Exhibit 99.1
mhlogo1linetag.jpg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Contacts:
Brent Anderson, VP Investor Relations
 
 
 
(972) 580-6360 (office)
 
 
 
investors@meritagehomes.com

Meritage Homes reports first quarter 2017 diluted EPS of $0.56,
increased community count and solid order growth


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 27, 2017 - Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE: MTH), a leading U.S. homebuilder, reported its first quarter results for the period ended March 31, 2017.

Summary Operating Results (unaudited)
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
% Chg
Homes closed (units)
 
1,581

 
1,488

 
6
 %
Home closing revenue
 
$
660,617

 
$
595,617

 
11
 %
Average sales price - closings
 
$
418

 
$
400

 
4
 %
Home orders (units)
 
2,135

 
1,987

 
7
 %
Home order value
 
$
892,703

 
$
804,600

 
11
 %
Average sales price - orders
 
$
418

 
$
405

 
3
 %
Ending backlog (units)
 
3,181

 
3,191

 
 %
Ending backlog value
 
$
1,367,844

 
$
1,346,664

 
2
 %
Average sales price - backlog
 
$
430

 
$
422

 
2
 %
Earnings before income taxes
 
$
36,769

 
$
28,885

 
27
 %
Net earnings
 
$
23,572

 
$
20,969

 
12
 %
Diluted EPS
 
$
0.56

 
$
0.50

 
12
 %




1



MANAGEMENT COMMENTS
“We delivered solid earnings, revenue and order growth for the first quarter of 2017, and are on track to achieve our projections for the year,” said Steven J. Hilton, chairman and chief executive officer of Meritage Homes. “We closed more homes in the first quarter than we did a year ago, which resulted in an 11% increase in home closing revenue, despite beginning the year with slightly fewer orders in backlog than we had entering 2016. We leveraged that revenue growth by managing overhead expenses to deliver a 27% year-over-year increase in our earnings before taxes."
Mr. Hilton added, "I am pleased with our performance in the first quarter and the progress we are making on the strategic initiatives we have outlined, which are designed to position the company for further growth and earnings expansion. We grew our ending community count by 5% while also increasing our sales pace to generate 7% order growth over last year's first quarter. In addition, we secured approximately 3,600 new lots for future growth, ending the quarter with approximately 31,300 total lots -- the most we’ve had since mid-2007. We also completed our new product library for the East region and began rolling out those plans in our new communities. We believe customers will find them very attractive and are expecting to generate better margins with them as well.
“Strong housing market fundamentals in the U.S. have continued to drive demand in our markets,” added Mr. Hilton. “We have been addressing the increasing demand from entry-level and first-time home buyers by securing more lots and opening communities with affordable homes designed for those buyers, including our LiVE.NOW.™ homes, which are available in a growing number of Meritage communities across the country.
“With a successful first quarter behind us and a positive outlook for continued strong demand through the spring selling season, we remain confident in our projections for 2017, including deliveries of approximately 7,500-7,900 homes and estimated total closing revenue of $3.1-3.3 billion for the year. Though mindful of labor and materials cost pressures, we believe we can maintain gross margins consistent with 2016 while generating a 6-12% increase in pre-tax earnings through a combination of cost management and additional operating leverage with our anticipated revenue growth.”

FIRST QUARTER RESULTS
Net earnings of $23.6 million ($0.56 per diluted share) for the first quarter of 2017, compared to prior year net earnings of $21.0 million ($0.50 per diluted share), primarily reflect higher closing revenue and greater overhead leverage, partially offset by lower home closing gross margin and a higher effective tax rate. Earnings before income taxes increased 27% year-over-year.

2



First quarter effective tax rate was 36% in 2017, compared to 27% in 2016. The lower rate in 2016 reflected the significant impact of energy tax credits captured on energy-efficient homes closed in 2016 and prior periods, which Congress has not yet extended for 2017, resulting in a higher assumed effective tax rate this year.
Home closing revenue increased 11% on a 6% increase in home closings coupled with a 4% increase in average closing price over the first quarter of 2016. All regions delivered year-over-year increases in home closing revenue, led by 15% growth in the West region (California, Colorado and Arizona), followed by 9% in the Central region (Texas) and 6% in the East region (Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee).
Land closing gross profit of $2.5 million, primarily from the sale of one parcel in southern California, also contributed to the year-over-year increase in first quarter net earnings.
Home closing gross margin was in line with management's expectations at 16.2% for the first quarter of 2017, compared to 17.4% in the first quarter of 2016. The lower margin reflects increases in land and construction costs, approximately $2.0 million of asset impairments and write-offs, as well as front-end loaded costs associated with opening new communities that are expected to begin generating revenue in the latter half of 2017.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were 11.8% of home closing revenue, an improvement of 90 bps from 12.7% in the first quarter of 2016, reflecting successful cost controls and greater leverage of expenses on higher closing volumes and revenue.
Total orders for the first quarter increased 7% year-over-year, primarily due to an 8% increase in absorption pace (orders per average number of active communities) of 8.6 in 2017 compared to 8.0 in 2016. Strong order growth of 25% and 17% respectively in the West and Central regions offset a 19% decline in the East region. The decline in the East region reflected fewer average actively selling communities in the first quarter of 2017 than the previous year, as well as the opening of communities late in the quarter, which only minimally contributed to first quarter 2017 orders.
A total of 26 new communities were opened during the quarter, approximately half of which opened and recorded their first sale in the final weeks of the quarter. Total active community count increased 5% to 256 at March 31, 2017, from 243 at March 31, 2016.
In addition to the 7% increase in orders, a 3% increase in average sales price (ASP) drove an 11% increase in the total value of orders. The increase in order value was led by robust growth in Arizona (+48%), California (+28%) and Texas (+17%), markets where Meritage has opened a large number of communities designed for entry-level and first-time buyers, which have been selling at a higher pace than traditional move-up

3



communities. As a result of the beginning of a shift in those markets to entry level product, ASPs for the first quarter of 2017 were 5% lower in Arizona and 1% lower in Texas, compared to the first quarter of 2016.

BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2017, totaled $85.7 million, compared to $131.7 million at December 31, 2016, primarily reflecting $207 million in land and development spending to meet growing demand and position the company for future growth.
Real estate assets increased by $90.8 million during the first quarter, ending at $2.51 billion at March 31, 2017, compared to $2.42 billion at December 31, 2016. Approximately $73 million of the increase was for homes under construction or completed, with finished home sites or land under development accounting for most of the remainder of the increase.
Meritage ended the first quarter of 2017 with approximately 31,300 total lots owned or under control, compared to approximately 28,400 total lots at March 31, 2016. Approximately two-thirds of the 3,600 newly controlled lots added during the first quarter were in communities planned for entry-level or first-time buyers.
Net debt-to-capital ratio at March 31, 2017 was 42.8%, compared to 41.2% at December 31, 2016, reflecting the increased investment of cash into homes and land under development, while remaining well within management’s target range for this key ratio.

CONFERENCE CALL
Management will host a conference call today to discuss the Company's results at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (7:00 a.m. in Arizona). 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/10104520.
Telephone participants who are unable to pre-register may dial in to 866-226-4948 on the day of the call. International dial-in number is 1-412-902-4125 or 1-855-669-9657 for Canada.
A replay of the call will be available until May 11, 2017, beginning at approximately 12:00 p.m. ET on April 27 on the website noted above, or by dialing 877-344-7529, 1-412-317-0088 for international or 1-855-669-9658 for Canada, and referencing conference number 10104520.


4




Meritage Homes Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Income Statements
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

 
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2017
 
2016
Homebuilding:
 
 
 
 
Home closing revenue
$
660,617

 
$
595,617

 
Land closing revenue
12,155

 
2,149

 
Total closing revenue
672,772

 
597,766

 
Cost of home closings
(553,349
)
 
(492,270
)
 
Cost of land closings
(9,660
)
 
(1,700
)
 
Total cost of closings
(563,009
)
 
(493,970
)
 
Home closing gross profit
107,268

 
103,347

 
Land closing gross profit
2,495

 
449

 
Total closing gross profit
109,763

 
103,796

Financial Services:
 
 
 
 
Revenue
2,944

 
2,500

 
Expense
(1,379
)
 
(1,246
)
 
Earnings from financial services unconsolidated entities and other, net
2,725

 
2,792

 
Financial services profit
4,290

 
4,046

Commissions and other sales costs
(48,320
)
 
(46,177
)
General and administrative expenses
(29,622
)
 
(29,618
)
Earnings/(loss) from other unconsolidated entities, net
373

 
(157
)
Interest expense
(825
)
 
(3,288
)
Other income, net
1,110

 
283

Earnings before income taxes
36,769

 
28,885

Provision for income taxes
(13,197
)
 
(7,916
)
Net earnings
$
23,572

 
$
20,969

 
 
 
 
Earnings per share:
 
 
 
 
Basic
 
 
 
 
Earnings per share
$
0.59

 
$
0.53

 
Weighted average shares outstanding
40,178

 
39,839

 
Diluted
 
 
 
 
Earnings per share
$
0.56

 
$
0.50

 
Weighted average shares outstanding
42,808

 
42,363





5




Meritage Homes Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
March 31, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
Assets:
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
85,689

 
$
131,702

Other receivables
 
86,232

 
70,355

Real estate (1)
 
2,512,853

 
2,422,063

Real estate not owned
 
9,987

 

Deposits on real estate under option or contract
 
78,526

 
85,556

Investments in unconsolidated entities
 
16,928

 
17,097

Property and equipment, net
 
32,700

 
33,202

Deferred tax asset
 
53,883

 
53,320

Prepaids, other assets and goodwill
 
79,749

 
75,396

Total assets
 
$
2,956,547

 
$
2,888,691

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Accounts payable
 
$
136,804

 
$
140,682

Accrued liabilities
 
158,666

 
170,852

Home sale deposits
 
32,797

 
28,348

Liabilities related to real estate not owned
 
8,489

 

Loans payable and other borrowings
 
75,820

 
32,195

Senior and convertible senior notes, net
 
1,095,606

 
1,095,119

Total liabilities
 
1,508,182

 
1,467,196

Stockholders' Equity:
 
 
 
 
Preferred stock
 

 

Common stock
 
403

 
400

Additional paid-in capital
 
575,801

 
572,506

Retained earnings
 
872,161

 
848,589

Total stockholders’ equity
 
1,448,365

 
1,421,495

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
 
$
2,956,547

 
$
2,888,691


(1) Real estate – Allocated costs:
 
 
 
 
Homes under contract under construction
 
$
617,790

 
$
508,927

Unsold homes, completed and under construction
 
395,841

 
431,725

Model homes
 
149,872

 
147,406

Finished home sites and home sites under development
 
1,349,350

 
1,334,005

Total real estate
 
$
2,512,853

 
$
2,422,063






6



Supplemental Information and Non-GAAP Financial Disclosures (Dollars in thousands – unaudited):
 
    
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2017
 
2016
Depreciation and amortization
$
3,670

 
$
3,402

 
 
 
 
Summary of Capitalized Interest:
 
 
 
Capitalized interest, beginning of period
$
68,196

 
$
61,202

Interest incurred
17,895

 
17,559

Interest expensed
(825
)
 
(3,288
)
Interest amortized to cost of home and land closings
(14,381
)
 
(11,347
)
Capitalized interest, end of period
$
70,885

 
$
64,126

 
 
 
 
 
March 31, 2017
 
December 31, 2016
Notes payable and other borrowings
$
1,171,426

 
$
1,127,314

Stockholders' equity
1,448,365

 
1,421,495

Total capital
2,619,791

 
2,548,809

Debt-to-capital
44.7
%
 
44.2
%
Notes payable and other borrowings
$
1,171,426

 
$
1,127,314

Less: cash and cash equivalents
$
(85,689
)
 
$
(131,702
)
Net debt
1,085,737

 
995,612

Stockholders’ equity
1,448,365

 
1,421,495

Total net capital
$
2,534,102

 
$
2,417,107

Net debt-to-capital
42.8
%
 
41.2
%
 



7



Meritage Homes Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2017
 
2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
 
 
 
 
Net earnings
 
$
23,572

 
$
20,969

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash used in operating activities:
 
 
 
 
Depreciation and amortization
 
3,670

 
3,402

Stock-based compensation
 
3,295

 
4,758

Excess income tax provision from stock-based awards
 

 
516

Equity in earnings from unconsolidated entities
 
(3,098
)
 
(2,635
)
Distribution of earnings from unconsolidated entities
 
3,280

 
3,477

Other
 
(18
)
 
1,048

Changes in assets and liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Increase in real estate
 
(89,222
)
 
(116,035
)
Decrease/(increase) in deposits on real estate under option or contract
 
5,532

 
(4,046
)
Increase in other receivables, prepaids and other assets
 
(20,162
)
 
(168
)
(Decrease)/increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
 
(16,064
)
 
455

Increase in home sale deposits
 
4,449

 
6,442

Net cash used in operating activities
 
(84,766
)
 
(81,817
)
Cash flows from investing activities:
 
 
 
 
Investments in unconsolidated entities
 
(10
)
 
(63
)
Purchases of property and equipment
 
(3,238
)
 
(3,940
)
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment
 
49

 
35

Maturities/sales of investments and securities
 
1,226

 
645

Payments to purchase investments and securities
 
(1,226
)
 
(645
)
Net cash used in investing activities
 
(3,199
)
 
(3,968
)
Cash flows from financing activities:
 
 
 
 
Proceeds from Credit Facility, net
 
45,000

 

Repayment of loans payable and other borrowings
 
(3,048
)
 
(3,893
)
Excess income tax provision from stock-based awards
 

 
(516
)
Proceeds from stock option exercises
 

 
161

Net cash provided by/(used in) by financing activities
 
41,952

 
(4,248
)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
 
(46,013
)
 
(90,033
)
Beginning cash and cash equivalents
 
131,702

 
262,208

Ending cash and cash equivalents
 
$
85,689

 
$
172,175

 


8



Meritage Homes Corporation and Subsidiaries
Operating Data
(Dollars in thousands)
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
Homes
 
Value
 
Homes
 
Value
Homes Closed:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arizona
 
296

 
$
100,550

 
217

 
$
74,999

California
 
210

 
132,094

 
207

 
120,720

Colorado
 
128

 
67,360

 
138

 
65,327

West Region
 
634

 
300,004

 
562

 
261,046

Texas
 
495

 
174,709

 
465

 
159,971

Central Region
 
495

 
174,709

 
465

 
159,971

Florida
 
146

 
65,574

 
156

 
63,322

Georgia
 
55

 
20,475

 
65

 
22,014

North Carolina
 
131

 
56,907

 
118

 
50,377

South Carolina
 
73

 
26,055

 
67

 
21,171

Tennessee
 
47

 
16,893

 
55

 
17,716

East Region
 
452

 
185,904

 
461

 
174,600

Total
 
1,581

 
$
660,617

 
1,488

 
$
595,617

Homes Ordered:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arizona
 
403

 
$
133,832

 
259

 
$
90,180

California
 
328

 
193,758

 
270

 
151,012

Colorado
 
143

 
82,095

 
169

 
86,626

West Region
 
874

 
409,685

 
698

 
327,818

Texas
 
693

 
251,773

 
591

 
216,065

Central Region
 
693

 
251,773

 
591

 
216,065

Florida
 
239

 
101,560

 
227

 
92,594

Georgia
 
69

 
22,402

 
105

 
35,195

North Carolina
 
150

 
66,332

 
189

 
77,081

South Carolina
 
72

 
25,538

 
107

 
34,221

Tennessee
 
38

 
15,413

 
70

 
21,626

East Region
 
568

 
231,245

 
698

 
260,717

Total
 
2,135

 
$
892,703

 
1,987

 
$
804,600

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Order Backlog:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arizona
 
551

 
$
194,625

 
359

 
$
133,087

California
 
349

 
215,302

 
352

 
214,438

Colorado
 
288

 
168,819

 
363

 
183,450

West Region
 
1,188

 
578,746

 
1,074

 
530,975

Texas
 
1,129

 
431,798

 
1,068

 
406,288

Central Region
 
1,129

 
431,798

 
1,068

 
406,288

Florida
 
346

 
152,440

 
358

 
147,278

Georgia
 
105

 
35,290

 
135

 
46,607

North Carolina
 
212

 
96,677

 
331

 
138,182

South Carolina
 
115

 
40,119

 
128

 
43,161

Tennessee
 
86

 
32,774

 
97

 
34,173

East Region
 
864

 
357,300

 
1,049

 
409,401

Total
 
3,181

 
$
1,367,844

 
3,191

 
$
1,346,664



9



Meritage Homes Corporation and Subsidiaries
Operating Data
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
Ending
 
Average
 
Ending
 
Average
Active Communities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arizona
 
42

 
42.0

 
42

 
41.5

California
 
29

 
28.5

 
24

 
24.0

Colorado
 
10

 
10.0

 
14

 
15.0

West Region
 
81

 
80.5

 
80

 
80.5

Texas
 
85

 
82.5

 
70

 
71.0

Central Region
 
85

 
82.5

 
70

 
71.0

Florida
 
32

 
29.5

 
26

 
27.0

Georgia
 
17

 
17.0

 
18

 
17.5

North Carolina
 
18

 
17.5

 
24

 
25.0

South Carolina
 
15

 
15.0

 
16

 
17.0

Tennessee
 
8

 
7.5

 
9

 
9.0

East Region
 
90

 
86.5

 
93

 
95.5

Total
 
256

 
249.5

 
243

 
247.0


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



10



About Meritage Homes Corporation
Meritage Homes is the eighth-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2016. Meritage Homes builds and sells single-family homes for entry-level, first-time, move-up, luxury and active adult buyers across the Western, Southern and Southeastern United States. Meritage Homes builds in markets including Sacramento, San Francisco Bay area, southern coastal and Inland Empire markets in California; Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Green Valley and Tucson, Arizona; Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado; Orlando, Tampa and south Florida; Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina; Greenville-Spartanburg and York County, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and Atlanta, Georgia.
Meritage Homes has designed and built over 100,000 homes in its 31-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and positive customer experience. Meritage Homes is the industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award every year since 2013 for innovation and industry leadership in energy efficient homebuilding.
For more information, visit www.meritagehomes.com.
This press release and the accompanying comments during our analyst call contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include management's expectations with respect to future growth and earnings expansion, our strategy and projections with respect to the entry-level and first-time home buyer market, as well as our new East region product library, plans for community count growth in 2017, projected home closings and home closing revenue, home closing gross margins and pre-tax earnings for the full year 2017.
Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Company management, and current market conditions, which are subject to significant uncertainties and fluctuations. 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. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the availability and cost of finished lots and undeveloped land; changes in interest rates and the availability and pricing of residential mortgages; fluctuations in the availability and cost of labor; changes in tax laws that adversely impact us or our homebuyers; changes in economic conditions; the ability of our potential buyers to sell their existing homes; cancellation rates; inflation in the cost of materials used to develop communities and construct homes; ; impairments of our real estate inventory; a change to the feasibility of projects under option or contract that could result in the write-down or write-off of earnest or option deposits; our potential exposure to and impacts from natural disasters or severe weather conditions; competition; construction defect and home warranty claims; failures in health and safety performance; our success in prevailing on contested tax positions; our ability to obtain performance bonds in connection with our development work; the loss of key personnel; enactment of new laws or regulations or our failure to comply with laws and regulations; our limited geographic diversification; fluctuations in quarterly operating results; our level of indebtedness; our ability to obtain financing; our ability to successfully integrate acquired companies and achieve anticipated benefits from these acquisitions; our compliance with government regulations; the effect of legislative and other governmental actions, orders, policies or initiatives

11



that impact housing, labor availability, construction, mortgage availability, our access to capital, the cost of capital or the economy in general, or other initiatives that seek to restrain growth of new housing construction or similar measures; legislation relating to energy and climate change; the replication of our energy-efficient 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, 2016 under the caption "Risk Factors," which can be found on our website.


12