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Meritage Homes (MTH) Q1 Revenues & Earnings Beat, Backlog Up
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Meritage Homes Corporation (MTH - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2021 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Also, the top and the bottom line improved significantly on a year-over-year basis. Total revenues and earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the 10th straight quarter.
Earnings & Revenue Discussion
Meritage Homes reported earnings of $3.44 per share, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.47 by 39.3% and surged 88% year over year. The upside can be primarily attributed to solid home closing volume, increase in pricing power, expanded gross margin and improved overhead leverage.
Total revenues (including Homebuilding and Financial Services revenues) amounted to $1.09 billion, up 20.3% from the year-ago quarter’s level. The uptick was backed by stronger market demand and lower mortgage interest rates.
Meritage Homes Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Homebuilding: The segment’s revenues in the first quarter totaled $1083.8 million, up 20.3% from the prior-year quarter’s level of $901 million. Home closing revenues totaled $1,080 million, up 21.3% year over year. The upside can be attributed to a 25% increase in volumes. Average sales price (or ASP) fell 3% year over year due to a strategic shift in the entry-level market.
During the first quarter, the company reported homes closed of 2,890 units, up 25% year over year. Total home orders increased 11% from the prior-year level to 3,458 homes, backed by a 35% rise in absorptions. High demand was witnessed for Meritage's entry-level LiVE.NOW product that accounted for almost 76% of first-quarter orders compared with 61% in the prior-year quarter. Tennessee generated the highest absorptions in the quarter.
Meanwhile, value of net orders increased 14.3% year over year to $1.35 billion. Quarter-end backlog totaled 5,240 units, up 47% year over year. Value of the backlog also increased 50% year over year, with a hike of 2% in ASP.
During the first quarter, home closing gross margin increased 470 basis points (bps) to 24.7% from 20% reported in the year-ago quarter. The improvement stemmed from strategic streamlining of operations. Selling, general and administrative expenses — as a percentage of home closing revenues — declined 90 bps year over year to 9.8%.
Land closing revenues amounted to $3.8 million, down 64.1% from $10.6 million in the year-ago quarter.
Financial Services: The segment’s revenues increased 21.4% from the prior-year quarter’s level to $4.8 million.
Balance Sheet
As of Mar 31, 2021, cash and cash equivalents totaled $716.4 million compared with $745.6 million as on Dec 31, 2020.
At quarter-end, the company had nearly 58,000 total lots owned or under control compared with 41,500 at the end of fourth-quarter 2020.
Total debt to capital at the end of the quarter was 29.2% compared with 30.3% at 2020-end. Net debt to capital declined to 10.9% from 10.5% on Dec 31, 2020.
Q2 Outlook
For the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the company expects 2,800-3,100 home closings with anticipated revenues of $1.1-$1.2 billion. Notably, Meritage Homes anticipates the home closing margins around 25%. Diluted earnings per share are expected between $3.05 and $3.35, whereas the Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2021 earnings is pegged at $2.81.
2021 Guidance
For 2021, Meritage Homes expects 11,700-12,700 home closings with anticipated revenues in the range of $4.55-$4.85 billion. Also, it projects home closing gross margins around 25% for 2021. Effective tax rate is expected near about 23.0%.
Meanwhile, 2021 earnings per share are projected in the range of $13.75-$14.75. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $11.51 per share.
KB Home (KBH - Free Report) — currently carrying a Zacks Rank #1 — posted impressive first-quarter fiscal 2021 results. The solid results are mainly attributable to a favorable pricing environment due to robust housing market demand, increased operating leverage on higher revenues and lower amortization of previously capitalized interest.
Lennar Corporation (LEN - Free Report) — currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) — reported better-than-expected results for first-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended Feb 28, 2021). The quarterly results benefited from robust housing market fundamentals backed by low interest rates. Also, solid execution of homebuilding and financial services businesses added to the positives.
NVR, Inc. (NVR - Free Report) — currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 — reported first-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended Mar 31, 2021) results, wherein earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate on solid housing gross margin.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth. Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
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Meritage Homes (MTH) Q1 Revenues & Earnings Beat, Backlog Up
Meritage Homes Corporation (MTH - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2021 results, with earnings and revenues surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Also, the top and the bottom line improved significantly on a year-over-year basis. Total revenues and earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the 10th straight quarter.
Earnings & Revenue Discussion
Meritage Homes reported earnings of $3.44 per share, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.47 by 39.3% and surged 88% year over year. The upside can be primarily attributed to solid home closing volume, increase in pricing power, expanded gross margin and improved overhead leverage.
Total revenues (including Homebuilding and Financial Services revenues) amounted to $1.09 billion, up 20.3% from the year-ago quarter’s level. The uptick was backed by stronger market demand and lower mortgage interest rates.
Meritage Homes Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Meritage Homes Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Meritage Homes Corporation Quote
Segment Discussion
Homebuilding: The segment’s revenues in the first quarter totaled $1083.8 million, up 20.3% from the prior-year quarter’s level of $901 million. Home closing revenues totaled $1,080 million, up 21.3% year over year. The upside can be attributed to a 25% increase in volumes. Average sales price (or ASP) fell 3% year over year due to a strategic shift in the entry-level market.
During the first quarter, the company reported homes closed of 2,890 units, up 25% year over year. Total home orders increased 11% from the prior-year level to 3,458 homes, backed by a 35% rise in absorptions. High demand was witnessed for Meritage's entry-level LiVE.NOW product that accounted for almost 76% of first-quarter orders compared with 61% in the prior-year quarter. Tennessee generated the highest absorptions in the quarter.
Meanwhile, value of net orders increased 14.3% year over year to $1.35 billion. Quarter-end backlog totaled 5,240 units, up 47% year over year. Value of the backlog also increased 50% year over year, with a hike of 2% in ASP.
During the first quarter, home closing gross margin increased 470 basis points (bps) to 24.7% from 20% reported in the year-ago quarter. The improvement stemmed from strategic streamlining of operations. Selling, general and administrative expenses — as a percentage of home closing revenues — declined 90 bps year over year to 9.8%.
Land closing revenues amounted to $3.8 million, down 64.1% from $10.6 million in the year-ago quarter.
Financial Services: The segment’s revenues increased 21.4% from the prior-year quarter’s level to $4.8 million.
Balance Sheet
As of Mar 31, 2021, cash and cash equivalents totaled $716.4 million compared with $745.6 million as on Dec 31, 2020.
At quarter-end, the company had nearly 58,000 total lots owned or under control compared with 41,500 at the end of fourth-quarter 2020.
Total debt to capital at the end of the quarter was 29.2% compared with 30.3% at 2020-end. Net debt to capital declined to 10.9% from 10.5% on Dec 31, 2020.
Q2 Outlook
For the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the company expects 2,800-3,100 home closings with anticipated revenues of $1.1-$1.2 billion. Notably, Meritage Homes anticipates the home closing margins around 25%. Diluted earnings per share are expected between $3.05 and $3.35, whereas the Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter 2021 earnings is pegged at $2.81.
2021 Guidance
For 2021, Meritage Homes expects 11,700-12,700 home closings with anticipated revenues in the range of $4.55-$4.85 billion. Also, it projects home closing gross margins around 25% for 2021. Effective tax rate is expected near about 23.0%.
Meanwhile, 2021 earnings per share are projected in the range of $13.75-$14.75. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the same is pegged at $11.51 per share.
Zacks Rank & Peer Releases
Meritage Homes currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
KB Home (KBH - Free Report) — currently carrying a Zacks Rank #1 — posted impressive first-quarter fiscal 2021 results. The solid results are mainly attributable to a favorable pricing environment due to robust housing market demand, increased operating leverage on higher revenues and lower amortization of previously capitalized interest.
Lennar Corporation (LEN - Free Report) — currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) — reported better-than-expected results for first-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended Feb 28, 2021). The quarterly results benefited from robust housing market fundamentals backed by low interest rates. Also, solid execution of homebuilding and financial services businesses added to the positives.
NVR, Inc. (NVR - Free Report) — currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 — reported first-quarter fiscal 2021 (ended Mar 31, 2021) results, wherein earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate on solid housing gross margin.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
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