Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (NYSE: BZH) (www.beazer.com) today announced its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2023.
“Strong third quarter results were highlighted by an improved sales pace, higher backlog conversion and lower sales concessions,” said Allan P. Merrill, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “These factors and careful management of overheads allowed us to generate $73 million in Adjusted EBITDA and $1.42 of earnings per diluted share.”
Commenting on current market conditions, Mr. Merrill said, “While home affordability remains quite challenging, homebuyer demand has remained surprisingly resilient. We believe the strength of the economy and the lack of existing homes for sale have contributed to this favorable new home sales environment. From a production perspective, supply chain issues continue to improve, which allowed us to reduce construction cycle times and increase the share of our home starts that met the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready standards.”
Looking further out, Mr. Merrill concluded, “We remain confident in the multi-year outlook for our Company and industry. Powerful demographic trends and a persistent undersupply of homes should provide support for new home sales, even when we encounter more challenging economic conditions. With a dedicated operating team, a growing community count and a more efficient and less leveraged balance sheet, we have the resources to create durable value for our stakeholders in the years ahead.”
Beazer Homes Fiscal Third Quarter 2023 Highlights and Comparison to Fiscal Third Quarter 2022
- Net income from continuing operations of $43.8 million, or $1.42 per diluted share, compared to net income from continuing operations of $54.3 million, or $1.76 per diluted share, in fiscal third quarter 2022
- Adjusted EBITDA of $72.8 million, down 17.5%
- Homebuilding revenue of $570.5 million, up 9.0% on a 7.1% increase in home closings to 1,117 and a 1.8% increase in average selling price to $510.8 thousand
- Homebuilding gross margin was 20.2%, down 490 basis points. Excluding impairments, abandonments and amortized interest, homebuilding gross margin was 23.4%, down 470 basis points
- SG&A as a percentage of total revenue was 11.5%, down 30 basis points
- Net new orders of 1,200, up 29.7% on a 28.3% increase in orders per community per month to 3.2 and a 1.1% increase in average community count to 124
- Backlog dollar value of $1.0 billion, down 36.4% on a 35.4% decrease in backlog units to 1,941 and a 1.6% decrease in average selling price of homes in backlog to $520.3 thousand
- Unrestricted cash at quarter end was $276.1 million; total liquidity was $541.1 million
The following provides additional details on the Company's performance during the fiscal third quarter 2023:
Profitability. Net income from continuing operations was $43.8 million, generating diluted earnings per share of $1.42. This included the impact of energy efficiency tax credits of $5.7 million or $0.18 per share compared to $2.7 million of such credits or $0.09 per share in the prior year quarter. Third quarter adjusted EBITDA of $72.8 million was down $15.5 million, or 17.5%, primarily due to lower gross margin.
Orders. Net new orders for the third quarter were 1,200, up 29.7% from 925 in the prior year quarter primarily driven by a 28.3% increase in sales pace to 3.2 orders per community per month, up from 2.5 in the prior year quarter. The cancellation rate for the quarter was 16.1%, down from 17.0% in the prior year quarter.
Backlog. The dollar value of homes in backlog as of June 30, 2023 was $1.0 billion, representing 1,941 homes, compared to $1.6 billion, representing 3,003 homes, at the same time last year. The average selling price (ASP) of homes in backlog was $520.3 thousand, down 1.6% versus the prior year quarter. Backlog units, although down year-over-year, have been growing for two consecutive quarters driven by strong sales.
Homebuilding Revenue. Third quarter homebuilding revenue was $570.5 million, up 9.0% year-over-year. The increase in homebuilding revenue was driven by a 7.1% increase in home closings to 1,117 homes, as well as an 1.8% increase in the average selling price to $510.8 thousand. The increase in home closings was due to higher backlog conversion rates as a result of improved cycle times, partially offset by lower beginning backlog.
Homebuilding Gross Margin. Homebuilding gross margin (excluding impairments, abandonments and amortized interest) was 23.4% for the third quarter, down from 28.1% in the prior year quarter. Although down versus the prior year quarter, homebuilding gross margin was strong by historical standards and exceeded expectations, in part due to higher than expected spec home margins, as well as reduced build costs and lower closing cost incentives.
SG&A Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenue was 11.5% for the quarter, down 30 basis points year-over-year as a result of the Company's continued focus on overhead cost management while benefiting from higher revenue on higher closings.
Land Position. Controlled lots decreased 8.8% to 22,719, compared to 24,899 from the prior year quarter. Excluding land held for future development and land held for sale lots, active lots controlled were 22,061, down 8.6% year-over-year in part due to timing of home closings and new land deals. As of June 30, 2023, the Company controlled 52.2% of its total active lots through option agreements compared to 52.1% as of June 30, 2022.
Liquidity. At the close of the third quarter, the Company had $541.1 million of available liquidity, including $276.1 million of unrestricted cash and $265.0 million of remaining capacity under the unsecured revolving credit facility.
Debt Repurchases. During the quarter, the Company repurchased $5.0 million of its outstanding 6.750% unsecured Senior Notes due March 2025.
Commitment to ESG Initiatives
The Company remains committed to ensuring that by the end of 2025 every new Beazer home will be Zero Energy Ready, which will meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program. By the end of the third quarter, the Company had Zero Energy Ready homes under construction in every division, consisting of 11% of new home starts in the quarter.
In April, Beazer Homes earned the 2023 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence recognition for Leadership, Purpose and Values, Compensation and Benefits, Work-Life Flexibility and Innovation,awarded by Energage, the employee engagement platform powered by 16 years of experience surveying data from more than 27 million employees across 70,000 organizations. The Top Workplaces awards are based solely on employee feedback.
Summary results for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2023 are as follows:
Three Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||
2023 | 2022 | Change* | ||||||||
New home orders, net of cancellations | 1,200 | 925 | 29.7 | % | ||||||
Orders per community per month | 3.2 | 2.5 | 28.3 | % | ||||||
Average active community count | 124 | 123 | 1.1 | % | ||||||
Active community count at quarter-end | 125 | 124 | 0.8 | % | ||||||
Cancellation rates | 16.1 | % | 17.0 | % | (90) bps | |||||
Total home closings | 1,117 | 1,043 | 7.1 | % | ||||||
Average selling price (ASP) from closings (in thousands) | $ | 510.8 | $ | 501.7 | 1.8 | % | ||||
Homebuilding revenue (in millions) | $ | 570.5 | $ | 523.2 | 9.0 | % | ||||
Homebuilding gross margin | 20.2 | % | 25.1 | % | (490) bps | |||||
Homebuilding gross margin, excluding impairments and abandonments (I&A) | 20.3 | % | 25.1 | % | (480) bps | |||||
Homebuilding gross margin, excluding I&A and interest amortized to cost of sales | 23.4 | % | 28.1 | % | (470) bps | |||||
Income from continuing operations before income taxes (in millions) | $ | 50.1 | $ | 67.5 | (25.8 | )% | ||||
Expense from income taxes (in millions) | $ | 6.2 | $ | 13.2 | (52.5 | )% | ||||
Income from continuing operations, net of tax (in millions) | $ | 43.8 | $ | 54.3 | (19.3 | )% | ||||
Basic income per share from continuing operations | $ | 1.44 | $ | 1.78 | (19.1 | )% | ||||
Diluted income per share from continuing operations | $ | 1.42 | $ | 1.76 | (19.3 | )% | ||||
Net income (in millions) | $ | 43.8 | $ | 54.3 | (19.3 | )% | ||||
Land acquisition and land development spending (in millions) | $ | 131.6 | $ | 159.5 | (17.5 | )% | ||||
Adjusted EBITDA (in millions) | $ | 72.8 | $ | 88.2 | (17.5 | )% | ||||
LTM Adjusted EBITDA (in millions) | $ | 325.4 | $ | 302.8 | 7.5 | % | ||||
* Change and totals are calculated using unrounded numbers. |
"LTM" indicates amounts for the trailing 12 months. |
Nine Months Ended June 30, | ||||||||||
2023 | 2022 | Change* | ||||||||
New home orders, net of cancellations | 2,863 | 3,357 | (14.7 | )% | ||||||
LTM orders per community per month | 2.4 | 3.1 | (22.6 | )% | ||||||
Cancellation rates | 21.5 | % | 13.5 | % | 800 bps | |||||
Total home closings | 3,013 | 3,140 | (4.0 | )% | ||||||
ASP from closings (in thousands) | $ | 516.6 | $ | 470.4 | 9.8 | % | ||||
Homebuilding revenue (in millions) | $ | 1,556.6 | $ | 1,477.2 | 5.4 | % | ||||
Homebuilding gross margin | 19.4 | % | 23.3 | % | (390) bps | |||||
Homebuilding gross margin, excluding I&A | 19.5 | % | 23.3 | % | (380) bps | |||||
Homebuilding gross margin, excluding I&A and interest amortized to cost of sales | 22.6 | % | 26.5 | % | (390) bps | |||||
Income from continuing operations before income taxes (in millions) | $ | 118.4 | $ | 163.6 | (27.6 | )% | ||||
Expense from income taxes (in millions) | $ | 15.5 | $ | 29.7 | (47.8 | )% | ||||
Income from continuing operations, net of tax (in millions) | $ | 102.9 | $ | 133.9 | (23.1 | )% | ||||
Basic income per share from continuing operations | $ | 3.39 | $ | 4.39 | (22.8 | )% | ||||
Diluted income per share from continuing operations | $ | 3.36 | $ | 4.35 | (22.8 | )% | ||||
Net income (in millions) | $ | 102.9 | $ | 133.9 | (23.2 | )% | ||||
Land acquisition and land development spending (in millions) | $ | 359.3 | $ | 422.8 | (15.0 | )% | ||||
Adjusted EBITDA (in millions) | $ | 182.1 | $ | 226.7 | (19.7 | )% | ||||
* Change and totals are calculated using unrounded numbers. |
"LTM" indicates amounts for the trailing 12 months. |
As of June 30, | ||||||||
2023 | 2022 | Change | ||||||
Backlog units | 1,941 | 3,003 | (35.4 | )% | ||||
Dollar value of backlog (in millions) | $ | 1,009.8 | $ | 1,588.0 | (36.4 | )% | ||
ASP in backlog (in thousands) | $ | 520.3 | $ | 528.8 | (1.6 | )% | ||
Land and lots controlled | 22,719 | 24,899 | (8.8 | )% | ||||
Conference Call
The Company will hold a conference call on July 27, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. ET to discuss these results. Interested parties may listen to the conference call and view the Company's slide presentation on the "Investor Relations" page of the Company's website, www.beazer.com. In addition, the conference call will be available by telephone at 800-475-0542 (for international callers, dial 630-395-0227). To be admitted to the call, enter the pass code “8571348". A replay of the conference call will be available, until 11:59 PM ET on August 3, 2023 at 800-568-3652 (for international callers, dial 203-369-3289) with pass code “3740”.
About Beazer Homes
Headquartered in Atlanta, Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) is one of the country’s largest homebuilders. Every Beazer home is designed and built to provide Surprising Performance, giving you more quality and more comfort from the moment you move in – saving you money every month. With Beazer's Choice Plans™, you can personalize your primary living areas – giving you a choice of how you want to live in the home, at no additional cost. And unlike most national homebuilders, we empower our customers to shop and compare loan options. Our Mortgage Choice program gives you the resources to easily compare multiple loan offers and choose the best lender and loan offer for you, saving you thousands over the life of your loan.
We build our homes in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. For more information, visit beazer.com, or check out Beazer on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent our expectations or beliefs concerning future events, and it is possible that the results described in this press release will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, among other things:
- the cyclical nature of the homebuilding industry and deterioration in homebuilding industry conditions;
- continued increases in mortgage interest rates and reduced availability of mortgage financing due to, among other factors, additional actions by the Federal Reserve to address sharp increases in inflation;
- other economic changes nationally and in local markets, including changes in consumer confidence, wage levels, declines in employment levels, and an increase in the number of foreclosures, each of which is outside our control and affects the affordability of, and demand for, the homes we sell;
- continued supply chain challenges negatively impacting our homebuilding production, including shortages of raw materials and other critical components such as windows, doors, and appliances;
- continued shortages of or increased costs for labor used in housing production, and the level of quality and craftsmanship provided by such labor;
- inaccurate estimates related to homes to be delivered in the future (backlog), as they are subject to various cancellation risks that cannot be fully controlled;
- financial institution disruptions, such as recent bank failures;
- potential negative impacts of public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which, in addition to exacerbating each of the risks listed above and below, may include a significant decrease in demand for our homes or consumer confidence generally with respect to purchasing a home, an inability to sell and build homes in a typical manner or at all, increased costs or decreased supply of building materials, including lumber, or the availability of subcontractors, housing inspectors, and other third-parties we rely on to support our operations, and recognizing charges in future periods, which may be material, for goodwill impairments, inventory impairments and/or land option agreement abandonments;
- factors affecting margins, such as adjustments to home pricing, increased sales incentives and mortgage rate buy down programs in order to remain competitive; decreased revenues; decreased land values underlying land option agreements; increased land development costs in communities under development or delays or difficulties in implementing initiatives to reduce our cycle times and production and overhead cost structures; not being able to pass on cost increases (including cost increases due to increasing the energy efficiency of our homes) through pricing increases;
- the availability and cost of land and the risks associated with the future value of our inventory,
