Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES

v3.22.1
INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES We may enter into joint ventures as a means of accessing larger parcels of land, expanding our market opportunities, managing our risk profile, optimizing deal structure for the impacted parties and leveraging our capital base. While purchasing land through a joint venture can be beneficial, currently we do not view joint ventures as critical to the success of our homebuilding operations. Our joint venture partners generally are other homebuilders, land sellers or other real estate investors. We generally do not have a controlling interest in these ventures, which means our joint venture partners could cause the venture to take actions we disagree with, or fail to take actions we believe should be undertaken, including the sale of the underlying property to repay debt or recoup all or part of the partners' investments. Based on the structure of these joint ventures, they may or may not be consolidated into our results. As of March 31, 2022, we had two active equity-method land ventures and one mortgage joint venture, which is engaged in mortgage activities and primarily provides services to our homebuyers.
Summarized condensed combined financial information related to unconsolidated joint ventures that are accounted for using the equity method was as follows (in thousands):
As of
March 31, 2022 December 31, 2021
Assets:
Cash
 $ 8,419  $ 7,983 
Real estate
 7,992  7,989 
Other assets
 12,078  3,903 
Total assets $ 28,489  $ 19,875 
Liabilities and equity:
Accounts payable and other liabilities $ 16,581  $ 7,899 
Equity of:
Meritage (1)
4,726  4,752 
Other 7,182  7,224 
Total liabilities and equity $ 28,489  $ 19,875 
 
  Three Months Ended March 31,
  2022 2021
Revenue $ 9,238  $ 8,995 
Costs and expenses (8,272) (8,125)
Net earnings of unconsolidated entities $ 966  $ 870 
Meritage’s share of pre-tax earnings (1) (2)
$ 984  $ 750 

(1)Balance represents Meritage’s interest, as reflected in the financial records of the respective joint ventures. This balance may differ from the balance reported in the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements due to the following reconciling items: (i) timing differences for revenue and distributions recognition, (ii) step-up basis and corresponding amortization, (iii) capitalization of interest on qualified assets, (iv) income deferrals as discussed in Note (2) below and (v) the cessation of allocation of losses from joint ventures in which we have previously written down our investment balance to zero and where we have no commitment to fund additional losses.
(2)Our share of pre-tax earnings from our mortgage joint venture is recorded in Earnings from financial services unconsolidated entities and other, net on the accompanying unaudited consolidated income statements. Our share of pre-tax earnings from all other joint ventures is recorded in Other (expense)/income, net on the accompanying unaudited consolidated income statements.