HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC - Quarter Report: 2017 April (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended APRIL 30, 2017

OR

Commission file number 1-8551

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)

22-1851059 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

110 West Front Street, P.O. Box 500, Red Bank, NJ  07701 (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

732-747-7800 (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

N/A  (Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year, if Changed Since Last Report)

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 [   ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes [ X ]  No [    ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.   [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes [   ]  No [ X ]

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date. 132,115,251 shares of Class A Common Stock and 15,251,061 shares of Class B Common Stock were outstanding as of June 1, 2017.

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.  

FORM 10-Q  

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In Thousands)

 (1) Derived from the audited balance sheet as of October 31, 2016. See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In Thousands Except Per Share Data)

(Unaudited)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EQUITY

(In Thousands Except Share Amounts)

(Unaudited)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In Thousands)

(Unaudited)

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In Thousands - Unaudited)

(Continued)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - UNAUDITED

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. and Subsidiaries (the “Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) has reportable segments consisting of six Homebuilding segments (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest and West) and the Financial Services segment (see Note 16).

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include our accounts and those of all wholly-owned subsidiaries after elimination of all significant intercompany balances and transactions. 

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2016. In the opinion of management, all adjustments for interim periods presented have been made, which include normal recurring accruals and deferrals necessary for a fair presentation of our condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The preparation of Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and these differences could have a significant impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results which might be expected for a full year. The balance sheet at October 31, 2016 has been derived from the audited Consolidated Financial Statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.

Reclassifications

In November 2016, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-03, “Interest - Imputation of Interest,” which changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in the balance sheet from an asset to a direct reduction of the carrying amount of the related debt. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the reclassification of applicable unamortized debt issuance costs from “Prepaid expenses and other assets” of $24.5 million to “Nonrecourse mortgages secured by inventory” of $1.3 million, “Liabilities from inventory not owned” of $3.0 million and “Notes payable and term loan” of $20.2 million (as discussed in Note 11) on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. We applied the new guidance retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements to conform to the fiscal 2017 presentation. Additionally, in November 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-15 “Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30)” (“ASU 2015-15”), which was issued as a follow-up to ASU 2015-03. ASU 2015-15 allows an entity to defer and present debt issuance costs for line-of-credit arrangements as an asset and subsequently amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. Therefore, there was no change to the presentation of our “Revolving credit facility” on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets for any of the periods presented.

The Company had total stock-based compensation expense of $1.0 million and $1.5 million ($0.9 million and $1.4 million net of tax) for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017, respectively, and stock-based compensation income of $0.7 million and expense of $0.8 million ($0.7 million net of tax) for the three and six months ended April 30, 2016, respectively. Included in total stock-based compensation for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017 was the vesting of stock options of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. Included in total stock based compensation for the three and six months ended April 30, 2016 was income of $2.1 million for previously recognized expense of certain performance based stock option grants for which the performance metrics were no longer expected to be satisfied. This income was slightly offset by the vesting of stock options of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, during the three and six months ended April 30, 2016.

Interest costs incurred, expensed and capitalized were:

We record impairment losses on inventories related to communities under development and held for future development when events and circumstances indicate that they may be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their related carrying amounts. If the expected undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount, then the community is written down to its fair value. We estimate the fair value of each impaired community by determining the present value of the estimated future cash flows at a discount rate commensurate with the risk of the respective community. For the six months ended April 30, 2017, our discount rate used for the impairments recorded ranged from 18.3% to 19.8%. For the six months ended April 30, 2016, our discount rate used for the impairments recorded ranged from 16.8% to 18.5%. No discount rate was used for communities impaired on land held for sale and purchase offer prices were used to determine the fair value of such communities. Should the estimates or expectations used in determining cash flows or fair value decrease or differ from current estimates in the future, we may need to recognize additional impairments. 

During the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, we evaluated inventories of all 381 and 478 communities under development and held for future development or sale, respectively, for impairment indicators through preparation and review of detailed budgets or other market indicators of impairment. We performed detailed impairment calculations during the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016 for nine and 20 of those communities (i.e., those with a projected operating loss or other impairment indicators), respectively, with an aggregate carrying value of $66.9 million and $89.0 million, respectively. Of those communities tested for impairment during the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, three and nine communities with an aggregate carrying value of $45.8 million and $43.5 million, respectively, had undiscounted future cash flows that exceeded the carrying amount by less than 20%. As a result of our impairment analysis, we recorded aggregate impairment losses of $1.5 million and $4.2 million, in one and six communities, respectively, with an aggregate pre-impairment values of $8.5 million and $21.1 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017, respectively, and recorded aggregate impairment losses of $5.4 million and $15.1 million, in four and ten communities, respectively, with an aggregate pre-impairment values of $16.7 million and $45.4 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended April 30, 2016, respectively, which are included in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations on the line entitled “Homebuilding: Inventory impairment loss and land option write-offs” and deducted from inventory. Impairments decreased for the six months ended April 30, 2017 compared to the same period of the prior year as the impairments recorded for the six months ended April 30, 2016 were mainly for land held for sale in the Midwest and Northeast. The pre-impairment value represents the carrying value, net of prior period impairments, if any, at the time of recording the impairment.

The Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations line entitled “Homebuilding: Inventory impairment loss and land option write-offs” also includes write-offs of options and approval, engineering and capitalized interest costs that we record when we redesign communities and/or abandon certain engineering costs and we do not exercise options in various locations because the communities' pro forma profitability is not projected to produce adequate returns on investment commensurate with the risk. Total aggregate write-offs related to these items were $0.4 million and $4.3 million for the three months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $0.9 million and $6.3 million for the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Such write-offs were primarily located in our Southeast segment for the first half of fiscal 2017 and in all of our segments for the first half of fiscal 2016. Occasionally, these write-offs are offset by recovered deposits (sometimes through legal action) that had been written off in a prior period as walk-away costs. Historically, these recoveries have not been significant in comparison to the total costs written off. The number of lots walked away from during the three months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016 were 478 and 2,263, respectively, and were 1,539 and 3,519 during the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

We decide to mothball (or stop development on) certain communities when we determine that the current performance does not justify further investment at the time. When we decide to mothball a community, the inventory is reclassified on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets from “Sold and unsold homes and lots under development” to “Land and land options held for future development or sale.” During the first half of fiscal 2017, we did not mothball any additional communities, but we sold two previously mothballed communities and re-activated two previously mothballed communities. As of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, the net book value associated with our 25 and 29 total mothballed communities was $66.0 million and $74.4 million, respectively, which was net of impairment charges recorded in prior periods of $239.9 million and $296.3 million, respectively.

From time to time we enter into option agreements that include specific performance requirements, whereby we are required to purchase a minimum number of lots. Because of our obligation to purchase these lots, for accounting purposes in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 360-20-40-38, we are required to record this inventory on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, we had no specific performance options.

We sell and lease back certain of our model homes with the right to participate in the potential profit when each home is sold to a third party at the end of the respective lease. As a result of our continued involvement, for accounting purposes in accordance with ASC 360-20-40-38, these sale and leaseback transactions are considered a financing rather than a sale. Therefore, for purposes of our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, at April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, inventory of $76.5 million and $79.2 million, respectively, was recorded to “Consolidated inventory not owned,” with a corresponding amount of $68.1 million and $69.7 million (net of debt issuance costs), respectively, recorded to “Liabilities from inventory not owned” for the amount of net cash received from the transactions.

We have land banking arrangements, whereby we sell our land parcels to the land bankers and they provide us an option to purchase back finished lots on a predetermined basis. Because of our options to repurchase these parcels, for accounting purposes, in accordance with ASC 360-20-40-38, these transactions are considered a financing rather than a sale. For purposes of our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, at April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, inventory of $78.1 million and $129.5 million, respectively, was recorded as “Consolidated inventory not owned,” with a corresponding amount of $48.6 million and $80.5 million (net of debt issuance costs), respectively, recorded to “Liabilities from inventory not owned” for the amount of net cash received from the transactions.

The Company enters into land and lot option purchase contracts to procure land or lots for the construction of homes. Under these contracts, the Company will fund a stated deposit in consideration for the right, but not the obligation, to purchase land or lots at a future point in time with predetermined terms. Under the terms of the option purchase contracts, many of the option deposits are not refundable at the Company's discretion. Under the requirements of ASC 810, certain option purchase contracts may result in the creation of a variable interest in the entity (“VIE”) that owns the land parcel under option.

In compliance with ASC 810, the Company analyzes its option purchase contracts to determine whether the corresponding land sellers are VIEs and, if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary. Although the Company does not have legal title to the underlying land, ASC 810 requires the Company to consolidate a VIE if the Company is determined to be the primary beneficiary. In determining whether it is the primary beneficiary, the Company considers, among other things, whether it has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance. Such activities would include, among other things, determining or limiting the scope or purpose of the VIE, selling or transferring property owned or controlled by the VIE, or arranging financing for the VIE. The Company also considers whether it has the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE. As a result of its analyses, the Company determined that as of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, it was not the primary beneficiary of any VIEs from which it is purchasing land under option purchase contracts.

We will continue to secure land and lots using options, some of which are with VIEs. Including deposits on our unconsolidated VIEs, at April 30, 2017, we had total cash deposits amounting to $52.9 million to purchase land and lots with a total purchase price of $980.8 million. The maximum exposure to loss with respect to our land and lot options is limited to the deposits plus any pre-development costs invested in the property, although some deposits are refundable at our request or refundable if certain conditions are not met.

General liability insurance for homebuilding companies and their suppliers and subcontractors is very difficult to obtain. The availability of general liability insurance is limited due to a decreased number of insurance companies willing to underwrite for the industry. In addition, those few insurers willing to underwrite liability insurance have significantly increased the premium costs. To date, we have been able to obtain general liability insurance but at higher premium costs with higher deductibles. Our subcontractors and suppliers have advised us that they have also had difficulty obtaining insurance that also provides us coverage. As a result, we have an owner controlled insurance program for certain of our subcontractors whereby the subcontractors pay us an insurance premium (through a reduction of amounts we would otherwise owe such subcontractors for their work on our homes) based on the risk type of the trade. We absorb the liability associated with their work on our homes as part of our overall general liability insurance at no additional cost to us because our existing general liability and construction defect insurance policy and related reserves for amounts under our deductible covers construction defects regardless of whether we or our subcontractors are responsible for the defect. For the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, we received $1.8 million and $2.0 million, respectively, from subcontractors related to the owner controlled insurance program, which we accounted for as a reduction to inventory.

We accrue for warranty costs that are covered under our existing general liability and construction defect policy as part of our general liability insurance deductible. This accrual is expensed as selling, general and administrative costs. For homes delivered in fiscal 2017 and 2016, our deductible under our general liability insurance is a $20 million aggregate for construction defect and warranty claims. For bodily injury claims, our deductible per occurrence in fiscal 2017 and 2016 is $0.25 million, up to a $5 million limit. Our aggregate retention in fiscal 2017 and 2016 is $21 million for construction defect, warranty and bodily injury claims. In addition, we establish a warranty accrual for lower cost related issues to cover home repairs, community amenities and land development infrastructure that are not covered under our general liability and construction defect policy. We accrue an estimate for these warranty costs as part of cost of sales at the time each home is closed and title and possession have been transferred to the homebuyer. Additions and charges in the warranty reserve and general liability reserve for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016 were as follows:

Warranty accruals are based upon historical experience. We engage a third-party actuary that uses our historical warranty and construction defect data to assist our management in estimating our unpaid claims, claim adjustment expenses and incurred but not reported claims reserves for the risks that we are assuming under the general liability and construction defect programs. The estimates include provisions for inflation, claims handling and legal fees.

Insurance claims paid by our insurance carriers, excluding insurance deductibles paid, were $0.2 million and $0.5 million for the three months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $0.2 million and $3.7 million for the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, for prior year deliveries. During the first half of fiscal 2016, we settled two construction defect claims relating to the Northeast segment which made up the majority of the payments. 

We are involved in litigation arising in the ordinary course of business, none of which is expected to have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows, and we are subject to extensive and complex laws and regulations that affect the development of land and home building, sales and customer financing processes, including zoning, density, building standards and mortgage financing. These laws and regulations often provide broad discretion to the administering governmental authorities. This can delay or increase the cost of development or homebuilding.

We also are subject to a variety of local, state, federal and foreign laws and regulations concerning protection of health and the environment, including those regulating the emission or discharge of materials into the environment, the management of stormwater runoff at construction sites, the handling, use, storage and disposal of hazardous substances, impacts to wetlands and other sensitive environments, and the remediation of contamination at properties that we have owned or developed or currently own or are developing (“environmental laws”). The particular environmental laws that apply to any given community vary greatly according to the community site, the site’s environmental conditions and the present and former uses of the site. These environmental laws may result in delays, may cause us to incur substantial compliance, remediation and/or other costs, and can prohibit or severely restrict development and homebuilding activity. In addition, noncompliance with these laws and regulations could result in fines and penalties, obligations to remediate, permit revocations or other sanctions; and contamination or other environmental conditions at or in the vicinity of our developments may result in claims against us for personal injury, property damage or other losses.

In March 2013, we received a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) requesting information about our involvement in a housing redevelopment project in Newark, New Jersey that a Company entity undertook during the 1990s. We understand that the development is in the vicinity of a former lead smelter and that recent tests on soil samples from properties within the development conducted by the EPA show elevated levels of lead. We also understand that the smelter ceased operations many years before the Company entity involved acquired the properties in the area and carried out the re-development project. We responded to the EPA’s request. In August 2013, we were notified that the EPA considers us a potentially responsible party (or “PRP”) with respect to the site, that the EPA will clean up the site, and that the EPA is proposing that we fund and/or contribute towards the cleanup of the contamination at the site. We began preliminary discussions with the EPA concerning a possible resolution but do not know the scope or extent of the Company’s obligations, if any, that may arise from the site and therefore cannot provide any assurance that this matter will not have a material impact on the Company. The EPA requested additional information in April 2014 and again in March 2017 and the Company has responded to its information requests.

The Grandview at Riverwalk Port Imperial Condominium Association, Inc. filed a construction defect lawsuit against the Company and several of its affiliates, including K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal II, LLC, K. Hovnanian Construction Management, Inc., K. Hovnanian Companies, LLC, K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., K. Hovnanian North East, Inc. aka and/or dba K. Hovnanian Companies North East, Inc., K. Hovnanian Construction II, Inc., K. Hovnanian Cooperative, Inc., K. Hovnanian Development of New Jersey, Inc., and K. Hovnanian Holdings NJ LLC, as well as the project architect, the geotechnical engineers and various construction contractors for the project alleging various construction defects, design defects and geotechnical issues totaling approximately $41.3 million.  The lawsuit included claims against the geotechnical engineers for differential soil settlement under the building, against the architects for failing to design the correct type of structure allowable under the New Jersey Building Code, and against the Hovnanian developer entity (K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal II, LLC ) alleging that it: (1) had knowledge of and failed to disclose the improper building classification to unit purchasers and was therefore liable for treble damages under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act; and (2) breached an express warranty set forth in the Public Offering Statements that the common elements at the building were fit for their intended purpose.  The Plaintiff further alleged that the Company, K. Hovnanian Holdings NJ, LLC, K. Hovnanian Development of New Jersey, Inc., and K. Hovnanian Developments of New Jersey II, Inc. were  jointly liable for any damages owed by the Hovnanian development entity under a veil piercing theory. 

The parties reached a settlement on the construction defect issues prior to trial, but attempts to settle the subsidence, building classification issue and Consumer Fraud Act claims were unsuccessful.  The trial commenced on April 17, 2017 in Hudson County, New Jersey.  In the third week of the trial, all of the Hovnanian defendants resolved the geotechnical claims for an amount immaterial to the Company, but the balance of the case continued to be tried before the jury.  On June 1, 2017, the jury rendered a verdict against K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal II, LLC  on the breach of warranty and New Jersey Consumer Fraud claims in the total amount of $3 million, which resulted in a total verdict of $9 million against that entity due to statutory trebling, plus a to-be-determined portion of Plaintiff's counsel fees, per the statute.  The jury also found in favor of Plaintiff on its veil piercing theory.  In the next several months, after the issue is briefed by the parties, the trial judge will determine which of the parent entities of K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal II, LLC, including the ultimate parent, Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., are jointly liable under a veil piercing theory for the damages awarded against K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal II, LLC.  Also in the next several months, the trial judge will be hearing the Hovnanian defendants' motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict or a new trial, as well as the Hovnanian defendants' motion for contractual indemnification against the project architect.  Once these motions are decided, the relevant Hovnanian defendants plan on appealing any remaining adverse portions of the verdict.  With respect to this case, depending on the rulings of the judge and the outcome of any appeals, the range of loss is between $0 and $9 million plus the to-be-determined attorneys' fees.  Management believes that a loss is probable and reasonably estimable and that the Company has reserved for its estimated probable loss amount in its construction defect reserves. However, our assessment of the probable loss may differ from the ultimate resolution of this matter.

The Condominium Association of a second condominium project located nearby the Grandview at Riverwalk Port Imperial Condominium project also initiated a lawsuit against the Company and several of its affiliates, including K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial Urban Renewal III, LLC, K. Hovnanian Homes, K. Hovnanian Shore Acquisitions, LLC, K. Hovnanian Construction Management, Inc., K. Hovnanian Companies, LLC, K. Hovnanian Northeast, Inc., K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., K. Hovnanian Construction III, Inc., K. Hovnanian Cooperative, Inc., and K. Hovnanian Investments, LLC,  as well as other design professionals and contractors asserting similar claims for construction defects, design defects and geotechnical issues  Plaintiff in this case asserts damages of approximately $70 million, which amount is potentially subject to treble damages.  Discovery is ongoing in this matter, and the trial is scheduled for January 2018.  The Hovnanian defendants intend to defend these claims vigorously.  With respect to this case, it is not yet possible to determine if a loss is probable or reasonably estimable.

We anticipate that increasingly stringent requirements will be imposed on developers and homebuilders in the future. Although we cannot reliably predict the extent of any effect these requirements may have on us, they could result in time-consuming and expensive compliance programs and in substantial expenditures, which could cause delays and increase our cost of operations. In addition, our ability to obtain or renew permits or approvals and the continued effectiveness of permits already granted or approvals already obtained is dependent upon many factors, some of which are beyond our control, such as changes in policies, rules and regulations and their interpretations and application.

Cash represents cash deposited in checking accounts. Cash equivalents include certificates of deposit, Treasury bills and government money market funds with maturities of 90 days or less when purchased. Our cash balances are held at a few financial institutions and may, at times, exceed insurable amounts. We believe we help to mitigate this risk by depositing our cash in major financial institutions. At April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, $6.7 million and $9.4 million, respectively, of the total cash and cash equivalents was in cash equivalents, the book value of which approximates fair value.

Restricted cash and cash equivalents on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets totaled $24.7 million and $22.9 million as of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively, which includes cash collateralizing our letter of credit agreements and facilities as discussed in Note 10. Also included in this balance were (1) homebuilding and financial services customers’ deposits of $0.1 million and $20.9 million at April 30, 2017, respectively, and $2.2 million and $15.1 million as of October 31, 2016, respectively, which are restricted from use by us, and (2) $2.0 million of restricted cash at April 30, 2017 and $3.9 million at October 31, 2016 under the terms of our mortgage warehouse lines of credit.

Total Homebuilding Customers’ deposits are shown as a liability on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. These liabilities are significantly more than the applicable periods’ restricted cash balances because in some states, the deposits are not restricted from use and, in other states, we are able to release the majority of these customer deposits to cash by pledging letters of credit and surety bonds.

Our mortgage banking subsidiary originates mortgage loans, primarily from the sale of our homes. Such mortgage loans are sold in the secondary mortgage market within a short period of time of origination. Mortgage loans held for sale consist primarily of single-family residential loans collateralized by the underlying property. We have elected the fair value option to record loans held for sale and therefore these loans are recorded at fair value with the changes in the value recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations in “Revenues: Financial services.” We currently use forward sales of mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), interest rate commitments from borrowers and mandatory and/or best efforts forward commitments to sell loans to third-party purchasers to protect us from interest rate fluctuations. These short-term instruments, which do not require any payments to be made to the counterparty or purchaser in connection with the execution of the commitments, are recorded at fair value. Gains and losses on changes in the fair value are recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations in “Revenues: Financial services.”

At April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, $72.0 million and $147.4 million, respectively, of mortgages held for sale were pledged against our mortgage warehouse lines of credit (see Note 10). We may incur losses with respect to mortgages that were previously sold that are delinquent and which had underwriting defects, but only to the extent the losses are not covered by mortgage insurance or the resale value of the home. The reserves for these estimated losses are included in the “Financial services – Accounts payable and other liabilities” balances on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of April 30, 2017 and 2016, we had reserves specifically for 94 and 132 identified mortgage loans, respectively, as well as reserves for an estimate for future losses on mortgages sold but not yet identified to us.

The activity in our loan origination reserves during the three and six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016 was as follows:

We had nonrecourse mortgage loans for certain communities totaling $66.4 million and $82.1 million (net of debt issuance costs) at April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively, which are secured by the related real property, including any improvements, with an aggregate book value of $192.7 million and $201.8 million, respectively. The weighted-average interest rate on these obligations was 5.1% and 4.9% at April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively, and the mortgage loan payments on each community primarily correspond to home deliveries. We also had nonrecourse mortgage loans on our corporate headquarters totaling $13.7 million and $14.3 million at April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively. These loans had a weighted-average interest rate of 8.8% at both April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively. As of April 30, 2017, these loans had installment obligations with annual principal maturities in the years ending October 31 of: $0.7 million in 2017, $1.4 million in 2018, $1.5 million in 2019, $1.7 million in 2020, $1.8 million in 2021 and $6.6 million after 2021.

In June 2013, K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (“K. Hovnanian”), as borrower, and we and certain of our subsidiaries, as guarantors, entered into a five-year, $75.0 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the “Credit Facility”) with Citicorp USA, Inc., as administrative agent and issuing bank, and Citibank, N.A., as a lender. The Credit Facility is available for both letters of credit and general corporate purposes. The Credit Facility does not contain any financial maintenance covenants, but does contain certain restrictive covenants that track those contained in our indenture governing the 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019, which are described in Note 11. The Credit Facility also contains certain customary events of default which would permit the administrative agent at the request of the required lenders to, among other things, declare all loans then outstanding to be immediately due and payable if such default is not cured within applicable grace periods, including the failure to make timely payments of amounts payable under the Credit Facility or other material indebtedness or the acceleration of other material indebtedness, the failure to comply with agreements and covenants or for representations or warranties to be correct in all material respects when made, specified events of bankruptcy and insolvency, and the entry of a material judgment against a loan party. Outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility accrue interest at an annual rate equal to either, as selected by K. Hovnanian, (i) the alternate base rate plus the applicable spread determined on the date of such borrowing or (ii) an adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) rate plus the applicable spread determined as of the date two business days prior to the first day of the interest period for such borrowing. As of April 30, 2017 there were $52.0 million of borrowings and $15.4 million of letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Facility. As of October 31, 2016, there were $52.0 million of borrowings and $17.9 million of letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Facility. As of April 30, 2017, we believe we were in compliance with the covenants under the Credit Facility.

In addition to the Credit Facility, we have certain stand–alone cash collateralized letter of credit agreements and facilities under which there was a total of $1.7 million letters of credit outstanding at both April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively. These agreements and facilities require us to maintain specified amounts of cash as collateral in segregated accounts to support the letters of credit issued thereunder, which will affect the amount of cash we have available for other uses. As of both April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, the amount of cash collateral in these segregated accounts was $1.7 million, which is reflected in “Restricted cash and cash equivalents” on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Our wholly owned mortgage banking subsidiary, K. Hovnanian American Mortgage, LLC (“K. Hovnanian Mortgage”), originates mortgage loans primarily from the sale of our homes. Such mortgage loans and related servicing rights are sold in the secondary mortgage market within a short period of time. In certain instances, we retain the servicing rights for a small amount of loans. Our secured Master Repurchase Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“Chase Master Repurchase Agreement”), which was amended on January 31, 2017 to extend the maturity to January 30, 2018, is a short-term borrowing facility that provides up to $50.0 million through maturity. The loan is secured by the mortgages held for sale and is repaid when we sell the underlying mortgage loans to permanent investors. Interest is payable monthly on outstanding advances at an adjusted LIBOR rate, which was 1.0% at April 30, 2017, plus the applicable margin of 2.5% or 2.63% based upon type of loan. As of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, the aggregate principal amount of all borrowings outstanding under the Chase Master Repurchase Agreement was $27.8 million and $44.1 million, respectively.

K. Hovnanian Mortgage has another secured Master Repurchase Agreement with Customers Bank (“Customers Master Repurchase Agreement”), which was amended on February 17, 2017, that is a short-term borrowing facility that provides up to $50.0 million through its maturity on February 16, 2018. The loan is secured by the mortgages held for sale and is repaid when we sell the underlying mortgage loans to permanent investors. Interest is payable daily or as loans are sold to permanent investors on outstanding advances at the current LIBOR rate, plus the applicable margin ranging from 2.5% to 5.25% based on the type of loan and the number of days outstanding on the warehouse line. As of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, the aggregate principal amount of all borrowings outstanding under the Customers Master Repurchase Agreement was $27.8 million and $38.8 million, respectively.

K. Hovnanian Mortgage had a third secured Master Repurchase Agreement with Credit Suisse First Boston Mortgage Capital LLC which was a short-term borrowing facility that provided up to $50.0 million through its maturity on February 21, 2017. The facility was not renewed after maturity, therfore there were no outstanding borrowings thereunder as of April 30, 2017. As of October 31, 2016 the aggregate principal amount of all borrowings outstanding was $32.9 million.

K. Hovnanian Mortgage also has a secured Master Repurchase Agreement with Comerica Bank (“Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement”), which was amended on December 23, 2016 to extend the maturity date to December 22, 2017. The Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement is a short-term borrowing facility that provides up to $50.0 million through maturity. The loan is secured by the mortgages held for sale and is repaid when we sell the underlying mortgage loans to permanent investors. Interest is payable monthly at the current LIBOR rate, subject to a floor of 0.25%, plus the applicable margin of 2.5%. As of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, the aggregate principal amount of all borrowings outstanding under the Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement was $14.5 million and $29.8 million, respectively.

The Chase Master Repurchase Agreement, Customers Master Repurchase Agreement and Comerica Master Repurchase Agreement (together, the “Master Repurchase Agreements”) require K. Hovnanian Mortgage to satisfy and maintain specified financial ratios and other financial condition tests. Because of the extremely short period of time mortgages are held by K. Hovnanian Mortgage before the mortgages are sold to investors (generally a period of a few weeks), the immateriality to us on a consolidated basis of the size of the Master Repurchase Agreements, the levels required by these financial covenants, our ability based on our immediately available resources to contribute sufficient capital to cure any default, were such conditions to occur, and our right to cure any conditions of default based on the terms of the applicable agreement, we do not consider any of these covenants to be substantive or material. As of April 30, 2017, we believe we were in compliance with the covenants under the Master Repurchase Agreements.

Senior Notes and Term Loan balances as of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, were as follows:

(1) “Notes payable and term loan” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016 consists of the total senior secured, senior, senior amortizing and senior exchangeable notes and senior secured term loan shown above, as well as accrued interest of $31.1 million and $32.4 million, respectively.

(2) As discussed in Note 1, we adopted ASU 2015-03 in November 2016. We applied the new guidance retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements to conform to the fiscal 2017 presentation. As a result, $20.2 million of debt issuance costs at October 31, 2016, were reclassified from prepaids and other assets to a reduction in our senior secured term loan, senior secured, senior, senior amortizing and senior exchangeable notes. Debt issuance costs at April 30, 2017 were $17.8 million.

General

Except for K. Hovnanian, the issuer of the notes, our home mortgage subsidiaries, joint ventures and subsidiaries holding interests in our joint ventures and certain of our title insurance subsidiaries, we and each of our subsidiaries are guarantors of the senior secured term loan and senior secured, senior, senior amortizing and senior exchangeable notes outstanding at April 30, 2017 (collectively, the “Notes Guarantors”). In addition to the Notes Guarantors, the 5.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 (the “5.0% 2021 Notes”), the 2.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2021 (the “2.0% 2021 Notes” and together with the 5.0% 2021 Notes, the “2021 Notes”) and the 9.5% Senior Secured Notes due 2020 (collectively with the 2021 Notes, the “JV Holdings Secured Group Notes”) are guaranteed by K. Hovnanian JV Holdings, L.L.C. and its subsidiaries except for certain joint ventures and joint venture holding companies (collectively, the “JV Holdings Secured Group”). Members of the JV Holdings Secured Group do not guarantee K. Hovnanian's other indebtedness.  

The Term Loan Credit Agreement (defined below) and the indentures governing the notes outstanding at April 30, 2017 do not contain any financial maintenance covenants, but do contain restrictive covenants that limit, among other things, the Company’s ability and that of certain of its subsidiaries, including K. Hovnanian, to incur additional indebtedness (other than certain permitted indebtedness and refinancing indebtedness, under the Term Loan and certain of the senior secured notes, any new or refinancing indebtedness may not be scheduled to mature earlier than January 15, 2021 (so long as no member of the JV Holdings Secured Group is an obligor thereon), or February 15, 2021 (if otherwise), and nonrecourse indebtedness), pay dividends and make distributions on common and preferred stock, repurchase subordinated indebtedness (with respect to the Term Loan and certain of the senior secured and senior notes) and common and preferred stock, make other restricted payments, make investments, sell certain assets (including in certain land banking transactions), incur liens, consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all assets and enter into certain transactions with affiliates. The Term Loan Credit Agreement and the indentures also contain events of default which would permit the lenders/holders thereof to exercise remedies with respect to the collateral (as applicable), declare the loans made under the Term Loan Facility (defined below) (the “Term Loans”)/notes to be immediately due and payable if not cured within applicable grace periods, including the failure to make timely payments on the Term Loans/notes or other material indebtedness, cross default to other material indebtedness, the failure to comply with agreements and covenants and specified events of bankruptcy and insolvency, with respect to the Term Loans, material inaccuracy of representations and warranties and a change of control, and, with respect to the indentures governing the Term Loans and senior secured notes, the failure of the documents granting security for the Term Loans and senior secured notes to be in full force and effect, and the failure of the liens on any material portion of the collateral securing the Term Loans and senior secured notes to be valid and perfected. As of April 30, 2017, we believe we were in compliance with the covenants of the Term Loan Facility and the indentures governing our outstanding notes.

Under the terms of our debt agreements, we have the right to make certain redemptions and prepayments and, depending on market conditions and covenant restrictions, may do so from time to time. We also continue to evaluate our capital structure and may also continue to make debt purchases and/or exchanges for debt or equity from time to time through tender offers, open market purchases, private transactions, or otherwise, or seek to raise additional debt or equity capital, depending on market conditions and covenant restrictions.

If our consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio, as defined in the agreements governing our debt instruments (other than the senior exchangeable notes discussed below), is less than 2.0 to 1.0, we are restricted from making certain payments, including dividends, and from incurring indebtedness other than certain permitted indebtedness, refinancing indebtedness and nonrecourse indebtedness. As a result of this ratio restriction, we are currently restricted from paying dividends, which are not cumulative, on our 7.625% Series A Preferred Stock. We anticipate that we will continue to be restricted from paying dividends for the foreseeable future. Our inability to pay dividends is in accordance with covenant restrictions and will not result in a default under our debt instruments or otherwise affect compliance with any of the covenants contained in our debt instruments.

As a result of our evaluation of our geographic operating footprint as it relates to our strategic objectives, we decided to exit the Minneapolis, MN and Raleigh, NC markets, and in the third quarter of fiscal 2016, we completed the sale of our land portfolios in those markets. We have also decided to wind down our operations in the San Francisco Bay area in Northern California and in Tampa, FL by building and delivering homes to sell through our existing land position.

Any other liquidity-enhancing transaction will depend on identifying counterparties, negotiation of documentation and applicable closing conditions and any required approvals. Due to covenant restrictions in our debt instruments, we are currently limited in the amount of debt we can incur that does not qualify as refinancing indebtedness with certain maturity requirements as discussed above (a limitation that we expect to continue for the foreseeable future), even if market conditions would otherwise be favorable, which could also impact our ability to grow our business. 

Fiscal 2017

During the six months ended April 30, 2017, we repurchased in open market transactions $17.5 million aggregate principal amount of 7.0% Senior Notes due 2019, $14.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019 and 6,925 Units (defined below under "Units") representing $6.9 million stated amount of Units. The aggregate purchase price for these transactions was $30.8 million, plus accrued and unpaid interest. These transactions resulted in a gain on extinguishment of debt of $7.8 million, which is included as “(Loss) gain on Extinguishment of Debt” on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations. This gain was slightly offset by $0.4 million of costs associated with the 9.5% Secured Notes (defined below) issued during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016.

Secured Obligations

Our $75.0 million senior secured term loan facility (the “Term Loan Facility”) has a maturity of August 1, 2019 (provided that if any of K. Hovnanian’s 7.0% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “7.0% Notes”) remain outstanding on October 15, 2018, the maturity date of the Term Loan Facility will be October 15, 2018, or if any refinancing indebtedness with respect to the 7.0% Notes has a maturity date prior to January 15, 2021, the maturity date of the Term Loan Facility will be October 15, 2018) and bears interest at a rate equal to LIBOR plus an applicable margin of 7.0% or, at K. Hovnanian’s option, a base rate plus an applicable margin of 6.0%, payable monthly. At any time from and after September 8, 2018, K. Hovnanian may voluntarily repay outstanding Term Loans, provided that voluntary prepayments of Eurodollar loans made on a date other than the last day of an interest period applicable thereto are subject to customary breakage costs and voluntary prepayments made prior to February 1, 2019 are subject to a premium equal to 1.0% of the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loans so prepaid (any prepayment of the Term Loans made on or after February 1, 2019 are without any prepayment premium).

Our 10.0% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes (the “10.0% Second Lien Notes”) have a maturity of October 15, 2018, and bear interest at a rate of 10.0% per annum, payable semi-annually on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing February 15, 2017, to holders of record at the close of business on February 1 and August 1, as the case may be, immediately preceding such interest payment dates. The 10.0% Second Lien Notes are redeemable in whole or in part at our option at any time prior to July 15, 2018 at 100% of their principal amount plus an applicable “Make-Whole Amount.” At any time and from time to time on or after July 15, 2018, K. Hovnanian may also redeem some or all of the 10.0% Second Lien Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of their principal amount. In addition, we may also redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 10.0% Second Lien Notes prior to July 15, 2018 with the net cash proceeds from certain equity offerings at 110.00% of principal.

Our 9.5% Senior Secured Notes (the “9.5% Secured Notes”) have a maturity of November 15, 2020, and bear interest at a rate of 9.50% per annum, payable semi-annually on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing February 15, 2017, to holders of record at the close of business on February 1 and August 1, as the case may be, immediately preceding such interest payment dates. The 9.5% Notes are redeemable in whole or in part at our option at any time prior to November 15, 2018 at 100% of their principal amount plus an applicable “Make-Whole Amount.” At any time and from time to time on or after November 15, 2018, K. Hovnanian may also redeem some or all of the 9.5% Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of their principal amount. In addition, we may also redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 9.5% Notes prior to November 15, 2018 with the net cash proceeds from certain equity offerings at 109.50% of principal.

All of K. Hovnanian’s obligations under the Term Loan Facility and the 10.0% Second Lien Notes are guaranteed by the Notes Guarantors. The Term Loan Facility and the guarantees thereof are secured on a first lien super priority basis relative to K. Hovnanian’s First Lien Notes (defined below), the 9.125% Second Lien Notes (defined below) and the 10.0% Second Lien Notes, and the 10.0% Second Lien Notes and the guarantees thereof are secured on a pari passu second lien basis with K. Hovnanian’s 9.125% Second Lien Notes, by substantially all of the assets owned by K. Hovnanian and the Notes Guarantors, in each case subject to permitted liens and certain exceptions. The 9.5% Notes are guaranteed by the Notes Guarantors and the members of the JV Holdings Secured Group. The 9.5% Notes are secured on a pari passu first lien basis with K. Hovnanian’s 2021 Notes, by substantially all of the assets of the members of the JV Holdings Secured Group, subject to permitted liens and certain exceptions.

The 5.0% 2021 Notes and the 2.0% 2021 Notes were issued as separate series under an indenture, but have substantially the same terms other than with respect to interest rate and related redemption provisions, and vote together as a single class. The 2021 Notes are redeemable in whole or in part at our option at any time, at 100.0% of the principal amount plus the greater of 1% of the principal amount and an applicable “Make-Whole Amount.”

The guarantees of the JV Holdings Secured Group with respect to the 2021 Notes and the 9.5% Notes are secured, subject to permitted liens and other exceptions, by a first-priority lien on substantially all of the assets of the members of the JV Holdings Secured Group. As of April 30, 2017, the collateral securing the guarantees included (1) $86.3 million of cash and cash equivalents (subsequent to such date, fluctuations as a result of cash uses include general business operations and real estate and other investments along with cash inflow primarily from deliveries); (2) $146.5 million aggregate book value of real property of the JV Holdings Secured Group, which does not include the impact of inventory investments, home deliveries or impairments thereafter and which may differ from the value if it were appraised; and (3) equity interests in guarantors that are members of the JV Holdings Secured Group. Members of the JV Holdings Secured Group also own equity in joint ventures, either directly or indirectly through ownership of joint venture holding companies, with a book value of $89.9 million as of April 30, 2017; this equity is not pledged to secure, and is not collateral for, the 2021 Notes. Members of the JV Holdings Secured Group are “unrestricted subsidiaries” under K. Hovnanian's other senior secured notes and senior notes and the Term Loan Facility, and thus have not guaranteed such indebtedness. 

K. Hovnanian also has outstanding 7.25% Senior Secured First Lien Notes due 2020 (the "First Lien Notes") and 9.125% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2020 (the "9.125% Second Lien Notes" and, together with the First Lien Notes, the "2020 Secured Notes"). We may redeem some or all of the First Lien Notes at 103.625% of principal commencing October 15, 2016, at 101.813% of principal commencing October 15, 2017 and 100% of principal commencing October 15, 2018. We may redeem some or all of the 9.125% Second Lien Notes at 104.563% of principal commencing November 15, 2016, at 102.281% of principal commencing November 15, 2017 and 100% of principal commencing November 15, 2018. The First Lien Notes are secured by a first-priority lien and the 9.125% Second Lien Notes and the 10.0% Second Lien Notes are secured by a second-priority lien, in each case, subject to permitted liens and other exceptions, on substantially all the assets owned by K. Hovnanian and the Notes Guarantors.

At April 30, 2017, the aggregate book value of the real property that constituted collateral securing the Term Loan Facility, the 2020 Secured Notes and the 10.0% Second Lien Notes was $564.3 million, which does not include the impact of inventory investments, home deliveries or impairments thereafter and which may differ from the value if it were appraised. In addition, cash and cash equivalents collateral that secured the Term Loan Facility, the 2020 Secured Notes and the 10.0% Second Lien Notes was $190.4 million as of April 30, 2017, which included $1.7 million of restricted cash collateralizing certain letters of credit. Subsequent to such date, fluctuations as a result of cash uses include general business operations and real estate and other investments along with cash inflow primarily from deliveries.

Senior Notes

K. Hovnanian’s 7.0% Senior Notes due 2019 are redeemable in whole or in part at our option at any time at 101.75% of principal commencing January 15, 2017 and 100% of principal commencing January 15, 2018.

K. Hovnanian’s 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019 are redeemable in whole or in part at K. Hovnanian’s option at any time prior to August 1, 2019 at a redemption price equal to 100% of their principal amount plus an applicable “Make-Whole Amount.” At any time and from time to time on or after August 1, 2019, K. Hovnanian may also redeem some or all of the notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of their principal amount.

Units

On October 2, 2012, the Company and K. Hovnanian issued $100,000,000 aggregate stated amount of 6.0% Exchangeable Note Units (the “Units”) (equivalent to 100,000 Units). Each $1,000 stated amount of Units initially consists of (1) a zero coupon senior exchangeable note due December 1, 2017 (a “Senior Exchangeable Note”) issued by K. Hovnanian, which bears no cash interest and has an initial principal amount of $768.51 per Senior Exchangeable Note, and that will accrete to $1,000 at maturity and (2) a senior amortizing note due December 1, 2017 (a “Senior Amortizing Note”) issued by K. Hovnanian, which has an initial principal amount of $231.49 per Senior Amortizing Note, bears interest at a rate of 11.0% per annum, and has a final installment payment date of December 1, 2017. Each Unit may be separated into its constituent Senior Exchangeable Note and Senior Amortizing Note after the initial issuance date of the Units, and the separate components may be combined to create a Unit.

Each Senior Exchangeable Note had an initial principal amount of $768.51 (which will accrete to $1,000 over the term of the Senior Exchangeable Note at an annual rate of 5.17% from the date of issuance, calculated on a semi-annual bond equivalent yield basis). Holders may exchange their Senior Exchangeable Notes at their option at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the business day immediately preceding December 1, 2017. Each Senior Exchangeable Note will be exchangeable for shares of Class A Common Stock at an initial exchange rate of 185.5288 shares of Class A Common Stock per Senior Exchangeable Note (equivalent to an initial exchange price, based on $1,000 principal amount at maturity, of approximately $5.39 per share of Class A Common Stock). The exchange rate will be subject to adjustment in certain events. If certain corporate events occur prior to the maturity date, the Company will increase the applicable exchange rate for any holder who elects to exchange its Senior Exchangeable Notes in connection with such corporate event.  In addition, holders of Senior Exchangeable Notes will also have the right to require K. Hovnanian to repurchase such holders’ Senior Exchangeable Notes upon the occurrence of certain of these corporate events. As of April 30, 2017, 18,305 Senior Exchangeable Notes have been converted into 3.4 million shares of our Class A Common Stock, all of which were converted during the first quarter of fiscal 2013. In September 2016, K. Hovnanian purchased a total of 20,823 Units for an aggregate purchase price of $20.6 million, and in November 2016, K. Hovnanian purchased a total of 6,925 Units for an aggregate purchase price of $6.9 million.

On each June 1 and December 1 (each, an “installment payment date”), K. Hovnanian will pay holders of Senior Amortizing Notes equal semi-annual cash installments of $30.00 per Senior Amortizing Note (except for the June 1, 2013 installment payment, which was $39.83 per Senior Amortizing Note), which cash payment in the aggregate will be equivalent to 6.0% per year with respect to each $1,000 stated amount of Units. Each installment will constitute a payment of interest (at a rate of 11.0% per annum) and a partial repayment of principal on the Senior Amortizing Note. Following certain corporate events that occur prior to the maturity date, holders of the Senior Amortizing Notes will have the right to require K. Hovnanian to repurchase such holders’ Senior Amortizing Notes.

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) (the “numerator”) by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, adjusted for nonvested shares of restricted stock (the “denominator”) for the period. Computing diluted earnings per share is similar to computing basic earnings per share, except that the denominator is increased to include the dilutive effects of options and nonvested shares of restricted stock, as well as common shares issuable upon exchange of our Senior Exchangeable Notes issued as part of our 6.0% Exchangeable Note Units. Any options that have an exercise price greater than the average market price are considered to be anti-dilutive and are excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation.   

All outstanding nonvested shares that contain nonforfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents that participate in undistributed earnings with common stock are considered participating securities and are included in computing earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating securities according to dividends or dividend equivalents and participation rights in undistributed earnings in periods when we have net income. The Company’s restricted common stock (“nonvested shares”) are considered participating securities.

There were no incremental shares attributed to nonvested stock and outstanding options to purchase common stock for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016. Also, for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017, 10.0 million and 10.1 million shares, respectively, of common stock issuable upon the exchange of our senior exchangeable notes (which were issued in fiscal 2012) were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because we had a net loss for the period. For both the three and six months ended April 30, 2016, 15.2 million shares of common stock issuable upon the exchange of our senior exchangeable notes were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because we had a net loss for the period.

In addition, shares related to out-of-the money stock options that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share were 4.7 million for both the three and six months ended April 30, 2017 and 6.4 million for both the three and six months ended April 30, 2016 because to do so would have been anti-dilutive for the periods presented.

On July 12, 2005, we issued 5,600 shares of 7.625% Series A Preferred Stock, with a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share. Dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock are not cumulative and are payable at an annual rate of 7.625%. The Series A Preferred Stock is not convertible into the Company’s common stock and is redeemable in whole or in part at our option at the liquidation preference of the shares. The Series A Preferred Stock is traded as depositary shares, with each depositary share representing 1/1000th of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. The depositary shares are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “HOVNP.” During the three and six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, we did not pay any dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock due to covenant restrictions in our debt instruments. We anticipate that we will continue to be restricted from paying dividends, which are not cumulative, for the foreseeable future.

Each share of Class A Common Stock entitles its holder to one vote per share, and each share of Class B Common Stock generally entitles its holder to ten votes per share. The amount of any regular cash dividend payable on a share of Class A Common Stock will be an amount equal to 110% of the corresponding regular cash dividend payable on a share of Class B Common Stock. If a shareholder desires to sell shares of Class B Common Stock, such stock must be converted into shares of Class A Common Stock at a one to one conversion rate.

On August 4, 2008, our Board of Directors adopted a shareholder rights plan (the “Rights Plan”) designed to preserve shareholder value and the value of certain tax assets primarily associated with net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards and built-in losses under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. Our ability to use NOLs and built-in losses would be limited if there was an “ownership change” under Section 382. This would occur if shareholders owning (or deemed under Section 382 to own) 5% or more of our stock increase their collective ownership of the aggregate amount of our outstanding shares by more than 50 percentage points over a defined period of time. The Rights Plan was adopted to reduce the likelihood of an “ownership change” occurring as defined by Section 382. Under the Rights Plan, one right was distributed for each share of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock outstanding as of the close of business on August 15, 2008. Effective August 15, 2008, if any person or group acquires 4.9% or more of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock without the approval of the Board of Directors, there would be a triggering event causing significant dilution in the voting power of such person or group. However, existing stockholders who owned, at the time of the Rights Plan’s adoption, 4.9% or more of the outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock will trigger a dilutive event only if they acquire additional shares. The approval of the Board of Directors’ decision to adopt the Rights Plan may be terminated by the Board of Directors at any time, prior to the Rights being triggered. The Rights Plan will continue in effect until August 15, 2018, unless it expires earlier in accordance with its terms. The approval of the Board of Directors’ decision to adopt the Rights Plan was submitted to a stockholder vote and approved at a special meeting of stockholders held on December 5, 2008. Also at the Special Meeting on December 5, 2008, our stockholders approved an amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to restrict certain transfers of Class A Common Stock in order to preserve the tax treatment of our NOLs and built-in losses under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. Subject to certain exceptions pertaining to pre-existing 5% stockholders and Class B stockholders, the transfer restrictions in the amended Certificate of Incorporation generally restrict any direct or indirect transfer (such as transfers of our stock that result from the transfer of interests in other entities that own our stock) if the effect would be to (i) increase the direct or indirect ownership of our stock by any person (or public group) from less than 5% to 5% or more of our common stock; (ii) increase the percentage of our common stock owned directly or indirectly by a person (or public group) owning or deemed to own 5% or more of our common stock; or (iii) create a new public group. Transfers included under the transfer restrictions include sales to persons (or public groups) whose resulting percentage ownership (direct or indirect) of common stock would exceed the 5% thresholds discussed above, or to persons whose direct or indirect ownership of common stock would by attribution cause another person (or public group) to exceed such threshold.

On July 3, 2001, our Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program to purchase up to 4 million shares of Class A Common Stock. There were no shares purchased during the three and six months ended April 30, 2017. As of April 30, 2017, the maximum number of shares of Class A Common Stock that may yet be purchased under this program is 0.5 million.

The total income tax benefit of $1.1 million and $0.6 million for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017, respectively, was primarily due to the federal tax benefit on the pre-tax loss for the periods, partially offset by state tax expense from income generated in some states, which was not offset by tax benefits in other states that had losses for which we fully reserve the net operating losses.

The total income tax benefit of $9.1 million and $6.2 million for the three and six months ended April 30, 2016, respectively, was primarily due to a permanent difference related to stock compensation and a federal tax benefit related to receiving a specified liability loss refund of taxes paid in fiscal year 2002, partially offset by state tax expenses and state tax reserves for uncertain tax positions.

The permanent difference related to stock compensation arose because for tax purposes, the amount of stock compensation the Company expenses is the amount reported on an associate’s W-2 when the equity award is exercised or received, whereas for accounting purposes, the amount the Company expenses is based on the fair value of the equity award on the date of grant. Therefore, the permanent difference for the first six months of fiscal 2016 due to stock compensation was because of this different treatment, which does not arise until the time the equity award is exercised or received by the associate and therefore reported on an associate’s W-2. The amount was significant because of the issuance in fiscal 2016 of stock to Company executives in respect of awards that had been granted over 10 years ago at significantly higher stock prices and thus significantly higher fair values as compared to the time of issuance to the executive. As a result, at the time the stock awards were issued in fiscal 2016, a significant permanent difference between book and tax was created impacting the effective tax rate for 2016.

The federal specified liability loss refund of taxes in fiscal year 2002 was due to an amendment of a prior year’s tax return. The Internal Revenue Service issued the refund following the Company’s application therefor during the year ended October 31, 2016. The refund related to the portion of the fiscal year 2012 NOL attributable to a specified liability loss which, pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 172(b)(1)(C), can be carried back ten years to October 31, 2002. A specified liability is any amount allowable as a deduction attributable to a product liability or expense incurred in investigation or settlement of claims because of a product liability. The refund was received in February 2016 and therefore the tax credit was recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

Our state NOLs of $2.2 billion expire between 2017 and 2036. Of the total amount, $301.7 million will expire between 2017 through 2021; $253.9 million will expire between 2022 through 2026; $1,327.3 million will expire between 2027 through 2031; and $348.0 million will expire between 2032 through 2036.

Deferred federal and state income tax assets primarily represent the deferred tax benefits arising from temporary differences between book and tax income which will be recognized in future years as an offset against future taxable income. If the combination of future years’ income (or loss) and the reversal of the timing differences results in a loss, such losses can be carried forward to future years. In accordance with ASC 740, we evaluate our deferred tax assets quarterly to determine if valuation allowances are required. ASC 740 requires that companies assess whether valuation allowances should be established based on the consideration of all available evidence using a “more likely than not” standard.  

As of October 31, 2014, we concluded that it was more likely than not that a portion of our deferred tax assets (“DTA”) would be utilized. This conclusion was based on a detailed evaluation of all relevant evidence available at that time, both positive and negative. As a result of this conclusion, our valuation allowance for our DTA was reduced in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.

As expected at the time of that conclusion, our earnings have continued to improve such that we have not been and are currently not in a three-year cumulative loss position as of April 30, 2017. As per ASC 740, cumulative losses are one of the most objectively verifiable forms of negative evidence; we no longer have this negative evidence that we had when the full valuation allowance was recorded and we expect to be profitable going forward over the long term. Our recent three years cumulative performance and our expectations for the coming years based on our current backlog, community count and recent sales contracts and sales pace provide evidence that reaffirms our conclusion that a full valuation allowance was not necessary and that the current valuation allowance for deferred taxes of $628 million as of April 30, 2017 is appropriate.

The following is a discussion of the significant estimates and assumptions we used for our analysis of deferred taxes and our determination of the valuation allowance to record.

The realization of our DTA is not dependent upon assumed future events or a minimum annualized rate of increase of taxable income. As discussed above, we projected pretax income based on our recent three years cumulative performance as well as our expectations for fiscal 2017. Conservatively, we assumed the 2017 level of pretax profit (excluding the gains on extinguishment of debt in 2017) for the remaining 19 years used in the analysis even though our longer-term projections show growth in pretax profit in these future years. After projecting the pretax income, we then scheduled all temporary and permanent tax differences for all NOL carryforward periods. Realization of deferred tax assets/liabilities was scheduled by year of forecasted realization based on the Internal Revenue Code.

We considered all available positive and negative evidence to determine whether, based on the weight of that evidence, an additional valuation allowance for our DTAs was necessary in accordance with ASC 740. Listed below, in order of the weighting of each factor, is the available positive and negative evidence that we considered in determining that it is more likely than not that the DTAs that do not have a valuation allowance will be realized. In analyzing all of these factors, overall the positive evidence, both objective and subjective, outweighed the negative evidence.

After considering the timing of when existing DTAs will be expensed for tax purposes, we will be required to generate minimum taxable income of approximately $275 million over the next 19 years to support realizing our DTAs that did not, as of April 30, 2017, have a valuation allowance. The Company is not currently relying on any tax planning strategies to support the realization of our DTAs.

Our operating segments are components of our business for which discrete financial information is available and reviewed regularly by the chief operating decision maker, our Chief Executive Officer, to evaluate performance and make operating decisions. Based on this criteria, each of our communities qualifies as an operating segment, and therefore, it is impractical to provide segment disclosures for this many segments. As such, we have aggregated the homebuilding operating segments into six reportable segments.

Our homebuilding operating segments are aggregated into reportable segments based primarily upon geographic proximity, similar regulatory environments, land acquisition characteristics and similar methods used to construct and sell homes. Our reportable segments consist of the following six homebuilding segments and a financial services segment noted below. During fiscal 2016, we decided to exit the Minneapolis, MN and Raleigh, NC markets and in the third quarter of fiscal 2016, we completed the sale of our portfolios in those markets.

Homebuilding:

Financial Services

Operations of the Company’s Homebuilding segments primarily include the sale and construction of single-family attached and detached homes, attached townhomes and condominiums, urban infill and active lifestyle homes in planned residential developments. In addition, from time to time, operations of the homebuilding segments include sales of land. Operations of the Company’s Financial Services segment include mortgage banking and title services provided to the homebuilding operations’ customers. We do not typically retain or service mortgages that we originate but rather sell the mortgages and related servicing rights to investors. 

Corporate and unallocated primarily represents operations at our headquarters in Red Bank, New Jersey. This includes our executive offices, information services, human resources, corporate accounting, training, treasury, process redesign, internal audit, construction services, and administration of insurance, quality and safety. It also includes interest income and interest expense resulting from interest incurred that cannot be capitalized in inventory in the Homebuilding segments, as well as the gains or losses on extinguishment of debt from any debt repurchases or exchanges.  

Evaluation of segment performance is based primarily on operating earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes (“Income (loss) before income taxes”). Income (loss) before income taxes for the Homebuilding segments consist of revenues generated from the sales of homes and land, income (loss) from unconsolidated entities, management fees and other income, less the cost of homes and land sold, selling, general and administrative expenses and interest expense. Income before income taxes for the Financial Services segment consist of revenues generated from mortgage financing, title insurance and closing services, less the cost of such services and selling, general and administrative expenses incurred by the Financial Services segment. 

Operational results of each segment are not necessarily indicative of the results that would have occurred had the segment been an independent stand-alone entity during the periods presented. 

Financial information relating to the Company’s segment operations was as follows:

(1)  Corporate and unallocated for the three months ended April 30, 2017 included corporate general and administrative costs of $16.1 million, interest expense of $16.0 million (a component of Other interest on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations), loss on extinguishment of debt of $0.2 million and $0.1 million of other income and expenses primarily related to stock compensation and rental income. Corporate and unallocated for the six months ended April 30, 2017 included corporate general and administrative costs of $31.7 million, interest expense of $29.3 million (a component of Other interest on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations), gain on extinguishment of debt of $7.4 million and $0.8 million of other income and expenses primarily related to bond amortization, stock compensation and rental income.

(1) Includes $284.5 million and $283.6 million of income taxes receivable, including deferred tax assets, as of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively.

We enter into homebuilding and land development joint ventures from time to time as a means of accessing lot positions, expanding our market opportunities, establishing strategic alliances, managing our risk profile, leveraging our capital base and enhancing returns on capital. Our homebuilding joint ventures are generally entered into with third-party investors to develop land and construct homes that are sold directly to third-party home buyers. Our land development joint ventures include those entered into with developers and other homebuilders as well as financial investors to develop finished lots for sale to the joint venture’s members or other third parties.

In November 2015, the Company entered into a new joint venture to which the Company contributed a land parcel that had been mothballed by the Company, but on which construction by the joint venture has now begun. Upon formation of the joint venture, the Company received $25.7 million of cash proceeds for the transferred land. In addition, during the third quarter of fiscal 2016, we entered into a new joint venture by transferring eight communities we owned and our option to buy one community to the joint venture. As a result of the formation of the joint venture, the Company received $29.8 million of cash in return for the land and option transfers. During the first quarter of fiscal 2017, we expanded this joint venture by transferring one community we owned and our option to buy three communities to the joint venture, resulting in our receiving $11.2 million of net cash.

The tables set forth below summarize the combined financial information related to our unconsolidated homebuilding and land development joint ventures that are accounted for under the equity method.

As of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, we had advances and a note receivable outstanding of $13.6 million and $8.9 million, respectively, to these unconsolidated joint ventures. These amounts were included in the “Accounts payable and accrued liabilities” balances in the tables above. On our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, our “Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures” amounted to $106.7 million and $100.5 million at April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively.

“(Loss) income from unconsolidated joint ventures” is reflected as a separate line in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and reflects our proportionate share of the income or loss of these unconsolidated homebuilding and land development joint ventures. The difference between our share of the income or loss from these unconsolidated joint ventures in the tables above compared to the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations is due primarily to the reclassification of the intercompany portion of management fee income from certain joint ventures and the deferral of income for lots purchased by us from certain joint ventures. To compensate us for the administrative services we provide as the manager of certain joint ventures we receive a management fee based on a percentage of the applicable joint venture’s revenues. These management fees, which totaled $3.0 million and $1.1 million for the three months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and $5.1 million and $1.9 million for the six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, are recorded in “Homebuilding: Selling, general and administrative” on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations.

In determining whether or not we must consolidate joint ventures that we manage, we assess whether the other partners have specific rights to overcome the presumption of control by us as the manager of the joint venture. In most cases, the presumption is overcome because the joint venture agreements require that both partners agree on establishing the operations and capital decisions of the partnership, including budgets in the ordinary course of business.

Typically, our unconsolidated joint ventures obtain separate project specific mortgage financing. The amount of financing is generally targeted to be no more than 50% of the joint venture’s total assets. For some of our joint ventures, obtaining financing was challenging, therefore, some of our joint ventures are capitalized only with equity. The total debt to capitalization ratio of all our joint ventures is currently 48%. Any joint venture financing is on a nonrecourse basis, with guarantees from us limited only to performance and completion of development, environmental warranties and indemnification, standard indemnification for fraud, misrepresentation and other similar actions, including a voluntary bankruptcy filing. In some instances, the joint venture entity is considered a VIE under ASC 810-10 “Consolidation – Overall” due to the returns being capped to the equity holders; however, in these instances, we have determined that we are not the primary beneficiary, and therefore we do not consolidate these entities. 

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (Topic 606), (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 requires entities to recognize revenue that represents the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount equivalent to the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The following steps should be applied to determine this amount: (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASU 605, “Revenue Recognition,” and most industry-specific guidance in the Accounting Standards Codification. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14 on this same topic, which defers for one year the effective date of ASU 2014-09, therefore making the guidance effective for the Company beginning November 1, 2018. Additionally, the FASB also decided to permit entities to early adopt the standard, which allows for either full retrospective or modified retrospective methods of adoption, for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, and have been involved in industry-specific discussions with the FASB on the treatment of certain items.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties About an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern” (“ASU 2014-15”), which requires management to perform interim and annual assessments on whether there are conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date the financial statements are issued and to provide related disclosures, if required. ASU 2014-15 is effective for the Company as of our fiscal year ended October 31, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. We do not anticipate the adoption of ASU 2014-15 to have a material impact on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”), which provides guidance for accounting for leases. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to classify leases as either finance or operating leases and to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term greater than 12 months regardless of the lease classification. The lease classification will determine whether the lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest rate method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. Accounting for lessors remains largely unchanged from current GAAP. ASU 2016-02 is effective for the Company beginning November 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments” (“ASU 2016-15”). ASU 2016-15 provides guidance on how certain cash receipts and cash payments are to be presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning November 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory” (“ASU 2016-16”). ASU 2016-16 provides improvement for the accounting of income taxes related to intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. ASU 2016-16 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning November 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-17, “Consolidation (Topic 810): Interests Held through Related Parties That Are under Common Control” (“ASU 2016-17”). ASU 2016-17 amends the consolidation guidance on how a reporting entity that is the single decision maker of a variable interest entity (VIE) should treat indirect interests in the entity held through related parties that are under common control with the reporting entity when determining whether it is a primary beneficiary of that VIE. ASU 2016-17 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning November 1, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash” (“ASU 2016-18”). ASU 2016-18 amends the classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning November 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” provides a framework for measuring fair value, expands disclosures about fair-value measurements and establishes a fair-value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value summarized as follows:

Level 1:                      Fair value determined based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.

Level 2:                      Fair value determined using significant other observable inputs.

Level 3:                      Fair value determined using significant unobservable inputs.

Our financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below:

(1)  The aggregate unpaid principal balance was $82.6 million and $149.4 million at April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively.

We elected the fair value option for our loans held for sale for mortgage loans originated subsequent to October 31, 2008, in accordance with ASC 825, “Financial Instruments,” which permits us to measure financial instruments at fair value on a contract-by-contract basis. Management believes that the election of the fair value option for loans held for sale improves financial reporting by mitigating volatility in reported earnings caused by measuring the fair value of the loans and the derivative instruments used to economically hedge them without having to apply complex hedge accounting provisions. Fair value of loans held for sale is based on independent quoted market prices, where available, or the prices for other mortgage loans with similar characteristics.

The Financial Services segment had a pipeline of loan applications in process of $541.3 million at April 30, 2017. Loans in process for which interest rates were committed to the borrowers totaled $59.5 million as of April 30, 2017. Substantially all of these commitments were for periods of 60 days or less. Since a portion of these commitments is expected to expire without being exercised by the borrowers, the total commitments do not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

The Financial Services segment uses investor commitments and forward sales of mandatory MBS to hedge its mortgage-related interest rate exposure. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk. Credit risk is managed by entering into MBS forward commitments, option contracts with investment banks, federally regulated bank affiliates and loan sales transactions with permanent investors meeting the segment’s credit standards. The segment’s risk, in the event of default by the purchaser, is the difference between the contract price and fair value of the MBS forward commitments and option contracts. At April 30, 2017, the segment had open commitments amounting to $32.0 million to sell MBS with varying settlement dates through June 21, 2017.

The assets accounted for using the fair value option are initially measured at fair value. Gains and losses from initial measurement and subsequent changes in fair value are recognized in the Financial Services segment’s income. The changes in fair values that are included in income are shown, by financial instrument and financial statement line item, below: 

The Company’s assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis are those assets for which the Company has recorded valuation adjustments and write-offs during the three and six months ended April 30, 2017 and 2016. The assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis are all within the Company’s Homebuilding operations and are summarized below:

Nonfinancial Assets

We record impairment losses on inventories related to communities under development and held for future development when events and circumstances indicate that they may be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their related carrying amounts. If the expected undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount, then the community is written down to its fair value. We estimate the fair value of each impaired community by determining the present value of its estimated future cash flows at a discount rate commensurate with the risk of the respective community. Should the estimates or expectations used in determining cash flows or fair value decrease or differ from current estimates in the future, we may be required to recognize additional impairments. We recorded inventory impairments, which are included in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations as “Inventory impairment loss and land option write-offs” and deducted from inventory, of $1.5 million and $4.2 million for the three and six months ended April 30, 2017, respectively, and $5.4 million and $15.1 million for the three and six months ended April 30, 2016, respectively. See Note 4 for further detail of the communities evaluated for impairment.

The fair value of our cash equivalents and restricted cash and cash equivalents approximates their carrying amount, based on Level 1 inputs.

The fair value of our borrowings under the revolving credit and term loan facilities approximates their carrying amount based on level 2 inputs. The fair value of each series of the senior unsecured notes (other than the senior exchangeable notes and the senior amortizing notes) is estimated based on recent trades or quoted market prices for the same issues or based on recent trades or quoted market prices for our debt of similar security and maturity to achieve comparable yields, which are Level 2 measurements. The fair value of the senior unsecured notes (all series in the aggregate), other than the senior exchangeable notes and senior amortizing notes, was estimated at $314.3 million and $251.7 million as of April 30, 2017 and October 31, 2016, respectively.

The fair value of each of the senior secured notes (all series in the aggregate), the senior amortizing notes and the senior exchangeable notes is estimated based on third party broker quotes, a Level 3 measurement. The fair value of the senior secured notes (all series in the aggregate), the senior amortizing notes and the senior exchangeable notes were estimated at $963.4 million, $4.0 million and $52.6 million, respectively, as of April 30, 2017. As of October 31, 2016, the fair value of the senior secured notes (all series in the aggregate), the senior amortizing notes and the senior exchangeable notes were estimated at $883.0 million, $6.3 million and $55.2 million, respectively.

Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., the parent company (the “Parent”), is the issuer of publicly traded common stock and preferred stock, which is represented by depository shares. One of its wholly owned subsidiaries, K. Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (the “Subsidiary Issuer”), acts as a finance entity that, as of April 30, 2017, had issued and outstanding $1,067.0 million of senior secured notes ($1,044.0 million, net of discount and debt issuance costs), $368.5 million senior notes ($365.6 million net of debt issuance costs) and $4.0 million senior amortizing notes ($3.9 million net of debt issuance costs) and $52.6 million senior exchangeable notes (issued as components of our 6.0% Exchangeable Note Units) ($52.4 million net of debt issuance costs). The senior secured notes, senior notes, senior amortizing notes and senior exchangeable notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Parent.

In addition to the Parent, each of the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Parent other than the Subsidiary Issuer (collectively, “Notes Guarantors”), with the exception of our home mortgage subsidiaries, certain of our title insurance subsidiaries, joint ventures and subsidiaries holding interests in our joint ventures (collectively, the “Nonguarantor Subsidiaries”), have guaranteed fully and unconditionally, on a joint and several basis, the obligations of the Subsidiary Issuer to pay principal and interest under the senior secured notes (other than the 2021 Notes and the 9.5% Notes), senior notes, senior exchangeable notes and senior amortizing notes. The Notes Guarantors are directly or indirectly 100% owned subsidiaries of the Parent. The 2021 Notes and the 9.5% Notes are guaranteed by the Notes Guarantors and the members of the JV Holdings Secured Group (see Note 11).

The senior amortizing notes and senior exchangeable notes have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The 7.0% Senior Notes due 2019, the 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019 and our senior secured notes (see Note 11) are not, pursuant to the indentures under which such notes were issued, required to be registered under the Securities Act. The Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements presented below are in respect of our registered notes only and not the 7.0% Senior Notes due 2019, the 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019 or the senior secured notes (however, the Notes Guarantors for the 7.0% Senior Notes due 2019, the 8.0% Senior Notes due 2019, the 2020 Secured Notes and the 10.0% Second Lien Notes are the same as those represented by the accompanying Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements). In lieu of providing separate financial statements for the Notes Guarantors of our registered notes, we have included the accompanying Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements. Therefore, separate financial statements and other disclosures concerning such Notes Guarantors are not presented.

The following Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements present the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of (i) the Parent, (ii) the Subsidiary Issuer, (iii) the Notes Guarantors, (iv) the Nonguarantor Subsidiaries and (v) the eliminations to arrive at the information for Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. on a consolidated basis.

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET

APRIL 30, 2017

(In Thousands)

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET

OCTOBER 31, 2016

(In Thousands)

HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

THREE MONTHS ENDED APRIL 30, 2017

(In Thousands)