend, and bolt-on acquisitions in the fragmented water products space. Buybacks have been a steady contributor to per-share results.
4. Nonresidential end-market exposure
The bulk of demand comes from institutional and commercial construction and renovation, including education, healthcare, and public infrastructure. These markets tend to be more stable than residential, but they are still cyclical and sensitive to interest rates and public budgets. Backlog and quoting activity are watched as leading indicators.
What are the risks to Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS)?
ZWS trades at a premium price-to-earnings multiple, so any slowdown in growth or margin momentum could pressure the stock. Its results are tied to nonresidential construction and renovation activity, which is cyclical and exposed to interest rates, municipal budgets, and commercial real estate weakness. Input costs for metals and components, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions can compress margins. The business is concentrated in North America, and integration or acquisition missteps could weigh on returns. Competition from larger and specialized water and plumbing manufacturers is persistent.
How is Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS) valued? (approximate, JULY 2026)
A simple financial snapshot. These are approximations and refresh quarterly; for current figures see Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp's investor relations page or your broker.
- Revenue (TTM): ~$1.74B
- Q1 2026 revenue: ~$433M (+11% YoY)
- Adjusted EBITDA margin: ~27%
- Adjusted EPS (Q1 2026): ~$0.41
- Market cap: ~$8B
- P/E ratio: ~39x
ZWS delivered roughly $433 million of revenue in Q1 2026, up about 11 percent, with adjusted EBITDA margins near 27 percent and net leverage around 0.5 times. Trailing revenue sits near $1.74 billion and the company generates steady free cash flow. The stock trades at a premium multiple in the high-30s on earnings, reflecting its water-focused growth and margin profile.
Who competes with Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS)?
Water and plumbing product makers
Watts Water Technologies (WTS), A.O. Smith (AOS), and Pentair (PNR) compete across water flow control, drainage, treatment, and safety products aimed at similar commercial and institutional customers.
Fixtures and building products peers
Fortune Brands Innovations (FBIN, owner of Moen), Mueller Industries (MLI), Kohler, and Sloan Valve overlap on faucets, fixtures, and plumbing components, with several focused more on consumer-facing residential products.
Flow measurement and specialty water
Badger Meter (BMI), Geberit, and other specialized water infrastructure firms compete in metering, drinking water, and hygiene niches where ZWS also participates.
How to invest in Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS)
There are three common ways to get ZWS exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) directly at any major broker. Hold an ETF that includes it, which spreads the position across many companies. Or build it into a focused thematic basket, so ZWS sits alongside other stocks that express the same thesis.
Walnut takes the basket route. Describe a thesis where ZWS fits (for example “AI infrastructure” or “dividend-growth large-caps”) and the AI proposes 5 to 6 constituents with target weights. You review the plan and fund it through your own broker when you're ready.
The bottom line on Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS)
ZWS is a well-run, water-focused industrial compounder whose durable margins and clean balance sheet come attached to a rich valuation.
More on Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp (ZWS)
Whether ZWS is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, what would have to go right, and the risks in is ZWS a buy?, and where the stock could go from here in the ZWS stock forecast.
For income investors, whether ZWS pays a dividend and how the payout looks is covered in does ZWS pay a dividend?
Build a basket around ZWS with Walnut
Use Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp as one constituent in a thematic basket Walnut's AI helps you assemble. Describe a thesis you believe in, the AI proposes the holdings and weights, and you approve before any broker order.
FAQ
What does Zurn Elkay Water Solutions do?
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It designs and manufactures water management and plumbing products, including drinking water systems, backflow preventers, drainage, faucets, and hygiene products, sold mainly into nonresidential buildings such as schools, hospitals, and commercial spaces.
What is the ZWS ticker and where does it trade?
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ZWS trades on the New York Stock Exchange. The company is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was formed by the 2022 combination of Zurn Water Solutions and Elkay Manufacturing.
How big is Zurn Elkay?
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The company generates roughly $1.74 billion in trailing revenue and carries a market capitalization of about $8 billion as of mid-2026. It employs around 2,600 people.
Is ZWS profitable?
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Yes. ZWS is consistently profitable, with adjusted EBITDA margins near 27 percent and growing net income. In Q1 2026 it reported adjusted earnings of about $0.41 per share.
Does ZWS pay a dividend?
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Yes, Zurn Elkay pays a modest quarterly dividend and also returns cash through share repurchases. Its low net leverage supports steady capital return alongside reinvestment.
Who are Zurn Elkay's main competitors?
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Competitors include Watts Water Technologies, A.O. Smith, Pentair, Fortune Brands Innovations, Mueller Industries, Badger Meter, and privately held names like Kohler and Sloan in various product lines.
What drives ZWS revenue?
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Demand is tied to nonresidential construction and renovation, including institutional, healthcare, education, municipal, and commercial buildings, plus regulatory drivers around water safety, lead-free drinking water, and hygiene.
Why does ZWS trade at a high valuation?
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ZWS carries a premium price-to-earnings multiple, in the high-30s, because investors reward its water-focused growth, expanding margins, strong cash flow, and clean balance sheet. That valuation also raises the risk if growth slows.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Financial figures on this page are approximations; always verify current numbers with Zurn Elkay Water Solutions Corp's investor relations page or your broker before making investment decisions.