BEAZER HOMES USA INC - Annual Report: 2006 (Form 10-K)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
(Mark
One)
x |
Annual
report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of
1934
|
For
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006
o |
Transition
report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of
1934
|
Commission
file number: 001-12822
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
(Exact
name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
|
58-2086934
|
(State
or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
|
(I.R.S.
Employer Identification No.)
|
1000
Abernathy Road, Suite 1200, Atlanta, Georgia 30328
(Address
of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
(Registrant’s
telephone number including area code) (770)
829-3700
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title
of Securities
|
Exchanges
on which Registered
|
|
Common
Stock, $.001 par value per share
|
New
York Stock Exchange
|
|
Preferred
Share Purchase Rights
|
New
York Stock Exchange
|
Securities
registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined
in
Rule 405 of the Act). Yes
o
No
x
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o
No
x
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to
be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements
for
the past 90 days. Yes x
No
o
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best
of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to
this
Form 10-K.
x
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated
and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large
accelerated filer x Accelerated
filer o Non-accelerated
filer o
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Act). Yes o
No
x
The
aggregate market value of the registrant’s Common Stock held by non-affiliates
of the registrant (40,464,397 shares) as of March 31, 2006, based on the closing
sale price per share as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on such date,
was $2,658,510,883.
The
number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Common Stock as of December 1,
2006 was 39,158,126.
DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Part
of 10-K
where
incorporated
|
|
Portions
of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2007 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders
|
III
|
Website
Access to Company Reports
Beazer
Homes’ Internet website address is www.beazer.com. Our annual reports on Form
10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments
to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Exchange Act are available free of charge through our website as soon as
reasonably practicable after we electronically file with or furnish them to
the
Securities and Exchange Commission and are available in print to any stockholder
who requests a printed copy.
BEAZER
HOMES USA, INC.
FORM
10-K
INDEX
Page
Number
|
||
PART
I.
|
||
2
|
||
10
|
||
14
|
||
14
|
||
15
|
||
PART
II.
|
||
16
|
||
18
|
||
20
|
||
36
|
||
37
|
||
68
|
||
68
|
||
69
|
||
PART
III.
|
||
69
|
||
69
|
||
69
|
||
69
|
||
70
|
||
|
||
PART
IV.
|
||
70
|
||
SIGNATURES
|
||
1
PART
I
Our
principal executive offices are located at 1000 Abernathy Road, Suite 1200,
Atlanta, Georgia 30328, telephone (770) 829-3700. We also provide information
about our active communities and mortgage financing through our Internet website
located at http://www.beazer.com.
Information on our website is not a part of and
shall
not be deemed incorporated by reference in this
report.
We
design, sell and build primarily single-family homes in the following locations
within the United States:
Region/State
|
Market(s)
/ Year Entered
|
||
West
Region:
|
|||
Arizona
|
Phoenix
(1993)
|
||
California
|
Los
Angeles County (1993), Orange County (1993), Riverside and San Bernardino
Counties (1993), San Diego County (1992), Ventura County (1993),
Sacramento (1993), Kern County (2005), Fresno (2005)
|
||
Nevada
|
Las
Vegas (1993)
|
||
New
Mexico
|
Albuquerque
(2005)
|
||
Mid-Atlantic
Region:
|
|||
Maryland
Delaware
|
Baltimore
(1998), Metro-Washington, D.C. (1998)
Delaware
(2003)
|
||
New
Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania
|
Central
and Southern New Jersey (1998), Bucks County, PA (1998), Orange County,
NY
(2005)
|
||
Virginia/West
Virginia
|
Fairfax
County (1998), Loudoun County (1998), Prince William County (1998),
West
Virginia (2004)
|
||
Florida
Region:
|
|||
Florida
|
Jacksonville
(1993), Fort Myers/Naples (1996), Tampa/St. Petersburg (1996), Orlando
(1997), Sarasota (2005), Tallahassee (2006)
|
||
Southeast
Region:
|
|||
Georgia
|
Atlanta
(1985), Savannah (2005)
|
||
North
Carolina
|
Charlotte
(1987), Raleigh/Durham (1992), Greensboro (1999)
|
||
South
Carolina
|
Charleston
(1987), Columbia (1993), Myrtle Beach (2002)
|
||
Nashville,
Tennessee
|
Nashville
(1987)
|
||
Other
homebuilding markets:
|
|||
Colorado
|
Denver
(2001), Colorado Springs (2003)
|
||
Indiana
Kentucky
Ohio
|
Indianapolis
(2002), Ft. Wayne (2002)
Lexington
(2002)
Columbus
(2002), Cincinnati/Dayton (2002)
|
||
Memphis,
TN
|
Memphis
(2002)
|
||
Texas
|
Dallas/Ft.
Worth (1995), Houston (1995)
|
||
We
design
our homes at various price points to appeal to homebuyers across various
demographic segments. Our objective is to provide our customers at each price
point with homes that incorporate exceptional value and quality while seeking
to
maximize our return on invested capital. To achieve this objective, we have
developed a business strategy which focuses on the following elements:
Geographic
Diversity and Growth Markets.
We
compete in a large number of geographically diverse markets in an attempt to
reduce our exposure to any particular regional economy. Within these markets,
we
build homes in a variety of projects. Our business strategy entails further
increasing our market penetration, investing in our most profitable markets
and
exiting non-strategic markets.
2
Leverage
of National Brand. In
2003,
we adopted a strategy of a single brand name across our markets. We feel that
this national brand identity best positions us to consistently approach and
address the needs of our customers across all of our markets.
Leverage
Size, Scale and Capabilities to Achieve Optimal Efficiencies.
We
have
implemented specific profitability initiatives which focus on leveraging our
size, scale and capabilities in order to improve gross profit and operating
profit margins. These initiatives include:
· |
leveraging
our size to create economies of scale in purchasing and
construction;
|
· |
standardizing
best practices and product designs;
|
· |
using
branding and increased market penetration to maximize efficiency
of land
use; and
|
· |
leveraging
our fixed cost infrastructure by increasing depth and breadth in
markets
where we have an established presence.
|
Quality
Homes at Various Price Points to Meet the Needs of Increasingly Diverse
Homebuyers.
We seek
to maximize customer satisfaction by offering homes which incorporate quality
materials, distinctive design features, convenient locations and competitive
prices. During fiscal year 2006, the average sales price of our homes closed
was
approximately $286,700. Our product strategy entails addressing the needs of
an
increasingly diverse profile of buyers as evidenced by demographic trends
including, among others, increased immigration, changing profiles of households,
the aging of the baby-boomers, and the rise of the echo-boomers (children of
the
baby-boomers) into the ranks of homeownership. Our product offering is broken
down into the following product categories:
Economy.
These
homes are targeted primarily at entry-level buyers and are intended to meet
the
needs of those buyers for whom price is the most important factor in the buying
decision.
Value.
These
homes are targeted at entry-level and move-up buyers, and are intended to appeal
to buyers who are more interested in style and features, but are still somewhat
price-focused.
Style.
These
homes are targeted at more affluent move-up buyers and are intended to appeal
to
buyers in the more luxurious segment of the market, who place greater emphasis
on style and features.
In
addition, we also offer homes to the ‘active adult’ market which is targeted to
buyers over 55 years of age, in communities with special amenities. We offer
these homes within the Economy, Value and Style categories described
above.
Additional
Products and Services for Homebuyers. In
order
to maximize our profitability and provide our customers with the additional
products and services that they desire, we have incorporated design studios
and
mortgage operations into our business. Recognizing that our customers want
to
choose certain components of their new home, we offer limited customization
through the use of design studios in most of our markets. These design studios
allow the customer to select certain non-structural customizations for their
homes such as cabinetry, flooring, fixtures, appliances and wall coverings.
Additionally,
recognizing the homebuyer’s desire to simplify the financing process, we offer
mortgage services to our homebuyers through our subsidiary Beazer Mortgage
Corporation (“Beazer Mortgage”). Beazer Mortgage generally does not retain or
service the mortgages that it brokers. Beazer
Mortgage also finances certain of our mortgage lending activities with
borrowings under a warehouse line of credit or from general corporate funds
prior to selling the loans and their servicing rights shortly after origination
to third-party investors. We
also
offer title insurance services to our customers in many of our
markets.
3
Conservative
Land Policies.
We seek
to maximize our return on capital by judiciously managing our investment in
land. To reduce the risks associated with investments in land, we often use
options to control land. We generally do not speculate in land which does not
have the benefit of entitlements providing basic development rights to the
owner.
Company
History
In
March
1994, we completed a concurrent initial public offering of common stock and
issuance of senior notes (the “IPO”). Prior to our IPO, we were an indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of Hanson PLC (“Hanson”), a company registered in the
United Kingdom. Hanson currently does not hold any investment or ongoing
interest in us.
Markets
and Product Description
We
evaluate a number of factors in determining which geographic markets to enter
or
in which markets to concentrate our homebuilding activities. We attempt to
anticipate swings in economic and real estate conditions by evaluating such
statistical information as:
· |
the
historical and projected growth of the population;
|
·
|
the
number of new jobs created or projected to be created;
|
·
|
the
number of housing starts in previous periods;
|
·
|
building
lot availability and price;
|
·
|
housing
inventory;
|
·
|
level
of competition; and
|
·
|
home
sale absorption rates.
|
We
generally seek to differentiate ourselves from our competition in a particular
market with respect to customer service and product type. We maintain the
flexibility to alter our product mix within a given market, depending on market
conditions. In determining our product mix, we consider demographic trends,
demand for a particular type of product, margins, timing and the economic
strength of the market. Although some of our Value and Style homes are priced
at
the upper end of the market, and we offer a selection of amenities, we generally
do not build “custom homes.” We attempt
to
maximize efficiency by using standardized design plans whenever
possible.
The
following table summarizes certain operating information regarding our major
geographic regions as of and for the year ended September 30, 2006 (dollars
in thousands). Please
see “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”
for
additional information.
Region
|
Number
of
Homes
Closed
|
Average
Closing
Price
|
Units
in
Backlog
at
Year
End
|
Dollar
Value
of
Backlog at
Year
End
|
|||||||||
West
|
5,035
|
$
|
368.3
|
1,175
|
$
|
468,560
|
|||||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
2,086
|
457.6
|
577
|
290,861
|
|||||||||
Florida
|
2,274
|
309.5
|
508
|
173,106
|
|||||||||
Southeast
|
4,289
|
210.8
|
1,321
|
312,118
|
|||||||||
Other
|
4,985
|
187.5
|
1,521
|
310,811
|
|||||||||
Total
Company
|
18,669
|
$
|
286.7
|
5,102
|
$
|
1,555,456
|
Our
homebuilding and marketing activities are conducted under the name of Beazer
Homes in each of our markets.
4
Corporate
Operations
We
perform the following functions at a centralized level:
·
|
evaluate
and select geographic markets;
|
·
|
allocate
capital resources to particular markets for land
acquisitions;
|
·
|
maintain
and develop relationships with lenders and capital markets to regulate
the
flow of financial resources;
|
·
|
maintain
centralized information systems; and
|
·
|
monitor
the operations of our subsidiaries and divisions.
|
We allocate capital resources necessary for new projects in a manner consistent with our overall operating strategy. We will vary the capital allocation based on market conditions, results of operations and other factors. Capital commitments are determined through consultation among selected executive and operational personnel, who play an important role in ensuring that new projects are consistent with our strategy. Centralized financial controls are also maintained through the standardization of accounting and financial policies and procedures.
Structurally,
we operate through separate operating divisions which are equipped with the
skills to complete the functions of land acquisition, land entitlement, land
development, construction, marketing, sales and product service.
Land
Acquisition and Development
Generally,
the land we acquire is purchased only after necessary entitlements have been
obtained so that we have the right to begin development or construction as
market conditions dictate. In certain situations, we will purchase property
without all necessary entitlements where we perceive an opportunity to build
on
such property in a manner consistent with our strategy. The term “entitlements”
refers to
subdivision approvals, development agreements, tentative maps or recorded plats,
depending on the jurisdiction within which the land is located. Entitlements
generally give a developer the right to obtain building permits upon compliance
with conditions that are usually within the developer’s control. Although
entitlements are ordinarily obtained prior to the purchase of land, we are
still
required to obtain a variety of other governmental approvals and permits during
the development process.
We
select
our land for development based upon a variety of factors,
including:
·
|
internal
and external demographic and marketing
studies;
|
·
|
suitability
for development during the time period of one to five years from
the
beginning of the development process to the last closing;
|
·
|
centralized
corporate-level management review of all
decisions;
|
·
|
financial
review as to the feasibility of the proposed project, including
profit
margins and returns on capital employed;
|
·
|
the
ability to secure governmental approvals and entitlements;
|
·
|
environmental
and legal due diligence;
|
·
|
competition
in the area;
|
·
|
proximity
to local traffic corridors and amenities; and
|
·
|
management’s
judgment as to the real estate market and economic trends and our
experience in a particular market.
|
We
generally purchase land or obtain an option to purchase land, which, in either
case, requires certain site improvements prior to construction. Where required,
we then undertake or, in the case of land under option, the grantor of the
option then undertakes, the development activities (through contractual
arrangements with local developers), which include site planning and
engineering, as well as constructing road, sewer, water, utilities, drainage
and
recreational facilities and other amenities. When available in certain markets,
we also buy finished lots that are ready for construction.
5
We
strive
to develop a design and marketing concept for each of our projects, which
include determination of size, style and price range of the homes, layout of
streets, layout of individual lots and overall community design. The product
line offered in a particular project depends upon many factors, including the
housing generally available in the area, the needs of a particular market and
our cost of lots in the project. We are, however, often able to use standardized
design plans.
The
development and construction of each project is managed by our operating
divisions, each of which is generally led by a president who, in turn, reports
directly or indirectly to our Chief Operating Officer. At the development stage,
a manager (who may be assigned to several projects and reports to the president
of the division) supervises development of buildable lots. In addition, a
builder is responsible for each project site to supervise actual construction,
and each division has one or more customer care and marketing representatives
assigned to projects operated by that division.
The
following table sets forth, by state, land controlled by us as of September
30,
2006:
Lots
Owned
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Undevel-
oped
Lots(1)
|
Lots
Under
Develop-
ment
|
Finished
Lots
|
Homes
Under
Con-
struction(2)
|
Total
Lots
Owned
|
Total
Lots
Under Contract
|
Total
Lots
Controlled
|
||||||||||||||||
Arizona/New
Mexico
|
—
|
140
|
1,468
|
593
|
2,201
|
7,593
|
9,794
|
|||||||||||||||
California
|
—
|
3,205
|
1,635
|
1,236
|
6,076
|
4,016
|
10,092
|
|||||||||||||||
Colorado
|
—
|
—
|
498
|
237
|
735
|
1,752
|
2,487
|
|||||||||||||||
Florida
|
—
|
2,388
|
1,135
|
1,059
|
4,582
|
6,711
|
11,293
|
|||||||||||||||
Georgia
|
—
|
337
|
269
|
303
|
909
|
1,320
|
2,229
|
|||||||||||||||
Indiana
|
434
|
2,627
|
1,187
|
647
|
4,895
|
1,486
|
6,381
|
|||||||||||||||
Kentucky
|
—
|
195
|
157
|
94
|
446
|
726
|
1,172
|
|||||||||||||||
Maryland/Delaware
|
—
|
1,001
|
616
|
346
|
1,963
|
5,081
|
7,044
|
|||||||||||||||
Nevada
|
—
|
1,438
|
417
|
337
|
2,192
|
1,616
|
3,808
|
|||||||||||||||
New
Jersey/New York/
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Pennsylvania
|
—
|
165
|
420
|
152
|
737
|
4,178
|
4,915
|
|||||||||||||||
North
Carolina
|
60
|
1,420
|
476
|
387
|
2,343
|
1,861
|
4,204
|
|||||||||||||||
Ohio
|
—
|
2,314
|
1,121
|
244
|
3,679
|
335
|
4,014
|
|||||||||||||||
South
Carolina
|
—
|
1,474
|
509
|
527
|
2,510
|
4,842
|
7,352
|
|||||||||||||||
Tennessee
|
—
|
1,312
|
85
|
285
|
1,682
|
1,465
|
3,147
|
|||||||||||||||
Texas
|
503
|
1,529
|
2,234
|
688
|
4,954
|
1,339
|
6,293
|
|||||||||||||||
Virginia/West
Virginia
|
—
|
513
|
340
|
176
|
1,029
|
3,251
|
4,280
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
|
997
|
20,058
|
12,567
|
7,311
|
40,933
|
47,572
|
88,505
|
(1)
|
“Undeveloped
Lots” consists of raw land that is expected to be developed into the
respective number
of lots reflected in this
table.
|
(2)
|
The
category “Homes Under Construction” represents lots on which construction
of a home has commenced.
|
Option
Contracts.
We
acquire certain lots by means of option contracts. Option contracts generally
require the payment of a cash deposit or issuance of a letter of credit for
the
right to acquire lots during a specified period of time at a certain
price.
Under
option contracts, both with and without specific performance, purchase of the
properties is contingent upon satisfaction of certain requirements by us and
the
sellers. Our obligation with respect to options with specific performance is
included on our consolidated balance sheet in other liabilities at September
30,
2006. At September 30, 2006, we are committed to future amounts under option
contracts with specific performance obligations that aggregated $14.2 million,
net of cash deposits. Under option contracts without specific performance
obligations, our liability is generally limited to forfeiture of the
non-refundable deposits, letters of credit and other non-refundable amounts
incurred, which aggregated approximately $352.6 million at September 30, 2006.
This amount includes non-refundable letters of credit of approximately $51.9
million. At September 30, 2006, future amounts under option contracts without
specific performance obligations aggregated approximately $2.4 billion, net
of
cash deposits.
6
Construction
We
typically act as the general contractor for the construction of our projects.
Our project development operations are controlled by our subsidiaries and
divisions, whose employees supervise the construction of each project,
coordinate the activities of subcontractors and suppliers, subject their work
to
quality and cost controls and assure compliance with zoning and building codes.
We specify that quality, durable materials be used in the construction of our
homes. Our subcontractors follow design plans prepared by architects and
engineers who are retained by us and whose designs are geared to the local
market. Subcontractors typically are retained on a project-by-project basis
to
complete construction at a fixed price. Agreements with our subcontractors
and
materials suppliers are generally entered into after competitive bidding. In
connection with this competitive bid process, we obtain information from
prospective subcontractors and vendors with respect to their financial condition
and ability to perform their agreements with us. We do not maintain significant
inventories of construction materials, except for materials being utilized
for
homes under construction. We have numerous suppliers of raw materials and
services used in our business, and such materials and services have been, and
continue to be, available. Material prices may fluctuate, however, due to
various factors, including demand or supply shortages, which may be beyond
the
control of our vendors. Whenever possible, we enter into regional and national
supply contracts with certain of our vendors. We believe that our relationships
with our suppliers and subcontractors are good.
Construction
time for our homes depends on the availability of labor, materials and supplies,
product type and location. Homes are designed to promote efficient use of space
and materials, and to minimize construction costs and time. In all of our
markets, construction of a home is typically completed within three to six
months following commencement of construction. At September 30, 2006, we had
1,991 finished homes (excluding models), of which 794 were under contract and
included in backlog at such date.
Warranty
Program
For
homes
sold through March 31, 2004 (and in certain markets through July 31, 2004),
we
self-insured our structural warranty obligations through our wholly owned risk
retention group. Beginning with homes sold April 1, 2004 (August 1, 2004 in
certain markets), our warranties are issued, administered, and insured by
independent third parties. We currently provide a limited warranty (ranging
from
one to two years) covering workmanship and materials per our defined performance
quality standards. In addition, we provide a limited warranty (generally ranging
from a minimum of five years up to the period covered by the applicable statute
of repose) covering only certain defined construction defects. We also provide
a
defined structural element warranty with single-family homes and townhomes
in
certain states.
We
subcontract our homebuilding work to subcontractors who generally provide us
with an indemnity and a certificate of insurance prior to receiving payments
for
their work and, therefore, claims relating to workmanship and materials are
generally the primary responsibility of our subcontractors.
In
addition, we maintain third-party insurance for most construction defects that
we encounter in the normal course of business. We believe that our accruals
and
third-party insurance are adequate to cover the ultimate resolution of our
potential liabilities associated with known and anticipated warranty and
construction defect related claims and litigation.
There
can
be no assurance, however, that the terms and limitations of the limited warranty
will be effective against claims made by the homebuyers, that we will be able
to
renew our insurance coverage or renew it at reasonable rates, that we will
not
be liable for damages, the cost of repairs, and/or the expense of litigation
surrounding possible construction defects, soil subsidence or building related
claims or that claims will not arise out of uninsurable events or circumstances
not covered by insurance and not subject to effective indemnification agreements
with our subcontractors.
Marketing
and Sales
We
make
extensive use of advertising and other promotional activities, including our
Internet website (http://www.beazer.com),
mass-media advertisements, brochures, direct mail and the placement of
strategically located signboards in the immediate areas of our developments.
7
We
normally build, decorate, furnish and landscape model homes for each project
and
maintain on-site sales offices. At September 30, 2006, we maintained 793 model
homes, of which 236 were
owned and 557 were leased from third parties pursuant to sale and leaseback
agreements. We believe that model homes play a particularly important role
in
our marketing efforts.
We
generally
sell our homes through commissioned employees (who typically work from the
sales
offices located at the model homes used in the subdivision) as well as through
independent brokers. Our personnel are available to assist prospective
homebuyers by providing them with floor plans, price information and tours
of
model homes, and in connection with the selection of options. The selection
of
interior features is a principal component of our marketing and sales efforts.
Sales personnel are trained by us and attend periodic meetings to be updated
on
sales techniques, competitive products in the area, the availability of
financing, construction schedules and marketing and advertising plans, which
management believes results in a sales force with extensive knowledge of our
operating policies and housing products. Our policy also provides that sales
personnel be licensed real estate agents where required by law. Depending on
market conditions, we also at times begin construction on a number of homes
for
which no signed sales contract exists. The use of an inventory of such homes
satisfies the requirements of relocated personnel and of independent brokers,
who often represent customers who require a completed home within 60 days.
At
September 30, 2006, excluding models, we had 3,614 homes at various stages
of
completion (of which 1,197 were completed) for which we did not have a sales
contract, either because the construction of the home was begun without a sales
contract as described above or because the original sales contract had been
cancelled.
We
sometimes use various sales incentives in order to attract homebuyers. The
use
of incentives depends largely on local economic and competitive market
conditions.
Customer
Financing
We
offer
customer financing through Beazer Mortgage. Beazer Mortgage provides
mortgage origination services, and generally does not retain or service the
mortgages that it originates. Beazer Mortgage finances certain of our
mortgage lending activities with borrowings under its warehouse line of credit
or from general corporate funds prior to selling the loans and their servicing
rights shortly after origination to third-party investors. Beazer Mortgage
can
provide qualified homebuyers numerous financing options, including a wide
variety of conventional, FHA and VA financing programs. In certain
situations, we will seek to assist our homebuyers in obtaining financing from
outside mortgage lenders and, in certain limited circumstances, we may attempt
to minimize potential risks relating to the availability of customer financing
by purchasing mortgage financing commitments that lock in the availability
of
funds and interest rates at specified levels for a certain period of time.
Because substantially all homebuyers utilize long-term mortgage financing
to purchase a home, adverse economic conditions, increases in unemployment
and
high mortgage interest rates may deter and eliminate a substantial number of
potential homebuyers from our markets in the future. In addition, we offer
title
insurance services to our homebuyers in many of our markets.
Competition
and Market Factors
The
development and sale of residential properties is highly competitive and
fragmented. We compete for residential sales on the basis of a number of
interrelated factors, including location, reputation, amenities, design, quality
and price, with numerous large and small homebuilders, including some
homebuilders with nationwide operations and greater financial resources and/or
lower costs than us. We also compete for residential sales with individual
resales of existing homes, available rental housing and, to a lesser extent,
resales of condominiums. We believe that we compare favorably to other builders
in the markets in which we operate, due primarily to:
· |
our
experience within our geographic markets and breadth of product line,
which allows us to vary our regional product offerings to reflect
changing
market conditions;
|
8
· |
our
responsiveness to market conditions, enabling us to capitalize on
the
opportunities for advantageous land acquisitions in desirable
locations;
|
· |
our
reputation for quality design, construction and service;
and
|
· |
our
focus on providing customers with a product they
enjoy.
|
The
housing industry is cyclical and is affected by consumer confidence levels,
existing inventory levels and prevailing economic conditions generally,
including interest rate levels. A variety of other factors affect the housing
industry and demand for new homes, including the availability of labor and
materials and increases in the costs thereof, changes in costs associated with
homeownership such as increases in property taxes and energy costs, changes
in
consumer preferences, demographic trends and the availability of and changes
in
mortgage financing programs.
Government
Regulation and Environmental Matters
Generally,
our land is purchased with entitlements, giving us the right to obtain building
permits upon compliance with specified conditions, which generally are within
our control. Upon compliance with such conditions, we must obtain building
permits. The length of time necessary to obtain such permits and approvals
affects the carrying costs of unimproved property acquired for the purpose
of
development and construction. In addition, the continued effectiveness of
permits already granted is subject to factors such as changes in policies,
rules
and regulations and their interpretation and application. Several governmental
authorities have imposed impact fees as a means of defraying the cost of
providing certain governmental services to developing areas. To date, the
governmental approval processes discussed above have not had a material adverse
effect on our development activities, and indeed all homebuilders in a given
market face the same fees and restrictions. There can be no assurance, however,
that these and other restrictions will not adversely affect us in the
future.
We
may
also be subject to periodic delays or may be precluded entirely from developing
communities due to building moratoriums or "slow-growth" or "no-growth"
initiatives or building permit allocation ordinances which could be implemented
in the future in the states and markets in which we operate. Substantially
all
of our land is entitled and, therefore, the moratoriums generally would only
adversely affect us if they arose from health, safety and welfare issues such
as
insufficient water or sewage facilities. Local and state governments also have
broad discretion regarding the imposition of development fees for projects
in
their jurisdictions. These fees are normally established, however, when we
receive recorded final maps and building permits. We are also subject to a
variety of local, state and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations
concerning the protection of health and the environment. These laws may result
in delays, cause us to incur substantial compliance and other costs, and
prohibit or severely restrict development in certain environmentally sensitive
regions or areas.
Bonds
and Other Obligations
We
are
frequently required, in connection with the development of our projects, to
obtain letters of credit and performance, maintenance and other bonds in support
of our related obligations with respect to such developments. The amount of
such
obligations outstanding at any time varies in accordance with our pending
development activities. In the event any such bonds or letters of credit are
drawn upon, we would be obligated to reimburse the issuer of such bonds or
letters of credit. At September 30, 2006 we had approximately $93.3 million
and
$616.9 million of outstanding letters of credit and performance bonds,
respectively, related to our obligations to local governments to construct
roads
and other improvements in various developments, in addition to outstanding
letters of credit of approximately $62.7 million related to our land option
contracts.
Employees
and Subcontractors
At
September 30, 2006, we employed 4,234 persons, of whom 867 were sales and
marketing personnel, 1,483 were executive, management and administrative
personnel, 1,593 were involved in construction and 291 were personnel of Beazer
Mortgage. Although none of our employees are covered by collective bargaining
agreements, certain of the subcontractors engaged by us are represented by
labor
unions or are subject to collective bargaining arrangements. We believe that
our
relations with our employees and subcontractors are good. During October 2006,
we continued our comprehensive review of our overhead structure in light of
our
reduced volume expectations for fiscal 2007, reducing our number of employees
by
approximately 950.
9
Our
home sales and operating revenues could decline due to macro-economic and other
factors outside of our control, such as changes in consumer confidence, declines
in employment levels and increases in the quantity and decreases in the price
of
new homes and resale homes in the market.
Changes
in national and regional economic conditions, as well as local economic
conditions where we conduct our operations and where prospective purchasers
of
our homes live, may result in more caution on the part of homebuyers and,
consequently, fewer home purchases. These economic uncertainties involve, among
other things, conditions of supply and demand in local markets and changes
in
consumer confidence and income, employment levels, and government regulations.
These risks and uncertainties could periodically have an adverse effect on
consumer demand for and the pricing of our homes, which could cause our
operating revenues to decline. A reduction in our revenues could, in turn,
negatively affect the market price of our securities.
A
substantial increase in mortgage interest rates or unavailability of mortgage
financing may reduce consumer demand for our homes.
Virtually
all purchasers of our homes finance their acquisitions through lenders providing
mortgage financing. A substantial increase in mortgage interest rates or
unavailability of mortgage financing would adversely affect the ability of
prospective first-time and move-up homebuyers to obtain financing for our homes,
as well as adversely affect the ability of prospective move-up homebuyers to
sell their current homes. As a result, our margins, revenues and cash flows
may
also be adversely affected.
If
we
are unsuccessful in competing against our homebuilding competitors, our market
share could decline or our growth could be impaired and, as a result, our
financial results could suffer.
Competition
in the homebuilding industry is intense, and there are relatively low barriers
to entry into our business. Increased competition could hurt our business,
as it
could prevent us from acquiring attractive parcels of land on which to build
homes or make such acquisitions more expensive, hinder our market share
expansion, and lead to pricing pressures on our homes that may adversely impact
our margins and revenues. If we are unable to successfully compete, our
financial results could suffer and the value of, or our ability to service,
our
debt could be adversely affected. Our competitors may independently develop
land
and construct housing units that are superior or substantially similar to our
products. Furthermore, some of our competitors have substantially greater
financial resources and lower costs of funds than we do. Many of these
competitors also have longstanding relationships with subcontractors and
suppliers in the markets in which we operate. We currently build in several
of
the top markets in the nation and, therefore, we expect to continue to face
additional competition from new entrants into our markets.
Our
financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by
any
decrease in the value of our inventory, as well as by the associated carrying
costs.
We
continuously acquire land for replacement and expansion of land inventory within
our existing and new markets. The risks inherent in purchasing and developing
land increase as consumer demand for housing decreases. The market value of
land, building lots and housing inventories can fluctuate significantly as
a
result of changing market conditions and the measures we employ to manage
inventory risk may not be adequate to insulate our operations from a severe
drop
in inventory values. When market conditions are such that land
values are not appreciating, previously entered into option arrangements may
become less desirable, at which time we may elect to forego deposits and
preacquisition costs and terminate the agreement.
10
We
could experience a reduction in home sales and revenues or reduced cash flows
due to our inability to acquire land for our housing developments if we are
unable to obtain reasonably priced financing to support our homebuilding
activities.
The
homebuilding industry is capital intensive, and homebuilding requires
significant up-front expenditures to acquire land and begin development.
Accordingly, we incur substantial indebtedness to finance our homebuilding
activities. Although we believe that internally generated funds and available
borrowings under our revolving credit facility will be available to fund our
capital and other expenditures (including land purchases in connection with
ordinary development activities), the amounts available from such sources may
not be sufficient. If such sources are not sufficient, we would seek additional
capital in the form of equity or debt financing from a variety of potential
sources, including additional bank financing and/or securities offerings. The
amount and types of indebtedness which we may incur are limited by the terms
of
the indentures governing our existing debt. In addition, the availability of
borrowed funds, especially for land acquisition and construction financing,
may
be greatly reduced nationally, and the lending community may require increased
amounts of equity to be invested in a project by borrowers in connection with
both new loans and the extension of existing loans. If we are not successful
in
obtaining sufficient capital to fund our planned capital and other expenditures,
we may be unable to acquire land for our housing developments. Additionally,
if
we cannot obtain additional financing to fund the purchase of land under our
option contracts, we may incur contractual penalties and fees.
Our
substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition, limit
our growth and make it more difficult for us to satisfy our debt
obligations.
As
of
September 30, 2006, we had outstanding indebtedness of approximately
$1.8 billion, net of unamortized discount of approximately $3.6 million.
Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to us and the
holders of our securities, including, among other things:
· |
causing
us to be unable to satisfy our obligations under our debt
agreements;
|
·
|
making
us more vulnerable to adverse general economic and industry
conditions;
|
·
|
making
it difficult to fund future working capital, land purchases, acquisitions,
share repurchases, general corporate purposes or other purposes;
and
|
·
|
causing
us to be limited in our flexibility in planning for, or reacting
to,
changes in our business.
|
In
addition, subject to restrictions in our existing debt instruments, we may
incur
additional indebtedness. In particular, as of September 30, 2006, we had
available borrowings of $591.0 million under our revolving credit facility.
If
new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now
face
could intensify. Our growth plans and our ability to make payments of principal
or interest on, or to refinance, our indebtedness, will depend on our future
operating performance and our ability to enter into additional debt and/or
equity financings. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows in the
future to service our debt, we may be required to refinance all or a portion
of
our existing debt, to sell assets or to obtain additional financing. We may
not
be able to do any of the foregoing on terms acceptable to us, if at
all.
We
are subject to extensive government regulation which could cause us to incur
significant liabilities or restrict our business activities.
Regulatory
requirements could cause us to incur significant liabilities and operating
expenses and could restrict our business activities. We are subject to local,
state and federal statutes and rules regulating, among other things, certain
developmental matters, building and site design, and matters concerning the
protection of health and the environment. Our operating expenses may be
increased by governmental regulations such as building permit allocation
ordinances and impact and other fees and taxes, which may be imposed to defray
the cost of providing certain governmental services and improvements. Other
governmental regulations, such as building moratoriums and “no growth”
or “slow growth”
initiatives,
which may be adopted in communities which have developed rapidly, may cause
delays in home projects or otherwise restrict our business activities resulting
in reductions in our revenues. Any delay or refusal from government agencies
to
grant us necessary licenses, permits and approvals could have an adverse effect
on our operations.
11
We
may incur additional operating expenses due to compliance programs or fines,
penalties and remediation costs pertaining to environmental regulations within
our markets.
We
are
subject to a variety of local, state and federal statutes, ordinances, rules
and
regulations concerning the protection of health and the environment. The
particular environmental laws which apply to any given community vary greatly
according to the community site, the site’s environmental conditions and the
present and former use of the site. Environmental laws may result in delays,
may
cause us to implement time consuming and expensive compliance programs and
may
prohibit or severely restrict development in certain environmentally sensitive
regions or areas. From time to time, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (“EPA”) and similar federal or state agencies review homebuilders’
compliance with environmental laws and may levy fines and penalties for failure
to strictly comply with applicable environmental laws or impose additional
requirements for future compliance as a result of past failures. Any such
actions taken with respect to us may increase our costs. Further, we expect
that
increasingly stringent requirements will be imposed on homebuilders in the
future. Environmental regulations can also have an adverse impact on the
availability and price of certain raw materials such as lumber. Our projects
in
California are especially susceptible to restrictive government regulations
and
environmental laws.
We
may be subject to significant potential liabilities as a result of construction
defect, product liability and warranty claims made against us.
As
a
homebuilder, we have been, and continue to be, subject to construction defect,
product liability and home warranty claims, including moisture intrusion and
related mold claims, arising in the ordinary course of business. These claims
are common to the homebuilding industry and can be costly.
We
and
certain of our subsidiaries have been, and continue to be, named as defendants
in various construction defect claims, product liability claims, complaints
and
other legal actions that include claims related to moisture intrusion and mold.
Furthermore, plaintiffs may in certain of these legal proceedings seek class
action status with potential class sizes that vary from case to case. Class
action lawsuits can be costly to defend, and if we were to lose any certified
class action suit, it could result in substantial potential liability for us.
We
record reserves for such matters in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).
With
respect to certain general liability exposures, including construction defect,
moisture intrusion and related mold claims and product liability, interpretation
of underlying current and future trends, assessment of claims and the related
liability and reserve estimation process is highly judgmental due to the complex
nature of these exposures, with each exposure exhibiting unique circumstances.
Furthermore, once claims are asserted for construction defects, it is difficult
to determine the extent to which the assertion of these claims will expand
geographically. Although we have obtained insurance for construction defect
claims, such policies may not be available or adequate to cover any liability
for damages, the cost of repairs, and/or the expense of litigation surrounding
current claims, and future claims may arise out of uninsurable events or
circumstances not covered by insurance and not subject to effective
indemnification agreements with our subcontractors.
Our
operating expenses could increase if we are required to pay higher insurance
premiums or litigation costs for claims involving construction defect and
product liability claims, which could cause our net income to
decline.
The
costs
of insuring against construction defect and product liability claims are high,
and the amount and scope of coverage offered by insurance companies is currently
limited. This coverage may be further restricted and may become more
costly.
Increasingly
in recent years, lawsuits (including class action lawsuits) have been filed
against builders, asserting claims of personal injury and property damage caused
by the presence of mold in residential dwellings. Our insurance may not cover
all of the claims, including personal injury claims, arising from the presence
of mold, or such coverage may become prohibitively expensive. If we are not
able
to obtain adequate insurance against these claims, we may experience losses
that
could reduce our net income and restrict our cash flow available to service
debt.
12
Historically,
builders have recovered from subcontractors and their insurance carriers a
significant portion of the construction defect liabilities and costs of defense
that the builders have incurred. Insurance coverage available to subcontractors
for construction defects is becoming increasingly expensive, and the scope
of
coverage is restricted. If we cannot effectively recover from our subcontractors
or their carriers, we may suffer greater losses which could decrease our net
income.
Builders’
ability to recover against any available insurance policy depends upon the
continued solvency and financial strength of the insurance carrier that issued
the policy. Many of the states in which we build homes have lengthy statutes
of
limitations applicable to claims for construction defects. To the extent that
any carrier providing insurance coverage to us or our subcontractors becomes
insolvent or experiences financial difficulty in the future, we may be unable
to
recover on those policies, and our net income may decline.
We
are dependent on the services of certain key employees, and the loss of their
services could hurt our business.
Our
future success depends upon our ability to attract, train, assimilate and retain
skilled personnel. If we are unable to retain our key employees or attract,
train, assimilate or retain other skilled personnel in the future, it could
hinder our business strategy and impose additional costs of identifying and
training new individuals. Competition for qualified personnel in all of our
operating markets is intense. A significant increase in the number of our active
projects would necessitate the hiring of a significant number of additional
construction managers, who are in short supply in our markets.
We
are dependent on the continued availability and satisfactory performance of
our
subcontractors, which, if unavailable, could have a material adverse effect
on
our business.
We
conduct our construction operations only as a general contractor. Virtually
all
construction work is performed by unaffiliated third-party subcontractors.
As a
consequence, we depend on the continued availability of and satisfactory
performance by these subcontractors for the construction of our homes. There
may
not be sufficient availability of and satisfactory performance by these
unaffiliated third-party subcontractors in the markets in which we operate.
In
addition, inadequate subcontractor resources could have a material adverse
effect on our business.
We
experience fluctuations and variability in our operating results on a quarterly
basis and, as a result, our historical performance may not be a meaningful
indicator of future results.
Our
operating results in a future quarter or quarters may fall below expectations
of
securities analysts or investors and, as a result, the market value of our
common stock will fluctuate. While we have reported positive annual net income
for each of the past five fiscal years, we historically have experienced, and
expect to continue to experience, variability in home sales and net earnings
on
a quarterly basis. As a result of such variability, our historical performance
may not be a meaningful indicator of future results. Our quarterly results
of
operations may continue to fluctuate in the future as a result of a variety
of
both national and local factors, including, among others:
· |
the
timing of home closings and land
sales;
|
·
|
our
ability to continue to acquire additional land or secure option
contracts
to acquire land on acceptable
terms;
|
·
|
conditions
of the real estate market in areas where we operate and of the
general
economy;
|
·
|
raw
material and labor shortages;
|
·
|
seasonal
homebuying patterns; and
|
·
|
other
changes in operating expenses, including the cost of labor and
raw
materials, personnel and general economic
conditions.
|
13
The
occurrence of natural disasters could increase our operating expenses and reduce
our revenues and cash flows.
The
climates and geology of many of the states in which we operate, including
California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and
Texas, present increased risks of natural disasters. To the extent that
hurricanes, severe storms, earthquakes, droughts, floods, wildfires or other
natural disasters or similar events occur, our homes under construction or
our
building lots in such states could be damaged or destroyed, which may result
in
losses exceeding our insurance coverage. Any of these events could increase
our
operating expenses, impair our cash flows and reduce our revenues, which could,
in turn, negatively affect the market price of our securities.
Future
terrorist attacks against the United States or increased domestic or
international instability could have an adverse effect on our
operations.
Adverse
developments in the war on terrorism, future terrorist attacks against the
United States, or any outbreak or escalation of hostilities between the United
States and any foreign power, including the armed conflict with Iraq, may cause
disruption to the economy, our Company, our employees and our customers, which
could adversely affect our revenues, operating expenses, and financial
condition.
We
lease
approximately 70,000
square
feet of office space in Atlanta, Georgia to house our corporate headquarters.
We
also lease an aggregate of approximately 645,000
square
feet of office space for our subsidiaries’ operations at various locations. We
own approximately 18,500 square feet of warehouse space and an aggregate of
57,872 square feet of office space in Nashville, Tennessee and Indianapolis,
Indiana.
In
November 2003, Beazer Homes received a request for information from the EPA
pursuant to Section 308 of the Clean Water Act seeking information concerning
the nature and extent of storm water discharge practices relating to certain
of
our projects completed or under construction. The EPA has since requested
information on additional projects and has conducted site inspections at a
number of locations. In certain instances, the EPA or the equivalent state
agency has issued Administrative Orders identifying alleged instances of
noncompliance and requiring corrective action to address the alleged
deficiencies in storm water management practices. As of September 30, 2006,
no
monetary penalties have been imposed in connection with such Administrative
Orders. The EPA has reserved the right to impose monetary penalties at a later
date, the amount of which, if any, cannot currently be estimated. Beazer Homes
has taken action to comply with the requirements of each of the Administrative
Orders and is working to otherwise maintain compliance with the requirements
of
the Clean Water Act.
In
June
2006, the Company received an Administrative Order issued by the New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection alleging certain violations of a wetlands
disturbance permit with respect to a project in New Jersey, and assessing a
proposed fine of $630,000. The Company met with the Department to discuss
their concerns and has requested a hearing on the matter which has not yet
been
scheduled. The Company believes that it has significant defenses to the
alleged violations and intends to contest the agency’s findings and the proposed
fine.
In
August
2006, the Company received an Administrative Order issued by the New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection alleging certain violations of a wetlands
disturbance permit with respect to a second project in New Jersey, and assessing
a proposed fine of $678,000. The Company met with the Department to
discuss their concerns and requested a hearing on the matter which has not
yet
been scheduled. The Company believes that it has significant defenses to
the alleged violations and intends to contest the agency’s findings and the
proposed fine.
14
The
Company and certain of its subsidiaries have been named as defendants in various
claims, complaints and other legal actions, most relating to construction
defects, moisture intrusion and related mold claims and product liability.
Certain of the liabilities resulting from these actions are covered in whole
or
part by insurance. With respect to certain general liability exposures,
including construction defect, moisture intrusion and related mold claims and
product liability claims, interpretation of underlying current and future
trends, assessment of claims and the related liability and the reserve
estimation process is highly judgmental due to the complex nature of these
exposures, with each exposure exhibiting unique circumstances. In particular,
for construction defect liability there is some degree of uncertainty relating
to the recoverability of insurance proceeds, when losses occur, the size of
each
loss, expectations for future interpretive rulings concerning contract
provisions, possible recovery against other responsible parties, and the extent
to which the assertion of these claims will expand geographically. In the
Company’s opinion, based on its current assessment, the ultimate resolution of
these matters will not have a material adverse effect on Beazer Homes’ financial
condition, results of operations or cash flows.
No
matters were submitted during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered
by
this report to a vote of security holders, through the solicitation of proxies
or otherwise.
SEPARATE
ITEM: EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
Name
|
Age
|
Position
|
||
Executive
Officers
|
||||
Ian
J. McCarthy
|
53
|
President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
||
Michael
H. Furlow
|
56
|
Executive
Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
|
||
James
O’Leary
|
43
|
Executive
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
|
||
Kenneth
J. Gary
|
48
|
Executive
Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary
|
||
Michael
T. Rand
|
44
|
Senior
Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer
|
||
Cory
J. Boydston
|
47
|
Senior
Vice President, Treasurer
|
Business
Experience
IAN
J.
MCCARTHY. Mr.
McCarthy is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Beazer Homes and has
served as a director of Beazer Homes since the IPO. Mr. McCarthy has
served as President of predecessors of Beazer Homes since January 1991 and
was
responsible for all United States residential homebuilding operations in that
capacity. During the period May 1981 to January 1991, Mr. McCarthy was
employed in Hong Kong and Thailand, becoming a director of Beazer Far East
and
from January 1980 to May 1981 was employed by Kier, Ltd., a company engaged
in
the United Kingdom construction industry which became an indirect, wholly owned
subsidiary of Beazer PLC. Mr. McCarthy is a Chartered Civil Engineer with a
Bachelor of Science degree from The City University, London. Mr. McCarthy
currently serves as a member of the Board of HomeAid America. He also
serves on the Board of Directors of Builder Homesite, Inc. and the Board of
Directors of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He was inducted into
the California Building Industry Hall of Fame in 2004, the first non-California
resident to receive this honor.
MICHAEL
H. FURLOW. Mr. Furlow joined us in October 1997 as the Executive Vice President
for Operations and was named Chief Operating Officer in 1998. In this capacity,
the Division Presidents report, directly or indirectly, to Mr. Furlow, and
he is
responsible for the performance of those operating divisions. During the 12
years prior to joining Beazer Homes, Mr. Furlow was with Pulte Home Corporation
in various field and corporate roles, most recently as a Regional President.
Mr.
Furlow received a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Accounting from the
University of West Florida and initially worked as a Certified Public Accountant
for Arthur Young & Company.
15
JAMES
O’LEARY. Mr. O’Leary joined us in June 2002 as Executive Vice President,
Corporate Development. In August 2003 he was appointed Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. O’Leary was previously with U.S. Industries,
Inc. from 1995 to 2002. From 2000 to 2002, Mr. O’Leary was Chairman and CEO of
LCA Group, Inc., U.S. Industries’ global lighting subsidiary. He also served as
Executive Vice President of U.S. Industries from 1999 to 2002, Senior Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer from 1998 to 1999 and Vice President
and
Corporate Controller from 1995 to 1998. Mr. O’Leary held various financial and
operational positions at Hanson PLC., U.S. Industries’ former parent company,
from 1993 to 1995, at which time U.S. Industries was spun off to Hanson’s
shareholders. Mr. O’Leary was with Deloitte & Touche from 1985 to 1993. Mr.
O’Leary holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School
of the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Business Administration
degree from Pace University. Mr. O’Leary is a licensed Certified Public
Accountant. Mr. O’Leary currently serves on the Board of Directors of Kaydon
Corporation, a NYSE-traded manufacturer of precision industrial
equipment.
KENNETH
J. GARY. Mr. Gary joined us in March 2005 as Executive Vice President, General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary. He also oversees our title insurance and
mortgage operations. From 1990 to March 2005, Mr. Gary was employed by Toll
Brothers, Inc., most recently as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
He
also served as Chief Executive Officer of that company’s mortgage and title
insurance subsidiaries. Prior to 1990, Mr. Gary served as Vice President and
Counsel of Bell Atlantic Properties, the real estate subsidiary of Bell Atlantic
Corporation (now known as Verizon Communications) and practiced real estate
and
corporate law with two major law firms for several years. Mr. Gary is a graduate
of Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he
was
an editor of the Law Review.
MICHAEL
T. RAND. Mr. Rand joined us in November 1996 as Vice President, Operational
and
Accounting Controls and was promoted to Vice President, Corporate Controller
in
June of 1998. Mr. Rand was promoted to Senior Vice President, Corporate
Controller in October 2002, and to Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting
Officer in August 2004. Prior to joining Beazer Homes, Mr. Rand was with the
firm KPMG Peat Marwick from 1984 to 1996, at which time he served as a Senior
Audit Manager. Mr. Rand holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the
University of Virginia and is a licensed Certified Public
Accountant.
CORY
J.
BOYDSTON. Mrs. Boydston joined us in January 1998 as Vice President and
Treasurer, and was promoted to Senior Vice President in October 2004. Mrs.
Boydston is currently responsible for the Treasury functions of the Company.
Prior to joining Beazer, Mrs. Boydston was with Lennar Corporation from 1987
to
1997, serving in various capacities, including Vice President, Finance and
Chief
Financial Officer, Corporate Controller, and Chief Financial Officer, Investment
Division. Before joining Lennar, Mrs. Boydston was with Hayes Microcomputer
Products and Arthur Andersen & Co. Mrs. Boydston received a Bachelor of
Science degree in Accounting from Florida State University in 1981 and is a
licensed Certified Public Accountant.
PART
II
Market
Information
The
Company lists its common shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under
the
symbol “BZH.” On December 1, 2006, the last reported sales price of the
Company’s common stock on the NYSE was $45.84. On December 1, 2006, Beazer Homes
USA, Inc. had approximately 195 shareholders of record and 39,158,126
shares
of
common stock outstanding. The following table sets forth, for the quarters
indicated, the range of high and low trading for the Company’s common stock
during fiscal 2006 and 2005, as adjusted for the effect of the Company’s March
2005 three-for-one stock split.
16
|
1st
Quarter
|
2nd
Quarter
|
3rd
Quarter
|
4th
Quarter
|
|||||||||
Fiscal
Year 2006:
|
|||||||||||||
High
|
$
|
74.61
|
$
|
82.14
|
$
|
69.61
|
$
|
46.31
|
|||||
Low
|
$
|
51.90
|
$
|
59.00
|
$
|
43.82
|
$
|
35.96
|
|||||
Fiscal
Year 2005:
|
|||||||||||||
High
|
$
|
49.46
|
$
|
58.83
|
$
|
60.71
|
$
|
67.50
|
|||||
Low
|
$
|
32.55
|
$
|
44.67
|
$
|
43.99
|
$
|
55.05
|
Dividends
For
fiscal 2006, the Company paid quarterly cash dividends aggregating $0.40 per
common share, or a total of approximately $16.1 million. For fiscal 2005,
adjusted for the stock split, we paid quarterly cash dividends aggregating
$0.33
per common share, or a total of approximately $13.9 million. We expect to
continue paying regular cash dividends on a quarterly basis. However, the Board
of Directors will periodically reconsider the declaration of dividends, and
we
will pay dividends at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The continuation
of payments, the amount of such dividends, and the form in which the dividends
are paid (cash or stock) depends upon the results of operations, the financial
condition of the Company and other factors which the Board of Directors deems
relevant. The indentures under which our senior notes were issued contain
certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on payment of dividends.
At
September 30, 2006, under the most restrictive covenants of each indenture,
approximately $244 million of our retained earnings was available for cash
dividends and for share repurchases.
The
following table provides information as of September 30, 2006 with respect
to
our shares of common stock that may be issued under our existing equity
compensation plans, all of which have been approved by our
stockholders:
Plan
Category
|
Number
of Common
Shares to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options |
Weighted
Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options |
Number
of Common Shares
Remaining Available for Future Issuance
Under Equity Compensation
Plans
(Excluding Common Shares
Reflected
in Column (a))
|
|||||||
(a)
|
(b)
|
(c)
|
||||||||
Equity
compensation plans approved by stockholders
|
2,135,572
|
$
|
43.82
|
1,137,329
|
Issuer
Purchases of Equity Securities
Period
|
Total
Number
of
Shares
Purchased
(1)
|
Average
Price
Paid
Per Share
|
Total
Number of Shares
Purchased
as Part of
Publicly
Announced Plans
|
Maximum
Number of
Shares
That May Yet Be
Purchased
Under the Plans
|
|||||||||
7/1/06 –
7/31/06
|
229,100
|
$
|
38.90
|
229,100
|
5,756,600
|
||||||||
9/1/06 –
9/30/06
|
328,300
|
40.13
|
328,300
|
5,428,300
|
(1)
In
addition, in September 2006, 17,156 shares were surrendered to us by employees
in payment of minimum tax obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock
units
under our stock incentive plans. We valued the stock at the market price on
the
date of surrender, for an aggregate value of $699,850 or approximately $41
per
share.
17
Selected
Financial Data
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
Year
Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
2002
|
||||||||||||
Statement
of Operations Data:
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
revenue
|
$
|
5,462,003
|
$
|
4,995,353
|
$
|
3,907,109
|
$
|
3,177,408
|
$
|
2,641,173
|
||||||
Operating
income before goodwill
|
||||||||||||||||
impairment
(i)
|
611,675
|
617,153
|
377,935
|
279,155
|
193,174
|
|||||||||||
Goodwill
impairment (i)
|
—
|
130,235
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||
Operating
income (i)
|
611,675
|
486,918
|
377,935
|
279,155
|
193,174
|
|||||||||||
Net
income (i)
|
388,761
|
262,524
|
235,811
|
172,745
|
122,634
|
|||||||||||
Net
income per common share:
|
||||||||||||||||
Basic
(i), (ii)
|
9.76
|
6.49
|
5.91
|
4.47
|
3.88
|
|||||||||||
Diluted
(i), (ii)
|
8.89
|
5.87
|
5.59
|
4.26
|
3.58
|
|||||||||||
Dividends
paid per common share
|
0.40
|
0.33
|
0.13
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||
Balance
Sheet Data (end of year):
|
||||||||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
162,570
|
$
|
297,098
|
$
|
320,880
|
$
|
73,372
|
$
|
124,989
|
||||||
Inventory
|
3,520,332
|
2,901,165
|
2,344,095
|
1,723,483
|
1,364,133
|
|||||||||||
Total
assets (i)
|
4,559,431
|
3,770,516
|
3,163,030
|
2,219,407
|
1,902,319
|
|||||||||||
Total
debt
|
1,838,660
|
1,321,936
|
1,150,972
|
748,738
|
748,572
|
|||||||||||
Stockholders’
equity
|
1,701,923
|
1,504,688
|
1,232,121
|
993,695
|
799,515
|
|||||||||||
Supplemental
Financial Data:
|
||||||||||||||||
Cash
(used in)/provided by:
|
||||||||||||||||
Operating
activities
|
$
|
(304,463
|
)
|
$
|
(84,263
|
)
|
$
|
(73,719
|
)
|
$
|
(41,049
|
)
|
$
|
59,464
|
||
Investing
activities
|
(66,218
|
)
|
(48,470
|
)
|
(30,476
|
)
|
(6,552
|
)
|
(314,633
|
)
|
||||||
Financing
activities
|
236,153
|
108,951
|
351,703
|
(4,016
|
)
|
338,480
|
||||||||||
EBIT
(iii)
|
709,456
|
581,722
|
452,774
|
340,980
|
245,060
|
|||||||||||
EBITDA
(iii)
|
735,513
|
602,896
|
468,529
|
354,200
|
254,513
|
|||||||||||
Interest
incurred (iv)
|
120,965
|
89,678
|
76,035
|
65,295
|
51,171
|
|||||||||||
EBIT/interest
incurred
|
5.86
|
x |
6.49
|
x |
5.95
|
x |
5.22
|
x |
4.79
|
x | ||||||
EBITDA/interest
incurred
|
6.08
|
x |
6.72
|
x |
6.16
|
x |
5.42
|
x |
4.97
|
x | ||||||
Financial
Statistics (v):
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
debt as a percentage of total
|
||||||||||||||||
debt
and stockholders’ equity
|
51.9
|
%
|
46.8
|
%
|
48.3
|
%
|
43.0
|
%
|
48.4
|
%
|
||||||
Asset
turnover
|
1.31
|
x |
1.44
|
x |
1.45
|
x |
1.54
|
x |
1.82
|
x | ||||||
EBIT
margin
|
13.0
|
%
|
11.6
|
%
|
11.6
|
%
|
10.7
|
%
|
9.3
|
%
|
||||||
Return
on average assets (pre-tax)
|
17.0
|
%
|
16.8
|
%
|
16.8
|
%
|
16.5
|
%
|
16.9
|
%
|
||||||
Return
on average capital (pre-tax)
|
22.3
|
%
|
22.3
|
%
|
21.9
|
%
|
20.7
|
%
|
21.3
|
%
|
||||||
Return
on average equity
|
24.2
|
%
|
19.2
|
%
|
21.2
|
%
|
19.3
|
%
|
21.3
|
%
|
18
(i)
As
discussed in Item 7 below, Beazer Homes acquired Crossmann Communities effective
April 17, 2002. In 2005, we recognized a non-cash, non-tax deductible goodwill
impairment charge of $130.2 million associated with this acquisition (see
Note 1
to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion). 2005 operating
income, net income and earnings per share include the impact of this impairment
charge. In addition to the results above reported in accordance with GAAP,
we
have provided operating income before goodwill impairment above, a non-GAAP
financial measure. Adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and adjusted
EBITDA, which exclude the effects of the non-cash goodwill impairment charge
recorded during fiscal year 2005 and are non-GAAP financial measures, were
$392.8 million, $8.72 per share and $733.1 million, respectively. Management
believes that these adjusted financial results are useful to both management
and
investors in the analysis of the Company’s financial performance when comparing
it to other periods and that they provide investors with an important
perspective on the current underlying operating performance of the business
by
isolating the impact of a non-cash adjustment related to a prior acquisition.
A
reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly
comparable GAAP measure is provided below for fiscal year
2005:
(in
thousands, except per share data)
|
Year
Ended September 30, 2005
|
|||
Operating
income
|
$
|
486,918
|
||
Goodwill
impairment
|
130,235
|
|||
Operating
income before goodwill impairment
|
$
|
617,153
|
||
Net
income
|
$
|
262,524
|
||
Goodwill
impairment
|
130,235
|
|||
Adjusted
net income
|
$
|
392,759
|
||
EPS,
diluted
|
$
|
5.87
|
||
Goodwill
impairment
|
2.85
|
|||
Adjusted
EPS
|
$
|
8.72
|
||
EBITDA
|
$
|
602,896
|
||
Goodwill
impairment
|
130,235
|
|||
Adjusted
EBITDA
|
$
|
733,131
|
(ii)
In
October 2004, the Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) of the Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ratified the consensus on EITF Issue No.
04-8: “The Effect of Contingently Convertible Debt on Diluted Earnings Per
Share.” EITF 04-8 requires that shares issuable upon conversion of contingently
convertible debt instruments (“Co-Co’s”) be included in diluted EPS computations
using the “if-converted method” regardless of whether the issuer’s stock price
exceeds the contingent conversion price. Per share amounts have been
retroactively adjusted to reflect the Company’s March 2005 three-for-one stock
split and the Company’s adoption of EITF 04-8, as applicable.
(iii)
EBIT and EBITDA: EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) equals net income
before (a) previously capitalized interest amortized to costs and expenses
and
(b) income taxes. EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization) is calculated by adding depreciation and amortization for the
period to EBIT. EBIT and EBITDA are not GAAP financial measures. EBIT and EBITDA
should not be considered alternatives to net income determined in accordance
with GAAP as an indicator of operating performance, nor an alternative to cash
flows from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP as a measure
of liquidity. Because some analysts and companies may not calculate EBIT and
EBITDA in the same manner as Beazer Homes, the EBIT and EBITDA information
presented above may not be comparable to similar presentations by others.
EBITDA
is
a measure commonly used in the homebuilding industry and is presented to assist
readers in understanding the ability of our operations to generate cash in
addition to the cash needed to service existing interest requirements and
ongoing tax obligations. By providing a measure of available cash,
management believes that this non-GAAP measure enables holders of our securities
to better understand our cash performance and our ability to service our debt
obligations as they currently exist and as additional indebtedness is incurred
in the future. The measure is useful in budgeting and determining capital
expenditure levels because it enables management to evaluate the amount of
cash
that will be available for discretionary spending.
A
reconciliation of EBITDA and EBIT to cash (used)/provided by operations, the
most directly comparable GAAP measure, is provided below for each period
presented:
Year
Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
2003
|
2002
|
||||||||||||
Net
cash (used)/provided by operating activities
|
$
|
(304,463
|
)
|
$
|
(84,263
|
)
|
$
|
(73,719
|
)
|
$
|
(41,049
|
)
|
$
|
59,464
|
||
Increase
in inventory
|
430,345
|
572,114
|
413,705
|
330,747
|
154,238
|
|||||||||||
Provision
for income taxes
|
224,453
|
236,810
|
150,764
|
112,784
|
79,425
|
|||||||||||
Deferred
income tax (provision) benefit
|
(41,487
|
)
|
54,631
|
22,740
|
(87
|
)
|
6,613
|
|||||||||
Interest
amortized to cost of sales
|
96,242
|
82,388
|
66,199
|
55,451
|
43,001
|
|||||||||||
Decrease
(increase) in accounts payable and other liabilities
|
92,834
|
(217,412
|
)
|
(120,976
|
)
|
(96,224
|
)
|
(71,781
|
)
|
|||||||
Goodwill
impairment
|
—
|
(130,235
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||
Impairment
and write-off of inventory-related assets
|
(43,477
|
)
|
(5,511
|
)
|
(3,180
|
)
|
(1,854
|
)
|
(1,248
|
)
|
||||||
Increase
(decrease) in accounts receivable and other assets
|
282,870
|
108,081
|
21,399
|
13,105
|
(4,348
|
)
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
distributions
|
(1,124
|
)
|
(823
|
)
|
1,561
|
1,597
|
2,338
|
|||||||||
Loss
on early extinguishment of debt
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(7,570
|
)
|
—
|
||||||||||
Tax
benefit from stock transactions
|
—
|
(11,551
|
)
|
(8,127
|
)
|
(11,502
|
)
|
(12,235
|
)
|
|||||||
Other
|
(680
|
)
|
(1,333
|
)
|
(1,837
|
)
|
(1,198
|
)
|
(954
|
)
|
||||||
EBITDA
|
735,513
|
602,896
|
468,529
|
354,200
|
254,513
|
|||||||||||
Less
depreciation and amortization
|
26,057
|
21,174
|
15,755
|
13,220
|
9,453
|
|||||||||||
EBIT
|
$
|
709,456
|
$
|
581,722
|
$
|
452,774
|
$
|
340,980
|
$
|
245,060
|
19
(iv)
All
interest incurred, other than Beazer Mortgage warehouse line interest, is
capitalized to inventory and subsequently amortized to cost of sales as homes
are closed.
(v)
Asset
turnover = (total revenue divided by average total assets); EBIT margin = (EBIT
divided by total revenues); Return on average assets = (EBIT divided by average
total assets); Return on average capital = (EBIT divided by average total debt
plus stockholders’ equity); Return on average equity = (net income divided by
average stockholders’ equity).
General
Homebuilding.
We
design, sell and build single-family homes in the following geographic regions
which are presented as our reportable segments. Those remaining homebuilding
operations not separately reportable as segments are included in “Other”:
West
|
Mid-Atlantic
|
Florida
|
Southeast
|
Other
|
||||
Arizona
|
Delaware
|
Florida
|
Georgia
|
Colorado
|
||||
California
|
Maryland
|
Nashville,
TN
|
Indiana
|
|||||
Nevada
|
New
Jersey
|
North
Carolina
|
Kentucky
|
|||||
New
Mexico
|
New
York
|
South
Carolina
|
Memphis,
TN
|
|||||
Pennsylvania
|
Ohio
|
|||||||
Virginia
|
Texas
|
|||||||
West
Virginia
|
We
intend, subject to market conditions, to expand in our current markets through
focused product expansion and price point diversification and to consider
entering new markets either through expansion from existing markets or through
acquisitions of established regional homebuilders. Our business strategy
emphasizes further increasing our market penetration in those markets in which
we currently operate most profitably, while continuously reviewing opportunities
to curtail or limit investment in less profitable markets.
Our
homes
are designed to appeal to homebuyers at various price points across various
demographic segments, and are generally offered for sale in advance of their
construction. Once a sales contract has been signed by both the homebuyer and
Beazer Homes, we classify the transaction as a "new order" and include the
home
in “backlog.” Such sales contracts are usually subject to certain contingencies
such as the buyer’s ability to qualify for financing. We do not recognize
revenue on homes in backlog until the sales are closed and the risk of ownership
has been transferred to the buyer.
Crossmann
Acquisition. In
April
2002, we acquired Crossmann Communities, Inc. (“Crossmann”). We have included
Crossmann’s operating results in our consolidated financial statements since
April 1, 2002. The aggregate merger consideration we paid consisted of
approximately 3.9 million shares (pre-split) of our common stock (valued at
approximately $308.6 million) and $191.6 million in cash.
Financial
Services. Recognizing
the homebuyer’s desire to simplify the financing process, we originate mortgages
on behalf of our customers through our subsidiary Beazer Mortgage. Beazer
Mortgage originates, processes and brokers mortgages to third party investors.
Beazer Mortgage also finances certain of our mortgage lending activities under
a
warehouse line of credit or from general corporate funds prior to selling the
loans and their servicing rights to third-party investors. We
also
offer title insurance services to our homebuyers in many of our markets.
Ancillary
Businesses.
We have
established several businesses to support our core homebuilding operations.
We
operate design studios in the majority of our markets. Through design studios,
homebuyers can choose non-structural upgrades and options for their new home.
We
will continue to evaluate opportunities to provide other ancillary services
to
our homebuyers.
20
Critical
Accounting Policies. Some
of
our critical accounting policies require the use of judgment in their
application or require estimates of inherently uncertain matters. Although
our
accounting policies are in compliance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America, a change in the facts and
circumstances of the underlying transactions could significantly change the
application of the accounting policies and the resulting financial statement
impact. Listed below are those policies that we believe are critical and require
the use of complex judgment in their application.
Inventory
Valuation
Housing
projects and land held for development and sale are stated at cost (including
direct construction costs, capitalized indirect costs, capitalized interest
and
real estate taxes) unless facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying
value of the assets may be impaired. We assess these assets for recoverability
in accordance with the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
("SFAS") 144, Accounting
for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.
SFAS
144 requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events
or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may
not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the
carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected
to be
generated by the asset. If these assets are considered to be impaired, the
impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying
amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets less costs to sell.
During fiscal 2006, we recorded inventory impairments of approximately $5.7
million primarily in our Colorado and Midwest markets.
These
evaluations for impairment are significantly impacted by estimates of revenues,
costs and expenses and other factors. Due to uncertainties in the estimation
process, it is reasonably possible that actual results could differ from those
estimates. Our assumptions about future home sales prices and volumes require
significant judgment because the residential homebuilding industry is cyclical
and is highly sensitive to changes in economic conditions. We continue to
evaluate the carrying value of our inventory and, based on historical results,
believe that our existing estimation process is accurate and do not anticipate
the process to materially change in the future.
Goodwill
We
test
goodwill for impairment annually as of April 30 or more frequently if an event
occurs or circumstances change that more likely than not reduce the value of
a
reporting unit below its carrying value. For purposes of goodwill impairment
testing, we compare the fair value of each reporting unit with its carrying
amount, including goodwill. Each of our operating divisions is considered a
reporting unit. The fair value of each reporting unit is determined based on
expected discounted future cash flows. If the carrying amount of a reporting
unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired. If goodwill is
considered impaired, the impairment loss to be recognized is measured by the
amount by which the carrying amount of the goodwill exceeds implied fair value
of that goodwill.
Inherent
in our fair value determinations are certain judgments and estimates, including
projections of future cash flows, the discount rate reflecting the risk inherent
in future cash flows, the interpretation of current economic indicators and
market valuations and our strategic plans with regard to our operations. A
change in these underlying assumptions would cause a change in the results
of
the tests, which could cause the fair value of one or more reporting units
to be
less than their respective carrying amounts. In addition, to the extent that
there are significant changes in market conditions or overall economic
conditions or our strategic plans change, it is possible that our conclusion
regarding goodwill impairment could change, which could have a material adverse
effect on our financial position and results of operations.
Our
goodwill has been assigned to reporting units in different geographic locations.
Therefore, potential goodwill impairment charges resulting from changes in
local
market and /or local economic conditions or changes in our strategic plans
may
be isolated to one or a few of our reporting units. However, our business is
concentrated in the homebuilding industry and, as such, a widespread decline
in
the homebuilding industry or a significant deterioration of economic conditions
could have a negative impact on the estimated fair value of a larger number
of
our reporting units.
21
During
the quarter ended March 31, 2005, we obtained an independent valuation of our
reporting units and recorded a $130.2 million non-cash, non-tax-deductible
impairment charge to write off substantially all of the goodwill allocated
to
certain underperforming markets in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Charlotte, North
Carolina. The goodwill had been recorded as a result of the April 2002
acquisition of Crossmann. The forecasts and valuations of the respective
divisions, along with weaker than anticipated local economies, particularly
in
the Midwest markets, and severe price competition, particularly at entry level
price points, led the Company to conclude the goodwill was impaired in
accordance with the provisions of SFAS 142, Goodwill
and Other Intangible Assets.
While
we
believe that no additional goodwill impairment existed as of September 30,
2006,
future economic or financial developments, including general interest rate
increases or poor performance in either the national economy or individual
local
economies, could lead to impairment of goodwill, prospectively.
Homebuilding
Revenues and Costs
Revenue
from the sale of a home is generally recognized when the closing has
occurred and the risk of ownership is transferred to the buyer. In situations
where the buyer’s financing is originated by Beazer Mortgage, and the buyer has
not made a sufficient initial and continuing investment, the revenue and gross
profit on such sale is deferred until the sale of the related mortgage loan
to a
third-party investor has been completed. Revenue for condominiums under
construction is recognized based on the percentage-of-completion method in
accordance with SFAS 66, Accounting
for Sales of Real Estate,
when
certain criteria are met. All associated homebuilding costs are charged to
cost
of sales in the period when the revenues from home closings are recognized.
Homebuilding costs include land and land development costs (based upon an
allocation of such costs, including costs to complete the development, or
specific lot costs), home construction costs (including an estimate of costs,
if
any, to complete home construction), previously capitalized indirect costs
(principally for construction supervision), capitalized interest and estimated
warranty costs. Sales commissions are included in selling, general and
administrative expense when the closing has occurred. All other costs are
expensed as incurred.
Warranty
Reserves
We
currently provide a limited warranty (ranging from one to two years) covering
workmanship and materials per our defined performance quality standards. In
addition, we provide a limited warranty (generally ranging from a minimum of
five years up to the period covered by the applicable statute of repose)
covering only certain defined construction defects. We also provide a defined
structural element warranty with single-family homes and townhomes in certain
states.
Since
we
subcontract our homebuilding work to subcontractors who generally provide us
with an indemnity and a certificate of insurance prior to receiving payments
for
their work, claims relating to workmanship and materials are generally the
primary responsibility of our subcontractors.
Warranty
reserves are included in other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
We record reserves covering our anticipated warranty expense for each home
closed. Management reviews the adequacy of warranty reserves each reporting
period, based on historical experience and management’s estimate of the costs to
remediate the claims, and adjusts these provisions accordingly. Factors that
affect our warranty liability include the number of homes sold, historical
and
anticipated rates of warranty claims, and cost per claim. Based on historical
results, we believe that our existing estimation process is accurate and do
not
anticipate the process to materially change in the future. Our warranty reserves
at September 30, 2006 and 2005 include accruals for certain moisture intrusion
issues. Our estimation process for such accruals is discussed in Note 13 to
the
Consolidated Financial Statements. While we believe that our warranty reserves
at September 30, 2006 are adequate, there can be no assurances that historical
data and trends will accurately predict our actual warranty costs or that future
developments might not lead to a significant change in the reserve.
Seasonality
and Quarterly Variability.
Our
homebuilding operating cycle generally reflects escalating new order activity
in
our second and third fiscal quarters and increased closings in our third and
fourth fiscal quarters. We believe that the typical seasonality reflects the
preference of homebuyers to shop for a new home in the spring, as well as the
scheduling of construction to accommodate seasonal weather conditions.
22
The
following chart presents certain quarterly operating data for our last twelve
fiscal quarters and is indicative of this seasonality.
New
Orders (net of cancellations)
|
|||||||||||||
1stQ
|
2ndQ
|
3rdQ
|
4thQ
|
||||||||||
2006
|
3,872
|
4,224
|
4,378
|
2,064
|
|||||||||
2005
|
3,545
|
5,239
|
5,202
|
4,937
|
|||||||||
2004
|
3,304
|
5,032
|
4,869
|
4,276
|
Closings
|
|||||||||||||
1stQ
|
2ndQ
|
3rdQ
|
4thQ
|
||||||||||
2006
|
3,829
|
4,273
|
4,156
|
6,411
|
|||||||||
2005
|
3,574
|
3,602
|
4,631
|
6,339
|
|||||||||
2004
|
3,608
|
3,684
|
4,061
|
5,098
|
RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS:
Fiscal
Year Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||
($
in thousands)
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
|||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||
Homebuilding
(1)
|
$
|
5,325,588
|
$
|
4,922,793
|
$
|
3,824,142
|
||||
Land
and lot sales
|
90,217
|
34,527
|
44,702
|
|||||||
Financial
Services
|
65,808
|
54,310
|
51,140
|
|||||||
Intercompany
elimination
|
(19,610
|
)
|
(16,277
|
)
|
(12,875
|
)
|
||||
Total
|
$
|
5,462,003
|
$
|
4,995,353
|
$
|
3,907,109
|
||||
Gross
profit (loss)
|
||||||||||
Homebuilding
(1)
|
$
|
1,195,991
|
$
|
1,112,670
|
$
|
754,166
|
||||
Land
and lot sales
|
(1,114
|
)
|
5,073
|
2,071
|
||||||
Financial
Services
|
65,808
|
54,310
|
51,140
|
|||||||
Total
|
$
|
1,260,685
|
$
|
1,172,053
|
$
|
807,377
|
||||
Selling,
general and administrative (SG&A) expenses:
|
||||||||||
Homebuilding
|
$
|
600,428
|
$
|
516,217
|
$
|
397,601
|
||||
Financial
Services
|
48,582
|
38,683
|
31,841
|
|||||||
Total
|
$
|
649,010
|
$
|
554,900
|
$
|
429,442
|
||||
As
a percentage of total revenue:
|
||||||||||
Gross
Margin
|
23.1
|
%
|
23.5
|
%
|
20.7
|
%
|
||||
SG&A
- homebuilding
|
11.0
|
%
|
10.3
|
%
|
10.2
|
%
|
||||
SG&A
- Financial Services
|
0.9
|
%
|
0.8
|
%
|
0.8
|
%
|
(1)
Homebuilding revenues for fiscal 2004 reflect the recognition on a consolidated
basis of $4.1 million of revenues related to closings that occurred in fiscal
2003, but for which funding was not received until fiscal 2004. During fiscal
2003, revenues and related cost of sales were not recognized on those closings
where the buyers’ initial investments were not sufficient to recognize profit at
the time of closing. We received funding on such closings pursuant to
commitments from bond authority programs in early fiscal 2004, at which time
we
recognized the revenues and related cost of sales.
23
Revenues.
Revenues
increased by 9.3% for fiscal 2006 compared to fiscal 2005. Homes closed
increased by 2.9% from 18,146 in fiscal 2005 to 18,669 in fiscal 2006 driven
by
strong growth in the first half of fiscal 2006 in a majority of our markets.
This growth was partially offset by declines in Nevada and many of our
California markets in the West region and in certain of our North Carolina
and
Florida markets. The average sales price of homes closed increased by 5.7%
to
$286,700 from $271,300 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006 and 2005,
respectively. Average sales price increased in the majority of our markets,
due
primarily to product mix related to the expansion of our product offerings
in
many markets to include higher priced homes.
The
increase in homebuilding revenues for fiscal 2005 compared to fiscal 2004 is
the
result of a 10.3% increase in the number of homes closed and a 16.8% increase
in
the average sales price per home closed. Home closings and average sales prices
increased in most of our markets. During fiscal 2005, we benefited from improved
pricing power in each of our major markets and improved product mix, as well
as
a strong housing market.
Also,
our
revenue growth reflects a key component of our growth strategy, to continue
to
increase our market penetration through geographic diversification and price
point diversification, expanding our product offerings to grow market share
in
existing markets.
In
addition, we had $90.2 million, $34.5 million and $44.7 million of land sales
for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
The
increase in land sales in fiscal 2006 primarily resulted from our continued
review of opportunities to minimize underperforming investments and exit a
number of less profitable positions, reallocating funds to investments that
will
optimize overall returns in the future.
New
Orders.
New
orders decreased to 14,538, or 23.2%, during fiscal 2006 compared to 18,923
for
fiscal 2005 as new orders decreased across a majority of our markets due
primarily to lower levels of demand for new homes, an increase in resale home
inventory and significant increases in cancellation rates during the second
half
of fiscal 2006. Specifically, orders decreased by 43.3% in our West region
and
27.1% in our Mid-Atlantic region compared to fiscal 2005 due to lower demand
and
higher cancellations compared to the extremely high number of new orders
received in these regions in fiscal 2005. Orders also decreased by 33.6% in
our
Florida region, primarily related to increased competition and moderating
demand.
New
orders increased 8.2% to 18,923 units for the fiscal year ended September 30,
2005 compared to 17,481 units for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004.
The
increase in new orders during fiscal 2005 compared to fiscal 2004 was driven
by
orders in our Florida, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions and Texas and Colorado
markets. New orders in our Indiana markets were negatively impacted by a soft
local economy and decreased 5.6% from the prior fiscal year. Orders were down
in
our West region compared to strong orders in fiscal 2004, as community delays
in
Nevada and California resulted in fewer available sales opportunities during
the
second half of fiscal 2005.
The
fundamentals that drive sales activity are numerous and varied. On a macro
level, low unemployment, low mortgage interest rates and low new home and resale
inventory supply each contribute to a positive general homebuilding market
environment. Our ability to stay ahead of changing customer preferences and
local demographic trends with our product mix and to maintain adequate product
supply contributes locally to long-term new order trends.
Backlog.
The
aggregate dollar value of homes in backlog of $1.6 billion at September 30,
2006, decreased 42.9% from $2.7 billion at September 30, 2005. This decrease
reflects a 44.7% decline in the number of homes in backlog offset partially
by a
3.4% increase in the average price of homes in backlog from $294,800 at
September 30, 2005 to $304,900 at September 30, 2006. The decrease in the number
of homes in backlog is driven primarily by decreased order trends in the
majority our markets. The increase in average price of homes in backlog is
due
to the success we are experiencing in diversifying our product offerings and
relatively favorable pricing year-over-year in many of our major markets offset
slightly by a decrease in the relative percentage of backlog in our
higher-priced markets.
24
The
increase in unit backlog from 8,456 units at September 30, 2004 to 9,233 units
at September 30, 2005 reflected a favorable homebuilding environment which
drove
new order activity, and our ability to gain market share and increase our
product diversity during that time period. The average sales price of homes
in
backlog increased at September 30, 2005 to $294,800 from $264,400 at September
30, 2004. The increase in the overall average price in backlog was due to the
improved pricing power in each of our markets and the increasingly favorable
shift in our product mix. The increase in product mix reflects the expansion
of
our product offerings in many markets to include higher priced homes.
Gross
Margin. Our
gross
margin was 23.1% for fiscal 2006 compared to 23.5% for fiscal 2005. Margins
in
fiscal 2006 were negatively impacted by margin pressures in our West and
Mid-Atlantic regions, a higher percentage of closings from lower margin markets,
higher market driven sales incentives and costs associated with our overhead
structure realignment and the exiting of non-strategic land positions. Fiscal
2006 home construction and land sales expenses included $37.8 million of costs
related to the abandonment of projects and write-off of deposits and other
costs
on cancelled land option contracts and $5.7 million of inventory impairments
offset partially by a $21.7 million reduction in the accrual for construction
defect claims for water intrusion in Indiana (see Note 13 to the Consolidated
Financial Statements). Fiscal 2005 gross margin included the impact of $55.0
million in warranty expenses associated with the construction defect claims
for
water intrusion in Indiana, $14.0 million of other warranty costs and $5.5
million of costs related to the abandonment of projects.
Gross
margin increased in fiscal 2005 as compared to fiscal 2004 as a result of a
strong pricing environment and improved product mix as we continued to invest
in
markets with the highest impact on results and continue our execution of
specific initiatives focused on maximizing profitability, such as national
purchasing where our average rebate per home rose significantly. The fiscal
2005
gross margin improvement was achieved despite the aforementioned $55.0 million
in construction defect claims warranty expenses in Indiana compared to $43.9
million of similar expense in 2004.
We
executed several land sales during the past three fiscal years. We realized
a
gross loss of $1.1 million on land sales in fiscal 2006 and gross profit of
$5.1
million and $2.1 million on land sales in fiscal 2005 and 2004,
respectively.
Selling,
General and Administrative Expense.
Selling,
general and administrative expense (SG&A) totaled $649.0 million in fiscal
2006, $554.9 million in fiscal 2005 and $429.4 million in fiscal 2004. The
increase in SG&A expense during the periods presented is primarily related
to the costs associated with a number of strategic company-wide programs, an
increase in sales commissions as a result of increased revenues and the cost
of
a larger infrastructure necessary to meet the demands related to the growth
in
our business. As a percentage of total revenue, SG&A expenses were 11.9% in
fiscal 2006, 11.1% in fiscal 2005 and 11.0% in fiscal 2004.
In
the
fourth quarter of fiscal 2006, we began a comprehensive review of our overhead
structure in light of our reduced volume expectations for fiscal 2007. As of
November 30, 2006, we have reduced our overall number of employees by
approximately 1,000 or 25%. Fiscal 2006 SG&A expense included $1.1 million
in severance costs related to employees who had been severed as of September
30,
2006.
Fiscal
2005 goodwill impairment charge.
During
fiscal year 2005, we recorded a $130.2 million non-cash, non-tax deductible
goodwill impairment charge to write-off substantially all of the goodwill
allocated to certain underperforming markets in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and
Charlotte, North Carolina.
25
Segment
Analysis ($ in thousands)
Fiscal
Year Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
2006
|
Change
|
2005
|
Change
|
2004
|
||||||||||||
West
|
||||||||||||||||
New
orders, net
|
3,216
|
(43.3
|
)%
|
5,673
|
(10.3
|
)%
|
6,323
|
|||||||||
Closings
|
5,035
|
(11.4
|
)%
|
5,686
|
4.1
|
% |
5,460
|
|||||||||
Backlog
units
|
1,175
|
(60.8
|
)%
|
2,994
|
(0.4
|
)%
|
3,007
|
|||||||||
Average
sales price per home closed
|
$
|
368.3
|
7.6
|
% |
$
|
342.4
|
21.5
|
% |
$
|
281.9
|
||||||
Homebuilding
revenue
|
$
|
1,838,213
|
(5.6
|
)%
|
$
|
1,946,822
|
26.5
|
% |
$
|
1,539,439
|
||||||
Land
& lot sale revenue
|
$
|
35,905
|
N/A
|
$
|
—
|
N/A
|
$
|
14,431
|
||||||||
Gross
profit
|
$
|
432,594
|
(21.1
|
)%
|
$
|
548,505
|
45.9
|
% |
$
|
375,891
|
||||||
Operating
income
|
$
|
280,731
|
(33.5
|
)%
|
$
|
421,968
|
50.2
|
% |
$
|
280,898
|
||||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
||||||||||||||||
New
orders, net
|
1,470
|
(27.1
|
)%
|
2,016
|
33.2
|
% |
1,513
|
|||||||||
Closings
|
2,086
|
11.6
|
% |
1,870
|
18.1
|
% |
1,583
|
|||||||||
Backlog
units
|
577
|
(51.6
|
)%
|
1,193
|
13.9
|
% |
1,047
|
|||||||||
Average
sales price per home closed
|
$
|
457.6
|
1.8
|
% |
$
|
449.6
|
27.2
|
% |
$
|
353.5
|
||||||
Homebuilding
revenue
|
$
|
962,324
|
14.5
|
% |
$
|
840,714
|
50.2
|
% |
$
|
559,596
|
||||||
Land
& lot sale revenue
|
$
|
3,550
|
(51.8
|
)%
|
$
|
7,369
|
N/M
|
$
|
150
|
|||||||
Gross
profit
|
$
|
297,759
|
7.2
|
% |
$
|
277,649
|
74.8
|
% |
$
|
158,860
|
||||||
Operating
income
|
$
|
213,279
|
3.2
|
% |
$
|
206,627
|
84.9
|
% |
$
|
111,763
|
||||||
Florida
|
||||||||||||||||
New
orders, net
|
1,523
|
(33.6
|
)%
|
2,295
|
11.4
|
% |
2,061
|
|||||||||
Closings
|
2,274
|
1.7
|
% |
2,236
|
38.4
|
% |
1,616
|
|||||||||
Backlog
units
|
508
|
(59.7
|
)%
|
1,259
|
4.9
|
% |
1,200
|
|||||||||
Average
sales price per home closed
|
$
|
309.5
|
15.7
|
% |
$
|
267.6
|
10.8
|
% |
$
|
241.6
|
||||||
Homebuilding
revenue
|
$
|
694,803
|
16.1
|
% |
$
|
598,454
|
53.3
|
% |
$
|
390,365
|
||||||
Land
& lot sale revenue
|
$
|
—
|
N/A
|
$
|
496
|
N/M
|
$
|
15
|
||||||||
Gross
profit
|
$
|
211,559
|
33.7
|
% |
$
|
158,229
|
68.1
|
% |
$
|
94,125
|
||||||
Operating
income
|
$
|
143,380
|
47.4
|
% |
$
|
97,263
|
90.3
|
% |
$
|
51,105
|
||||||
Southeast
|
||||||||||||||||
New
orders, net
|
3,856
|
(11.8
|
)%
|
4,372
|
17.3
|
%
|
3,726
|
|||||||||
Closings
|
4,289
|
7.4
|
% |
3,995
|
4.2
|
% |
3,833
|
|||||||||
Backlog
units
|
1,321
|
(24.7
|
)%
|
1,754
|
27.4
|
% |
1,377
|
|||||||||
Average
sales price per home closed
|
$
|
210.8
|
12.4
|
% |
$
|
187.5
|
13.4
|
% |
$
|
165.4
|
||||||
Homebuilding
revenue
|
$
|
897,994
|
19.9
|
% |
$
|
748,912
|
18.1
|
% |
$
|
634,028
|
||||||
Land
& lot sale revenue
|
$
|
2,669
|
(78.0
|
)%
|
$
|
12,118
|
(0.7
|
)%
|
$
|
12,207
|
||||||
Gross
profit
|
$
|
187,234
|
42.2
|
% |
$
|
131,678
|
12.4
|
% |
$
|
117,109
|
||||||
Operating
income
|
$
|
86,451
|
76.1
|
% |
$
|
49,098
|
6.8
|
% |
$
|
45,952
|
26
Fiscal
Year Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
2006
|
Change
|
2005
|
Change
|
2004
|
||||||||||||
Other
homebuilding
|
||||||||||||||||
New
orders, net
|
4,473
|
(2.1
|
)%
|
4,567
|
18.4
|
%
|
3,858
|
|||||||||
Closings
|
4,985
|
14.4
|
%
|
4,359
|
10.1
|
%
|
3,959
|
|||||||||
Backlog
units
|
1,521
|
(25.2
|
)%
|
2,033
|
11.4
|
%
|
1,825
|
|||||||||
Average
sales price per home closed
|
$
|
187.5
|
3.7
|
%
|
$
|
180.8
|
2.7
|
%
|
$
|
176.0
|
||||||
Homebuilding
revenue
|
$
|
932,254
|
18.3
|
%
|
$
|
787,891
|
12.4
|
%
|
$
|
700,714
|
||||||
Land
& lot sale revenue
|
$
|
48,093
|
230.7
|
%
|
$
|
14,544
|
(18.7
|
)%
|
$
|
17,899
|
||||||
Gross
profit
|
$
|
117,004
|
5.9
|
%
|
$
|
110,440
|
(6.0
|
)%
|
$
|
117,548
|
||||||
Operating
(loss) income
|
$
|
(4,301
|
)
|
(172.9
|
)%
|
$
|
5,902
|
(79.9
|
)%
|
$
|
29,425
|
|||||
Financial
Services
|
||||||||||||||||
Number
of mortgage
originations
|
12,205
|
9.1
|
%
|
11,183
|
16.1
|
%
|
9,633
|
|||||||||
Capture
rate
|
65
|
%
|
380
|
bps |
62
|
%
|
260
|
bps |
59
|
%
|
||||||
Revenues
|
$
|
65,808
|
21.2
|
%
|
$
|
54,310
|
6.2
|
%
|
$
|
51,140
|
||||||
Operating
income
|
$
|
17,226
|
10.2
|
%
|
$
|
15,627
|
(19.0
|
)%
|
$
|
19,299
|
West:
Homebuilding revenues decreased in fiscal 2006 due to decreased closings across
the markets offset slightly by increased average sales prices in the segment.
Declines in fiscal 2006 closings were due to softer market conditions, increased
competition in both new and existing home sales, higher cancellations and the
impact of extremely high closings in fiscal 2005. Homebuilding revenues
increased from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2005 due to increased closings and
increased average sales prices in the majority of the markets in this segment,
as we benefited from improved pricing power and exceptionally high demand in
each of these markets.
Gross
margins were 24.2% for fiscal 2004, 28.2% for fiscal 2005 and 23.1% for fiscal
2006. Operating margin as a percentage of total revenues for the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2006 was 15.0% compared to 21.7% for fiscal 2005 and 18.1%
for fiscal 2004. The decrease in gross margins in fiscal 2006 is primarily
due
to softer market conditions in our California and Nevada markets and increased
costs for subdivision maintenance throughout the region. In addition, operating
margins in fiscal 2006 have also been negatively impacted by increased sales
commissions and broker participation required to generate sales in response
to
softer market conditions. The increase in gross and operating margins in fiscal
2005 was primarily due to the aforementioned increase in homebuilding revenue,
which resulted in an extremely high leverage of fixed overhead, higher average
sales prices and our specific initiatives, such as national purchasing where
our
average rebate per home rose significantly. In addition, fiscal 2005 margins
benefited from a higher number of closings related to new communities and
reduced sales incentives compared to the prior year due, respectively, to well
purchased land and high demand.
Mid-Atlantic:
Increased closings and slightly increased higher average sales prices due to
healthy demand and continued constraints on the supply of available housing
during fiscal 2005 and the first half of fiscal 2006 resulted in increased
homebuilding revenues over the past two fiscal years. Gross and operating
margins for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 were 30.8% and 22.1%,
respectively compared to 32.7% and 24.4% for fiscal 2005 and 28.4% and 20.0%
for
fiscal 2004, respectively. The decrease in gross margins from fiscal 2005 to
fiscal 2006 primarily related to margin pressures and increased incentives
in
response to softening market conditions in the last few months of fiscal 2006.
Operating margins in fiscal 2006 were impacted by increased commissions and
marketing costs in response to such softening market conditions in fiscal 2006.
The increase in both gross and operating margins from fiscal 2004 to fiscal
2005
is primarily due to the aforementioned strong pricing environment in fiscal
2005
and the related increased contribution from higher homebuilding revenues, which
resulted in an extremely high leverage of fixed overhead.
27
Florida:
Homebuilding revenues increased over the past two fiscal years due to increased
closings and increased average sales prices. The increase in fiscal 2006
revenues was primarily generated in the first six months as revenues from the
second half of fiscal 2006 were negatively impacted by decreased closings in
a
majority of the markets due to increased competition and moderating demand.
Gross margins increased to 30.4% for fiscal 2006 from 26.4% for fiscal 2005
and
24.1% for fiscal 2004, as we continued to benefit from well-purchased land
positions and the aforementioned increase in average sales prices. In addition,
fiscal 2005 margins were slightly impacted by lower than average margins in
our
Tampa market due to incentive pricing offered to stimulate traffic during the
opening of a new mid-rise condominium community. Operating margin for the fiscal
year ended September 30, 2006 was 20.6% compared to 16.2% for fiscal 2005 and
13.1% for fiscal 2004. The increase in operating margins from fiscal 2004 to
fiscal 2006 is primarily due to the aforementioned increase in homebuilding
revenue and average sales prices, which resulted in an extremely high leverage
of fixed overhead.
Southeast:
Homebuilding revenues increased in a majority of our markets within the
Southeast segment over the past two fiscal years driven by increased average
sales prices in most of our markets and increased closings in the majority
of
our South Carolina markets. Revenues and margins in Charlotte have been
negatively impacted by entry level housing competition and difficulties
encountered in our integration of the Crossmann communities in this market.
Margins in fiscal 2004, 2005 and 2006 have been negatively impacted as we
repositioned our product offerings and reduced our investment in the entry-level
and townhouse sectors of the Charlotte market. New product offerings in Georgia
and the South Carolina markets, including our Atlantic Station community in
Georgia, and an improved product mix throughout the region contributed toward
the increased average sales prices. Gross margins for fiscal 2006 were 20.8%
compared to 17.3% for fiscal 2005 and 18.1% for fiscal 2004. Gross margins
in
fiscal 2006 benefited from a $5.0 million reduction in warranty-related accruals
as pending litigation was settled favorably and $5.6 million of insurance
recoveries. The decrease in fiscal 2005 margins from fiscal 2004 related to
the
impact of our repositioning efforts in Charlotte and increased warranty and
legal related costs in South Carolina. Operating margins for fiscal 2006 were
9.6%, an increase from 6.5% in fiscal 2005 and 7.1% in fiscal 2004.
Other
homebuilding:
The
increase in homebuilding revenues in fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2005 reflected
strong revenue growth compared to a weaker market in 2004 in our Colorado and
Texas markets and increased fiscal 2006 closings in our Indiana markets. This
revenue growth was partially offset by continued weakness in the remaining
markets in this segment. Gross margins for our other homebuilding markets
decreased from 16.4% for fiscal 2004 to 13.8% for fiscal 2005 and 11.9% for
fiscal 2006. Operating margins decreased from 4.1% for fiscal 2004 to 0.7%
for
fiscal 2005 and -0.4% for fiscal 2006. The decrease in margins from fiscal
2005
to fiscal 2006 was primarily due to pricing pressures in our Colorado and Ohio
markets and additional costs related to our decision to exit some sub-markets
in
Indiana and Memphis, Tennessee during fiscal 2006. The decrease in fiscal 2005
when compared to fiscal 2004 was primarily due to additional warranty costs
in
our Kentucky market and repositioning costs, including higher discounting,
related to the implementation of new home and subdivision designs in Indiana
and
Ohio.
Financial
Services:
Our
capture rate (the percentage of mortgages we originate as a percentage of homes
closed) of mortgages originated for customers of our homebuilding business,
which is the most significant source of revenue in this segment, increased
to
65% in fiscal 2006 from 62% in fiscal 2005 and 59% in fiscal 2004 due primarily
to our continued focus on serving our customer base. Our capture rate is based
on total closings. All costs related to Financial Services are included in
SG&A. Operating income for Financial Services increased in fiscal 2006
primarily due to increased Title Services operating profit offset by additional
costs in our mortgage operations including higher price concessions and
incentives offered in response to competitive pressures in the refinancing
market.
Corporate
and unallocated:
Corporate and unallocated costs totaled $125.1 million for fiscal 2006, $309.6
million for fiscal 2005 and $160.5 million for fiscal 2004. Fiscal 2006 costs
are offset by $21.7 million of reductions in accruals associated with
construction defect claims from water intrusion in Indiana. Fiscal 2005 costs
include $130.2 million for the aforementioned goodwill impairment charge. Fiscal
2005 and fiscal 2004 included $55.0 million and $43.9 million, respectively,
of
warranty expenses associated with the claims from water intrusion in Indiana.
Excluding the goodwill impairment and these warranty expenses and related
reductions, corporate costs as a percentage of total revenues were 2.7% for
fiscal 2006, 2.5% for fiscal 2005 and 3.0% for fiscal 2004.
28
Income
Taxes.
Our
effective tax rate was 36.6% for fiscal year 2006, 47.4% for fiscal year 2005
and 39.0% for fiscal year 2004. The effective tax rate for 2005 was impacted
by
the $130.2 million non-cash, non-tax deductible goodwill impairment charge
discussed above. The following table reconciles our effective tax rate reported
in accordance with GAAP and our adjusted effective tax rate without this
goodwill impairment charge:
Fiscal
Year Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
||||||||
Effective
tax rate
|
36.6
|
%
|
47.4
|
%
|
39.0
|
%
|
||||
Impact
of non-cash, non-deductible goodwill impairment
|
—
|
(9.8
|
%)
|
—
|
||||||
Adjusted
effective tax rate
|
36.6
|
%
|
37.6
|
%
|
39.0
|
%
|
The
adjusted effective tax rate presented above is a non-GAAP financial measure.
Management believes that this non-GAAP measure is useful to both management
and
investors in the analysis of the Company’s financial performance when comparing
it to other periods and that it provides investors with an important perspective
on the underlying effective tax rate of the business by isolating the impact
of
the non-cash, non-tax deductible goodwill impairment charge. The decrease in
adjusted effective tax rate between years is primarily due to changes in income
concentrations in the various states, the timing of certain state tax
initiatives and favorable tax adjustments of $7.5 million and $4.0 million
recorded in fiscal 2006 and 2005, respectively. In addition, in fiscal 2006,
we
recognized a $5.9 million deduction related to new provisions under the American
Jobs Creation Act of 2004. The principal difference between our effective rate
and the U.S. federal statutory rate is due to state income taxes incurred.
Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities. We
are
exposed to fluctuations in interest rates. From time to time, we enter into
derivative agreements to manage interest costs and hedge against risks
associated with fluctuating interest rates. We do not enter into or hold
derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. During the year ended September
30, 2001 we entered into interest rate swap agreements (the “Swap Agreements”)
to effectively fix the variable interest rate on $100 million of floating rate
debt. The Swap Agreements matured in December 2004.
The
Swap
Agreements were designated as cash flow hedges and recorded at fair value in
our
consolidated balance sheets, and the related gains or losses are deferred in
stockholders’ equity, net of taxes, as a component of other comprehensive income
as of September 30, 2004. We reclassified $610,000, net of taxes of $354,000,
from other comprehensive loss to interest expense upon maturation of the Swap
Agreements in fiscal 2005.
Financial
Condition and Liquidity. Our
sources of cash liquidity include, but are not limited to, cash from operations,
amounts available under credit facilities, proceeds from senior notes and other
bank borrowings, the issuance of equity securities and other external sources
of
funds. Our short-term and long-term liquidity depend primarily upon our level
of
net income, working capital management (accounts receivable, accounts payable
and other liabilities) and bank borrowings. We believe that available short-term
and long-term capital resources are sufficient to fund capital expenditures
and
working capital requirements, scheduled debt and dividend payments, and interest
and tax obligations for the next twelve months. However, any material variance
of our operating results or land acquisitions from our projections or
investments in or acquisitions of businesses could require us to obtain
additional equity or debt financing. We plan to use cash generated to invest
in
growing the business, to fund land acquisitions and operations, pay dividends
and to repurchase our common stock. We will continue to fund our share
repurchase program (discussed further below) by limiting or curtailing
operations in underperforming markets while reinvesting in higher margin
markets.
29
At
September 30, 2006, we had cash and cash equivalents of $162.6 million, compared
to $297.1 million at September 30, 2005. The decrease in cash was primarily
due
to $205.4 million of stock repurchases during fiscal 2006 and the increase
in
homes in inventory related to timing of projects in process and higher
cancellations of home sales. Our net cash used in operating activities for
the
year ended September 30, 2006 was $304.5 million compared to $84.3 million
in
fiscal 2005 and $73.7 million in fiscal 2004, as the increased cost of inventory
more than offset increased net income. Based on the applicable year’s closings,
as of September 30, 2006, our land bank includes a 4.7 year supply of land/lots
for future development compared to a 5.9 year supply as of September 30, 2005
and a 5.5 year supply as of September 30, 2004. The decrease in land bank from
September 30, 2005 to September 30, 2006 related to our decision to eliminate
non-strategic positions to align our land supply with our current expectations
for future home closings. Net cash used in investing activities was $66.2
million for fiscal 2006 compared to $48.5 million for fiscal 2005 and $30.5
million for fiscal 2004, as we invested in unconsolidated joint ventures to
support our land acquisition strategy.
Net
cash
provided by financing activities was $236.2 million in fiscal 2006 compared
to
$109.0 million in fiscal 2005 and $351.7 million in fiscal 2004. In fiscal
2006,
2005 and 2004, proceeds from the senior note issuances (discussed below) and
stock option exercises were somewhat offset by other debt repayments, common
share repurchases and dividend payments.
At
September 30, 2006 we had the following long-term debt (in thousands):
Debt
|
Due
|
Amount
|
|||||
Warehouse
Line
|
January
2007
|
$
|
94,881
|
||||
Revolving
Credit Facility
|
August
2009
|
—
|
|||||
8
5/8% Senior Notes*
|
May
2011
|
200,000
|
|||||
8
3/8% Senior Notes*
|
April
2012
|
350,000
|
|||||
6
1/2% Senior Notes*
|
November
2013
|
200,000
|
|||||
6
7/8% Senior Notes*
|
July
2015
|
350,000
|
|||||
8
1/8% Senior Notes*
|
June
2016
|
275,000
|
|||||
4
5/8% Convertible Senior Notes*
|
June
2024
|
180,000
|
|||||
Junior
subordinated notes
|
July
2036
|
103,093
|
|||||
Other
Notes Payable
|
Various
Dates
|
89,264
|
|||||
Unamortized
debt discounts
|
(3,578
|
)
|
|||||
Total
|
$
|
1,838,660
|
|||||
*
Collectively, the “Senior
Notes”
|
Warehouse
Line - Effective
January 11, 2006, Beazer Mortgage entered into a 364-day credit agreement with
a
number of banks to fund the origination of residential mortgage loans (the
“Warehouse Line”). The Warehouse Line provides for maximum available borrowing
capacity of $250 million to $350 million based on commitment periods, as defined
in the Warehouse Line, and is secured by certain mortgage loan sales and related
property. The Warehouse Line is not guaranteed by Beazer Homes USA, Inc. or
any
of its subsidiaries that are guarantors of the Senior Notes or Revolving Credit
Facility. In the second quarter of fiscal 2006, Beazer Mortgage began financing
a portion of its mortgage lending activities with borrowings under the Warehouse
Line. Borrowings under the Warehouse Line were $94.9 million and bore interest
at 5.3% per annum as of September 30, 2006. Beazer Mortgage had a pipeline
of
loans in process of approximately $1.1 billion as of September 30, 2006 which
may be financed either through the Warehouse Line or with third party investors.
We are currently negotiating an extension of the Warehouse Line and expect
to
complete this transaction prior to the current facility’s maturity.
Revolving
Credit Facility - In
August
2005, we replaced our former credit facility with a new four-year unsecured
revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) with a group of
banks, which was expanded in June 2006 to $1 billion and which matures in August
2009. The former credit facility included a $550 million four-year revolving
credit facility and a $200 million four-year term loan which would have matured
in June 2008. The Revolving Credit Facility includes a $50 million swing line
commitment. We have the option to elect two types of loans under the Revolving
Credit Facility which incur interest as applicable based on either the
Alternative Base Rate or the Applicable Eurodollar Margin (both defined in
the
Credit Facility). The Revolving Credit Facility contains various operating
and
financial covenants. We were in compliance with such covenants at September
30,
2006. Substantially all of our significant subsidiaries are guarantors of the
obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility (see Note 15 to the Consolidated
Financial Statements).
30
We
fulfill our short-term cash requirements with cash generated from our operations
and funds available from our Revolving Credit Facility. Available borrowings
under the Revolving Credit Facility are limited to certain percentages of homes
under contract, unsold homes, substantially improved lots, lots under
development, raw land and accounts receivable. At September 30, 2006, we had
available borrowings of $591.0 million under the Revolving Credit Facility.
There were no amounts outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility at
September 30, 2006 or September 30, 2005.
Senior
Notes - The
Senior Notes are unsecured obligations ranking pari passu with all other
existing and future senior indebtedness. Substantially all of our significant
subsidiaries are full and unconditional guarantors of the Senior Notes and
are
jointly and severally liable for obligations under the Senior Notes and the
Revolving Credit Facility. Each guarantor subsidiary is a 100% owned subsidiary
of Beazer Homes.
In
June
2006, we issued $275 million of 8 ⅛% senior notes due in June 2016. Interest on
the 8 1/8% notes is payable semi-annually. We may redeem these notes at any
time, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount
thereof plus an applicable premium, as defined in the 8 1/8% notes, plus accrued
and unpaid interest.
Excluding
the 8 ⅜% Senior Notes issued in September 2002 which were used partially to fund
the cash portion of the Crossmann acquisition and to repay Crossmann’s
outstanding net indebtedness, the Senior Notes were generally used to pay off
borrowings under existing credit facilities, fund land acquisitions and for
general corporate purposes. The indentures under which the Senior Notes were
issued contain certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on payment
of dividends. At September 30, 2006, under the most restrictive covenants of
each indenture, approximately $244 million of our retained earnings was
available for cash dividends and for share repurchases. Each indenture provides
that, in the event of defined changes in control or if our consolidated tangible
net worth falls below a specified level or in certain circumstances upon a
sale
of assets, we are required to offer to repurchase certain specified amounts
of
outstanding Senior Notes.
Junior
Subordinated Notes - In
June
2006, we completed a private placement of $103.1 million of unsecured junior
subordinated notes which mature in July 2036 and are redeemable at par on or
after July 30, 2011 and pay a fixed rate of 7.987% for the first ten years
ending July 2016. Thereafter, the securities have a floating interest rate
equal
to three-month LIBOR plus 2.45% per annum, resetting quarterly. These notes
were
issued to our wholly-owned subsidiary, Beazer Capital Trust I, which
simultaneously issued, in a private transaction, trust preferred securities
and
common securities with an aggregate value of $103.1 million to fund its purchase
of these notes. The transaction is treated as debt in accordance with GAAP.
The
obligations relating to these notes and the related securities are subordinated
to the Revolving Credit Facility and the Senior Notes.
Other
Notes -
We
periodically acquire land through the issuance of notes payable. As of September
30, 2006 and 2005, we had outstanding notes payable of $89.3 million and $46.1
million, respectively, primarily related to land acquisitions and development.
These notes payable expire at various times through 2010 and had fixed and
variable rates ranging from 6.75% to 10.0% at September 30, 2006. These notes
are secured by the real estate to which they relate.
Other
Services - Beazer Mortgage provides mortgage origination services, and
generally does not retain or service the mortgages that it originates.
Through September 30, 2005, these mortgages were generally funded by one of
a
network of mortgage lenders. In the second quarter of fiscal 2006, Beazer
Mortgage began financing certain of its mortgage lending activities with
borrowings under the Warehouse Line or
from
general corporate funds prior
to
selling the loans and their servicing rights shortly after origination to
third-party investors. In addition, we offer title insurance services to
our homebuyers in many of our markets.
31
Stock
Repurchases and Dividends Paid - On November 18, 2005, as part of
an acceleration of our comprehensive plan to enhance stockholder value, our
Board of Directors authorized an increase of our stock repurchase plan to ten
million shares of our common stock. Shares may be purchased for cash in the
open
market, on the NYSE or in privately negotiated transactions. We entered into
a
plan under Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to execute a
portion of the share repurchase program, supplemented with opportunistic
purchases in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. During
fiscal 2006, we repurchased 3,648,300 shares for an aggregate purchase price
of
$205.4 million, or approximately $56 per share. In addition, during fiscal
2006
and fiscal 2005, 47,544 shares and 142,459 shares, respectively, were
surrendered to us by employees in payment of minimum tax obligations upon the
vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units under our stock incentive
plans. We valued the stock at the market price on the date of surrender, for
an
aggregate value of $2.6 million, or approximately $55 per share, for fiscal
2006
and for an aggregate value of $8.1 million, or approximately $57 per share,
for
fiscal 2005. During fiscal 2005, we did not repurchase any shares in the open
market. During fiscal 2004, we repurchased 539,400 shares for an aggregate
purchase price of $17.5 million or approximately $33 per share pursuant to
the
plan. At September 30, 2006, we are authorized to purchase approximately 5.4
million additional shares pursuant to the plan.
For
fiscal 2006, the Company paid quarterly cash dividends aggregating $0.40 per
common share, or a total of approximately $16.1 million. For fiscal 2005, the
Company paid quarterly cash dividends aggregating $0.33 per common share, or
a
total of approximately $13.9 million. For fiscal 2004, the Company paid
quarterly cash dividends aggregating $0.13 per common share, adjusted for the
stock split, or a total of approximately $5.5 million.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements and Aggregate Contractual Commitments.We attempt to
control half or more of our land supply through options. As a result of the
flexibility that these options provide us, upon a change in market conditions
we
may renegotiate the terms of the options prior to exercise or terminate the
agreement. At September 30, 2006, we controlled 88,505 lots (a 4.7-year supply
based on fiscal 2006 closings) as follows:
Land
Bank
|
|||||||
Lots
|
Percentage
|
||||||
Owned
|
40,933
|
46
|
%
|
||||
Optioned
|
47,572
|
54
|
%
|
||||
Total
|
88,505
|
100
|
%
|
We
acquire certain lots by means of option contracts. Option contracts generally
require the payment of cash or the posting of a letter of credit for the right
to acquire lots during a specified period of time at a certain price. Under
option contracts, both with and without specific performance provisions,
purchase of the properties is contingent upon satisfaction of certain
requirements by us and the sellers. Our obligation with respect to options
with
specific performance provisions is included in our consolidated balance sheets
in other liabilities. Under option contracts without specific performance
obligations, our liability is generally limited to forfeiture of the
non-refundable deposits, letters of credit and other non-refundable amounts
incurred, which aggregated approximately $352.6 million at September 30, 2006.
This amount includes non-refundable letters of credit of approximately $51.9
million. The total remaining purchase price, net of cash deposits, committed
under all options was $2.4 billion as of September 30, 2006. Only $14.2 million
of total remaining purchase price contains specific performance clauses which
may require us to purchase the land or lots upon the land seller meeting certain
obligations.
We
expect
to exercise all of our option contracts with specific performance obligations
and, subject to market conditions, substantially all of our option contracts
without specific performance obligations. Various factors, some of which are
beyond our control, such as market conditions, weather conditions and the timing
of the completion of development activities, can have a significant impact
on
the timing of option exercises. Under their current terms, and assuming no
significant changes in market conditions or other factors, we expect to exercise
the majority of our land options within three to four years.
We
have
historically funded the exercise of land options through a combination of
operating cash flows and borrowings under our credit facilities. We expect
these
sources to continue to be adequate to fund anticipated future option exercises.
Therefore, we do not anticipate that the exercise of our land options will
have
a material adverse effect on our liquidity.
32
Certain
of our option contracts are with sellers who are deemed to be Variable Interest
Entities (“VIEs”) under FASB Interpretation No. 46 (Revised), Consolidation
of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51
(“FIN
46R”). We have determined that we are the primary beneficiary of certain of
these option contracts. Our risk is generally limited to the option deposits
that we pay, and creditors of the sellers generally have no recourse to the
general credit of the Company. Although we do not have legal title to the
optioned land, for those option contracts for which we are the primary
beneficiary, we are required to consolidate the land under option at fair value.
We believe that the exercise prices of our option contracts approximate their
fair value. Our consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2006 and 2005
reflect consolidated inventory not owned of $471.4 million and $230.1 million,
respectively. The amounts committed under options and recorded as consolidated
inventory not owned include our obligations related to inventory consolidated
under FIN 46R and lot option agreements for which our deposits and
pre-acquisition development costs exceeded certain thresholds. Obligations
related to consolidated inventory not owned totaled $330.7 million at September
30, 2006 and $166.2 million at September 30, 2005. The difference between the
balances of consolidated inventory not owned and obligations related to
consolidated inventory not owned represents cash deposits paid under the option
agreements.
We
participate in a number of land development joint ventures in which we have
less
than a controlling interest. We enter into joint ventures in order to acquire
attractive land positions, to manage our risk profile and to leverage our
capital base. Our joint ventures are typically entered into with developers
and
other homebuilders to develop finished lots for sale to the joint venture’s
members and other third parties. We account for our interest in these joint
ventures under the equity method. Our consolidated balance sheets include
investments in joint ventures totaling $122.8 million and $78.6 million at
September 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
Our
joint
ventures typically obtain secured acquisition, development and construction
financing. At September 30, 2006, our unconsolidated joint ventures had
borrowings outstanding totaling $738.4 million. In some instances, we and our
joint venture partners have provided varying levels of guarantees of debt of
our
unconsolidated joint ventures. At September 30, 2006, we had repayment
guarantees of $11.8 million and loan-to-value maintenance guarantees of $12.8
million of debt of unconsolidated joint ventures (see Note 2 to the Consolidated
Financial Statements).
The
following summarizes our aggregate contractual commitments at September 30,
2006:
Payments
Due by Period (in thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
|
Less
than 1 Year
|
1-3
Years
|
3-5
Years
|
More
than 5
Years
|
||||||||||||
Contractual
obligations
|
||||||||||||||||
Senior
Notes and other notes payable
|
$
|
1,842,238
|
$
|
112,533
|
$
|
63,050
|
$
|
208,562
|
$
|
1,458,093
|
||||||
Interest
commitments under Senior
Notes
and other notes payable (1)
|
1,174,756
|
134,881
|
238,589
|
222,711
|
578,575
|
|||||||||||
Operating
leases
|
85,079
|
25,692
|
33,019
|
17,330
|
9,038
|
|||||||||||
Purchase
obligations (2)
|
14,216
|
8,023
|
6,193
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||
Total
|
$
|
3,116,289
|
$
|
281,129
|
$
|
340,851
|
$
|
448,603
|
$
|
2,045,706
|
(1)
Interest on variable rate obligations is based on rates effective as of
September 30, 2006.
(2)
Represents obligations under option contracts with specific performance
provisions, net of cash deposits.
We
had
outstanding letters of credit and performance bonds of approximately $93.3
million and $616.9 million, respectively, at September 30, 2006 related
principally to our obligations to local governments to construct roads
and other
improvements in various developments in addition to the letters of credit
of
approximately $62.7 million relating to our land option contracts discussed
above.
33
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements. In
November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS 151, Inventory
Costs, an Amendment of ARB 43, Chapter 4.
SFAS
151 provides clarification of the accounting for abnormal amounts of freight,
handling costs, and wasted material and requires that these items be recognized
as current period charges. SFAS 151 was effective for inventory costs incurred
beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. The adoption of SFAS 151 did
not
have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations or financial
position for the year ended September 30, 2006.
In
May
2005, the FASB issued SFAS 154, Accounting
Changes and Error Corrections,
which
will be effective in the first quarter of our fiscal 2007. This statement
addresses the retrospective application of such changes and corrections and
will
be followed if and when necessary.
In
July
2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes - An Interpretation of FASB Statement No.
109
(“FIN
48”). FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized
in the financial statements in accordance with SFAS 109, Accounting
for Income Taxes.
FIN 48
prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial
statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to
be
taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition,
classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods,
disclosure, and transition. FIN 48 is effective for fiscal years beginning
after
December 15, 2006. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting FIN 48
on
our consolidated financial condition and results of operations.
On
November 29, 2006, the FASB ratified EITF Issue No. 06-8, Applicability
of the Assessment of a Buyer’s Continuing Investment Under FASB Statement No.
66, Accounting for Sales of Real Estate, for Sales of
Condominiums.
The
EITF states that the adequacy of the buyer’s continuing investment under SFAS 66
should be assessed in determining whether to recognize profit under the
percentage-of-completion method on the sale of individual units in a condominium
project. This consensus could require that additional deposits be collected
by
developers of condominium projects that wish to recognize profit during the
construction period under the percentage-of-completion method. EITF 06-8 is
effective for fiscal years beginning after March 15, 2007. We are currently
evaluating the impact of adopting EITF 06-8 on our consolidated financial
condition and results of operations.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS 157, Fair
Value Measurements,
SFAS
157 provides guidance for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities.
SFAS 157 applies whenever other standards require (or permit) assets or
liabilities to be measured at fair value but does not expand the use of fair
value in any new circumstances. SFAS 157 includes provisions that require
expanded disclosure of the effect on earnings for items measured using
unobservable data. SFAS 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. We are
currently evaluating the impact of adopting SFAS 157 on our consolidated
financial condition and results of operations.
In
September 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued Staff
Accounting Bulletin No. 108 (“SAB 108”) regarding the process of quantifying
financial statement misstatements. SAB 108 expresses the Staff’s views regarding
the diversity in practice in quantifying financial statement misstatements
and
the potential under current practice for the build up of improper amounts on
the
balance sheet. SAB 108 is effective for fiscal years ending after November
16,
2006 and will be effective for our fiscal 2007 year end. We do not expect the
adoption of SAB 108 will have a material impact on our consolidated financial
condition or results of operations.
Outlook.
On
November 7, 2006, we announced that we anticipate fiscal 2007 home closings
in
the range of 12,000 - 13,500 and fiscal 2007 new orders in the range of 12,000
-
14,000. The attainment of closings and new orders in these ranges assumes the
resumption of positive year-over-year sales comparisons at varying levels by
the
last quarter of the 2007 fiscal year.
Achievement
of our fiscal 2007 forecast of 13,500 closings is expected to result in diluted
earnings per share of approximately $3.65. This forecast assumes a stabilization
of average gross margins during fiscal 2007 at or near the levels attained
in
the fiscal 2006 fourth quarter. We have not provided a diluted earnings per
share estimate for the 12,000 unit level of closings as there is insufficient
visibility to assess the level of margins, the potential for additional
impairments, or further overhead reductions required at this volume level.
34
We
expect
to close approximately 2,500 homes during the quarter ending December 31, 2006.
During this quarter, we also expect to incur approximately $4.0 million of
additional severance and related costs associated with the previously referenced
overhead alignment.
We
are
focused on maintaining balance sheet strength, reducing costs, and maximizing
our financial resources to better position the company to take advantage of
those opportunities that will arise when conditions stabilize. The steps
currently in process to align the company’s cost structure with the current
environment are consistent with our goal to be in the top quartile of our peer
group with respect to margins and returns.
Disclosure
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements. This
annual report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements represent our expectations or beliefs concerning
future events, and it is possible that the results described in this annual
report will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements can generally
be
identified by the use of statements that include words such as “estimate,”
“project,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,”
“likely,” “will,” “goal,” “target” or other similar words or phrases. All
forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us on the
date of this annual report. Except as may be required under applicable law,
we
do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise.
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 matters discussed in this annual
report in the sections captioned “Outlook” and “Financial Condition and
Liquidity.” Additional information about factors that could lead to material
changes in performance is contained Item 1. Business - Risk Factors. Such
factors may include:
· |
economic
changes nationally or in local
markets;
|
· |
volatility
of mortgage interest rates and
inflation;
|
· |
increased
competition;
|
· |
shortages
of skilled labor or raw materials used in the production of
houses;
|
· |
increased
prices for labor, land and raw materials used in the production
of
houses;
|
· |
increased
land development costs on projects under
development;
|
· | decreased land values underlying land option agreements; |
· |
the
cost and availability of insurance, including the availability
of
insurance for the presence of
mold;
|
· |
the
impact of construction defect and home warranty
claims;
|
· |
a
material failure on the part of Trinity Homes LLC to satisfy the
conditions of the class action settlement
agreement;
|
· |
any
delays in reacting to changing consumer preference in home
design;
|
· |
terrorist
acts and other acts of war;
|
· |
changes
in consumer confidence;
|
· |
delays
or difficulties in implementing initiatives to reduce production
and
overhead cost structure;
|
· |
delays
in land development or home construction resulting from adverse
weather
conditions;
|
· |
potential
delays or increased costs in obtaining necessary permits as a result
of
changes to, or complying with, laws, regulations, or governmental
policies
and possible penalties for failure to comply with such laws, regulations
and governmental policies;
|
· |
changes
in accounting policies, standards, guidelines or principles, as
may be
adopted by regulatory agencies as well as the FASB;
or
|
· |
other
factors over which the Company has little or no
control.
|
35
Any
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement
is
made, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update
any
forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date
on
which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events. New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for
management to predict all such factors.
We
are
exposed to a number of market risks in the ordinary course of business. Our
primary market risk exposure relates to fluctuations in interest rates. We
do
not believe that our exposure in this area is material to cash flows or
earnings. As of September 30, 2006, we had $178.4 million of variable rate
debt
outstanding. Based on our fiscal 2006 average outstanding borrowings under
our
variable rate debt, a one-percentage point increase in interest rates would
negatively impact our annual pre-tax earnings by less than $1.8 million.
The
estimated fair value of our fixed rate debt at September 30, 2006 was $1,601.8
million, compared to a carrying value of $1,660.3 million, due primarily to
the
impact of our increasing interest rates. In addition, the effect of a
hypothetical one-percentage point decrease in interest rates would increase
the
estimated fair value of the fixed rate debt instruments from $1,601.8 million
to
$1,711.2 million at September 30, 2006.
36
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Income
(in
thousands, except per share amounts)
Year
Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
||||||||
Total
revenue
|
$
|
5,462,003
|
$
|
4,995,353
|
$
|
3,907,109
|
||||
Home
construction and land sales expenses
|
4,201,318
|
3,823,300
|
3,099,732
|
|||||||
Gross
profit
|
1,260,685
|
1,172,053
|
807,377
|
|||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
|
649,010
|
554,900
|
429,442
|
|||||||
Goodwill
impairment
|
—
|
130,235
|
—
|
|||||||
Operating
income
|
611,675
|
486,918
|
377,935
|
|||||||
Equity
in (loss) income of unconsolidated joint ventures
|
(772
|
)
|
5,021
|
1,561
|
||||||
Other
income, net
|
2,311
|
7,395
|
7,079
|
|||||||
Income
before income taxes
|
613,214
|
499,334
|
386,575
|
|||||||
Provision
for income taxes
|
224,453
|
236,810
|
150,764
|
|||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
388,761
|
$
|
262,524
|
$
|
235,811
|
||||
Weighted
average number of shares:
|
||||||||||
Basic
|
39,812
|
40,468
|
39,879
|
|||||||
Diluted
|
44,345
|
45,634
|
42,485
|
|||||||
Earnings
per share:
|
||||||||||
Basic
|
$
|
9.76
|
$
|
6.49
|
$
|
5.91
|
||||
Diluted
|
$
|
8.89
|
$
|
5.87
|
$
|
5.59
|
||||
Cash
dividends per share
|
$
|
0.40
|
$
|
0.33
|
$
|
0.13
|
||||
See
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
37
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidated
Balance Sheets
(in
thousands, except share and per share
amounts)
September
30,
|
|||||||
2006
|
2005
|
||||||
ASSETS
|
|||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
162,570
|
$
|
297,098
|
|||
Restricted
cash
|
9,873
|
—
|
|||||
Accounts
receivable
|
333,571
|
161,880
|
|||||
Inventory
|
|||||||
Owned
inventory
|
3,048,891
|
2,671,082
|
|||||
Consolidated
inventory not owned
|
471,441
|
230,083
|
|||||
Total
Inventory
|
3,520,332
|
2,901,165
|
|||||
Residential
mortgage loans available-for-sale
|
92,157
|
—
|
|||||
Investments
in unconsolidated joint ventures
|
122,799
|
78,571
|
|||||
Deferred
tax assets
|
59,842
|
101,329
|
|||||
Property,
plant and equipment, net
|
29,465
|
28,367
|
|||||
Goodwill
|
121,368
|
121,368
|
|||||
Other
assets
|
107,454
|
80,738
|
|||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
4,559,431
|
$
|
3,770,516
|
|||
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
|||||||
Trade
accounts payable
|
$
|
141,131
|
$
|
141,623
|
|||
Other
liabilities
|
547,014
|
636,106
|
|||||
Obligations
related to consolidated inventory not owned
|
330,703
|
166,163
|
|||||
Senior
Notes (net of discounts of $3,578 and $4,118,
respectively)
|
1,551,422
|
1,275,882
|
|||||
Junior
subordinated notes
|
103,093
|
—
|
|||||
Warehouse
Line
|
94,881
|
—
|
|||||
Other
notes payable
|
89,264
|
46,054
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities
|
2,857,508
|
2,265,828
|
|||||
Stockholders’
Equity:
|
|||||||
Preferred
stock (par value $.01 per share, 5,000,000 shares
|
|||||||
authorized,
no shares issued)
|
—
|
—
|
|||||
Common
stock (par value $0.001, 80,000,000 shares
|
|||||||
authorized,
42,318,098 and 41,844,414 issued,
|
|||||||
38,889,554
and 41,701,955 outstanding)
|
42
|
42
|
|||||
Paid
in capital
|
528,376
|
534,523
|
|||||
Retained
earnings
|
1,362,958
|
990,341
|
|||||
Treasury
stock, at cost (3,428,544 and 142,459 shares)
|
(189,453
|
)
|
(8,092
|
)
|
|||
Unearned
compensation
|
—
|
(12,126
|
)
|
||||
Total
Stockholders’ Equity
|
1,701,923
|
1,504,688
|
|||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
|
$
|
4,559,431
|
$
|
3,770,516
|
See
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
38
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidated
Statement of Stockholders’ Equity
($
in
thousands)
|
|
Preferred Stock |
|
Common
Stock |
|
Paid
in Capital |
|
Retained Earnings |
|
Treasury Stock |
|
Unearned Compensation |
|
Accumulated
Other
|
|
Total
|
|||||||||
Balance,
September 30, 2003
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
53
|
$
|
572,192
|
$
|
511,349
|
$
|
(70,604
|
)
|
$
|
(15,852
|
)
|
$
|
(3,443
|
)
|
$
|
993,695
|
||||||
Comprehensive
income:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
235,811
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
235,811
|
|||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
gain on interest rate swaps, net of tax of
$1,849
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
2,833
|
2,833
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
comprehensive income
|
238,644
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dividends
paid
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(5,459
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(5,459
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Amortization
of nonvested stock awards
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
7,381
|
—
|
7,381
|
|||||||||||||||||
Change
in fair value of unearned compensation
|
—
|
—
|
753
|
—
|
—
|
(753
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Exercises
of stock options (778,401 shares)
|
—
|
1
|
5,361
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
5,362
|
|||||||||||||||||
Tax
benefit from stock transactions
|
—
|
—
|
8,127
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
8,127
|
|||||||||||||||||
Issuance
of bonus stock (204,411 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
1,917
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1,917
|
|||||||||||||||||
Issuance
of restricted stock (119,079 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
4,736
|
—
|
—
|
(4,736
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Purchase
of treasury stock (539,400 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(17,546
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(17,546
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Other
|
—
|
—
|
788
|
—
|
—
|
(788
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Balance,
September 30, 2004
|
—
|
54
|
593,874
|
741,701
|
(88,150
|
)
|
(14,748
|
)
|
(610
|
)
|
1,232,121
|
||||||||||||||
Comprehensive
income:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
262,524
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
262,524
|
|||||||||||||||||
Unrealized
gain on interest rate swaps, net of tax of $354
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
610
|
610
|
|||||||||||||||||
Total
comprehensive income
|
263,134
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dividends
paid
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(13,884
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(13,884
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Amortization
of nonvested stock awards
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
11,945
|
—
|
11,945
|
|||||||||||||||||
Change
in fair value of unearned compensation, net
of forfeitures (17,719 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
2,432
|
—
|
—
|
(2,432
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Exercises
of stock options (412,125 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
5,631
|
—
|
—
|
244
|
—
|
5,875
|
|||||||||||||||||
Tax
benefit from stock transactions
|
—
|
—
|
11,551
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
11,551
|
|||||||||||||||||
Issuance
of bonus stock (109,937 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
2,034
|
—
|
—
|
4
|
—
|
2,038
|
|||||||||||||||||
Issuance
of restricted stock, net of
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
forfeitures
(137,957 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
5,823
|
—
|
—
|
(5,823
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Use
of treasury stock for stock dividend
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
(12,413,628
shares)
|
—
|
(12
|
)
|
(88,138
|
)
|
—
|
88,150
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||||
Common
stock redeemed (142,459 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(8,092
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(8,092
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Other
|
—
|
—
|
1,316
|
—
|
—
|
(1,316
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Balance,
September 30, 2005
|
—
|
42
|
534,523
|
990,341
|
(8,092
|
)
|
(12,126
|
)
|
—
|
1,504,688
|
|||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
388,761
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
388,761
|
|||||||||||||||||
Dividends
paid
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(16,144
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(16,144
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Purchase
of treasury stock (3,648,300 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(205,416
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(205,416
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Transfer
of unearned compensation to
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
paid
in capital
|
—
|
—
|
(12,126
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
12,126
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Amortization
of nonvested stock awards
|
—
|
—
|
8,669
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
8,669
|
|||||||||||||||||
Amortization
of stock option awards
|
—
|
—
|
7,084
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
7,084
|
|||||||||||||||||
Exercises
of stock options (415,938 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
7,298
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
7,298
|
|||||||||||||||||
Tax
benefit from stock transactions
|
—
|
—
|
8,205
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
8,205
|
|||||||||||||||||
Issuance
of bonus stock (62,121 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
1,402
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1,402
|
|||||||||||||||||
Issuance
of restricted stock (409,759 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
(26,679
|
)
|
—
|
26,679
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||||||
Common
stock redeemed (47,544 shares)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(2,624
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(2,624
|
)
|
|||||||||||||||
Balance,
September 30, 2006
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
42
|
$
|
528,376
|
$
|
1,362,958
|
$
|
(189,453
|
)
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
1,701,923
|
See
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
39
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows
(in
thousands)
Year
Ended
September
30,
|
||||||||||
2006
|
|
2005
|
2004
|
|||||||
Cash
flows from operating activities:
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
388,761
|
$
|
262,524
|
$
|
235,811
|
||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash
|
||||||||||
used
in operating activities:
|
||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
10,304
|
9,229
|
8,374
|
|||||||
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
15,753
|
11,945
|
7,381
|
|||||||
Goodwill
impairment charge
|
—
|
130,235
|
—
|
|||||||
Impairment
and write-off of inventory-related assets
|
43,477
|
5,511
|
3,180
|
|||||||
Deferred
income tax provision (benefit)
|
41,487
|
(54,631
|
)
|
(22,740
|
)
|
|||||
Tax
benefit from stock transactions
|
—
|
11,551
|
8,127
|
|||||||
Equity
in loss (earnings) of unconsolidated joint ventures
|
772
|
(5,021
|
)
|
(1,561
|
)
|
|||||
Cash
distributions of income from unconsolidated joint ventures
|
352
|
5,844
|
—
|
|||||||
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
|
||||||||||
Increase
in accounts receivable
|
(171,251
|
)
|
(91,306
|
)
|
(4,571
|
)
|
||||
Increase
in inventory
|
(430,345
|
)
|
(572,114
|
)
|
(413,705
|
)
|
||||
Increase
in residential mortgage loans available-for-sale
|
(92,157
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||
Increase
in other assets
|
(19,462
|
)
|
(16,775
|
)
|
(16,828
|
)
|
||||
(Decrease)/increase
in trade accounts payable
|
(492
|
)
|
18,336
|
(2,234
|
)
|
|||||
(Decrease)/increase
in other liabilities
|
(92,342
|
)
|
199,076
|
123,210
|
||||||
Other
changes
|
680
|
1,333
|
1,837
|
|||||||
Net
cash used in operating activities
|
(304,463
|
)
|
(84,263
|
)
|
(73,719
|
)
|
||||
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
||||||||||
Capital
expenditures
|
(11,542
|
)
|
(13,448
|
)
|
(10,271
|
)
|
||||
Investments
in unconsolidated joint ventures
|
(49,458
|
)
|
(40,619
|
)
|
(25,844
|
)
|
||||
Changes
in restricted cash
|
(9,873
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||
Distributions
from and proceeds from sale
|
||||||||||
of
unconsolidated joint ventures
|
4,655
|
5,597
|
5,639
|
|||||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(66,218
|
)
|
(48,470
|
)
|
(30,476
|
)
|
||||
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
||||||||||
Proceeds
from term loan
|
—
|
—
|
200,000
|
|||||||
Repayment
of term loan
|
—
|
(200,000
|
)
|
(200,000
|
)
|
|||||
Borrowings
under credit facilities
|
1,937,528
|
439,700
|
—
|
|||||||
Repayment
of credit facilities
|
(1,842,647
|
)
|
(439,700
|
)
|
—
|
|||||
Repayment
of other notes payable
|
(20,934
|
)
|
(16,776
|
)
|
—
|
|||||
Borrowings
under senior and junior notes payable
|
378,093
|
346,786
|
380,000
|
|||||||
Debt
issuance costs
|
(7,206
|
)
|
(4,958
|
)
|
(10,654
|
)
|
||||
Proceeds
from stock option exercises
|
7,298
|
5,875
|
5,362
|
|||||||
Common
stock redeemed
|
(2,624
|
)
|
(8,092
|
)
|
—
|
|||||
Treasury
stock purchases
|
(205,416
|
)
|
—
|
(17,546
|
)
|
|||||
Tax
benefit from stock transactions
|
8,205
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||
Dividends
paid
|
(16,144
|
)
|
(13,884
|
)
|
(5,459
|
)
|
||||
Net
cash provided by financing activities
|
236,153
|
108,951
|
351,703
|
|||||||
(Decrease)/increase
in cash and cash equivalents
|
(134,528
|
)
|
(23,782
|
)
|
247,508
|
|||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of year
|
297,098
|
320,880
|
73,372
|
|||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of year
|
$
|
162,570
|
$
|
297,098
|
$
|
320,880
|
||||
Supplemental
cash flow information:
|
||||||||||
Interest
paid
|
$
|
111,501
|
$
|
79,088
|
$
|
65,237
|
||||
Income
taxes paid
|
$
|
228,181
|
$
|
233,965
|
$
|
170,475
|
||||
Supplemental
disclosure of non-cash activity:
|
||||||||||
Increase
in consolidated inventory not owned
|
$
|
164,540
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
188,585
|
||||
Land
acquired through issuance of notes payable
|
$
|
64,144
|
$
|
40,608
|
$
|
21,502
|
See
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
40
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
(1)
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Organization.
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc. is one of the ten largest homebuilders in the United States,
based on number of homes closed. We design, sell and build primarily
single-family homes in over 45 markets located in Arizona, California, Colorado,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey,
New
Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Through Beazer Mortgage Corporation, or
Beazer Mortgage, we offer mortgage origination services to our homebuyers.
Beazer Mortgage finances certain of our mortgage lending activities with
borrowings under a warehouse line of credit or from general corporate funds
prior to selling the loans and their servicing rights shortly after origination
to third-party investors. In addition, we offer title insurance services
to our homebuyers in many of our markets.
Presentation.
The
accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Beazer
Homes USA, Inc. and our wholly owned subsidiaries. Intercompany balances have
been eliminated in consolidation.
Cash
and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash. We
consider investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased
to
be cash equivalents. Restricted cash includes cash restricted by state law
or a
contractual requirement.
Accounts
Receivable.
Accounts
receivable primarily consist of escrow deposits to be received from title
companies associated with closed homes. Generally, we will receive cash from
title companies within a few days of the home being closed.
Inventory.
Owned inventory
consists solely of residential real estate developments. Interest, real estate
taxes and development costs are capitalized in inventory during the development
and construction period. Construction and land costs are comprised of direct
and
allocated costs, including estimated future costs for warranties and amenities.
Land, land improvements and other common costs are typically allocated to
individual residential lots on a pro-rata basis, and the costs of residential
lots are transferred to construction in progress when home
contruction begins. Consolidated inventory not owned represents the fair
value of land under option agreements consolidated pursuant to Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Interpretation No. 46 (Revised),
Consolidation
of Variable Interest Entities,
an
Interpretation of ARB No. 51 (“FIN 46R”) or when our option deposits and
preacquisition development costs exceed certain thresholds.
Residential
Mortgage Loans Available-for-Sale. Residential
mortgage loans available-for-sale are stated at the lower of aggregate cost
or
market value. Gains and losses from sales of mortgage loans are recognized
when
the loans are sold.
Investments
in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures. We
participate in a number of land development joint ventures in which we have
less
than a controlling interest. Our joint ventures are typically entered into
with
developers and other homebuilders to develop finished lots for sale to the
joint
venture’s members and other third parties. We account for our interest in these
joint ventures under the equity method. We recognize our share of profits from
the sale of lots to other buyers. Our share of profits from lots we purchase
from the joint ventures is deferred and treated as a reduction of the cost
of
the land purchased from the joint venture. Such profits are subsequently
recognized at the time the home closes and title passes to the homebuyer. Our
joint ventures typically obtain secured acquisition and development
financing.
Property,
Plant and Equipment. Property,
plant and equipment is recorded at cost. Depreciation is computed on a
straight-line basis at rates based on estimated useful lives as
follows:
Buildings
|
15
–
30
years
|
Machinery
and equipment
|
3 –
10 years
|
Information
systems
|
5
years
|
Furniture
and fixtures
|
3 –
7 years
|
Leasehold
improvements
|
Lesser
of the lease term or the
estimated
useful life of the asset
|
41
Impairment
of Long Lived Assets. Housing
projects and unimproved land held for future development (components of
inventory) and property, plant and equipment are reviewed for recoverability
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount
of
an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets is measured by
comparing the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows
expected to be generated by the asset. If these assets are considered to
be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which
the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets less
costs to sell. We incurred non-cash pretax charges for inventory impairments
of
$5.7 million in fiscal 2006. We also incurred non-cash pretax charges related
to
the abandonment of projects and write-off of option deposits and other
development costs of $37.8 million in fiscal 2006, $5.5 million in fiscal 2005
and $3.2 million in fiscal 2004. These charges are included in home construction
and land sales expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of
Income.
Goodwill. Goodwill
represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of assets
acquired. We test goodwill for impairment annually as of April 30 or more
frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that more likely than
not
reduce the value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. For purposes
of
goodwill impairment testing, we compare the fair value of each reporting unit
with its carrying amount, including goodwill. Each of our operating divisions
is
considered a reporting unit. The fair value of each reporting unit is determined
based on expected discounted future cash flows. If the carrying amount of a
reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired. If
goodwill is considered impaired, the impairment loss to be recognized is
measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the goodwill exceeds
implied fair value of that goodwill. During fiscal 2005, we obtained an
independent valuation of our reporting units. The forecasts and valuations
of
the respective divisions, along with weaker than anticipated local economies,
particularly in the Midwest markets, and severe price competition, particularly
at entry level price points, led the Company to conclude that the goodwill
was
impaired in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”)
142, Goodwill
and Other Intangible Assets.
Accordingly, the Company recorded a $130.2 million non-cash, non tax-deductible
impairment charge to write off substantially all of the goodwill allocated
to
certain underperforming markets in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Charlotte, North
Carolina. Based on our annual goodwill impairment test as of April 30, 2006,
we
had no impairment of goodwill during fiscal 2006.
Other
Assets. Other
assets principally include prepaid expenses, debt issuance costs and deferred
compensation plan assets.
Income
Taxes. Income
taxes are accounted for in accordance with SFAS 109, Accounting
for Income Taxes.
Under
SFAS 109, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on
differences between financial reporting carrying values and tax bases of assets
and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that
are
expected to be in effect when the differences are expected to
reverse.
Other
Liabilities. Other liabilities
include homebuyer deposits, land purchase obligations, accrued compensation,
accrued warranty costs and various other accrued expenses.
Income
Recognition and Classification of Costs. Revenue
and related profit are generally recognized at the time of the closing of a
sale, when title to and possession of the property are transferred to the buyer.
In situations where the buyer’s financing is originated by Beazer Mortgage, our
wholly-owned mortgage subsidiary, and the buyer has not made a sufficient
initial investment as prescribed by SFAS 66, Accounting
for Sales of Real-Estate, the
revenue and gross profit on such sale is deferred until the sale of the related
mortgage loan to a third-party investor has been completed. Revenue for
condominiums under construction is recognized based on the
percentage-of-completion method in accordance with SFAS 66 when certain criteria
are met.
We
recognize loan origination fees and expenses and gains and losses on mortgage
loans when the related loans are sold to third-party investors. Beazer’s policy
is to sell all mortgage loans it originates and these sales usually occur within
15 to 30 days of the closing of the home sale.
42
Sales
commissions are included in selling, general and administrative expenses. All
expenses of operating Beazer Mortgage are included in selling, general and
administrative expenses.
Estimated
future warranty costs are charged to cost of sales in the period when the
revenues from home closings are recognized. Such estimated warranty costs
generally range from 0.5% to 1.0% of total revenue. Additional warranty costs
are charged to cost of sales as necessary based on management’s estimate of the
costs to remediate existing claims. See Note 13 for a more detailed discussion
of warranty costs and related reserves.
Advertising
costs of $59,375,000, $44,792,000 and $44,696,000 for fiscal years 2006, 2005
and 2004, respectively, were expensed as incurred and are included in selling,
general and administrative expenses.
Earnings
Per Share (“EPS”) and Stock Split. The
computation of basic earnings per common share is determined by dividing net
income applicable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of
common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS additionally gives
effect (when dilutive) to stock options, other stock based awards and other
potentially dilutive securities. In October 2004, the Emerging Issues Task
Force
(“EITF”) of the FASB ratified the consensus on EITF Issue No. 04-8: The
Effect of Contingently Convertible Debt on Diluted Earnings Per
Share
(“EITF
04-8”). EITF 04-8 requires that shares issuable upon conversion of contingently
convertible debt instruments (“Co-Co’s”) be included in diluted EPS computations
using the “if-converted method” regardless of whether the issuer’s stock price
exceeds the contingent conversion price. Prior to EITF 04-8, shares issuable
upon conversion of Co-Co’s were generally excluded from diluted EPS computations
until the issuer’s stock price exceeded the contingent conversion price. EITF
04-8, which applies to our 4 ⅝% Convertible Senior Notes issued in June 2004,
was effective beginning with the first fiscal quarter of our 2005 fiscal year.
On
February 4, 2005, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a three-for-one
stock split in the form of a stock dividend. The stock dividend was distributed
on March 22, 2005 to stockholders of record on March 10, 2005. In addition,
during fiscal 2005, the
Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the Company’s certificate of
incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock from
30 million to 80 million shares and to change the par value of the common stock
to $.001 per share. As a result, the Company reclassified amounts from
common stock to additional paid in capital based on the total shares of common
stock issued. The Company used approximately 12.4 million treasury shares to
satisfy a portion of the stock dividend. The issuance of treasury shares was
accounted for by transferring the book value of those shares from treasury
stock
to additional paid in capital and common stock.
All
share
and per share information including earnings
per share calculations for all periods presented have been restated to give
retroactive application to the three-for-one stock split and for the inclusion
of shares issuable upon conversion of our Co-Co’s in accordance
with EITF 04-8, as applicable.
Fair
Value of Financial Instruments. The
fair
value of our cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and payable,
warehouse line and other notes payable approximate their carrying amounts due
to
the short maturity of these assets and the variable interest rates on such
obligations. The fair value of our publicly held senior notes (Note 7) is
estimated based on the quoted bid prices for these debt instruments and was
approximately $1,500.5 million at September 30, 2006 and $1,310.6 million at
September 30, 2005.
Stock-Based
Compensation.
In the
first quarter of fiscal 2006, we adopted SFAS 123R, Share-Based
Payment.
Prior
to fiscal year 2006, we accounted for stock awards granted to employees under
the recognition and measurement principles of Accounting Principles Board
Opinion No. 25, Accounting
for Stock Issued to Employees, and related Interpretations.
As a
result, in the periods prior to fiscal 2006, no compensation expense was
recognized for stock options granted to employees because all stock options
granted had exercise prices not less than the market value of Beazer Homes’
stock on the date of the grant.
43
SFAS
123R
applies to new awards and to awards modified, repurchased, or cancelled after
the required effective date, as well as to the unvested portion of awards
outstanding as of the required effective date. We use the Black-Scholes model
to
value new stock option grants under SFAS 123R, applying the “modified
prospective method” for existing grants which requires us to value stock options
prior to our adoption of SFAS 123R under the fair value method and expense
the
unvested portion over the remaining vesting period. SFAS 123R also requires
us
to estimate forfeitures in calculating the expense related to stock-based
compensation. In addition, SFAS 123R requires us to reflect the benefits of
tax
deductions in excess of recognized compensation cost as a financing cash inflow
and an operating cash outflow upon adoption.
Nonvested
stock granted to employees is valued based on the market price of the common
stock on the date of the grant. Performance based, nonvested stock granted
to
employees is valued using the Monte Carlo valuation method. We account for
stock
awards issued to non-employees under the recognition and measurement principles
of SFAS 123R and Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 96-18: Accounting
for Equity Instruments That Are Issued to Other Than Employees for Acquiring,
or
in Conjunction with Selling, Goods or Services.
Stock
options issued to non-employees are valued using the Black-Scholes option
pricing model. Nonvested stock granted to non-employees is initially valued
based on the market price of the common stock on the date of the grant and
is
adjusted to fair value until vested.
Compensation
cost arising from nonvested stock granted to employees and from non-employee
stock awards is recognized as expense using the straight-line method over the
vesting period. Unearned compensation is now included in paid in capital in
accordance with SFAS 123R. As of September 30, 2006, there was $29.9 million
of
total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock. That cost
is
expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 4.2 years. For
the
year ended September 30, 2006, total stock-based compensation expense was $15.8
million ($10.7 million net of tax). Included in this total stock-based
compensation expense was incremental expense for stock options of $7.1 million
($4.4 million net of tax) for the year ended September 30, 2006.
The
following table illustrates the effect (in thousands, except per share amounts)
on net income and earnings per share as if our stock-based compensation had
been
determined based on the fair value at the grant dates for awards made prior
to
October 1, 2005:
Year
Ended September 30,
|
|||||||
2005
|
2004
|
||||||
Net
income, as reported
|
$
|
262,524
|
$
|
235,811
|
|||
Add:
Stock-based employee compensation expense
included in reported net income, net of
related tax effects
|
7,376
|
4,503
|
|||||
Deduct:
Total stock-based employee compensation
expense determined under fair value
based method for all awards, net of related
tax effects
|
(10,341
|
)
|
(7,521
|
)
|
|||
Pro
forma net income
|
$
|
259,559
|
$
|
232,793
|
|||
Earnings
per share:
|
|||||||
Basic
- as reported
|
$
|
6.49
|
$
|
5.91
|
|||
Basic
- pro forma
|
$
|
6.41
|
$
|
5.84
|
|||
|
|||||||
Diluted
- as reported
|
$
|
5.87
|
$
|
5.59
|
|||
Diluted
- pro forma
|
$
|
5.85
|
$
|
5.55
|
44
Reclassifications.
Certain
items in prior-period financial statements have been reclassified to conform
to
the current presentation.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements.
In
November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS 151, Inventory
Costs, an Amendment of ARB 43, Chapter 4.
SFAS
151 provides clarification of the accounting for abnormal amounts of freight,
handling costs, and wasted material and requires that these items be recognized
as current period charges. SFAS 151 was effective for inventory costs incurred
beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2006. The adoption of SFAS 151 did
not
have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations or financial
position for the year ended September 30, 2006.
In
May
2005, the FASB issued SFAS 154, Accounting
Changes and Error Corrections,
which
will be effective in the first quarter of our fiscal 2007. This statement
addresses the retrospective application of such changes and corrections and
will
be followed if and when necessary.
In
July
2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting
for Uncertainty in Income Taxes - An Interpretation of FASB Statement No.
109
(“FIN
48”). FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized
in the financial statements in accordance with SFAS 109, Accounting
for Income Taxes.
FIN 48
prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial
statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to
be
taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition,
classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods,
disclosure, and transition. FIN 48 is effective for fiscal years beginning
after
December 15, 2006. We
are
currently evaluating the impact of adopting FIN 48 on our consolidated financial
condition and results of operations.
On
November 29, 2006, the FASB ratified EITF Issue No. 06-8, Applicability
of the Assessment of a Buyer’s Continuing Investment Under FASB Statement No.
66, Accounting for Sales of Real Estate, for Sales of
Condominiums.
EITF
06-8 states that the adequacy of the buyer’s continuing investment under SFAS 66
should be assessed in determining whether to recognize profit under the
percentage-of-completion method on the sale of individual units in a condominium
project. This consensus could require that additional deposits be collected
by
developers of condominium projects that wish to recognize profit during the
construction period under the percentage-of-completion method. EITF 06-8 is
effective for fiscal years beginning after March 15, 2007. We are currently
evaluating the impact of adopting EITF 06-8 on our consolidated financial
condition and results of operations.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS 157, Fair
Value Measurements,
SFAS
157 provides guidance for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities.
SFAS 157 applies whenever other standards require (or permit) assets or
liabilities to be measured at fair value but does not expand the use of fair
value in any new circumstances. SFAS 157 includes provisions that require
expanded disclosure of the effect on earnings for items measured using
unobservable data. SFAS 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2007 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. We are
currently evaluating the impact of adopting SFAS 157 on our consolidated
financial condition and results of operations.
In
September 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued Staff
Accounting Bulletin No. 108 (“SAB 108”) regarding the process of quantifying
financial statement misstatements. SAB 108 expresses the Staff’s views regarding
the diversity in practice in quantifying financial statement misstatements
and
the potential under current practice for the build up of improper amounts on
the
balance sheet. SAB 108 is effective for fiscal years ending after November
16,
2006 and will be effective for our fiscal 2007 year end. We do not expect the
adoption of SAB 108 will have a material impact on our consolidated financial
condition or results of operations.
45
(2)
Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
At
September 30, 2006, our unconsolidated joint ventures had borrowings outstanding
totaling $738.4 million. In some instances, Beazer Homes and its joint venture
partners have provided varying levels of guarantees of debt of the Company’s
unconsolidated joint ventures. At September 30, 2006, the Company had a
repayment guarantee of $11.8 million related to our portion of debt of one
of
our unconsolidated joint ventures and loan-to-value maintenance guarantees
of
$12.8 million related to certain of our unconsolidated joint ventures. The
repayment guarantee requires the repayment of Beazer Homes’ share of debt of the
unconsolidated joint venture in the event the joint venture defaults on its
obligations under the borrowings. The loan-to-value maintenance guarantees
only
apply if the borrowings of the unconsolidated joint venture exceed a specified
percentage of the value of the collateral (generally land and improvements)
securing the borrowings. The Company has not recorded a liability for the
non-contingent aspect of these guarantees as such amounts are not material.
In
assessing the need to record a liability for the contingent aspect of these
guarantees, the Company considers its historical experience in being required
to
perform under the guarantees, the fair value of the collateral underlying these
guarantees and the financial condition of the applicable unconsolidated joint
ventures. In addition, the Company monitors the fair value of the collateral
of
these unconsolidated joint ventures to ensure that the related borrowings do
not
exceed the specified percentage of the value of the property securing the
borrowings. To date, Beazer has not incurred any obligations related to
repayment or loan-to-value maintenance guarantees. Based on these
considerations, the Company has determined that it is remote that it will have
to perform under the contingent aspects of these guarantees and, as a result,
has not recorded a liability for the contingent aspects of these guarantees.
To
the extent the recording of a liability related to such guarantees would be
required, the recognition of such liability would result in an increase to
the
carrying value of the Company’s investment in the associated joint
venture.
(3)
Inventory
Inventory
consists of (in
thousands):
September
30,
|
|||||||
2006
|
2005
|
||||||
Homes
under construction
|
$
|
1,368,056
|
$
|
1,040,193
|
|||
Development
projects in progress
|
1,623,819
|
1,519,554
|
|||||
Unimproved
land held for future development
|
12,213
|
44,809
|
|||||
Model
homes
|
44,803
|
66,526
|
|||||
Consolidated
inventory not owned
|
471,441
|
230,083
|
|||||
$
|
3,520,332
|
$
|
2,901,165
|
Homes
under construction include homes finished and ready for delivery and homes
in
various stages of construction. We had 1,197 ($257.9 million) and 414 ($72.2
million) completed homes that were not subject to a sales contract, not
including model homes, at September 30, 2006 and September 30, 2005,
respectively.
Development
projects in progress consist principally of land and land improvement costs.
Certain of the fully developed lots in this category are reserved by a deposit
or sales contract.
Inventory
located in California, the state with our largest concentration of inventory,
was $998.9 million and $640.3 million at September 30, 2006 and September 30,
2005, respectively.
We
acquire certain lots by means of option contracts. Option contracts generally
require the payment of cash for the right to acquire lots during a specified
period of time at a certain price. Under option contracts, both with and without
specific performance provisions, purchase of the properties is contingent upon
satisfaction of certain requirements by us and the sellers. Our obligation
with
respect to options with specific performance provisions is included in our
consolidated balance sheets in other liabilities. Under option contracts without
specific performance obligations, our liability is generally limited to
forfeiture of the non-refundable deposits, letters of credit and other
non-refundable amounts incurred, which aggregated approximately $352.6 million
at September 30, 2006. This amount includes non-refundable letters of credit
of
approximately $51.9 million. The total remaining purchase price, net of cash
deposits, committed under all options was $2.4 billion as of September 30,
2006.
Only $14.2 million of total remaining purchase price contains specific
performance clauses which may require us to purchase the land or lots upon
the
land seller meeting certain obligations.
46
We
expect
to exercise all of our option contracts with specific performance obligations
and, subject to market conditions, substantially all of our option contracts
without specific performance obligations. Various factors, some of which are
beyond our control, such as market conditions, weather conditions and the timing
of the completion of development activities, can have a significant impact
on
the timing of option exercises. Under their current terms, and assuming no
significant changes in market conditions or other factors, we expect to exercise
the majority of our land options within three to four years.
Certain
of our option contracts are with sellers who are deemed to be Variable Interest
Entities (“VIEs”) under FIN 46R. FIN 46R defines a VIE as an entity with
insufficient equity investment to finance its planned activities without
additional financial support or an entity in which the equity investors lack
certain characteristics of a controlling financial interest. Pursuant to FIN
46R, an enterprise that absorbs a majority of the expected losses or receives
a
majority of the expected residual returns of a VIE is deemed to be the primary
beneficiary of the VIE and must consolidate the VIE.
We
have
determined that we are the primary beneficiary of certain of these option
contracts. Our risk is generally limited to the option deposits that we pay,
and
creditors of the sellers generally have no recourse to the general credit of
the
Company. Although we do not have legal title to the optioned land, for those
option contracts for which we are the primary beneficiary, we are required
to
consolidate the land under option at fair value. We believe that the exercise
prices of our option contracts approximate their fair value. Our consolidated
balance sheets at September 30, 2006 and 2005 reflect consolidated inventory
not
owned of $471.4 million and $230.1 million, respectively. We consolidated $146.6
million and $155.8 million of lot option agreements as consolidated inventory
not owned pursuant to FIN 46R as of September 30, 2006 and 2005, respectively.
In addition, as of September 30, 2006 and 2005, we recorded $324.8 million
and
$74.3 million, respectively, of land under the caption “consolidated inventory
not owned” related to lot option agreements for which our deposits and
pre-acquisition development costs exceeded certain thresholds. Obligations
related to consolidated inventory not owned totaled $330.7 million at September
30, 2006 and $166.2 million at September 30, 2005. The difference between the
balances of consolidated inventory not owned and obligations related to
consolidated inventory not owned represents cash deposits paid under the option
agreements.
(4)
Interest
Information
regarding interest (in
thousands)
is as
follows:
Year
Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
||||||||
Capitalized
interest in inventory, beginning
of year
|
$
|
51,411
|
$
|
44,121
|
$
|
34,285
|
||||
Interest
incurred and capitalized
|
120,965
|
89,678
|
76,035
|
|||||||
Capitalized
interest amortized to
cost of sales
|
(96,242
|
)
|
(82,388
|
)
|
(66,199
|
)
|
||||
Capitalized
interest in inventory, end
of year
|
$
|
76,134
|
$
|
51,411
|
$
|
44,121
|
47
(5)
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property,
plant and equipment consists of (in
thousands):
September
30,
|
|||||||
2006
|
2005
|
||||||
Land
and buildings
|
$
|
5,572
|
$
|
5,502
|
|||
Leasehold
improvements
|
11,260
|
8,157
|
|||||
Machinery
and equipment
|
26,122
|
25,708
|
|||||
Information
systems
|
21,088
|
19,441
|
|||||
Furniture
and fixtures
|
14,260
|
13,884
|
|||||
78,302
|
72,692
|
||||||
Less:
Accumulated depreciation
|
(48,837
|
)
|
(44,325
|
)
|
|||
Property,
plant and equipment, net
|
$
|
29,465
|
$
|
28,367
|
|||
(6)
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
We
are
exposed to fluctuations in interest rates. From time to time, we enter into
derivative agreements to manage interest costs and hedge against risks
associated with fluctuating interest rates. We do not enter into or hold
derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. During the year ended September
30, 2001 we entered into interest rate swap agreements (the “Swap Agreements”)
to effectively fix the variable interest rate on $100 million of floating rate
debt. The Swap Agreements matured in December 2004. The Swap Agreements were
designated as cash flow hedges and, accordingly, were recorded at fair value
in
our consolidated balance sheets and the related gains or losses were deferred
in
stockholders’ equity, net of taxes, as a component of other comprehensive
income. No portion of these hedges was considered ineffective for the year
ended
September 30, 2004. We reclassified approximately $610,000, net of taxes of
$354,000, from other comprehensive loss to interest expense during fiscal 2005.
(7)
Borrowings
At
September 30, 2006 and 2005 we had the following long-term debt (in thousands):
Debt
|
Due
|
2006
|
2005
|
|||||||
Warehouse
Line
|
January
2007
|
$
|
94,881
|
$
|
—
|
|||||
Revolving
Credit Facility
|
August
2009
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||
8
5/8% Senior Notes*
|
May
2011
|
200,000
|
200,000
|
|||||||
8
3/8% Senior Notes*
|
April
2012
|
350,000
|
350,000
|
|||||||
6
1/2% Senior Notes*
|
November
2013
|
200,000
|
200,000
|
|||||||
6
7/8% Senior Notes*
|
July
2015
|
350,000
|
350,000
|
|||||||
8
1/8% Senior Notes*
|
June
2016
|
275,000
|
—
|
|||||||
4
5/8% Convertible Senior Notes*
|
June
2024
|
180,000
|
180,000
|
|||||||
Junior
subordinated notes
|
July
2036
|
103,093
|
—
|
|||||||
Other
Notes Payable
|
Various
Dates
|
89,264
|
46,054
|
|||||||
Unamortized
debt discounts
|
(3,578
|
)
|
(4,118
|
)
|
||||||
Total
|
$
|
1,838,660
|
$
|
1,321,936
|
||||||
*
Collectively, the “Senior
Notes”
|
Warehouse
Line - Effective
January 11, 2006, Beazer Mortgage entered into a 364-day credit agreement
with a
number of banks to fund the origination of residential mortgage loans (the
“Warehouse Line”). The Warehouse Line provides for maximum available borrowing
capacity of $250 million to $350 million based on commitment periods, as
defined
in the Warehouse Line, and is secured by certain mortgage loan sales and
related
property. The Warehouse Line is not guaranteed by Beazer Homes USA, Inc.
or any
of its subsidiaries that are guarantors of the Senior Notes or Revolving
Credit
Facility. In the second quarter of fiscal 2006, Beazer Mortgage began financing
a portion of its mortgage lending activities with borrowings under the Warehouse
Line. Borrowings under the Warehouse Line were $94.9 million and bore interest
at 5.3% per annum as of September 30, 2006. Beazer Mortgage had a pipeline
of
loans in process of approximately $1.1 billion as of September 30, 2006 which
may be financed either through the Warehouse Line or with third party investors.
We are currently negotiating an extension of the Warehouse Line and expect
to
complete this transaction prior to the current facility’s
maturity.
48
Revolving
Credit Facility - In
August
2005, we replaced our former credit facility with a new four-year unsecured
revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) with a group of
banks, which was expanded in June 2006 to $1 billion and which matures in August
2009. The former credit facility included a $550 million four-year revolving
credit facility and a $200 million four-year term loan which would have matured
in June 2008. The Revolving Credit Facility includes a $50 million swing line
commitment. We have the option to elect two types of loans under the Credit
Facility which incur interest as applicable based on either the Alternative
Base
Rate or the Applicable Eurodollar Margin (both defined in the Revolving Credit
Facility). The Revolving Credit Facility contains various operating and
financial covenants. We were in compliance with such covenants at September
30,
2006. Substantially all of our significant subsidiaries are guarantors of the
obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility (see Note 15).
We
fulfill our short-term cash requirements with cash generated from our operations
and funds available from our Revolving Credit Facility. Available borrowings
under the Revolving Credit Facility are limited to certain percentages of homes
under contract, unsold homes, substantially improved lots, lots under
development, raw land and accounts receivable. At September 30, 2006, we had
available borrowings of $591.0 million under the Revolving Credit Facility.
There were no amounts outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility at
September 30, 2006 or September 30, 2005.
Senior
Notes - The
Senior Notes are unsecured obligations ranking pari passu with all other
existing and future senior indebtedness. Substantially all of our significant
subsidiaries are full and unconditional guarantors of the Senior Notes and
are
jointly and severally liable for obligations under the Senior Notes and the
Revolving Credit Facility. Each guarantor subsidiary is a 100% owned subsidiary
of Beazer Homes.
In
June
2006, we issued $275 million of 8 ⅛% senior notes due in June 2016. Interest on
the 8 1/8% notes is payable semi-annually. We may redeem these notes at any
time, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount
thereof plus an applicable premium, as defined in the 8 1/8% notes, plus accrued
and unpaid interest.
In
June
2005, we issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of 6 ⅞% Senior Notes due
July 2015 (the “6 ⅞% Senior Notes”). The 6 ⅞% Senior Notes were issued at a
price of 99.096% of their face amount (before underwriting and other issuance
costs). In July 2005, the Company issued an additional $50 million aggregate
principal amount of the 6 ⅞% Senior Notes. The additional $50 million of 6 ⅞%
Senior Notes was issued at a price of 99.976% of their face amount (before
underwriting and other issuance costs) and accrue interest from June 8, 2005
(the date of the original issuance of the 6 ⅞% Senior Notes). Interest on the 6
⅞% Senior Notes is payable semiannually. Beazer Homes may, at the Company’s
option, redeem the 6 ⅞% Senior Notes in whole or in part at any time after July
2008 under certain conditions at specified redemption prices.
In
June
2004, we issued $180 million aggregate principal amount of 4 ⅝% Convertible
Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Convertible Senior Notes”). In August 2004 we filed
a registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) covering resales of the Convertible Senior Notes and the common stock
issuable upon conversion. The Convertible Senior Notes were issued at a price
of
100% of their face amount (before underwriting and other issuance costs).
Interest on the Convertible Senior Notes is payable semiannually beginning
December 2004. The notes were
convertible by holders into shares of our common stock at an initial conversion
rate of 19.44 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount,
under certain circumstances as defined in the agreement. During the fourth
quarter of fiscal 2006, the cumulative dividends declared to date caused a
change in the conversion rate per $1,000 principal amount to an adjusted
conversion rate of 19.668 shares of common stock, representing a current
conversion price of $50.84 per share. We may, at our option, redeem for cash
the
Convertible Senior Notes in whole or in part at any time on or after June 15,
2009 at certain specified redemption prices. Holders have the right to require
us to purchase all or any portion of the Convertible Senior Notes for cash
on
June 15, 2011, June 15, 2014 and June 15, 2019 or if we undergo a
fundamental change, as defined.
49
Excluding
the 8 ⅜% Senior Notes issued in September 2002 which were used partially to fund
the cash portion of the Crossmann acquisition and to repay Crossmann’s
outstanding net indebtedness, the Senior Notes were generally used to pay off
borrowings under existing credit facilities, fund land acquisitions and for
general corporate purposes. The indentures under which the Senior Notes were
issued contain certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on payment
of dividends. At September 30, 2006, under the most restrictive covenants of
each indenture, approximately $244 million of our retained earnings was
available for cash dividends and for share repurchases. Each indenture provides
that, in the event of defined changes in control or if our consolidated tangible
net worth falls below a specified level or in certain circumstances upon a
sale
of assets, we are required to offer to repurchase certain specified amounts
of
outstanding Senior Notes.
Junior
Subordinated Notes - In
June
2006, we completed a private placement of $103.1 million of unsecured junior
subordinated notes which mature in July 2036 and are redeemable at par on or
after July 30, 2011 and pay a fixed rate of 7.987% for the first ten years
ending July 2016. Thereafter, the securities have a floating interest rate
equal
to three-month LIBOR plus 2.45% per annum, resetting quarterly. These notes
were
issued to our wholly-owned subsidiary, Beazer Capital Trust I, which
simultaneously issued, in a private transaction, trust preferred securities
and
common securities with an aggregate value of $103.1 million to fund its purchase
of these notes. The transaction is treated as debt in accordance with GAAP.
The
obligations relating to these notes and the related securities are subordinated
to the Revolving Credit Facility and the Senior Notes.
Other
Notes -
We
periodically acquire land through the issuance of notes payable. As of September
30, 2006 and 2005, we had outstanding notes payable of $89.3 million and $46.1
million, respectively, primarily related to land acquisitions and development.
These notes payable expire at various times through 2010 and had fixed and
variable rates ranging from 6.75% to 10.00% at September 30, 2006. These notes
are secured by the real estate to which they relate.
As
of
September 30, 2006, future maturities of our borrowings are as follows
(in
thousands):
Year
Ending September 30,
|
||||
2007
|
$
|
112,533
|
||
2008
|
52,421
|
|||
2009
|
10,629
|
|||
2010
|
8,562
|
|||
2011
|
200,000
|
|||
Thereafter
|
1,458,093
|
|||
Total
|
$
|
1,842,238
|
(8)
Income Taxes
The
provision for income taxes consists of (in
thousands):
Year
Ended September 30,
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
||||
Current:
|
||||||||||
Federal
|
$
|
168,622
|
$
|
254,765
|
$
|
153,228
|
||||
State
|
18,901
|
31,682
|
22,427
|
|||||||
Deferred
|
36,930
|
(49,637
|
)
|
(24,891
|
)
|
|||||
Total
|
$
|
224,453
|
$
|
236,810
|
$
|
150,764
|
50
The
provision for income taxes differs from the amount computed by applying the
federal income tax statutory rate as follows (in
thousands):
Year
Ended September 30,
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
||||
Income
tax computed at statutory rate
|
$
|
214,625
|
$
|
174,767
|
$
|
135,298
|
||||
State
income taxes, net of federal
|
||||||||||
benefit
|
19,133
|
15,904
|
16,226
|
|||||||
Impairment
of non-deductible goodwill
|
—
|
45,582
|
—
|
|||||||
Section
199 tax benefit (1)
|
(5,866
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||
Other
|
(3,439
|
)
|
557
|
(760
|
)
|
|||||
Total
|
$
|
224,453
|
$
|
236,810
|
$
|
150,764
|
(1)
The
American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 (the “AJCA”) introduced a special tax
deduction on qualified production activities. FASB Staff Position 109-1
clarifies that this tax deduction should be accounted for as a special tax
deduction in accordance with SFAS 109, Accounting
for Income Taxes.
The
provisions of AJCA were applicable to us beginning in fiscal 2006. The initial
deduction will be 3% of qualified production activity income.
Deferred
tax assets and liabilities are composed of the following (in
thousands):
September
30,
|
|
||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|||
Deferred
tax assets:
|
|||||||
Warranty
and other reserves
|
$
|
64,658
|
$
|
82,328
|
|||
Incentive
compensation
|
11,548
|
14,725
|
|||||
Property,
equipment and other assets
|
428
|
2,227
|
|||||
State
loss carryforwards
|
2,682
|
3,639
|
|||||
Other
|
3,781
|
3,570
|
|||||
Total
deferred tax assets
|
83,097
|
106,489
|
|||||
Deferred
tax liabilities:
|
|||||||
Inventory
adjustments
|
(20,188
|
)
|
(3,745
|
)
|
|||
Other
|
(3,067
|
)
|
(1,415
|
)
|
|||
Total
deferred tax liabilities
|
(23,255
|
)
|
(5,160
|
)
|
|||
Net
deferred tax assets
|
$
|
59,842
|
$
|
101,329
|
At
September 30, 2006, we had U.S. state net operating loss carryforwards (“NOL”)
of approximately $49 million that will expire between 2009 and 2024. We expect
to fully utilize these NOLs. We believe that based upon our history of
profitable operations and expectation of future profitability, it is more likely
than not that our net deferred tax assets will be realized.
51
(9)
Leases
We
are
obligated under various noncancelable operating leases for office facilities,
model homes and equipment. Rental expense under these agreements amounted to
approximately $26.8 million, $17.1 million and $14.1 million for the years
ended
September 30, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. As of September 30, 2006,
future minimum lease payments under noncancelable operating lease agreements
are
as follows (in
thousands):
Year
Ending September 30,
|
||||
2007
|
$
|
25,692
|
||
2008
|
18,977
|
|||
2009
|
14,042
|
|||
2010
|
9,722
|
|||
2011
|
7,608
|
|||
Thereafter
|
9,038
|
|||
Total
|
$
|
85,079
|
(10)
Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred
Stock. We
currently have no shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Common
Stock Repurchase Plan. On
November 18, 2005, as part of an acceleration of our comprehensive plan to
enhance stockholder value, our Board of Directors authorized an increase of
our
stock repurchase plan to ten million shares of our common stock. Shares may
be
purchased for cash in the open market, on the NYSE or in privately negotiated
transactions. During fiscal 2006, we repurchased 3,648,300 shares for an
aggregate purchase price of $205.4 million, or approximately $56 per share.
During fiscal 2005, we did not repurchase any shares in the open market. During
fiscal 2004, we repurchased 539,400 shares for an aggregate purchase price
of
$17.5 million or approximately $33 per share pursuant to the plan. At September
30, 2006, we are authorized to purchase approximately 5.4 million additional
shares pursuant to the plan.
During
fiscal 2006 and 2005, 47,544 and 142,459 shares, respectively, were surrendered
to us by employees in payment of minimum tax obligations upon the vesting of
restricted stock and restricted stock units under our stock incentive plans.
We
valued the stock at the market price on the date of surrender, for an aggregate
value of $2.6 million, or approximately $55 per share, in fiscal 2006, and
$8.1
million, or approximately $57 per share, in fiscal 2005.
Shareholder
Rights Plan. In
June
1996, our Board of Directors adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan and distributed
a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) to purchase one
one-hundredth of a share of Series B Junior Participating Preferred Stock,
par
value $0.01 per share (the “Junior Preferred Shares”), of Beazer Homes. The
Rights expired in June 2006. No Rights issued under this plan were redeemed
or
exercised prior to expiration.
Dividends.
For
fiscal 2006 and fiscal
2005, we paid quarterly cash dividends aggregating approximately $16.1 million
($0.40 per common share) and approximately $13.9 million ($0.33 per common
share). For fiscal 2004, adjusted for the stock split, we paid quarterly cash
dividends aggregating $0.13 per common share, or a total of approximately $5.5
million.
52
(11)
Earnings Per Share
Basic
and
diluted earnings per share are calculated as follows (in
thousands, except per share amounts):
Year
Ended September 30,
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
||||
Basic:
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
388,761
|
$
|
262,524
|
$
|
235,811
|
||||
Weighted
average number of common shares outstanding
|
39,812
|
40,468
|
39,879
|
|||||||
Basic
earnings per share
|
$
|
9.76
|
$
|
6.49
|
$
|
5.91
|
||||
Diluted:
|
||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
388,761
|
$
|
262,524
|
$
|
235,811
|
||||
Interest
on convertible debt –
net of taxes
|
5,367
|
5,325
|
1,616
|
|||||||
Net
income applicable to common stockholders
|
$
|
394,128
|
$
|
267,849
|
$
|
237,427
|
||||
Weighted
average number of common shares outstanding
|
39,812
|
40,468
|
39,879
|
|||||||
Effect
of dilutive securities:
|
||||||||||
Shares
issuable upon conversion of convertible debt
|
3,503
|
3,499
|
1,083
|
|||||||
Options
to acquire common stock
|
504
|
621
|
729
|
|||||||
Contingent
shares (performance based stock)
|
35
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||
Nonvested
restricted stock
|
491
|
1,046
|
794
|
|||||||
Diluted
weighted average number of common
|
||||||||||
shares
outstanding
|
44,345
|
45,634
|
42,485
|
|||||||
Diluted
earnings per share
|
$
|
8.89
|
$
|
5.87
|
$
|
5.59
|
Options
to purchase 672,544 shares of common stock were not included in the computation
of diluted earnings per share for the year ended September 30, 2006, because
the
options’ exercise price was greater than the average market price of the common
shares during that year. There were no options that were excluded from the
computation of diluted earnings per share for the fiscal years ended September
30, 2005 and 2004.
(12)
Retirement Plan and Incentive Awards
401(k)
Retirement Plan. We
sponsor a 401(k) plan (the “Plan”).
Substantially all employees are eligible for participation in the Plan after
completing one calendar month of service with us. Participants may defer and
contribute to the Plan from 1% to 80% of their salary with certain limitations
on highly compensated individuals. We match 50% of the first 6% of the
participant’s contributions. The participant’s contributions vest 100%
immediately, while our contributions vest over five years. Our total
contributions for the years ended September 30, 2006, 2005 and 2004 were
approximately $4.5 million, $3.3 million and $2.8 million, respectively.
Deferred
Compensation Plan. During
fiscal 2002,
we
adopted the Beazer Homes USA, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan (the “DCP Plan”).
The DCP Plan is a non-qualified deferred compensation plan for a select group
of
executives and highly compensated employees. The DCP Plan allows the executives
to defer current compensation on a pre-tax basis to a future year, up until
termination of employment. The objectives of the DCP Plan are to assist
executives with financial planning and capital accumulation and to provide
the
Company with a method of attracting, rewarding, and retaining highly compensated
executives. Participation in the DCP Plan is voluntary. Beazer Homes may
voluntarily make a contribution to the participants’ DCP accounts. For the years
ended September 30, 2006, 2005 and 2004, Beazer Homes contributed approximately
$8.8 million, $4.4 million and $2.8 million, respectively, to the DCP
Plan.
53
Stock
Incentive Plans. During
fiscal 2000, we adopted the 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (the “1999 Plan”) because
the shares reserved under the 1994 Stock Incentive Plan (the “1994 Plan”) had
been substantially depleted. We also maintained a Non-Employee Director Stock
Option Plan (the “Non-Employee Director Plan”) that expired September 30, 2005.
At September 30, 2006, we had reserved 11,925,000 shares of common stock for
issuance under our various stock incentive plans, of which approximately 1.1
million shares are available for future grants.
Stock
Option Awards. We
have
issued various stock option awards to officers and key employees under both
the
1999 Plan and the 1994 Plan and to non-employee directors pursuant to the
Non-Employee Director Plan. Stock options are generally exercisable at the
fair
market value of the common stock on the grant date, vest three years after
the
date of grant and may be exercised thereafter until their expiration, subject
to
forfeiture upon termination of employment as provided in the applicable plan.
Under certain conditions of retirement, eligible participants may receive a
partial vesting of stock options. Stock options granted prior to fiscal 2004,
generally expire on the tenth anniversary from the date such options were
granted. Beginning in fiscal 2004, newly granted stock options expire on the
seventh anniversary from the date such options were granted.
Information
regarding activity under our stock option plans is summarized as
follows:
Year
Ended September 30,
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
Shares
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
Shares
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
Shares
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|||||||
Options
outstanding at beginning
of year
|
1,654,751
|
$
|
23.91
|
1,821,804
|
$
|
19.59
|
2,378,145
|
$
|
13.83
|
||||||||||
Granted
|
945,500
|
67.03
|
289,250
|
38.54
|
310,164
|
32.91
|
|||||||||||||
Exercised
|
(415,938
|
)
|
17.55
|
(412,125
|
)
|
14.26
|
(778,401
|
)
|
6.89
|
||||||||||
Forfeited
|
(48,741
|
)
|
42.06
|
(44,178
|
)
|
32.05
|
(88,104
|
)
|
23.07
|
||||||||||
Options
outstanding at end
of year
|
2,135,572
|
43.82
|
1,654,751
|
23.91
|
1,821,804
|
19.59
|
|||||||||||||
Options
exercisable at end
of year
|
681,753
|
$
|
18.19
|
577,050
|
$
|
15.45
|
598,860
|
$
|
7.25
|
The
following table summarizes information about stock options outstanding and
exercisable at September 30, 2006:
Range
of
Exercise
Prices
|
|
Number
Outstanding
|
|
Weighted
Average
Contractual
Remaining
Life
(Years)
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|
Number
Exercisable
|
|
Weighted
Average
Contractual
Remaining
Life
(Years)
|
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|||||||
$6
- $9
|
225,093
|
3.86
|
$
|
7.89
|
225,093
|
3.86
|
$
|
7.89
|
|||||||||||
$18
- $21
|
263,406
|
6.16
|
20.60
|
263,406
|
6.16
|
20.60
|
|||||||||||||
$24
- $29
|
193,254
|
5.54
|
26.90
|
193,254
|
5.54
|
26.90
|
|||||||||||||
$30
- $39
|
515,118
|
4.71
|
35.37
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||
$65
- $66
|
214,928
|
6.12
|
62.10
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||
$68
- $69
|
723,773
|
6.35
|
68.56
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||||
$6
- $69
|
2,135,572
|
5.57
|
$
|
43.82
|
681,753
|
5.22
|
$
|
18.19
|
The
weighted average fair value of each option granted during the years ended
September 30, 2006, 2005, and 2004 was $29.17, $15.80 and $13.60, respectively.
The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using
the
Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Expected life of options granted is computed
using the mid-point between the vesting period and contractual life of the
options and was a weighted average of 5.4 years for fiscal 2006 grants and
5.0
years for both fiscal 2005 and fiscal 2004 grants. Expected volatilities are
based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock and other factors and
averaged 42.69%, 44.01%, and 44.14% in fiscal 2006, 2005, and 2004,
respectively. Expected discrete dividends of $0.10 per quarter are assumed
in
lieu of a continuously compounding dividend yield. The weighted average
risk-free interest rate assumed was 4.51%, 3.39%, and 3.13%, respectively,
for
fiscal 2006, 2005, and 2004.
54
At
September 30, 2006, the aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding and
options exercisable was $16.1 million and $14.2 million, respectively. The
intrinsic value of a stock option is the amount by which the market value of
the
underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of the option. The intrinsic value
for options exercised in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006, 2005 and
2004 was $19.8 million, $14.6 million, and $20.9 million,
respectively.
Nonvested
Stock Awards. We
have
made various non-vested stock awards to officers and key employees under both
the 1999 Plan and the 1994 Plan. All restricted stock is awarded in the name
of
the participant, who has all the rights of other common stockholders with
respect to such stock, subject to restrictions and forfeiture provisions.
Accordingly, such non-vested stock awards are considered outstanding shares.
Restricted stock awards generally vest from three to seven years after the
date
of grant. Certain restricted stock awards provide for accelerated vesting if
certain performance goals are achieved.
In
February, 2006, we issued 144,755 shares of restricted stock to our executive
officers with vesting contingent upon the achievement of performance criteria
based on Beazer Homes’ total shareholder return, as defined by the award
agreements, as compared to the total shareholder return of a defined peer group.
The grant of this performance based, nonvested stock was valued using the Monte
Carlo valuation method and had a weighted average fair value of $67.27.
One-third of the shares will be eligible to vest as of each of December 31,
2008, 2009 and 2010. Depending on the level of performance achieved based on
the
established criteria, between 0% and 150% of the eligible shares will vest
as of
each applicable date.
We
also
have two incentive compensation plans (called the Value Created Incentive Plan
and the Executive Value Created Incentive Plan), modeled under the concepts
of
economic profit or economic value added. Participants may defer a portion of
their earned annual incentive compensation under the applicable plan pursuant
to
the terms of the Corporate Management Stock Purchase Program (the “CMSPP”). The
deferred amounts are represented by restricted stock units, each of which
represents the right to receive one share of Beazer Homes’ common stock upon
vesting. Such shares are issued after a three-year vesting period, subject
to an
election for further deferral by the participant. The number of restricted
stock
units granted is based on a discount to the market value of our common stock
at
the time the bonus is earned. Should the participant’s employment terminate
during the vesting period, the deferred incentive compensation is settled in
cash or cash and stock, depending on the cause of termination as set forth
in
the CMSPP or applicable deferred compensation plan.
Activity
relating to the nonvested stock awards for the fiscal year ended September
30,
2006 is as follows:
Shares
|
|
Weighted
Average
Fair
Value
|
|||||
Beginning
of year
|
739,137
|
$
|
36.79
|
||||
Granted
|
409,759
|
66.19
|
|||||
Vested
|
(161,851
|
)
|
27.36
|
||||
Forfeited
|
(12,588
|
)
|
40.91
|
||||
End
of year
|
974,457
|
$
|
50.66
|
Compensation
expense recognized for the nonvested stock awards totaled $8,669,000,
$7,934,000 and $5,581,000 for the years ended September 30, 2006, 2005 and
2004,
respectively. The weighted average grant-date fair value of nonvested stock
awards granted during the years ended September 30, 2005 and 2004 was $48.35
and
$34.11, respectively.
Our
former Chief Financial Officer resigned effective September 30, 2003. Effective
October 1, 2003, Beazer Homes and our former CFO entered into a consulting
and
non-compete agreement pursuant to which our former CFO retained and continued
to
vest in various stock awards during the two-year life of the agreement which
would have otherwise been forfeited upon termination and represented up to
139,227 shares of the Company’s common stock. The agreement expired September
30, 2005 at which time all remaining shares were forfeited. Compensation expense
recognized for such awards totaled $4,011,000 and $1,800,000 for the years
ended
September 30, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
55
(13)
Contingencies
Beazer
Homes and certain of its subsidiaries have been and continue to be named as
defendants in various construction defect claims, complaints and other legal
actions that include claims related to moisture intrusion and mold. We have
experienced a significant number of such claims in our Midwest region and
particularly with respect to homes built by Trinity Homes LLC (“Trinity”), a
subsidiary which was acquired in the Crossmann acquisition in 2002.
As
of
September 30, 2006, there were nine pending lawsuits related to such complaints
received by Trinity. All nine suits are by individual homeowners, and the cost
to resolve these matters is not expected to be material, either individually
or
in the aggregate. Additionally, a class action suit was filed in the State
of
Indiana in August 2003 against Trinity Homes LLC. The parties in the class
action reached a settlement agreement which was approved by the Court on October
20, 2004.
The
settlement class includes, with certain exclusions, the current owners of all
Trinity homes that have brick veneer, where the closing of Trinity’s initial
sale of the home took place between June 1, 1998 and October 31, 2002. The
settlement agreement establishes an agreed protocol and process for assessment
and remediation of any external water intrusion issues at the homes which
includes, among other things, that the homes will be repaired at Trinity’s
expense. The settlement agreement also provides for payment of plaintiffs’
attorneys’ fees and for Trinity to pay an agreed amount for engineering
inspection costs for each home for which a claim is filed under the settlement.
Under
the
settlement, subject to Trinity’s timely performance of the specified assessments
and remediation activities for homeowners who file claims, each homeowner
releases Trinity, Beazer Homes Investments, LLC and other affiliated companies,
including Beazer Homes, from the claims asserted in the class action lawsuit,
claims arising out of external water intrusion, claims of improper brick
installation, including property damage claims, loss or diminution of property
value claims, and most personal injury claims, among others. No appeals of
the
Court’s Order approving the settlement were received by the Court within the
timeframe established by the Court. We sent out the claims notices on December
17, 2004, and the Class Members had until February 15, 2005 to file claims.
A
total of 1,311 valid claims were filed (of the 2,161 total Class Members),
of
which 613 complaints had been received prior to our receipt of the claim
notices. Class Members who did not file a claim by February 15, 2005 are no
longer able to file a class action claim under the settlement or pursue an
individual claim against Trinity. As of September 30, 2006, we had completed
remediation of 999 homes related to 1,782 total Trinity claims.
Beazer
Homes’ warranty reserves at September 30, 2006 and September 30, 2005 include
accruals for our estimated costs to assess and remediate all homes for which
Trinity had received complaints related to moisture intrusion and mold,
including a provision for legal fees. Warranty reserves at September 30, 2006
and 2005 also include accruals for class action claims received, pursuant to
the
settlement discussed above, from Class Members who had not previously contacted
Trinity with complaints.
The
cost
to assess and remediate a home depends on the extent of moisture damage, if
any,
that the home has incurred. Homes for which we receive complaints are classified
into one of three categories: 1) homes with no moisture damage, 2) homes with
isolated moisture damage or 3) homes with extensive moisture damage.
As
of
September 30, 2006 and 2005, we accrued for our estimated cost to remediate
homes that we had assessed and assigned to one of the above categories. For
purposes of our accrual, we have historically assigned homes not yet assessed
to
categories based on our expectations about the extent of damage and trends
observed from the results of assessments performed to date. In addition,
beginning in the quarter ended March 31, 2005, we refined our cost estimation
process to consider the subdivision of the claimant along with the
categorization discussed above. Once a home is categorized, detailed budgets
are
used as the basis to prepare our estimated costs to remediate such
home.
56
During
fiscal 2004, we initiated a program under which we offered to repurchase a
limited number of homes from specific homeowners. The program was concluded
during the first quarter of fiscal 2005. We have repurchased a total of 54
homes
under the program. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006 and 2005,
we
sold 16 and six of the repurchased homes, respectively. The remaining 32 homes
were acquired for an aggregate purchase price of $13.2 million. The accrual
at
September 30, 2006 includes the estimated costs to sell homes that we have
repurchased, and our estimated losses on the sale of those homes, if any.
The
following accruals represent our best estimates of the costs to resolve all
asserted complaints associated with Trinity moisture intrusion and mold related
issues. We regularly review our estimates of these costs. Since the commencement
of the remediation program, our remediation cost per home has continued to
decrease as homes requiring more extensive repairs were addressed first and
our
internal processes and procedures, including enhanced contractor bid
negotiations and inspections, improved as experienced gained in addressing
these
issues has yielded meaningful benefits on a per home basis. During fiscal 2006,
we reassessed our estimate of these costs and the related accruals and recorded
a $21.7 million reduction based on historical experience in resolving claims
to
date, the number of homes remediated and current estimates to resolve remaining
claims. Changes in the accrual for Trinity moisture intrusion and related mold
issues during the fiscal year were as follows (in
thousands):
Fiscal
Year Ended September 30,
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
||||
Balance
at beginning of year
|
$
|
80,708
|
$
|
42,173
|
9,200
|
|||||
(Reductions)
provisions
|
(21,700
|
)
|
55,000
|
43,858
|
||||||
Payments
|
(11,304
|
)
|
(16,465
|
)
|
(10,885
|
)
|
||||
Balance
at end of year
|
$
|
47,704
|
$
|
80,708
|
42,173
|
Actual
costs to assess and remediate homes in each category and subdivision, the extent
of damage to homes not yet assessed, estimates of costs to sell repurchased
homes, and losses on such sales could differ from our estimates. As a result,
the costs to resolve existing complaints could differ from our recorded accruals
and have a material adverse effect on the Company’s earnings in the periods in
which the matters are resolved. Additionally, it is possible that we will incur
additional losses related to these matters, including additional losses related
to homes for which we have not yet received complaints.
Warranty
Reserves.
We
currently provide a limited warranty (ranging from one to two years) covering
workmanship and materials per our defined performance quality standards. In
addition, we provide a limited warranty (generally ranging from a minimum of
five years up to the period covered by the applicable statute of repose)
covering only certain defined construction defects. We also provide a defined
structural element warranty with single-family homes and townhomes in certain
states.
Since
Beazer Homes subcontracts its homebuilding work to subcontractors who generally
provide us with an indemnity and a certificate of insurance prior to receiving
payments for their work, claims relating to workmanship and materials are
generally the primary responsibility of the subcontractors.
As
noted
above, our warranty reserves at September 30, 2006 and 2005 include accruals
for
Trinity moisture intrusion and related mold issues. Warranty reserves are
included in other liabilities in the consolidated financial statements. We
record reserves covering anticipated warranty expense for each home closed.
Management reviews the adequacy of warranty reserves each reporting period
based
on historical experience and management’s estimate of the costs to remediate the
claims and adjusts these provisions accordingly. While we believe that our
warranty reserves are adequate, historical data and trends may not accurately
predict actual warranty costs, or future developments could lead to a
significant change in the reserve.
57
Changes
in our warranty reserves, which include amounts related to the Trinity moisture
intrusion and mold issues discussed above, during the fiscal year are as follows
(in
thousands):
|
|
Fiscal
Year Ended September 30, |
|
|||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
||||
Balance
at beginning of year
|
$
|
138,033
|
$
|
86,163
|
$
|
40,473
|
||||
Provisions
(1)
|
17,395 |
98,307
|
80,291
|
|||||||
Payments
|
(54,395 | ) |
(46,437
|
)
|
(34,601
|
)
|
||||
Balance
at end of year
|
$
|
101,033
|
$
|
138,033
|
$
|
86,163
|
(1)
Provisions to our warranty reserve include a reduction of $21.7 million in
fiscal 2006 and provisions of $55.0 million in fiscal 2005 and $43.9 million
in
fiscal 2004 for costs related to the aforementioned Trinity moisture intrusion
and mold related issues.
Other
Contingencies.
We and
certain of our subsidiaries have been named as defendants in various claims,
complaints and other legal actions, most relating to moisture intrusion and
related mold claims, construction defects and product liability. Certain of
the
liabilities resulting from these actions are covered in whole or part by
insurance. With respect to certain general liability exposures, including
construction defect, moisture intrusion and related mold claims and product
liability, interpretation of underlying current and future trends, assessment
of
claims and the related liability and the reserve estimation process is highly
judgmental due to the complex nature of these exposures, with each exposure
exhibiting unique circumstances. In particular, for construction defect
liability there is some degree of uncertainty relating to the recoverability
of
insurance proceeds, when losses occur, the size of each loss, expectations
for
future interpretive rulings concerning contract provisions, possible recovery
against other responsible parties, and the extent to which the assertion of
these claims will expand geographically. In our opinion, based on our current
assessment, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material
adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash
flows.
We
had
outstanding letters of credit and performance bonds of approximately $93.3
million and $616.9 million, respectively, at September 30, 2006 related
principally to our obligations to local governments to construct roads and
other
improvements in various developments in addition to the letters of credit of
approximately $62.7 million relating to our land option contracts discussed
in
Note 3.
(14)
Segment Information
As
defined in SFAS 131, Disclosures
About Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information,
we have
31 homebuilding operating segments operating in 21 states and one financial
services segment. Revenues in our homebuilding segments are derived from the
sale of homes which we construct and from land and lot sales. Revenues in our
financial services segment are derived primarily from mortgage originations
and
title services provided predominantly to customers of our homebuilding
operations. We
have
aggregated our homebuilding segments into the reportable segments, described
below, for our homebuilding operations and one reportable segment for our
financial services operations. The segments reported have been determined to
have similar economic characteristics including similar historical and expected
future operating performance, employment trends, land acquisition and land
constraints, and municipality behavior and meet the other aggregation criteria
in SFAS 131. The reportable homebuilding segments, and all other homebuilding
operations not required to be reported separately, include operations conducting
business in the following states:
West:
Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico
Mid-Atlantic:
Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West
Virginia
Florida
Southeast:
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee
Other
Homebuilding:
Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee
58
Management’s
evaluation of segment performance is based on segment operating income, which
for our homebuilding segments is defined as homebuilding and land sale revenues
less home construction, land development and land sales expense and certain
selling, general and administrative expenses which are incurred by or allocated
to our homebuilding segments. Segment operating income for our Financial
Services segment is defined as revenues less costs associated with our mortgage
operations and certain selling, general and administrative expenses incurred
by
or allocated to the Financial Services segment. The accounting policies of
our
segments are those described in the notes to the consolidated financial
statements in Note 1 herein. The following information is in
thousands:
Year
Ended September 30,
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|
2004
|
||||
Revenue
|
||||||||||
West
|
$
|
1,874,118
|
$
|
1,946,822
|
$
|
1,553,870
|
||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
965,874
|
848,083
|
559,746
|
|||||||
Florida
|
694,803
|
598,950
|
390,380
|
|||||||
Southeast
|
900,663
|
761,030
|
646,235
|
|||||||
Other
homebuilding
|
980,347
|
802,435
|
718,613
|
|||||||
Financial
Services
|
65,808
|
54,310
|
51,140
|
|||||||
Intercompany
elimination
|
(19,610
|
)
|
(16,277
|
)
|
(12,875
|
)
|
||||
Consolidated
total
|
$
|
5,462,003
|
$
|
4,995,353
|
$
|
3,907,109
|
||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
||||||||||
West
|
$
|
280,731
|
$
|
421,968
|
$
|
280,898
|
||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
213,279
|
206,627
|
111,763
|
|||||||
Florida
|
143,380
|
97,263
|
51,105
|
|||||||
Southeast
|
86,451
|
49,098
|
45,952
|
|||||||
Other
homebuilding
|
(4,301
|
)
|
5,902
|
29,425
|
||||||
Financial
Services
|
17,226
|
15,627
|
19,299
|
|||||||
Segment
operating income
|
736,766
|
796,485
|
538,442
|
|||||||
Corporate
and unallocated (a)
|
(125,091
|
)
|
(309,567
|
)
|
(160,507
|
)
|
||||
Total
operating income
|
611,675
|
486,918
|
377,935
|
|||||||
Equity
in (loss) earnings of unconsolidated
joint ventures
|
(772
|
)
|
5,021
|
1,561
|
||||||
Other
income, net
|
2,311
|
7,395
|
7,079
|
|||||||
Income
before income taxes
|
$
|
613,214
|
$
|
499,334
|
$
|
386,575
|
September
30,
|
|
||||||
|
|
2006
|
|
2005
|
|||
Assets
(c)
|
|||||||
West
|
$
|
1,392,660
|
$
|
992,959
|
|||
Mid-Atlantic
|
562,332
|
520,787
|
|||||
Florida
|
418,915
|
308,102
|
|||||
Southeast
|
433,922
|
376,417
|
|||||
Other
homebuilding
|
632,437
|
626,032
|
|||||
Financial
Services
|
205,684
|
92,730
|
|||||
Corporate
and unallocated (b)
|
913,481
|
853,489
|
|||||
Consolidated
total
|
$
|
4,559,431
|
$
|
3,770,516
|
(a)
|
Corporate
and unallocated includes the amortization of capitalized interest
and
numerous shared services functions that benefit all segments, the
costs of
which are not allocated to the operating segments reported above
including
information technology, national sourcing and purchasing, treasury,
corporate finance, legal, branding and other national marketing costs.
Fiscal 2006 includes a reduction of $21.7 million in the accrual
and costs
related to construction defect claims for water intrusion in Indiana
(See
Note 13). Fiscal 2005 and 2004 include $55.0 million and $43.9 million,
respectively, of warranty expenses associated with construction defect
claims for water intrusion in Indiana. Fiscal 2005 also includes
a $130.2
million non-cash, non-tax deductible goodwill impairment charge to
write-off substantially all of the goodwill allocated to certain
underperforming markets in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky in our Other
homebuilding segment ($116.6 million) and Charlotte, North Carolina
in our
Southeast segment ($13.6 million).
|
59
(b)
|
Primarily
consists of cash and cash equivalents, consolidated inventory not
owned,
deferred taxes, and capitalized interest and other corporate items
that
are not allocated to the
segments.
|
(c)
|
Segment
assets as of both September 30, 2006 and 2005 include goodwill
assigned
from prior acquisitions as follows: $55.5 million in the West,
$23.3
million in the Mid-Atlantic, $13.7 million in Florida, $17.6
million in
the Southeast and $11.2 million in Other homebuilding. There
was no change
in goodwill from September 30, 2005 to September 30,
2006.
|
(15)
Supplemental Guarantor Information
As
discussed in Note 7, our obligations to pay principal, premium, if any, and
interest under certain debt are guaranteed on a joint and several basis by
substantially all of our subsidiaries. Certain of our title and warranty
subsidiaries and Beazer Mortgage do not guarantee our Senior Notes or our
Revolving Credit Facility. The guarantees are full and unconditional and the
guarantor subsidiaries are 100% owned by Beazer Homes USA, Inc. We have
determined that separate, full financial statements of the guarantors would
not
be material to investors and, accordingly, supplemental financial information
for the guarantors is presented.
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidating
Balance Sheet
September
30, 2006
(in
thousands)
|
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
|
Guarantor Subsidiaries |
|
Beazer
Mortgage
Corp.
|
|
Other
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
|
|
Consolidating
Adjustments |
|
Consolidated
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
||||||||
ASSETS | |||||||||||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
254,915
|
$
|
(105,158
|
)
|
$
|
5,664
|
$
|
7,149
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
162,570
|
||||||
Restricted
cash
|
—
|
4,873
|
5,000
|
—
|
—
|
9,873
|
|||||||||||||
Accounts
receivable
|
—
|
328,740
|
4,329
|
502
|
—
|
333,571
|
|||||||||||||
Owned
inventory
|
—
|
3,048,891
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
3,048,891
|
|||||||||||||
Consolidated
inventory not owned
|
—
|
471,441
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
471,441
|
|||||||||||||
Residential
mortgage loans available-for-sale
|
—
|
—
|
92,157
|
—
|
—
|
92,157
|
|||||||||||||
Investment
in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures
|
3,093
|
119,706
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
122,799
|
|||||||||||||
Deferred
tax assets
|
59,345
|
—
|
497
|
—
|
—
|
59,842
|
|||||||||||||
Property,
plant and equipment, net
|
—
|
28,454
|
954
|
57
|
—
|
29,465
|
|||||||||||||
Goodwill
|
—
|
121,368
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
121,368
|
|||||||||||||
Investments
in subsidiaries
|
1,829,969
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(1,829,969
|
)
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Intercompany
|
1,250,702
|
(1,328,310
|
)
|
52,397
|
25,211
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Other
assets
|
22,751
|
74,751
|
2,419
|
7,533
|
—
|
107,454
|
|||||||||||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
3,420,775
|
$
|
2,764,756
|
$
|
163,417
|
$
|
40,452
|
$
|
(1,829,969
|
)
|
$
|
4,559,431
|
||||||
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Trade
accounts payable
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
140,902
|
$
|
132
|
$
|
97
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
141,131
|
|||||||
Other
liabilities
|
66,296
|
456,706
|
9,166
|
14,846
|
—
|
547,014
|
|||||||||||||
Intercompany
|
(1,959
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
1,959
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Obligations
related to consolidated inventory not owned
|
—
|
330,703
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
330,703
|
|||||||||||||
Senior
notes (net of discounts of $3,578)
|
1,551,422
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1,551,422
|
|||||||||||||
Junior
subordinated notes
|
103,093
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
103,093
|
|||||||||||||
Warehouse
line
|
—
|
—
|
94,881
|
—
|
—
|
94,881
|
|||||||||||||
Other
notes payable
|
—
|
89,264
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
89,264
|
|||||||||||||
Total
Liabilities
|
1,718,852
|
1,017,575
|
104,179
|
16,902
|
—
|
2,857,508
|
|||||||||||||
Stockholders’
Equity
|
1,701,923
|
1,747,181
|
59,238
|
23,550
|
(1,829,969
|
)
|
1,701,923
|
||||||||||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
|
$
|
3,420,775
|
$
|
2,764,756
|
$
|
163,417
|
$
|
40,452
|
$
|
(1,829,969
|
)
|
$
|
4,559,431
|
60
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidating
Balance Sheet
September
30, 2005
(in
thousands)
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
Guarantor Subsidiaries |
Beazer
Mortgage
Corp.
|
Other
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
|
Consolidating
Adjustments |
Consolidated
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
||||||||||||||
ASSETS
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$
|
386,423
|
$
|
(90,238
|
)
|
$
|
230
|
$
|
683
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
297,098
|
||||||
Accounts
receivable
|
—
|
157,523
|
2,775
|
1,582
|
—
|
161,880
|
|||||||||||||
Owned
inventory
|
—
|
2,663,792
|
—
|
—
|
7,290
|
2,671,082
|
|||||||||||||
Consolidated
inventory not owned
|
—
|
230,083
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
230,083
|
|||||||||||||
Investment
in and advances to unconsolidated joint
ventures
|
—
|
78,571
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
78,571
|
|||||||||||||
Deferred
tax assets
|
101,329
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
101,329
|
|||||||||||||
Property,
plant and equipment, net
|
—
|
27,550
|
817
|
—
|
—
|
28,367
|
|||||||||||||
Goodwill
|
—
|
12
1,368
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
121,368
|
|||||||||||||
Investments
in subsidiaries
|
1,639,405
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(1,639,405
|
)
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Intercompany
|
745,018
|
(820,519
|
)
|
53,074
|
22,427
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Other
assets
|
20,123
|
49,473
|
293
|
10,849
|
—
|
80,738
|
|||||||||||||
Total
Assets
|
$
|
2,892,298
|
$
|
2,417,603
|
$
|
57,189
|
$
|
35,541
|
$
|
(1,632,115
|
)
|
$
|
3,770,516
|
||||||
LIABILITIES
AND STOCKHOLDERS’
EQUITY
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Trade
accounts payable
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
141,312
|
$
|
242
|
$
|
69
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
141,623
|
|||||||
Other
liabilities
|
115,023
|
503,352
|
2,162
|
12,827
|
2,742
|
636,106
|
|||||||||||||
Intercompany
|
(3,295
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
3,295
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Obligations
related to consolidated inventory not
owned
|
—
|
166,163
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
166,163
|
|||||||||||||
Senior
notes (net of discounts of $4,118)
|
1,275,882
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1,275,882
|
|||||||||||||
Other
notes payable
|
—
|
46,054
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
46,054
|
|||||||||||||
Total
Liabilities
|
1,387,610
|
856,881
|
2,404
|
16,191
|
2,742
|
2,265,828
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
Stockholders’
Equity
|
1,504,688
|
1,560,722
|
54,785
|
19,350
|
(1,634,857
|
)
|
1,504,688
|
||||||||||||
Total
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
|
$
|
2,892,298
|
$
|
2,417,603
|
$
|
57,189
|
$
|
35,541
|
$
|
(1,632,115
|
)
|
$
|
3,770,516
|
61
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidating
Statements of Income
(in
thousands)
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
Guarantor Subsidiaries |
Beazer
Mortgage
Corp.
|
Other
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
|
Consolidating
Adjustments |
Consolidated
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
||||||||||||||
For
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Total
revenue
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
5,418,189
|
$
|
54,344
|
$
|
9,080
|
$
|
(19,610
|
)
|
$
|
5,462,003
|
||||||
Home
construction and land sales
expenses
|
96,242
|
4,124,686
|
—
|
—
|
(19,610
|
)
|
4,201,318
|
||||||||||||
Gross
profit
|
(96,242
|
)
|
1,293,503
|
54,344
|
9,080
|
—
|
1,260,685
|
||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
expenses
|
—
|
602,578
|
44,093
|
2,339
|
—
|
649,010
|
|||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
(96,242
|
)
|
690,925
|
10,251
|
6,741
|
—
|
611,675
|
||||||||||||
Equity
in loss of unconsolidated joint
ventures
|
—
|
(772
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(772
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Royalty
and management fee
expenses
|
—
|
3,098
|
(3,098
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Other
income, net
|
—
|
2,311
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
2,311
|
|||||||||||||
Income
before income taxes
|
(96,242
|
)
|
695,562
|
7,153
|
6,741
|
—
|
613,214
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for income taxes
|
(36,332
|
)
|
255,544
|
2,700
|
2,541
|
—
|
224,453
|
||||||||||||
Equity
in income of subsidiaries
|
448,671
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(448,671
|
)
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
388,761
|
$
|
440,018
|
$
|
4,453
|
$
|
4,200
|
$
|
(448,671
|
)
|
$
|
388,761
|
||||||
For
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Total
revenue
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
4,949,699
|
$
|
54,310
|
$
|
7,621
|
$
|
(16,277
|
)
|
$
|
4,995,353
|
||||||
Home
construction and land sales
expenses
|
89,678
|
3,749,899
|
—
|
—
|
(16,277
|
)
|
3,823,300
|
||||||||||||
Gross
profit
|
(89,678
|
)
|
1,199,800
|
54,310
|
7,621
|
—
|
1,172,053
|
||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
expenses
|
—
|
521,639
|
38,683
|
1,868
|
(7,290
|
)
|
554,900
|
||||||||||||
Goodwill
impairment
|
—
|
130,235
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
130,235
|
|||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
(89,678
|
)
|
547,926
|
15,627
|
5,753
|
7,290
|
486,918
|
||||||||||||
Income
before income taxes
|
—
|
5,021
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
5,021
|
|||||||||||||
Other
income, net
|
—
|
7,395
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
7,395
|
|||||||||||||
Income
before income taxes
|
(89,678
|
)
|
560,342
|
15,627
|
5,753
|
7,290
|
499,334
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for income taxes
|
(33,732
|
)
|
259,758
|
5,878
|
2,164
|
2,742
|
236,810
|
||||||||||||
Equity
in income of subsidiaries
|
318,470
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(318,470
|
)
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$
|
262,524
|
$
|
300,584
|
$
|
9,749
|
$
|
3,589
|
$
|
(313,922
|
)
|
$
|
262,524
|
||||||
For
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2004
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Total
revenue
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
3,899,971
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
7,138
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
3,907,109
|
|||||||
Home
construction and land sales
expenses
|
76,035
|
3,023,697
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
3,099,732
|
|||||||||||||
Gross
profit
|
(76,035
|
)
|
876,274
|
—
|
7,138
|
—
|
807,377
|
||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative
expenses
|
—
|
436,726
|
|
2,552
|
(9,836
|
)
|
429,442
|
||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
(76,035
|
)
|
439,548
|
—
|
4,586
|
9,836
|
377,935
|
||||||||||||
Equity
in income of unconsolidated joint
ventures
|
—
|
1,561
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1,561
|
|||||||||||||
Other
income, net
|
—
|
7,079
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
7,079
|
|||||||||||||
Income
before income taxes
|
(76,035
|
)
|
448,188
|
—
|
4,586
|
9,836
|
386,575
|
||||||||||||
Provision
for income taxes
|
(29,654
|
)
|
174,794
|
—
|
1,788
|
3,836
|
150,764
|
||||||||||||
Equity
in income of subsidiaries
|
282,192
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(282,192
|
)
|
—
|
||||||||||||
Net income | $ | 235,811 |
$
|
273,394
|
$
|
2,798
|
$
|
(276,192
|
)
|
$
|
235,811
|
62
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidating
Statements of Cash Flows
(in
thousands)
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
Guarantor Subsidiaries |
Beazer
Mortgage
Corp.
(a)
|
Other
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
|
Consolidating
Adjustments |
Consolidated
Beazer
Homes
USA,
Inc.
|
||||||||||||||
Fot
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Net
cash (used)/provided by operating
activities
|
$
|
(62,959
|
)
|
$
|
(168,562
|
)
|
$
|
(83,562
|
)
|
$
|
10,620
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
(304,463
|
)
|
|||
Cash
flows from investing
activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Capital
expenditures
|
—
|
(10,880
|
)
|
(630
|
)
|
(32
|
)
|
—
|
(11,542
|
)
|
|||||||||
Investments
in unconsolidated joint
ventures
|
(3,093
|
)
|
(46,365
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(49,458
|
)
|
||||||||||
Changes
in restricted cash
|
—
|
(4,873
|
)
|
(5,000
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(9,873
|
)
|
||||||||||
Distributions
from and proceeds from sale of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
unconsolidated
joint ventures
|
—
|
4,655
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
4,655
|
|||||||||||||
Net
cash used in investing
activities
|
(3,093
|
)
|
(57,463
|
)
|
(5,630
|
)
|
(32
|
)
|
—
|
(66,218
|
)
|
||||||||
Cash
flows from financing
activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Borrowings
under credit facilities
|
1,634,100
|
—
|
303,428
|
—
|
—
|
1,937,528
|
|||||||||||||
Repayment
of credit facilities
|
(1,634,100
|
)
|
—
|
(208,547
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(1,842,647
|
)
|
||||||||||
Borrowings
under senior and junior notes
payable
|
378,093
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
378,093
|
|||||||||||||
Repayment
of other notes payable
|
—
|
(20,934
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(20,934
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Advances
(to) from subsidiaries
|
(228,594
|
)
|
232,039
|
677
|
(4,122
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||||
Debt
issuance costs
|
(6,274
|
)
|
—
|
(932
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(7,206
|
)
|
||||||||||
Proceeds
from stock option
exercises
|
7,298
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
7,298
|
|||||||||||||
Common
stock redeemed
|
(2,624
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(2,624
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Treasury
stock purchases
|
(205,416
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(205,416
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Tax
benefit from stock
transactions
|
8,205
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
8,205
|
|||||||||||||
Dividends
paid
|
(16,144
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(16,144
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Net
cash provided/(used) by financing
activities
|
(65,456
|
)
|
211,105
|
94,626
|
(4,122
|
)
|
—
|
236,153
|
|||||||||||
(Decrease)/increase
in cash and cash
equivalents
|
(131,508
|
)
|
(14,920
|
)
|
5,434
|
6,466
|
—
|
(134,528
|
)
|
||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of
year
|
386,423
|
(90,238
|
)
|
230
|
683
|
—
|
297,098
|
||||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of
year
|
$
|
254,915
|
$
|
(105,158
|
)
|
$
|
5,664
|
$
|
7,149
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
162,570
|
||||||
For
the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Net
cash (used)/provided by operating
activities
|
$
|
(124,650
|
)
|
$
|
29,390
|
$
|
6,783
|
$
|
4,214
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
(84,263
|
)
|
|||||
Cash
flows from investing
activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Capital
expenditures
|
—
|
(13,089
|
)
|
(359
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(13,448
|
)
|
||||||||||
Investments
in unconsolidated joint
ventures
|
—
|
(40,619
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(40,619
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Distributions
from and proceeds from sale of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
unconsolidated
joint ventures
|
—
|
5,597
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
5,597
|
|||||||||||||
Net
cash used in investing
activities
|
—
|
(48,111
|
)
|
(359
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(48,470
|
)
|
||||||||||
Cash
flows from financing
activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Repayment
of term loan
|
(200,000
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(200,000
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Borrowings
under credit facility
|
439,700
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
439,700
|
|||||||||||||
Repayment
of credit facility
|
(439,700
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(439,700
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Borrowings
under senior and junior notes
payable
|
346,786
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
346,786
|
|||||||||||||
Repayment
of other notes payable
|
—
|
(16,776
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(16,776
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Advances
(to) from subsidiaries
|
(6,764
|
)
|
17,521
|
(6,887
|
)
|
(3,870
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||
Debt
issuance costs
|
(4,958
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(4,958
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Proceeds
from stock option
exercises
|
5,875
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
5,875
|
|||||||||||||
Common
stock redeemed
|
(8,092
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(8,092
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Dividends
paid
|
(13,884
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(13,884
|
)
|
|||||||||||
Net
cash provided/(used) by financing
activities
|
118,963
|
745
|
(6,887
|
)
|
(3,870
|
)
|
—
|
108,951
|
|||||||||||
(Decrease)/increase
in cash and cash
equivalents
|
(5,687
|
)
|
(17,976
|
)
|
(463
|
)
|
344
|
—
|
(23,782
|
)
|
|||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of
year
|
392,110
|
(72,262
|
)
|
693
|
339
|
—
|
320,880
|
||||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of
year
|
$
|
386,423
|
$
|
(90,238
|
)
|
$
|
230
|
$
|
683
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
297,098
|
63
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
Consolidating
Statement of Cash Flows
(in
thousands)
Beazer Homes |
Guarantor Subsidiaries |
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries |
Consolidating
Adjustments |
Consolidated Beazer |
||||||||||||
For
the fiscal year ended September 30,
2004
|
||||||||||||||||
Net
cash provided/(used) by operating activities
|
$
|
12,169
|
$
|
(88,774
|
)
|
$
|
2,886
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
(73,719
|
)
|
||||
Cash
flows from investing activities:
|
||||||||||||||||
Capital
expenditures
|
—
|
(10,271
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(10,271
|
)
|
|||||||||
Investments
in unconsolidated joint ventures
|
—
|
(25,844
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(25,844
|
)
|
|||||||||
Distributions
from and proceeds from sale of
|
||||||||||||||||
unconsolidated
joint ventures
|
—
|
5,639
|
—
|
—
|
5,639
|
|||||||||||
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
—
|
(30,476
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
(30,476
|
)
|
|||||||||
Cash
flows from financing activities:
|
||||||||||||||||
Proceeds
of term loan
|
200,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
200,000
|
|||||||||||
Repayment
of term loan
|
(200,000
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(200,000
|
)
|
|||||||||
Borrowings
under senior and junior notes payable
|
380,000
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
380,000
|
|||||||||||
Advances
(to) from subsidiaries
|
(82,516
|
)
|
87,760
|
(5,244
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
|||||||||
Debt
issuance costs
|
(10,654
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(10,654
|
)
|
|||||||||
Proceeds
from stock option exercises
|
5,362
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
5,362
|
|||||||||||
Treasury
stock purchases
|
(17,546
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(17,546
|
)
|
|||||||||
Dividends
paid
|
(5,459
|
)
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
(5,459
|
)
|
|||||||||
Net
cash provided/(used) by financing activities
|
269,187
|
87,760
|
(5,244
|
)
|
—
|
351,703
|
||||||||||
Increase
(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
281,356
|
(31,490
|
)
|
(2,358
|
)
|
—
|
247,508
|
|||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at beginning of year
|
110,754
|
(40,079
|
)
|
2,697
|
—
|
73,372
|
||||||||||
Cash
and cash equivalents at end of year
|
$
|
392,110
|
$
|
(71,569
|
)
|
$
|
339
|
$
|
—
|
$
|
320,880
|
64
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING
FIRM
To
the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.
We
have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Beazer Homes
USA,
Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of September 30, 2006 and 2005, and the
related consolidated statements of income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows
for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2006. These
consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audits.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that
we plan
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial
statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining,
on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles
used and
significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
In
our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in
all
material respects, the financial position of Beazer Homes USA, Inc. and
subsidiaries as of September 30, 2006 and 2005, and the results of their
operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period
ended
September 30, 2006, in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted
in the United States of America.
As
described in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company
adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123(R), Share
Based Payment, effective October 1, 2005, based on the modified
prospective application transition method.
We
have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the effectiveness of the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2006, based
on the
criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued
by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission
and our
report dated December 8, 2006 expressed an unqualified opinion on management’s
assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting and an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting.
/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP | |||
Atlanta,
Georgia
December
8, 2006
|
65
MANAGEMENT’S
REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER
FINANCIAL
REPORTING
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc.’s management is responsible for establishing and
maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Pursuant
to the
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, internal
control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the
supervision of, the Company’s principal executive and principal financial
officers and effected by Beazer Homes USA, Inc.’s board of directors, management
and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability
of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external
purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and
includes those policies and procedures that:
|
•
|
Pertain
to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail
accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions
of the
assets of the Company;
|
||
|
||||
|
•
|
Provide
reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance
with
generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and
expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance
with
authorizations of management and directors of the Company;
and
|
||
|
||||
|
•
|
Provide
reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of
the Company’s
assets that could have a material effect on the financial
statements.
|
Management
has evaluated the effectiveness of its internal control over
financial reporting as of September 30, 2006 based on the control criteria
established in a report entitled Internal Control - Integrated
Framework, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the
Treadway Commission. Based on such evaluation, we have concluded that the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective as of September
30, 2006.
The
independent registered public accounting firm of Deloitte &
Touche LLP, as auditors of Beazer Homes USA, Inc.’s consolidated financial
statements, has issued an attestation report on management’s assessment of the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting, which report follows
herein.
/s/ Ian J. McCarthy | /s/ James O’Leary | ||
Ian
J. McCarthy
President
and Chief Executive Officer
December
8, 2006
|
James
O’Leary
Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
December
8, 2006
|
||
66
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING
FIRM ON INTERNAL CONTROL
OVER
FINANCIAL REPORTING
To
the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Beazer Homes USA, Inc.:
We
have audited management’s assessment, included in the accompanying Management’s
Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, that Beazer Homes
USA, Inc.
and subsidiaries (the “Company”) maintained effective internal control over
financial reporting as of September 30, 2006, based on criteria established
in
Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company’s management is
responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting
and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management’s
assessment and an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control
over financial reporting based on our audit.
We
conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that
we plan
and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective
internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material
respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control
over
financial reporting, evaluating management’s assessment, testing and evaluating
the design and operating effectiveness of internal control, and performing
such
other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe
that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinions.
A
company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or
under the supervision of, the company’s principal executive and principal
financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected
by the
company’s board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and
the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance
with
generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over
financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain
to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and
fairly
reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company;
(2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as
necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures
of
the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management
and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance
regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use,
or
disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the
financial statements.
Because
of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial
reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management
override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may
not be
prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation
of
the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future
periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate
because
of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies
or
procedures may deteriorate.
In
our opinion, management’s assessment that the Company maintained effective
internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2006, is
fairly
stated, in all material respects, based on the criteria established in
Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Also in our opinion,
the
Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control
over
financial reporting as of September 30, 2006, based on the criteria established
in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
We
have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial
statements as of and for the year ended September 30, 2006 of the Company
and
our report dated December 8, 2006 expressed an unqualified opinion on those
financial statements and included an explanatory paragraph regarding the
adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 123(R), Share Based Payment..
/s/ Deloitte & Touche | |||
Atlanta,
Georgia
December
8, 2006
|
|||
67
Quarterly
Financial Data
Summarized
quarterly financial information (unaudited):
Quarter
Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
(in
thousands, except per share data)
|
December
31
|
|
March
31
|
|
June
30
|
|
September
30
|
||||||||
Fiscal
2006:
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
revenue
|
$
|
1,105,616
|
$
|
1,269,091
|
$
|
1,203,538
|
$
|
1,883,758
|
|||||||
Gross
profit
|
272,830
|
314,495
|
309,307
|
364,053
|
|||||||||||
Operating
income
|
139,752
|
164,702
|
155,895
|
151,326
|
|||||||||||
Net
income
|
89,913
|
104,351
|
102,624
|
91,873
|
|||||||||||
Net
income per common share:
|
|||||||||||||||
Basic
|
$
|
2.20
|
$
|
2.58
|
$
|
2.60
|
$
|
2.39
|
|||||||
Diluted
|
$
|
2.00
|
$
|
2.35
|
$
|
2.37
|
$
|
2.19
|
|||||||
Fiscal
2005:
|
|||||||||||||||
Total
revenue
|
$
|
911,827
|
$
|
976,248
|
$
|
1,293,227
|
$
|
1,814,051
|
|||||||
Gross
profit
|
215,472
|
180,191
|
329,528
|
446,862
|
|||||||||||
Operating
income before goodwill impairment
|
110,878
|
72,121
|
178,637
|
255,517
|
|||||||||||
Goodwill
impairment
|
—
|
130,235
|
(a)
|
—
|
—
|
||||||||||
Operating
income (loss)
|
110,878
|
(58,114
|
) |
(a)
|
178,637
|
255,517
|
|||||||||
Net
income (loss)
|
69,704
|
(84,344
|
) |
(a)
|
112,740
|
164,424
|
|||||||||
Net
income (loss) per common share:
|
|||||||||||||||
Basic
|
$
|
1.73
|
(b)
|
$
|
(2.09
|
) |
(a)
|
$
|
2.78
|
$
|
4.04
|
||||
Diluted
|
$
|
1.57
|
(b)
|
$
|
(2.09
|
) |
(a)
|
$
|
2.50
|
$
|
3.61
|
(a) |
In
March 2005, the Company recognized a $130.2 million non-cash,
non-tax-deductible goodwill impairment charge to write off substantially
all of the goodwill allocated to certain underperforming markets
in
Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and North Carolina. In addition to the
operating
income reported above in accordance with GAAP, the Company has
provided
operating income before goodwill impairment, a non-GAAP financial
measure.
Management believes that this non-GAAP measure is useful to both
management and investors in the analysis of the Company’s financial
performance when comparing it to prior and subsequent periods and
that it
provides investors with an important perspective on the current
underlying
core operating performance of the business by isolating the impact
of the
goodwill impairment charge related to a prior
acquisition.
|
(b) |
Per
share information has been adjusted to give retrospective application
to
the March 2005 three-for-one stock split and for the inclusion
of shares
issuable upon conversion of our Co-Co’s in accordance with EITF 04-08, as
applicable.
|
None.
As
of the
end of the period covered by this report, management, including our Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness
of
the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based
upon,
and as of the date of that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were
effective, in all material respects, to ensure that information required
to be
disclosed in the reports we file and submit under the Exchange Act is recorded,
processed, summarized and reported as and when required. Further, our Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure
controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that information required
to be disclosed in reports filed by us under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934
(the “Exchange Act”), as amended, is accumulated and communicated to management,
including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, in a manner
to allow timely decisions regarding the required disclosure.
68
There
were no significant changes in our internal control over financial reporting
(as
defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) identified
in
connection with the foregoing evaluation that occurred during the quarter
ended
September 30, 2006, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely
to
materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Management’s
report on internal control over financial reporting and the attestation report
of Beazer Homes’ independent registered public accounting firm are included in
Part II, Item 8. “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this
report under the captions entitled “Management’s Report on Internal Control Over
Financial Reporting” and “Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Firm on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting” and are incorporated herein
by this reference.
None.
PART
III
Director
information is incorporated by reference to the section entitled “Election of
Directors” of our Proxy Statement for our 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders,
which is expected to be filed on or before December 27, 2006. Information
regarding our executive officers is set forth herein under Part I as a separate
item.
Beazer
Homes has adopted a Code
of Business Conduct and Ethics for its senior financial officers, which applies
to its principal financial officer and controller, other senior financial
officers and Chief Executive Officer. The full text of the Code of Business
Conduct and Ethics can be found on the Company’s website. Our Corporate
Governance Guidelines and the charters of the following committees of our
Board
of Directors: Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Governance, are also
posted to our website, and are available in print to any stockholder who
requests a printed copy. If at any time there is a waiver of any provision
of
our code of business conduct and ethics, information regarding such waiver
will
be published on our website.
The
information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the section
entitled “Executive Compensation” of our Proxy Statement for our 2007 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders, which is expected to be filed on or before December
27,
2006.
The
information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the section
entitled “Security Ownership of Management” of our Proxy Statement for our 2007
Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is expected to be filed on or before
December 27, 2006.
None.
69
The
information required by this item is incorporated by reference to the section
entitled “Principal Accounting Firm Fees” of our Proxy Statement for our 2007
Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is expected to be filed on or before
December 27, 2006.
PART
IV
The
following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
(a) |
1.
Financial Statements
|
Page
herein
|
|
Consolidated
Statements of Income for the years ended September 30, 2006, 2005
and
2004.
|
37
|
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2006 and 2005.
|
38
|
Consolidated
Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended September 30, 2006,
2005 and 2004.
|
39
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended September 30, 2006,
2005 and
2004.
|
40
|
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
41
|
2.
Financial Statement Schedules
None
required.
3.
Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
|
Exhibit
Description
|
||||||
3.1
|
—
|
Amended
and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company - incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Registration Statement
on Form S-4/A filed on March 12, 2002
|
|||||
3.2
|
—
|
Second
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company - incorporated herein
by
reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended
September 30, 2004 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.1
|
—
|
Indenture
dated as of May 21, 2001 among the Company and U.S. Bank Trust
National
Association, as trustee, related to the Company’s 8 ⅝% Senior Notes due
2011 - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.4 of the Company’s
Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2001 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
4.2
|
—
|
Supplemental
Indenture (8 ⅝% Notes) dated as of May 21, 2001 among the Company, its
subsidiaries party thereto and U.S. Bank Trust National Association,
as
trustee - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.5 of the
Company’s
Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2001 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
4.3
|
—
|
Form
of 8 ⅝% Senior Notes due 2011 - incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.6 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30,
2001 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.4
|
—
|
Specimen
of Common Stock Certificate - incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit
4.1 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 initially filed on
December 6, 1993
|
|||||
4.5
|
—
|
Indenture
dated as of April 17, 2002 among Beazer, the Guarantors party thereto
and
U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as trustee, related to the
Company’s
8 ⅜% Senior Notes due 2012 - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
4.11 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed on July 16,
2002
|
|||||
4.6
|
—
|
First
Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 17, 2002 among Beazer,
the
Guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank Trust National Association,
as
trustee, related to the Company’s 8 ⅜% Senior Notes due 2012 -
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.12 of the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed on July 16,
2002
|
70
4.7
|
—
|
Form
of 8 ⅜% Senior Notes due 2012 - incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.14 of the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed on
July 16, 2002
|
|||||
4.8
|
—
|
Second
Supplemental Indenture dated as of November 13, 2003 among Beazer,
the
Guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank Trust National Association,
as
trustee, related to the Company’s 6 ½% Senior Notes due 2013 -
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.11 of the Company’s Form
10-K for the year ended September 30, 2003 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
4.9
|
—
|
Form
of 6 ½% Senior Notes due 2013 - incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.12 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30,
2003 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.10
|
—
|
|
Indenture
dated as of June 8, 2004 among Beazer, the Guarantors party thereto
and
SunTrust Bank, as trustee, related to the 4 ⅝% Convertible Senior Notes
due 2024 - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the
Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 (File No.
001-12822)
|
||||
4.11
|
—
|
Form
of 4 ⅝% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024 - incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
June 30, 2004 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.12
|
—
|
Form
of 6 ⅞% Senior Notes due 2015 - incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on June 13,
2005
|
|||||
4.13
|
—
|
Form
of Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 8, 2005, by and
among
Beazer, the Subsidiary Guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National
Association, as trustee - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
4.11
of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on June 13, 2005
|
|||||
4.14
|
—
|
Credit
Agreement dated as of January 11, 2006 by and among Beazer Mortgage
Corporation as Borrower, the Lenders party thereto, Guaranty Bank
as
Agent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Syndication Agent and U.S.
Bank
National Association as Documentation Agent - incorporated herein
by
reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on January 17,
2006 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.15
|
—
|
Sixth
Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 9, 2006, to the Trust
Indenture dated as of May 21, 2001 - incorporated herein by reference
to
Exhibit 99.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on January 17, 2006 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
4.16
|
—
|
Seventh
Supplement Indenture, dated as of January 9, 2006, to the Trust
Indenture
dated as of April 17, 2002 - incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit
99.2 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on January 17, 2006 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
4.17
|
—
|
First
Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of March 22, 2006, among
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc., as Borrower, the Lenders Parties Thereto and JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent - incorporated herein
by
reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on March 28,
2006 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.18
|
—
|
Form
of Senior Note due 2016 - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
4.2
of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on June 8, 2006 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
4.19
|
—
|
Form
of Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated June 6, 2006, by and among
Beazer
Homes USA, Inc., the guarantors named therein and UBS Securities
LLC,
Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc., Wachovia
Capital Markets, LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., BNP Paribas
Securities Corp. and Greenwich Capital Markets - incorporated herein
by
reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on June 8, 2006
(File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.20
|
—
|
Form
of Junior Subordinated indenture between Beazer Homes USA, Inc.,
JPMorgan
Chase Bank, National Association, dated June 15, 2006 - incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on June
21, 2006 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
4.21
|
—
|
Form
of the Amended and Restated Trust Agreement among Beazer Homes
USA, Inc.,
JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Chase Bank USA, National
Association and certain individuals named therein as Administrative
Trustees, dated June 15, 2006 - incorporated herein by reference
to
Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on June 21, 2006 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
10.1*
|
—
|
Amended
and Restated 1994 Stock Incentive Plan - incorporated herein by
reference
to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September
30, 2005 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.2*
|
—
|
Non-Employee
Director Stock Option Plan - incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit
10.2 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2001
(File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.3*
|
—
|
Amended
and Restated 1999 Stock Incentive Plan - incorporated herein by
reference
to Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Form S-8 filed on June 17,
2004
|
|||||
10.4*
|
—
|
2005
Value Created Incentive Plan - incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit
10.4 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004
(File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.5*
|
—
|
Amended
and Restated Corporate Management Stock Purchase Program - incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the
year ended September 30, 2004 (File No.
001-12822)
|
71
10.6*
|
—
|
Customer
Survey Incentive Plan - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.6
of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
10.7*
|
—
|
Director
Stock Purchase Program - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.7
of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
10.8*
|
—
|
Form
of Stock Option and Restricted Stock Award Agreement - incorporated
herein
by reference to Exhibit 10.8 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended
September 30, 2004 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.9*
|
—
|
Form
of Stock Option Award Agreement - incorporated herein by reference
to
Exhibit 10.9 of the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30,
2004 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.10-13
|
|
Amended
and Restated Employment Agreements dated as of September 1, 2004
-
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibits 10.01-10.03 and 10.05
of the
Company’s Form 8-K filed on September 1, 2004 (File No. 001-12822),
respectively:
|
|||||
10.10*
|
—
|
Ian
J. McCarthy
|
|||||
10.11*
|
—
|
Michael
H. Furlow
|
|||||
10.12*
|
—
|
James
O’Leary
|
|||||
10.13*
|
—
|
Michael
T. Rand
|
|||||
10.14-19
|
|
Amended
and Restated Supplemental Employment Agreements dated as of February
3,
2006 - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibits 10.1-10.4 ,
10.6 and
10.8 of the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 (File
No. 001-12822), respectively:
|
|||||
10.14*
|
—
|
Ian
J. McCarthy
|
|||||
10.15*
|
—
|
Michael
H. Furlow
|
|||||
10.16*
|
—
|
James
O’Leary
|
|||||
10.17*
|
—
|
Kenneth
J. Gary
|
|||||
10.18*
|
—
|
Cory
J. Boydston
|
|||||
10.19*
|
—
|
Michael
T. Rand
|
|||||
10.20-24
|
|
First
Amendment to Amended and Restated Employment Agreements dated as
of
February 3, 2006 - incorporated herein by reference to Exhibits
10.11-10.14 and 10.16 of the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
March 31, 2006 (File No. 001-12822), respectively:
|
|||||
10.20*
|
—
|
Ian
J. McCarthy
|
|||||
10.21*
|
—
|
Michael
H. Furlow
|
|||||
10.22*
|
—
|
James
O’Leary
|
|||||
10.23*
|
—
|
Kenneth
J. Gary
|
|||||
10.24*
|
—
|
Michael
T. Rand
|
|||||
10.25*
|
—
|
Form
of Performance Shares Award Agreement dated as of February 2, 2006
-
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.18 of the Company’s Form
10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 (File No.
001-12822)
|
|||||
10.26*
|
—
|
Form
of Award Agreement dated as of February 2, 2006 - incorporated
herein by
reference to Exhibit 10.19 of the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2006 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.27*
|
—
|
2005
Executive Value Created Incentive Plan - incorporated herein by
reference
to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on February 9, 2005 (File
No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.28
|
—
|
Purchase
Agreement for Sanford Homes of Colorado LLLP - incorporated herein
by
reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on August 10,
2001 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.29
|
—
|
Credit
Agreement dated as of August 22, 2005 between the Company and JPMorgan
Chase Bank, NA, as Agent, Guaranty Bank, BNP Paribas and Wachovia
Bank,
National Association as Syndication Agents, The Royal Bank of Scotland
plc
as Documentation Agent, SunTrust Bank, Citicorp North America,
Inc. and
Washington Mutual Bank, FA, as Managing Agents, Comerica Bank,
PNC Bank,
National Association and UBS Loan Finance LLC as Co-Agents, and
J.P.
Morgan Securities Inc., as Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner -
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K
filed on August 24, 2005 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
10.30*
|
—
|
Employment
Agreement dated as of March 14, 2005 for Kenneth J. Gary - incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Form 8-K filed on
March 18, 2005 (File No. 001-12822)
|
|||||
21
|
—
|
Subsidiaries
of the Company
|
|||||
23
|
—
|
Consent
of Deloitte & Touche LLP
|
|||||
31.1
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 17 CFR 240.13a-14 promulgated under Section 302 of
the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
|||||
31.2
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 17 CFR 240.13a-14 promulgated under Section 302 of
the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
72
32.1
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section
906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
|||||
32.2
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section
906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
|
*
Represents a management contract or compensatory plan or
arrangement
|
(c) |
Exhibits
|
Reference
is made to Item 15(a)3 above. The following is a list of exhibits, included
in
item 15(a)3 above, that are filed concurrently with this report.
21
|
—
|
Subsidiaries
of the Company
|
23
|
—
|
Consent
of Deloitte & Touche LLP
|
31.1
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 17 CFR 240.13a-14 promulgated under Section 302 of
the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
31.2
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 17 CFR 240.13a-14 promulgated under Section 302 of
the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
32.1
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section
906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
32.2
|
—
|
Certification
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section
906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
|
(d) |
Financial
Statement Schedules
|
Reference
is made to Item 15(a)2 above.
73
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by
the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Beazer Homes USA, Inc.
|
||
|
|
|
By: | /s/ Ian J. McCarthy | |
Name:
Ian J. McCarthy
Title:
President and Chief Executive Officer
Date:
December 8, 2006
|
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has
been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in
the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Brian C. Beazer |
Date | Brian C. Beazer, Director and Non-Executive Chairman of the Board |
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Ian J. McCarthy |
Date |
Ian J. McCarthy, Director, President and Chief
Executive
Officer
(Principal Executive
Officer)
|
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Laurent Alpert |
Date | Laurent Alpert, Director* |
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Katie J. Bayne |
Date | Katie J. Bayne, Director |
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Peter G. Leemputte |
Date | Peter G. Leemputte, Director* |
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Maureen E. O’Connell |
Date | Maureen E. O’Connell, Director* |
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Larry T. Solari |
Date | Larry T. Solari, Director |
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Stephen P. Zelnak |
Date | Stephen P. Zelnak, Jr., Director |
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ James O’Leary |
Date |
James
O’Leary, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal
Financial Officer)
|
December 8, 2006 | By: | /s/ Michael T. Rand |
Date |
Michael
T. Rand, Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal
Accounting Officer)
|
*
Member
of the Company’s Audit Committee
74