SCOTTSDALE, AZ—via eTeligis—Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE: MTH), a leading U.S. homebuilder, today announced fourth quarter results for the period ended December 31, 2013.
If image is not available, please see attachment titled "Summary Operating Results unaudited."
MANAGEMENT COMMENTS
"2013 was another year of strong revenue growth and earnings acceleration for Meritage Homes, and the fourth quarter was our eleventh consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in orders," said Steven J. Hilton, chairman and chief executive officer of Meritage Homes. "Our orders and closing volumes grew due to strong demand and a 19% increase in our active communities open at year-end. In addition, rising home prices pushed our total order value and closing revenue to their highest levels in more than five years. Price appreciation also contributed to our home closing gross margins expanding to 22.0% for the year and 23.2% in the fourth quarter.
"With those margin gains, we produced an 80% increase in full year home closing gross profit and grew our annual pre-tax earnings by a multiple of six times on a 51% increase in home closing revenue in 2013," he explained. "Our growth was less evident in our net earnings and earnings per share, as our 2012 annual results included a $76.3 million net tax benefit, while 2013 results included a provision for tax expense of $53.2 million."
Mr. Hilton continued, "The homebuilding market strengthened in 2013 as jobs, improved buyer confidence and a shortage of homes for sale drove housing starts higher," continued Mr. Hilton. "We believe market conditions remain positive for continued growth in 2014 and beyond. Based on our positive outlook, we invested approximately $565 million during the year in land and development, and contracted for approximately 11,200 new lots in great locations at attractive prices, ending the year with about 25,700 total lots under control. We raised approximately $280 million during 2013 through the issuance of senior unsecured notes and completed a $110 million stock offering in January 2014 to further solidify our balance sheet and fund additional growth.
"We closed 2013 with significantly higher backlog, total assets and stockholders' equity than we had at the end of 2012, and believe we have sufficient liquidity to grow as the housing market continues to improve," concluded Mr. Hilton. "At this time, we expect to grow our community count to 210-220 by the end of 2014."
FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS
- Net earnings of $46.1 million ($1.19 per diluted share) were net of a $19.8 million provision for income taxes, while prior year net earnings of $95.1 million ($2.49 per diluted share) included a $71.5 million net tax benefit primarily due to the reversal of a majority of our deferred tax asset valuation allowances.
- Home closing revenue increased 47% due to an 18% increase in home closings combined with a 24% increase in average price over the prior year period. The strongest growth was in the expanded East Region (Florida, the Carolinas and Tennessee), which grew closings and home closing revenue by 58% and 116%, respectively, compared to 31% growth in home closing revenue in both the West and Central Regions.
- The total value of homes ordered increased 17%, primarily due to a 13% increase in average selling price combined with a 3% increase in order volume. Average sales price for the fourth quarter increased to $367,000 from $323,000 in 2012. The fourth quarter of 2013 was Meritage's eleventh consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in home orders, and monthly sales improved sequentially every month throughout the quarter, before including the Company's new Tennessee division, which added 26 orders in the fourth quarter of 2013.
- An average of 6.2 orders per community during the fourth quarter 2013 was the second highest fourth quarter in the last eight years, exceeded only by 2012's 7.0 average orders per community. California and Colorado sold the highest number of homes per average community.
- Cancellation rates increased to 15% in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to 13% in the fourth quarter of 2012, but still remained well below historical rates for the Company.
- Ending backlog of orders was up 26% over the prior year, and the total value of orders in backlog was up 43%, aided by a 14% increase in the average sales price per home.
- Home closing gross profit increased 80% over the prior year, and home closing gross margin increased by 430 basis points to 23.2% in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to 18.9% in the fourth quarter of 2012. Increased margins reflected the Company's success in managing smaller increases in its cost of sales relative to rising home prices.
- Commissions and selling expenses decreased by 60 basis points from the prior year, to 6.8% of home closing revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to 7.4% of home closing revenue in the fourth quarter of 2012, as higher closing revenue resulted in greater leverage of the fixed components within selling costs.
- General and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter of 2013 decreased by 30 basis points to 4.6% of total closing revenue in 2013, compared to 4.9% of total closing revenue in 2012, despite increasing by $7.2 million over the prior year, primarily due to hiring of additional employees and higher compensation expense.
- Interest expense decreased to $2.0 million or 0.4% of closing revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to $5.5 million or 1.5% of closing revenue in the fourth quarter of 2012, as more interest was capitalized to assets under development.
- Earnings before income taxes increased 179% to $65.9 million from $23.6 million in the fourth quarters of 2013 and 2012, respectively. Pretax margin for the fourth quarter increased 570 basis points to 12.2% in 2013 compared to 6.5% in 2012.
FULL YEAR RESULTS
- Net income of $124.5 million for the full year of 2013 included a $53.2 provision for income taxes and a $3.8 million loss on early extinguishment of debt, compared to 2012's net income of $105.2 million, which included a net tax benefit of $76.3 million and a $5.8 million loss on early extinguishment of debt.
- Home closings and closing revenue increased 24% and 51%, respectively, for 2013 as compared to 2012.
- 2013 home closing gross margins improved by 360 basis points to 22.0% compared to 18.4% for 2012.
- Net orders for the year increased 17% in 2013 over 2012, and total order value increased 40% year over year, aided by a 20% increase in average sales prices.
- The total value of orders in backlog at year-end 2013 was 43% higher than the prior year's ending backlog.
BALANCE SHEET
- Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and securities at December 31, 2013, totaled $363.8 million, compared to $295.5 million at December 31, 2012. During 2013, Meritage received approximately $280 million from the sale of $175 million of 4.50% senior notes due 2018 and $100 million of its 7.15% senior notes due 2020 (sold at a premium of $106.699 for a yield of 5.875%). Approximately $100 million of the capital raised was used to fully retire the Company's 7.731% senior subordinated notes due 2017. In January 2014, the company also issued approximately 2.53 million shares of common stock for net proceeds of approximately $110 million.
- Meritage Homes expanded into the Nashville, Tennessee market through the acquisition of Phillips Builders in August 2013, which added approximately 500 lots to Meritage's total lot inventory.
- Real estate assets increased by $292.1 million for the year 2012, ending at $1.4 billion at December 31, 2013, compared to $1.1 billion at December 31, 2012. Approximately 61% of the increase was in finished home sites (lots) and home sites under development, as Meritage acquired and developed lots for new communities in growing markets.
- Meritage ended the quarter with approximately 25,700 total lots under control, of which 74% were owned and 26% controlled under option and purchase contracts, compared to approximately 20,800 total lots at December 31, 2012. Based on its trailing twelve months' closings, Meritage controlled a 4.9 year supply of lots at the end of 2013.
- Net debt-to-capital ratio at December 31, 2013 was 39.1%, compared to 38.1% at December 31, 2012. Giving effect to the January equity offering, Meritage's pro forma net debt-to-capital ratio would have been 31.2%.
- The Company increased the borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility to $200 million from $135 million during the fourth quarter, providing additional liquidity for working capital and growth, while also eliminating all restrictions on cash previously required under its letters of credit facilities.
CONFERENCE CALL
Management will host a conference call today to discuss the Company's results at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time (7:30 a.m. Pacific Time). The call will be webcast with an accompanying slideshow available on the "Investor Relations" page of the Company's web site at http://investors.meritagehomes.com. Telephone participants may avoid any delays by pre-registering for the call using the following link to receive a special dial-in number and PIN.
Conference Call registration link: http://dpregister.com/10038596.
Telephone participants who are unable to pre-register may dial in to 888-317-6016 on the day of the call. International dial-in number is 1-412-317-6016.
A replay of the call will be available for fifteen days, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET on February 5, 2014 on the website noted above, or by dialing 877-344-7529, and referencing conference number 10038596. For more information, visit meritagehomes.com.
If image is not available please see attachment titled, "MTH Corporation and Subsidiaries Operating Results unaudited."
If images are not available please see attachments titled, "MTH and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheet1" and "MTH and Subsidiaries Consolidated Balance Sheet2" respectively.
If image is not available please see attachment titled, "Supplemental Information and Non GAAP Financial Disclosures."
If images are not available please see attachments titled, "MTH Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements1" and "MTH Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Statements2" respectively.
If images are not available please see attachments titled, "MTH Corporation and Subsidiaries Operating Data1," "MTH Corporation and Subsidiaries Operating Data2," and "MTH Corporation and Subsidiaries Operating Data3" respectively.
If image is not available please see attachment titled, "MTH Corporation and Subsidiaries Operating Data unaudited."
About Meritage Homes Corporation
Meritage Homes is the ninth-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2012. Meritage builds and sells single-family homes for first-time, move-up, luxury and active adult buyers across the Western, Southern and Southeastern United States. As of December 31, 2013, the company had 188 actively selling communities in markets including Sacramento, San Francisco's East Bay, the Central Valley and Orange County, California; Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Green Valley and Tucson, Arizona; Denver, Colorado; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; York County, South Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee.
Meritage has designed and built more than 80,000 homes in its 28-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and positive customer experience. Meritage is the industry leader in energy efficient homebuilding and in 2013, Meritage received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award, for its innovation and industry leadership in energy efficient homebuilding. Meritage was the first national homebuilder to be 100 percent ENERGY STAR® qualified in every home it builds, and far exceeds ENERGY STAR standards today.
For more information, visit meritagehomes.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include management's expectations for positive housing market conditions, its plans to grow as the market improves and belief that it has sufficient liquidity to fund additional growth, and its projected community count by the end of 2014.
Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Company management, and current market conditions, which are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The Company makes no commitment, and disclaims any duty, to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or changes in these expectations.
Meritage's business is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. As a result of those risks and uncertainties, the Company's stock and note prices may fluctuate dramatically. The risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the following: weakness in the homebuilding market resulting from an unexpected setback in the current economic recovery; the availability of finished lots and undeveloped land; interest rates and changes in the availability and pricing of residential mortgages; the availability and cost of materials and labor; adverse changes in tax laws that benefit our homebuyers; the ability of our potential buyers to sell their existing homes; cancellation rates and home prices in our markets; inflation in the cost of materials used to construct homes; the adverse effect of slower order absorption rates; potential write-downs or write-offs of assets, including pre-acquisition costs and deposits; our potential exposure to natural disasters; competition; the adverse impacts of cancellations resulting from small deposits relating to our sales contracts; construction defect and home warranty claims; our success in prevailing on contested tax positions; our ability to preserve our deferred tax assets and use them within the statutory time limits; delays and risks associated with land development; our ability to obtain performance bonds in connection with our development work; the liquidity of our joint ventures and the ability of our joint venture partners to meet their obligations to us and the joint venture; the loss of key personnel; changes in or our failure to comply with laws and regulations; our lack of geographic diversification; fluctuations in quarterly operating results; our financial leverage and level of indebtedness; our ability to take certain actions because of restrictions contained in the indentures for our senior notes and our ability to raise additional capital when and if needed; our credit ratings; successful integration of future acquisitions; government regulations and legislative or other initiatives that seek to restrain growth or new housing construction or similar measures; acts of war; the replication of our "Green" technologies by our competitors; our exposure to information technology failures and security breaches; and other factors identified in documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 under the caption "Risk Factors," which can be found on our website.
Contacts:
Brent Anderson
VP Investor Relations
(972) 580-6360 (office)
Brent.Anderson@meritagehomes.com
SOURCE: Meritage Homes Corp.
Associated Documentation:
Link to submission on http://www.eteligis.com
MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.docx
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.001.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.002.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.003.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.004.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.005.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.006.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.007.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.008.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.009.jpeg
06462704022014-985402360MTH_2-5-14_ETL_KMG.010.jpeg
To unsubscribe from any future mailings, please visit: http://www.eteligis.com/MassMailUnsubscribe.aspx
Copyright eTeligis Inc. 2014. All rights reserved.
0 comments:
Post a Comment