M/I HOMES, INC. - Annual Report: 2008 (Form 10-K)
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-K
x ANNUAL REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
For the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2008
o TRANSITION REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
For the
transition period from
______ to ______
Commission
File No. 1-12434
M/I HOMES,
INC.
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(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
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Ohio
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31-1210837
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|||
(State
or other jurisdiction
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(I.R.S.
Employer
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|||
of
incorporation or organization)
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Identification
No.)
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3
Easton Oval, Suite 500, Columbus, Ohio 43219
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(Address
of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (614)
418-8000
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Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Name
of each exchange on
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||
Title
of each class
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which
registered
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Common
Shares, par value $.01
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New
York Stock Exchange
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Depositary
Shares, each representing 1/1000th
of
a 9.75% Series A Preferred Share
|
New
York Stock
Exchange
|
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
|
(Title
of Class)
|
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in
Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
Yes | No |
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
Yes | No |
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 | No |
Indicate
by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of
Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best
of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. [ ]
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
definitions of 'large accelerated filer," "accelerated file" and "smaller
reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check
one):
Large
accelerated filer
|
Accelerated
filer
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X
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||
Non-accelerated
filer
|
Smaller
reporting company
|
|||
(Do
not check if a smaller reporting company)
|
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Act).
Yes
|
No
|
X
|
As of
June 30, 2008, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed
second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of voting common shares held
by non-affiliates of the registrant (13,257,051 shares) was approximately
$208,533,000. The number of common shares of the registrant
outstanding on February 18, 2009 was 14,023,982.
DOCUMENT
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions
of the registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the 2009 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual
Report on Form 10-K.
2
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PAGE
NUMBER
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Part
I
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Item
1. Business
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4
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Item
1A. Risk Factors
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12
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Item
1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
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20
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Item
2. Properties
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20
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Item
3. Legal
Proceedings
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20
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Item
4. Submission of Matters to a
Vote of Security Holders
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20
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Part
II
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Item
5. Market for Registrant’s
Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and
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21
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Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
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Item
6. Selected Financial
Data
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23
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Item
7. Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
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24
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of Operations
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Item
7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About
Market Risk
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49
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Item
8. Financial Statements and
Supplementary Data
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51
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Item
9. Changes in and Disagreements
With Accountants on Accounting and
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83
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Financial Disclosure
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Item
9A. Controls and Procedures
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83
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Item
9B. Other Information
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83
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Part
III
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Item
10. Directors, Executive Officers and
Corporate Governance
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85
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Item
11. Executive Compensation
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85
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Item
12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial
Owners and Management and
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Related Shareholder Matters
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85
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Item
13. Certain Relationships and Related
Transactions, and Director Independence
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85
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Item
14. Principal Accounting Fees and
Services
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85
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Part
IV
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Item
15. Exhibits, Financial Statement
Schedules
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86
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Signatures
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91
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3
PART
I
ITEM
1. BUSINESS
Company
M/I
Homes, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company” or “we”) is one of the nation’s
leading builders of single-family homes. The Company was
incorporated, through predecessor entities, in 1973 and commenced homebuilding
activities in 1976. Since that time, the Company has sold and
delivered over 73,000 homes. We sell and construct single-family
homes, attached townhomes and condominiums to first-time, move-up, empty-nester
and luxury buyers under the M/I Homes and Showcase Homes trade
names. In 2008, our average sales price of homes delivered was
$274,000 compared to $296,000 in 2007. During the year ended December
31, 2008, we delivered 2,025 homes with revenues from continuing operations of
$607.7 million and a net loss from continuing operations of $245.4
million. At December 31, 2008, we had 566 homes in backlog with a
sales value of approximately $139 million compared to 712 homes with a sales
value of $220 million at December 31, 2007.
Our homes
are sold in the following geographic markets - Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio;
Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Tampa and Orlando, Florida; Charlotte
and Raleigh, North Carolina; and the Virginia and Maryland suburbs of
Washington, D.C. In late 2007, we announced our intention to exit our
West Palm Beach, Florida market. Hence, the results of operations and
financial position of this division have been reported as discontinued
operation. For additional information on this discontinued operation,
please refer to Note 2 to our Consolidated Financial Statements. We
are the leading homebuilder in the Columbus, Ohio market, and have been the
number one builder of single-family detached homes in this market for each of
the last twenty years. In addition, we are one of the top ten
homebuilders in the Cincinnati and Tampa markets, based on homes
delivered. Our current operating strategy remains focused on the
following key initiatives:
● |
Generating
cash and preserving liquidity;
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● |
Emphasizing
our customer service, unique product designs, and premier
locations;
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●
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Improving
affordability through design changes and other cost reduction
efforts;
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●
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Decreasing
our construction costs for material and labor;
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● |
Decreasing
our overhead expenses and headcount to reflect current business
conditions;
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● |
Reducing
our land and lot inventory by significantly curtailing our land purchases
and transitioning more of our purchases to finished lots versus raw
ground; and
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● |
Phasing
and/or delaying land development and selectively pursuing the sale of
certain owned
land.
|
We
believe that we distinguish ourselves from competitors by offering homes in
select areas with a high level of design and construction quality within a given
price range, and by providing customers with the confidence they can only get
from superior customer service. Offering homes at a variety of price
points allows us to attract a wide range of buyers. We support our
homebuilding operations by providing mortgage financing services through our
wholly-owned subsidiary, M/I Financial Corp. (“M/I Financial”), and title and
insurance brokerage services through subsidiaries that are either wholly- or
majority-owned by the Company.
Our
financial reporting segments consist of the following: Midwest homebuilding,
Florida homebuilding, Mid-Atlantic homebuilding, and financial
services. Our homebuilding operations comprise the most substantial
part of our business, representing more than 97% of consolidated revenue during
2008. Our homebuilding operations generate over 93% of their revenue
from the sale of completed homes, with the remaining amount generated from the
sale of land and lots. Our financial services operations generate
revenue from originating and selling mortgages, collecting fees for title
insurance and closing services, and collecting commissions as a broker of
property and casualty insurance policies. Financial information,
including revenue, operating income and identifiable assets for each of our
reporting segments is included in Note 25 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
The
United States is in the midst of an unprecedented combination of economic
turmoil, uncertainty in the credit and financial markets, and weak consumer
confidence. Since the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005, we have experienced a
slowdown in our business. This slowdown has worsened over the past several
months. This slowdown, which we believe started with a decline in consumer
confidence, an overall softening of demand for new homes, and an oversupply of
homes available for sale, has been exacerbated by, among other things, a decline
in the overall economy, increasing unemployment, fear of job loss, a significant
decline in the securities markets, the continuing decline in home prices, the
large number of homes that are or will be available due to foreclosures, the
inability of some of our home buyers to sell their current home, the
deterioration in the credit markets, and the direct and includes, among other
4
indirect
impact of the turmoil in the mortgage loan market. On February 17,
2009, President Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act into law. This stimulus package things, an $8,000 tax credit for
new home purchases that occur between January 1, 2009 and December 1,
2009. We continue our primarily defensive strategy, which
includes: (1) adjusting our approach to land acquisition and development and
construction practices and continue to shorten our land pipeline; (2) limiting
land development expenditures; (3) reducing production volumes; and (4) working
to try to balance home price and profitability with sales pace, although our
primary focus at this point is generating cash and liquidity.
When our
industry recovers, we believe that we will see reduced competition from the
small and mid-sized private builders, leading to our ability to increase
our market share in our existing markets. We believe that the access of
these private builders to capital already appears to be severely
constrained. We believe that this reduced competition, combined with
attractive long-term demographics, will reward those builders who can persevere
through the current challenging environment.
Notwithstanding
the current market conditions, and as market conditions improve over
time, we believe that geographic and product diversification, access to
lower-cost capital, and strong demographics have in the past, and will in the
future, benefit those builders that can control land and persevere through the
increasingly difficult regulatory approval process. We believe that these
factors favor the large publicly traded homebuilding companies with the capital
and expertise to control home sites and gain market share. We believe
that, as builders reduce the number of home sites being taken through the
approval process and this process continues to become more difficult, and if the
political pressure from no-growth proponents continues to increase, our
expertise in taking land through the approval process and our already approved
land positions will allow us to grow in the years to come.
In
addition to our current focus on cash generation and liquidity, we will continue
to focus on our historic key business strategies. We believe that these
strategies separate us from our competitors in the residential homebuilding
industry and the adoption, implementation, and adherence to these principles
will continue to improve our business, lead to higher profitability for our
shareholders, and give us a clear advantage over our competitors when the market
returns to normalcy.
For
information and analyses of recent trends in our operations and financial
condition, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations” in Item 7 of this Form 10-K, and for financial
information about our revenues, earnings, assets, liabilities, shareholders’
equity and cash flows, please see the accompanying consolidated financial
statements and notes thereto in Item 8 of this Form 10-K.
Our
business strategy emphasizes the following:
Build confidence
in all areas of our company. Our unique designs, superior
quality and craftsmanship, premier customer service and customer-focused,
confidence-building financing options are all designed to build superior
customer confidence in both our product and our company.
Superior
homeowner service. Our core operating philosophy is to provide
superior service to our homeowners. We attempt to involve the
homeowner in many phases of the building process in order to enhance
communication, knowledge and involvement of the homeowner. Our
selling process focuses on the homes’ features, benefits, quality
and design, as opposed to merely price and square footage. In most of
our markets, we utilize design centers to better promote the sale of options and
enable buyers to make more informed choices. This enhances the
selling process and increases the sale of optional features that typically carry
higher margins. We believe all of this leads to a more satisfied
homeowner.
Product diversity
and innovative design. We devote significant resources to the
research and design of our homes to meet the needs of our buyers. We
offer a broad number of distinct product lines and approximately 600 different
floor plans, with some of those floor plans being built in multiple
elevations. We also offer a high level of design and construction
quality within each of our price ranges.
Premier locations
and highly desirable communities. As a key strategic element
of our business, we focus on locating and controlling land in the most desirable
areas of our markets. We also focus on the overall design and
appearance of our communities. Through our community planning and
design process, we create well-planned communities with careful attention to a
wide variety of aesthetic elements. We focus on the location and
design of our communities because we believe these are important factors our
homebuyers consider when making a decision to purchase a new
home.
5
Maintain market
position in existing markets. Though most of our markets have
experienced a significant slowdown in new homebuilding construction as a result
of various economic factors, we believe in their long term prospects for growth
and successful homebuilding operations.
Sales
and Marketing
Throughout
our markets, we market and sell our homes exclusively under the M/I Homes trade
name, except in Columbus, where we also market a collection of homes under the
Showcase brand. Company-employed sales personnel conduct home sales
from on-site offices within our furnished model homes. Each sales
consultant is trained and prepared to meet the buyer’s expectations and build
their confidence by fully explaining the features and benefits of our homes,
helping each buyer determine which home best suits their needs, explaining
the construction process, and assisting the buyer in choosing the best
financing. Significant attention is given to the ongoing training of
all sales personnel to assure the highest level of professionalism and product
knowledge. As of December 31, 2008, we employed 96 sales consultants
in 128 communities.
We
advertise using newspapers, magazines, direct mail, billboards, radio and
television. The particular marketing mediums used differ from market
to market based on area demographics and other competitive
factors. We have also significantly increased our advertising on the
internet through expansion of our website at mihomes.com and through third party
websites like newhomesource.com. Our messaging across all of these
mediums, promotional or otherwise, is unified, highly synergistic and designed
to build strong equity in the M/I Homes brand. In addition, we
encourage independent broker participation and, from time to time, utilize
promotions and incentives to attract interest from these brokers. Our
commitment to quality design and construction, along with our reputation for
superior service, has resulted in a strong referral base and numerous repeat
buyers.
To
further enhance the selling process, we operate design centers in most of our
markets. These design centers are staffed with interior design
specialists who assist buyers in selecting interior and exterior colors,
standard options and upgrades. From time to time, we also add to the
selling process by offering, below-market financing options to our customers.
M/I Financial originates loans for the majority of the purchasers of our
homes. The loans are then sold, along with the servicing rights, to
outside mortgage lenders. Title-related services are provided to
purchasers of our homes in the majority of our markets through affiliated
entities. Our financial services segment also collects commissions as
a broker of property and casualty insurance policies through a majority-owned
subsidiary, M/I Insurance Agency, LLC.
We
generally begin construction of a home when we have obtained a sales contract
and preliminary oral advice from the buyer’s lender that financing should be
approved. In certain markets, contracts may be accepted contingent
upon the sale of an existing home, and construction may be authorized through a
certain phase prior to satisfaction of that contingency. In addition,
speculative, or “spec,” homes (i.e., homes started in the absence of an executed
contract) are built to facilitate delivery of homes on an immediate-need basis
and to provide presentation of new products.
Design
and Construction
We devote
significant resources to the research, design and development of our homes in
order to distinguish ourselves from other homebuilders and fulfill the needs of
homebuyers in all of our markets. We currently offer approximately
600 different floor plans that are tailored to meet the requirements of buyers
within each of our markets. However, we are in the process of
reviewing our floor plan offerings and intend to scale the number back without
compromising our customers’ design needs. We spent $1.7 million, $2.5
million and $4.7 million in the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006,
respectively, for research and development of our homes.
The
construction of each home is supervised by a Personal Construction Supervisor
who reports to a Production Manager, both of whom are employees of the
Company. Buyers are introduced to their Personal Construction
Supervisor prior to commencement of home construction at a pre-construction
“buyer/builder conference.” The purpose of this conference is to
review the home plan and all relevant construction details and to explain the
construction process and schedule. We encourage our buyers to
actively monitor and observe the construction of their home and see the quality
being built into their home. All of this is part of our exclusive
“Confidence Builder Program” which, consistent with our business philosophy, is
designed to “put the buyer first” and enhance the total home-buying
experience.
Homes generally are constructed according to standardized designs and meet applicable Federal Housing Authority (“FHA”) and Veterans Administration (“VA”) requirements. To allow maximum design flexibility, we limit the use of pre-assembled building components. The efficiency of the building process is enhanced through the use of standardized materials available from a variety of sources. We utilize independent subcontractors for the installation
6
of site
improvements and the construction of our homes. Our on-site
construction supervisors manage the development and construction
process. Subcontractor work is performed pursuant to written
agreements. The agreements are generally short-term, with terms from
six to twelve months, and specify a fixed price for labor and
materials. The agreements are structured to provide price protection
for a majority of the higher-cost phases of construction for homes in our
backlog. The construction of our homes typically takes approximately
four to six months from the start of construction to completion of the home,
depending on the size and complexity of the particular home being
built. We did not experience any significant issues with availability
of building materials or skilled labor during 2008. As of December
31, 2008, we had a total of 566 homes, with $139.5 million aggregate sales
value, in backlog in various stages of completion, including homes that are
under contract but for which construction has not yet begun. As of
December 31, 2007, we had a total of 712 homes, with $219.5 million aggregate
sales value, in backlog. Homes included in year-end backlog are
typically included in homes delivered in the subsequent year.
Warranty
We
provide a variety of warranties in connection with our homes and have a program
to perform several inspections on each home that we sell. Immediately
prior to closing and again approximately three months after a home is delivered,
we inspect each home with the buyer. At the homeowner’s request, we
will also provide a one-year drywall inspection. In 2007, the Company
implemented a new limited warranty program (“Home Builder’s Limited Warranty”)
in conjunction with its thirty-year transferable structural limited warranty on
homes closed after the implementation date. The Home Builder’s Limited
Warranty covers construction defects for a statutory period based on geographic
market and state law (currently ranging from five to ten years for the states in
which the Company operates) and includes a mandatory arbitration clause.
Prior to this new warranty program, the Company provided up to a two-year
limited warranty on materials and workmanship and a twenty-year (for homes
closed between 1989 and 1998) and a thirty-year (for homes closed during or
after 1998) limited warranty against major structural defects. To
increase the value of the thirty-year warranty, the warranty is transferable in
the event of the sale of the home. The Home Builder’s Limited
Warranty provides coverage for construction defects and certain resultant damage
caused by any construction defects. The warranty period varies by
state in accordance with the statute of limitations for construction defects for
each state. We also pass along to our homebuyers all warranties
provided by the manufacturers or suppliers of components installed in each
home. Our warranty expense was approximately 1.1%, 0.8% and 0.7% of
total housing revenue for the years ended December 2008, 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
Markets
Our
operations are organized into nine homebuilding divisions within three regions
to maximize operating efficiencies and use of local management. Our
current homebuilding operating structure is as follows:
Year
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||
Operations
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||
Region
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Division
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Commenced
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Midwest
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Columbus,
Ohio
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1976
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Midwest
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Cincinnati,
Ohio
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1988
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Midwest
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Indianapolis,
Indiana
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1988
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Midwest
|
Chicago,
Illinois
|
2007
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Florida
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Tampa,
Florida
|
1981
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Florida
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Orlando,
Florida
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1984
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Mid-Atlantic
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Charlotte,
North Carolina
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1985
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Mid-Atlantic
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Raleigh,
North Carolina
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1986
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Mid-Atlantic
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Washington
D.C.
|
1991
|
Columbus
is the capital of Ohio, with federal, state and local governments providing
significant employment. Private industries including education,
healthcare, and professional services have notably contributed to this market as
well. The job market in Columbus has remained relatively healthy
compared to other cities in the midwest, despite the job losses in manufacturing
and construction. Relative incomes in Columbus have remained healthy
and better than average credit conditions continue to exist in the Columbus
area. Single-family permits were approximately 2,700 in 2008, a
decline of 39% from 2007’s permits of approximately 4,400. Columbus
is our home market, where we have had operations since 1976.
Cincinnati
has been characterized by an employment base highly concentrated in the
service-producing industry, which is now accounting for the bulk of the job
losses The area has also experienced a decline in the
7
manufacturing,
construction, and retail sectors. Cincinnati is home to a large
aviation company that is benefiting from a strong global demand for aerospace
products. Single-family permits were approximately 3,300 in 2008, a
decline of 38% from 2007’s permits of nearly 5,300.
Indianapolis
is a market noted for its diverse industry, and remains one of the sturdiest
markets in the Midwest. Significant industries include
pharmaceuticals, construction, leisure/hospitality, transportation/utilities and
retail services. Single-family permits were approximately 4,400 in
2008, a decline of 38% from 2007’s permits of approximately 7,100.
Chicago
is the business center of the Midwest and remains under pressure as a result of
the contracting financial services/professional service industries as well as
the declining tourism. High per capita incomes and an educated
workforce remain positive opportunities in this Midwest
marketplace. Single-family permits were approximately 7,800 in 2008,
a decline of 57% from 2007’s permits of approximately 18,200.
Tampa’s
healthcare and tourism industries have been resilient, but that resilience is
being over powered by the job losses in construction and professional
services. The local university has provided a source of stability,
and large research and development firms are opening research facilities in
Tampa. Single-family housing permits were approximately 5,100 in 2008
compared to approximately 8,100 in 2007, a decline of 37%.
Orlando’s
rising healthcare industry and growing defense systems will mitigate the
declines in construction and retail trade industries. A steady supply
of educated workers will aid in the eventual recovery of high-tech and
manufacturing industries in Orlando and continued tourism and entertainment
spending will eventually help this local economy rebound as well. In
2008, single-family permits were approximately 5,300, a decline of 55% from
2007’s permits of approximately 11,800.
Charlotte
is home to numerous firms in the banking industry, which has resulted in very
challenging times for this Southeast marketplace. However,
Charlotte’s demographics continue to support long-term growth, with its mix of
industries, educated workforce, and comparatively low living and business
costs. In 2008, housing activity decreased 52% with approximately
7,300 single-family permits compared to approximately 15,200 in
2007.
Raleigh
is the capital of North Carolina, with state government, three major
universities within the greater metro area, and pharmaceutical and biotech
industries contributing to its employment base. Raleigh has
experiencedsimilar
challenges in falling prices and unemployment rate increases, however this
market has proven to be more resilient to the economy struggles compared to
others. The educated workforce and strong technology and heathcare
sectors will continue to be opportunities for growth in this Southeast
marketplace. Single-family housing permits declined almost 43% in
2008 with approximately 9,400 single-family permits compared to approximately
16,600 in 2007.
Washington,
D.C.’s major contributors to employment come from the construction, technology
and government sectors. Federal government hiring is driving growth
in numerous industries. Information technology growth will help
offset weakness in the economy for Washington, D.C. Single-family
housing permits were approximately 13,100 in 2008 compared to approximately
21,300 in 2007, a decline of 39%. Our operations are located
throughout the Maryland and Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.
Product
Lines
On a
regional basis, we offer homes ranging in base sales price from approximately
$100,000 to $900,000, and ranging in square footage from approximately 1,200 to
4,500 square feet. In addition to single-family detached homes, we
also offer attached townhomes in most of our markets as well as condominiums in
our Columbus, Orlando, and Washington, D.C. markets. By offering a
wide range of homes, we are able to attract first-time, move-up, empty-nester
and luxury homebuyers. It is our goal to sell more than one home to
our buyers, and we have frequently been successful in this pursuit.
In each
of our home lines, upgrades and options are available to the homebuyer for an
additional charge. Major options include fireplaces, additional
bathrooms and higher-quality flooring, cabinets and appliances. The
options are typically more numerous and significant on our more expensive homes,
and typically carry a higher margin than our standard selections.
Land
Acquisition and Development
In 2008,
our percent of land internally developed increased to 88% compared to 85% in
2007. In the future, we plan to source the majority of our land
through developed lot option contracts. We continue to constantly evaluate
our
8
alternatives
to satisfy the need for lots in the most cost effective manner. We
seek to limit our investment in land and lots to the amount reasonably expected
to be sold in the next two to three years.
To limit
the risk involved in land ownership, we acquire land primarily through the use
of contingent purchase agreements. These agreements require the
approval of our corporate land committee and frequently condition our obligation
to purchase land upon approval of zoning, utilities, soil and subsurface
conditions, environmental and wetland conditions, market analysis, development
costs, title matters and other property-related criteria. Only after
this thorough evaluation has been completed do we make a commitment to purchase
undeveloped land.
We
periodically enter into limited liability company (“LLC”) arrangements with
other entities to develop land. At December 31, 2008, we had
interests varying from 33% to 50% in each of our seven LLCs. Two of
the LLCs are located in Tampa, Florida, and the remaining LLCs are located in
Columbus, Ohio. One of the LLCs has obtained financing from a third
party lender, and all of the remaining LLCs are equity financed by the Company
and our partners in the LLCs.
During
the development of lots, we are required by some municipalities and other
governmental authorities to provide completion bonds or letters of credit for
sewer, streets and other improvements. At December 31, 2008,
$37.8 million of
completion bonds and $25.2 million of letters of credit were outstanding for
these purposes.
We seek
to balance the economic risk of owning lots and land with the necessity of
having lots available for our homes. At December 31, 2008, we had
4,038 developed lots and 294 lots under development in inventory. We
also owned raw land expected to be developed into approximately 3,713
lots. In addition, at December 31, 2008, our interest in lots held by
unconsolidated LLCs consisted of no unsold lots, 58 lots under development, and
raw land expected to be developed into 694 lots.
Our
ability to continue development activities over the long-term will be dependent
upon, among other things, a suitable economic environment and our continued
ability to locate and enter into options or agreements to purchase land, obtain
governmental approvals for suitable parcels of land, and consummate the
acquisition and complete the development of such land.
At
December 31, 2008, we had purchase agreements to acquire 809 developed lots and
raw land to be developed into approximately 117 lots for a total of 926 lots,
with an aggregate current purchase price of approximately $45.6
million. Purchase of these properties is generally contingent upon
satisfaction of certain requirements by us and the sellers, such as zoning
approval and availability of building permits. We currently believe
that our maximum exposure as of December 31, 2008 related to these agreements is
equal to the amount of our outstanding deposits, which totaled $3.7 million,
including cash deposits of $1.1 million, prepaid acquisition costs of $0.3
million, letters of credit of $2.1 million, and corporate promissory notes of
$0.2 million. Further details relating to our land option agreements
are included in Note 14 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.
The
following table sets forth our land position in lots (including lots held in
unconsolidated LLCs) at December 31, 2008:
Lots
Owned
|
|||||||||||
Finished
|
Lots
Under
|
Undeveloped
|
Total
Lots
|
Lots
Under
|
|||||||
Region
|
Lots
|
Development
|
Lots
|
Owned
|
Contract
|
Total
|
|||||
Midwest
|
1,858
|
149
|
3,227
|
5,234
|
521
|
5,755
|
|||||
Florida
|
1,232
|
102
|
551
|
1,885
|
73
|
1,958
|
|||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
948
|
101
|
629
|
1,678
|
332
|
2,010
|
|||||
Total
|
4,038
|
352
|
4,407
|
8,797
|
926
|
9,723
|
Financial
Services
We
provide mortgage financing services to purchasers of our homes through M/I
Financial. M/I Financial provides financing services in all of our
housing markets. During the year ended December 31, 2008, we captured
85% of the available business from purchasers of our homes, originating
approximately $383.0 million of mortgage loans. The mortgage loans
originated by M/I Financial are sold to a third party generally within two weeks
of originating the loan.
M/I
Financial has been approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development
and the Veterans Administration to originate mortgages that are insured and/or
guaranteed by these entities. In addition, M/I Financial has been
approved by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and by
the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) as a seller and
servicer of mortgages.
9
We also provide title services to purchasers of our homes through
our wholly-owned subsidiaries, TransOhio Residential Title Agency, Ltd. and M/I
Title Agency, Ltd, and our majority-owned subsidiary, Washington/Metro
Residential Title Agency, LLC. Through these entities, we serve as a
title insurance agent by providing title insurance policies, examination and
closing services to purchasers of our homes in all of our housing markets except
Raleigh, Charlotte and Chicago. We assume no underwriting risk
associated with the title policies. In addition, we collect
commissions as a broker of property and casualty insurance policies through M/I
Insurance Agency, LLC, a majority-owned subsidiary. As a broker, the
Company does not retain any risk associated with these insurance
policies.
Corporate
Operations
Our
corporate operations and home office are located in Columbus, Ohio, where we
perform the following functions at a centralized level:
●
|
Establish
strategy, goals and operating policies;
|
●
|
Ensure
brand integrity and consistency across all local and regional
communications;
|
●
|
Monitor
and manage the performance of our operations;
|
●
|
Allocate
capital resources;
|
●
|
Provide
financing and perform all cash management functions for the Company, as
well as maintain our relationship with lenders;
|
●
|
Maintain
centralized information and communication systems; and
|
●
|
Maintain
centralized financial reporting and internal audit
functions.
|
Competition
In each
of our markets, we compete with numerous national, regional, and local
homebuilders, some of which have greater financial, marketing, land acquisition,
and sales resources. Builders of new homes compete not only for
homebuyers, but also for desirable properties, financing, raw materials, and
skilled subcontractors. In addition, we also face competition with
foreclosures and the existing home resale market, which has become over
saturated with homes due to current market conditions and a higher foreclosure
rate. We compete primarily on the basis of price, location,
design, quality, service, and reputation; however, we believe our financial
stability, relative to most others in our industry, has become an increasingly
favorable competitive factor. When our industry recovers, we believe that
we will see reduced competition from the small and mid-sized private builders in
the luxury market. Their access to capital already appears to be severely
constrained. We envision that there will be fewer and more selective lenders
serving our industry at that time. We believe that those lenders likely
will gravitate to the home building companies that offer them the greatest
security, the strongest balance sheets, and the broadest array of potential
business opportunities.
Our
financial services operations compete with other mortgage lenders, including
national, regional, and local mortgage bankers and brokers, banks, savings and
loan associations, and other financial institutions, in the origination and sale
of mortgage loans. Principal competitive factors include interest rates and
other features of mortgage loan products available to the consumer.
Regulation
and Environmental Matters
The
homebuilding industry, including the Company, is subject to various local, state
and federal (including FHA and VA) statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations
concerning zoning, building, design, construction, sales, and similar
matters. These regulations affect construction activities, including
types of construction materials that may be used, certain aspects of building
design, sales activities, and dealings with consumers. We are
required to obtain licenses, permits and approvals from various governmental
authorities for development activities. In many areas, we are subject
to local regulations which impose restrictive zoning and density requirements in
order to limit the number of homes within the boundaries of a particular
locality. We strive to reduce the risks of restrictive zoning and
density requirements by using contingent land purchase agreements, which state
that land must meet various requirements, including zoning, prior to our
purchase.
Development
may be subject to periodic delays or precluded entirely due to building
moratoriums. Generally, these moratoriums relate to insufficient
water or sewage facilities or inadequate road capacity within specific market
areas or communities. The moratoriums we have experienced have not
been of long duration and have not had a material effect on our
business.
Each of
the states in which we operate has a wide variety of environmental protection
laws. These laws generally regulate developments which are of
substantial size and which are in or near certain specified geographic
areas. Furthermore, these laws impose requirements for development
approvals which are more stringent than those that land developers would have to
meet outside of these geographic areas.
10
Furthermore,
these laws impose requirements for development approvals which are more
stringent than those that land developers would have to meet outside of these
geographic areas.
Additional
requirements may be imposed on homebuilders and developers in the future, which
could have a significant impact on us and the industry. Although we
cannot predict the effect of any such additional requirements, such requirements
could result in time-consuming and expensive compliance programs. In
addition, the continued effectiveness of current licenses, permits or
development approvals is dependent upon many factors, some of which may be
beyond our control.
Seasonality
Our
homebuilding operations experience significant seasonality and
quarter-to-quarter variability in homebuilding activity levels. In
general, homes delivered increase substantially in the second half of the
year. We believe that this seasonality reflects the tendency of
homebuyers to shop for a new home in the spring with the goal of closing in the
fall or winter, as well as the scheduling of construction to accommodate
seasonal weather conditions. Our financial services operations also
experience seasonality because loan originations correspond with the delivery of
homes in our homebuilding operations.
Compliance
Policy
We have a
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that requires every employee, officer and
director to at all times deal fairly with the Company’s customers,
subcontractors, suppliers, competitors and employees, and indicates that all of
our employees, officers and directors comply at all times with all applicable
laws, rules and regulations. Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics also
has procedures in place that allow whistleblowers to submit their concerns
regarding our operations, financial reporting, business integrity or any other
related matter to the Company’s General Counsel, thus ensuring their protection
from retaliation.
Corporate
Governance
We remain
committed to our shareholders in fostering sound corporate governance
principles. The Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines assist the Board of
Directors of the Company (the "Board") in fulfilling its responsibilities
related to corporate governance conduct. These guidelines serve as a
framework, addressing the function, structure, and operations of the Board, for
purposes of promoting consistency of the Board's role in overseeing the work of
management.
Employees
At
December 31, 2008, we employed 504 people (including part-time employees), of
which 378 were employed in homebuilding operations, 52 were employed in
financial services and 74 were employed in management and administrative
services. No employees are represented by a collective bargaining
agreement.
NYSE
Certification
We
submitted our 2007 Annual CEO Certification with the New York Stock Exchange on
May 14, 2008. The certification was not qualified in any
respect.
Available
Information
We file
annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These
filings are available to the public over the internet on the SEC’s website at
www.sec.gov. Our
periodic reports and other information filed with the SEC may be inspected
without charge and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street,
NE, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at
1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the Public Reference
Room.
Our
principal internet address is mihomes.com. We
make available, free of charge, on or through our website, our annual reports on
Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K and
amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”),, as soon as
reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or
furnish it to, the SEC. Our website also includes printable versions
of our Corporate Governance guidelines, our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics,
and Charters for each of our Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate
Governance Committees. The contents of our website are not part of
this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
11
ITEM
1A. RISK FACTORS
Factors
That May Affect Our Future Results (Cautionary Statements Under the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995):
Certain information
included in this report or in other materials we have filed or will file with
the SEC (as well as information included in oral statements or other written
statements made or to be made by us) contains or may contain forward-looking
statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our
future financial performance and financial condition. Words such as
“expects,” “anticipates,” “envisions,” “targets,” “goals,” “projects,”
“intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words
and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking
statements. These statements involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements that we make herein and
in future reports and statements are not guarantees of future performance, and
actual results may differ materially from those in such forward-looking
statements as a result of various factors relating to the economic environment,
interest rates, availability of resources, competition, market concentration,
land development activities and various governmental rules and regulations, as
more fully discussed in this Risk Factors section. Any
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date made. Except as
required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of the SEC, we undertake
no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements or risk factors,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise. However, any further disclosures made on related subjects
in our subsequent reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K should be
consulted. This discussion is provided as permitted by the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and all of our forward-looking
statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary
statements contained or referenced in this section.
Discussions
of our business and operations included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
should be read in conjunction with the risk factors set forth
below. The following cautionary discussion of risks, uncertainties
and assumptions relevant to our business includes factors we believe could cause
our actual results to differ materially from
expected and historical results. Other factors beyond those listed
below, including factors unknown to us and factors known to us which we have not
currently determined to be material, could also adversely affect
us.
Homebuilding Market and
Economic Risks
The
U.S. economy is in the midst of an unprecedented combination of economic
turmoil, uncertainty in the credit and financial markets, and worldwide concerns
of a financial collapse. Prolonged conditions of this nature could severely
impact our ability to operate.
The sharp
slow-down in the United States (“U.S.”) economy, coupled with an ongoing credit
crisis and volatility in the financial markets, could cause continued erosion in
home prices and/or demand, and cause further significant inventory write-downs,
as well as a reduction in our ability to generate cash flow from
operations.
The
homebuilding industry is undergoing a significant downturn, and its duration and
ultimate severity are uncertain in the current state of the economy; continued
slowdown in our business will continue to adversely affect our operating results
and financial condition.
The
downturn in the homebuilding industry, which is in its fourth year, has become
one of the most severe in U.S. history. This downturn, which we believe
started with a decline in consumer confidence, a decline in home prices, and an
oversupply of homes available for sale, has been exacerbated by, among other
things, a decline in the overall economy, increasing unemployment, fear of job
loss, a decline in the securities markets, the number of homes that are or will
be available for sale due to foreclosures, an inability of home buyers to sell
their current homes, a deterioration in the credit markets, and the direct and
indirect impact of the turmoil in the mortgage loan market. All of these
factors, in an economy that is now in recession, have contributed to the
significant decline in the demand for new homes. Moreover, the
government’s legislative and administrative measures aimed at restoring
liquidity to the credit markets and providing relief to homeowners facing
foreclosure have only recently begun. It is unclear whether, and to what
extent, these measures will effectively stabilize prices and home values or
restore consumer confidence and increase demand in the homebuilding
industry.
As a
result of this prolonged downturn, our sales and results of operations have been
adversely affected. We have incurred significant inventory
impairments and other write-offs, our gross margins have declined significantly,
and we incurred a substantial loss, after write-offs, during 2008. We
cannot predict the duration or ultimate severity of the current challenging
conditions, nor can we provide assurance that our responses to the current
downturn or the government’s attempts to address the troubles in the economy
will be successful. If these conditions persist or continue to worsen,
they will further adversely affect our operating results and financial
condition.
12
Demand
for new homes is sensitive to economic conditions over which we have no control,
such as the availability of mortgage financing.
Demand
for homes is sensitive to changes in economic conditions such as the level of
employment, consumer confidence, consumer income, the availability of financing,
and interest rate levels. The mortgage lending industry has and may
continue to experience significant challenges. As a result of
increased default rates, particularly (but not entirely) with regard to
sub-prime and other non-conforming loans, many lenders have reduced their
willingness to make, and tightened their credit requirements with regard to,
residential mortgage loans. Fewer loan products and stricter loan
qualification standards have made it more difficult for some borrowers to
finance the purchase of our homes. Although our financial services
subsidiary offers mortgage loans to potential buyers of most of the homes we
build, we may no longer be able to offer financing terms that are attractive to
our potential buyers. Unavailability of mortgage financing at acceptable
rates reduces demand for the homes we build, including, in some instances,
causing potential buyers to cancel contracts they have signed.
Increasing
interest rates could cause defaults for homebuyers who financed homes using
non-traditional financing products, which could increase the number of homes
available for resale.
During
the period of high demand in the homebuilding industry prior to 2006, many
homebuyers financed their purchases using non-traditional adjustable rate or
interest only mortgages or other mortgages, including sub-prime mortgages, that
involved, at least during initial years, monthly payments that were
significantly lower than those required by conventional fixed rate mortgages.
As a result, new homes became more affordable. However, as monthly
payments for these homes increase, either as a result of increasing adjustable
interest rates or as a result of principal payments coming due, some of these
homebuyers could default on their payments and have their homes foreclosed,
which would increase the inventory of homes available for resale.
Foreclosure sales and other distress sales may result in further declines
in market prices for homes. In an environment of declining prices, many
homebuyers
may delay purchases of homes in anticipation of lower prices in the future.
In addition, as lenders perceive deterioration in credit quality among
homebuyers, lenders have been eliminating some of the non-traditional and
sub-prime financing products previously available and increasing the
qualifications needed for mortgages or adjusting their terms to address
increased credit risk. In addition, tighter lending standards for mortgage
products and volatility in the sub-prime and alternative mortgage markets may
have a negative impact on our business by making it more difficult for certain
of our homebuyers to obtain financing or resell their existing
homes. In general, to the extent mortgage rates increase or lenders
make it more difficult for prospective buyers to finance home purchases, it
becomes more difficult or costly for customers to purchase our homes, which has
an adverse affect on our sales volume.
Our
land investment exposes us to significant risks, including potential impairment
write-downs, that could negatively impact our profits if the market value of our
inventory declines.
We must
anticipate demand for new homes several years prior to those homes being sold to
homeowners. There are significant risks inherent in controlling or
purchasing land, especially as the demand for new homes
decreases. There is often a significant lag time between when we
acquire land for development and when we sell homes in neighborhoods we have
planned, developed and constructed. The value of undeveloped land,
building lots and housing inventories can fluctuate significantly as a result of
changing market conditions. In addition, inventory carrying costs can
be significant, and fluctuations in value can result in reduced
profits. Economic conditions could result in the necessity to sell
homes or land at a loss, or hold land in inventory longer than planned, which
could significantly impact our financial condition, results of operations, cash
flows, and stock performance. As a result of softened market
conditions in all of our markets, since 2006, we have recorded a loss of $432.3
million for impairment of inventory and investments in unconsolidated LLCs
(including $63.5 million related to discontinued operation), and have
written-off $15.9 million relating to abandoned land transactions (including
$1.5 million related to discontinued operation). It is possible that
the estimated cash flows from these inventory positions may change and could
result in a future need to record additional valuation
adjustments. Additionally, if conditions in the homebuilding industry
worsen in the future, we may be required to evaluate additional inventory for
potential impairment, which may result in additional valuation adjustments,
which could be significant and could negatively impact our financial results and
condition. We cannot make any assurances that the measures we employ
to manage inventory risks and costs will be successful.
If
we are unable to successfully compete in the highly competitive homebuilding
industry, our financial results and growth may suffer.
The
homebuilding industry is highly competitive. We compete for sales in
each of our markets with national, regional, and local developers and
homebuilders, existing home resales and, to a lesser extent, condominiums and
available rental housing. Some of our competitors have significantly
greater financial resources or lower costs than
13
we
do. Competition among both small and large residential homebuilders
is based on a number of interrelated factors, including location, reputation,
amenities, design, quality, and price. Competition is expected to
continue and become more intense, and there may be new entrants in the markets
in which we currently operate and in markets we may enter in the
future. If we are unable to successfully compete, our financial
results and growth could suffer.
If
the current downturn becomes more severe or continues for an extended period of
time, it would have continued negative consequences on our operations, financial
position, and cash flows.
Continued
weakness in the homebuilding industry could have an adverse effect on
us. It could require that we write down more assets, dispose of
assets, reduce operations, restructure our debt and/or raise new equity to
pursue our business plan, any of which could have a detrimental effect on our
current shareholders.
Inflation
can adversely affect us, particularly in a period of declining home sale
prices.
Inflation
can have a long-term impact on us because increasing costs of land, materials
and labor require us to attempt to increase the sale prices of homes in order to
maintain satisfactory margins. Although an excess of supply over demand for new
homes, such as the one we are currently experiencing, requires that we reduce
prices, rather than increase them, it does not necessarily result in reductions,
or prevent increases, in the costs of materials and labor. Under those
circumstances, the effect of cost increases is to reduce the margins on the
homes we sell. That makes it more difficult for us to recover the full cost of
previously purchased land, and has contributed to the significant reductions in
the value of our land inventory.
Our
lack of geographic diversification could adversely affect us if the homebuilding
industry in our markets declines.
We have
operations in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and
Florida. Our limited geographic diversification could adversely
impact us if the homebuilding business in our current markets should continue to
decline, since there may not be a balancing opportunity in a stronger market in
other geographic regions.
Operational
Risks
If we are not
able to obtain suitable financing, our business may be negatively
impacted.
The
homebuilding industry is capital intensive because of the length of time from
when land or lots are acquired to when the related homes are constructed on
those lots and delivered to homebuyers. Our business and earnings
depend on our ability to obtain financing to support our homebuilding operations
and to provide the resources to carry inventory. We may be required
to seek additional capital, whether from sales of equity or debt, or additional
bank borrowings, to support our business. Our ability to secure the
needed capital at terms that are acceptable to us may be impacted by factors
beyond our control.
Reduced
numbers of home sales force us to absorb additional carrying costs.
We incur
many costs even before we begin to build homes in a community. These
include costs of preparing land and installing roads, sewage and other
utilities, as well as taxes and other costs related to ownership of the land on
which we plan to build homes. Reducing the rate at which we build homes
extends the length of time it takes us to recover these additional costs.
Also, we frequently enter into contracts to purchase land and make
deposits that may be forfeited if we do not fulfill our purchase obligation
within specified periods. Because of current market conditions, we have
terminated a number of these contracts, resulting in significant forfeitures of
deposits.
The
terms of our indebtedness may restrict our ability to operate.
The
Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated October 6, 2006 (as amended,
the “Credit Facility”) and the indenture governing our senior notes impose
restrictions on our operations and activities. The most significant
restrictions under the indenture governing our senior notes relate to debt
incurrence, sales of assets, cash distributions, and investments by us and
certain of our subsidiaries. In addition, our Credit Facility requires
compliance with certain financial covenants, including a minimum consolidated
tangible net worth requirement and a maximum permitted leverage
ratio.
Currently,
we believe the most restrictive covenant of the Credit Facility is minimum
tangible net worth. Failure to comply with this covenant or any of
the other restrictions or covenants of our Credit Facility could result in a
default under the Credit Facility, which, in turn, could result in a
default under the Credit Facility, which, in turn, could result in a
default under the indenture governing our senior notes as well as other
related indebtedness. In addition, if a default occurs, the affected
lenders could elect to declare the
14
indebtedness,
together with accrued interest and other fees, to be immediately due and
payable. Availability under the Credit Facility is also subject to
satisfaction of a secured borrowing base. We are permitted to grow
the borrowing base by adding additional cash and/or inventory as collateral
securing the revolving Credit Facility. We could also be precluded
from incurring additional borrowings under our revolving credit facility, which
could impair our ability to maintain sufficient working capital. In
such a situation, there can be no assurance that we would be able to obtain
alternative financing. Any of the foregoing results could have a
material adverse effect on our results of operations,
financial condition and the ability to operate our business.
The
indenture governing our senior notes contains restrictive covenants that limit,
among other things, the ability of the Company to pay dividends on common and
preferred shares, as well as the ability to repurchase any shares. If
our “consolidated restricted payments basket,” as defined in the indenture
governing our senior notes, is less than zero, we are restricted from making
certain payments, including dividends, as well as repurchasing any
shares. We are currently restricted from paying dividends on our
common shares and our 9.75% Series A Preferred Shares, as well as repurchasing
any shares. We cannot resume making such payments until such time as
the basket becomes positive or the senior notes are repaid, and our Board
authorizes such payments.
If
our financial performance further declines, we may not be able to maintain
compliance with the covenants in our credit facilities and senior
notes.
Our
Credit Facility and the indenture governing our senior notes impose certain
restrictions on our operations. The most significant restrictions relate
to debt incurrence, sales of assets, cash distributions and investments by us
and certain
of our subsidiaries. In addition, our Credit Facility requires compliance
with certain financial covenants, including a minimum adjusted consolidated
tangible net worth requirement and a maximum permitted leverage ratio.
Also, while our borrowing capacity under the Credit Facility is $150
million, and sufficient in today’s current depressed market, we can only borrow
up to the amount we have secured by real estate and/or cash in accordance with
the provision of our Credit Facility. If markets strengthen, we might have
to seek increased borrowing capacity.
While we
currently are in compliance with the financial covenants in the Credit Facility,
if we had to record significant additional impairments in the future, this could
cause us to fail to comply with certain Credit Facility financial
covenants. Such an event would give the lenders the right to cause any
amounts we owe under Credit Facility to become immediately due. If we were
unable to repay the borrowings when they became due, that could entitle the
holders of $200 million senior notes to cause the sums evidenced by those notes
to become due immediately. Under such circumstances, we would not be
able to repay those amounts without selling substantial assets, which we might
have to do at prices well below the long term fair values, and the carrying
values, of the assets.
The
ability to incur additional indebtedness could magnify other risk
factors.
Under the
terms of our indebtedness under the indenture governing our senior notes and
under the Credit Facility, we have the ability, subject to our debt covenants,
to incur additional amounts of debt. The incurrence of additional
indebtedness could magnify the risks described above. In addition, certain
obligations, such as standby letters of credit and performance and maintenance
bonds issued in the ordinary course of business, are not considered indebtedness
under the indenture governing our senior notes (and may be secured) and are
therefore not subject to limits in our debt covenants.
Our
competitive position could suffer if we were unable to take advantage of
acquisition opportunities.
Our
growth strategy depends in part on our ability to identify and purchase suitable
acquisition candidates, as well as our ability to successfully integrate
acquired operations into our business. Given current market conditions,
executing this strategy by identifying opportunities to purchase, at favorable
prices, companies that are having problems contending with the current difficult
homebuilding environment, may be particularly important. Not properly
executing this strategy could put us at a disadvantage in our efforts to compete
with other major homebuilders who are able to take advantage of such favorable
acquisition opportunities.
We
could be adversely affected by a negative change in our credit
rating.
Our
ability to access capital on favorable terms is a key factor in continuing to
grow our business and operations in a profitable manner. In 2008, Standard
& Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch have lowered our credit ratings, which may make it
more difficult and costly for us to access capital. A further downgrade by
any of the principal credit agencies may exacerbate these
difficulties.
15
Errors
in estimates and judgments that affect decisions about how we operate and on the
reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses could have a
material impact on us.
In the
ordinary course of doing business, we must make estimates and judgments that
affect decisions about how we operate and on the reported amounts of assets,
liabilities, revenues, and expenses. These estimates include, but are not
limited to, those related to the recognition of income and expenses; impairment
of assets; estimates of future improvement and amenity costs; estimates of sales
levels and sales prices; capitalization of costs to inventory; provisions for
litigation, insurance and warranty costs; cost of complying with government
regulations; and income taxes. We base our estimates on historical experience
and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the
circumstances. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate and adjust our estimates
based upon the information then currently available. Actual results may
differ from these estimates, assumptions, and conditions.
We
conduct certain of our operations through unconsolidated joint ventures with
independent third parties in which we do not have a controlling interest.
These investments involve risks and are highly illiquid.
We
currently operate through a number of unconsolidated homebuilding and land
development joint ventures with independent third parties in which we do not
have a controlling interest. At December 31, 2008, we had invested an
aggregate of $13.1 million in these joint ventures, which had borrowings
outstanding of approximately $11.7 million. In addition, as part of our
operating strategy, we intend to continue to evaluate additional joint venture
opportunities.
These
investments involve risks and are highly illiquid. There are a
limited number of sources willing to provide acquisition, development and
construction financing to land development and homebuilding joint ventures, and
as the use of joint venture arrangements by us and our competitors increases and
as market conditions become more challenging, it may be difficult or impossible
to obtain financing for our joint ventures on commercially reasonable
terms. In addition, we lack a controlling interest in these joint
ventures and therefore are usually unable to require that our joint ventures
sell assets or return invested capital, make additional capital contributions or
take any other action without the vote of at least one of our venture
partners. Therefore, absent partner agreement, we will be unable to
liquidate our joint venture investments to generate cash.
The
credit agreement of our financial services segment will expire in May
2009.
M/I
Financial, our financial services segment, is party to a $30.0 million Secured
Credit Agreement (the “MIF Credit Agreement”). M/I Financial
uses the MIF Credit Agreement to finance its lending activities until the loans
are delivered to third party buyers. The MIF Credit Agreement will expire
on May 21, 2009. If we are unable to replace the MIF Credit Agreement
when it matures in May 2009, it could seriously impede the activities of our
financial services segment.
If
our ability to resell mortgages to investors is impaired, we may be required to
broker loans.
We sell
substantially all of the loans we originate within a short period of time in the
secondary mortgage market on a servicing released, non-recourse basis, although,
we remain liable for certain limited representations and warranties related to
loan sales. If there is a significant decline in the secondary
mortgage market, our ability to sell mortgages could be adversely impacted and
it would require us to make arrangements with banks or other financial
institutions to fund our buyers’ closings. If we became unable to
sell loans into the secondary mortgage market or directly to Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, we would have to modify our origination model, which, among other
things, could significantly reduce our ability to sell homes.
Federal
laws and regulations that adversely affect liquidity in the secondary mortgage
market could hurt our business.
Changes
in federal laws and regulations could have the effect of curtailing the
activities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These organizations provide
significant liquidity to the secondary mortgage market. Any curtailment of
their activities could increase mortgage interest rates and increase the
effective cost of our homes, which could reduce demand for our homes and
adversely affect our results of operations.
Recent proposed rule change by HUD
could negatively impact our operations and revenue.
On
November 17, 2008, the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development (“HUD”) issued a final rule (the “Final Rule”) that amended the
regulations pertaining to permissible affiliated business arrangements under the
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. The Final Rule has the effect of
prohibiting homebuilders from providing incentives to their buyers for their
buyers to use affiliated businesses. The Final Rule was to go into effect
on January 16, 2009. A lawsuit has been filed against HUD alleging
among other things that HUD did not have the
16
statutory
authority to prohibit such incentives. HUD has agreed to delay the
implementation of the Final Rule until at least April 16, 2009 in order to
give the court time to decide the legality of the Final Rule. If the Final Rule
is implemented, it could have an adverse impact on our homebuilding, mortgage
lending, and title company operations.
We compete on several levels with
homebuilders that may have greater sales and financial resources, which could
hurt future earnings.
We
compete not only for home buyers but also for desirable properties, financing,
raw materials, and skilled labor, often within larger subdivisions designed,
planned and developed by other homebuilders. Our competitors include other
local, regional, and national homebuilders, some of which have greater sales and
financial resources.
The
competitive conditions in the homebuilding industry, together with current
market conditions, have resulted in and could continue to result
in:
●
|
difficulty
in acquiring suitable land at acceptable prices;
|
●
|
increased
selling incentives;
|
●
|
lower
sales; or
|
●
|
delays
in
construction.
|
Any of
these problems could increase costs and/or lower profit margins.
Our
business requires the use of significant amounts of capital, sources for which
may include our Credit Facility. In the event we were to
amend our Credit Facility, such amendment could result in lower available
commitment amounts and less favorable terms and conditions, which could have a
negative impact on our borrowing capacity and/or cash flows.
Our
Credit Facility has an aggregate Commitment amount of $150 million and a
maturity date of October 6, 2010. The Credit Facility’s provision for letters of
credit is available in the aggregate amount of $100
million. Availability under the Credit Facility is also subject to
satisfaction of a secured borrowing base. We are permitted to grow
the borrowing base by adding additional cash and/or inventory as collateral
securing the revolving Credit Facility. If we were to amend our
Credit Facility again in the future, lenders might not be willing to provide
credit on terms that are comparable to those governing our existing Credit
Facility, in which case our capacity to borrow or issue letters of credit could
be reduced significantly, which could require us to use cash or other sources of
capital to fund our business operations.
Our
net operating loss carryforwards could be substantially limited if we experience
an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue
Code.
Based on
recent impairments and our current financial performance, we generated net
operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards for the year ending December 31, 2008 and
it’s possible we will generate net NOL carryforwards in future
years. Under the Internal Revenue Code, we may use these NOL
carryforwards to offset future earnings and reduce our federal income tax
liability. As a result, we believe these NOL carryforwards could be a
substantial asset for us.
Section
382 of the Internal Revenue Code contains rules that limit the ability of a
company that undergoes an “ownership change,” which is generally defined as any
change in ownership of more than 50% of its common stock over a three-year
period, to utilize its NOL carryforwards and certain built-in losses recognized
in years after the ownership change. These rules generally operate by
focusing on ownership changes among shareholders owning, directly or indirectly,
5% or more of the company’s common stock (including changes involving a
shareholder becoming a 5% shareholder) or any change in ownership arising from a
new issuance of stock by the company.
If we
undergo an “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382 as a result of future
transactions involving our common shares, including transactions involving a
shareholder becoming an owner of 5% or more of our common shares and purchases
and sales of our common shares by existing 5% shareholders, our ability to use
our NOL carryforwards and recognize certain built-in losses could be limited by
Section 382. Depending on the resulting limitation, a significant
portion of our NOL carryforwards could expire before we would be able to use
them. Our inability to utilize our NOL carryforwards could have a
material adverse affect on our financial condition and results of
operations.
17
Cash
flows and results of operations could be adversely affected if legal claims are
brought against us and are not resolved in our favor.
Claims,
including one class action suit, have been brought against us in various legal
proceedings that have not had, and are not expected to have, a material adverse
effect on our business or financial condition. Should additional
claims be filed against us in the future, it is possible that our cash flows and
results of operations could be materially and adversely affected, from time to
time, by the negative outcome of one or more of such matters.
In
the ordinary course of business, we are required to obtain performance bonds,
the unavailability of which could adversely affect our results of operations
and/or cash flows.
As is customary in the homebuilding industry, we often are required to provide surety bonds to secure our performance under construction contracts, development agreements, and other arrangements. Our ability to obtain surety bonds primarily depends upon our credit rating, capitalization, working capital, past performance, management expertise, and certain external factors, including the overall capacity of the surety market and the underwriting practices of surety bond issuers. The ability to obtain surety bonds also can be impacted by the willingness of insurance companies to issue performance bonds. If we were unable to obtain surety bonds when required, our results of operations and/or cash flows could be impacted adversely.
Changes
in accounting principles, interpretations and practices may affect our reported
revenues, earnings, and results of operations.
Generally
accepted accounting principles and their accompanying pronouncements,
implementation guidelines, interpretations, and practices for certain aspects of
our business are complex and may involve subjective judgments, estimates and
assumptions, such as revenue recognition, inventory valuations, and income
taxes. Changes in interpretations could significantly affect our reported
revenues, earnings, and operating results, and could add significant volatility
to those measures without a comparable underlying change in cash flows from
operations.
We
can be injured by failures of persons who act on our behalf to comply with
applicable regulations and guidelines.
Although
we expect all of our employees, officers and directors to comply at all times
with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, there are instances in which
subcontractors or others through whom we do business engage in practices that do
not comply with applicable regulations or guidelines. When we learn of
practices relating to homes we build or financing we provide that do not comply
with applicable regulations or guidelines, we move actively to stop the
non-complying practices as soon as possible. Sometimes our employees
have been aware of these practices but did not take steps to prevent them, and
we have taken disciplinary action against such employees, including in some
instances, terminating their employment. However, regardless of the
steps we take after we learn of practices that do not comply with applicable
regulations or guidelines, we can in some instances be subject to fines or other
governmental penalties, and our reputation can be injured, due to the practices
having taken place.
Tax
law changes could make home ownership more expensive or less
attractive.
Significant
expenses of owning a home, including mortgage interest expense and real estate
taxes, generally are deductible expenses for the purpose of calculating an
individual’s federal, and in some cases state, taxable income. If the government
were to make changes to income tax laws that eliminate or substantially reduce
these income tax deductions, the after-tax cost of owning a new home would
increase substantially. This could adversely impact demand for, and/or
sales prices of, new homes.
Our
income tax provision and other tax liabilities may be insufficient if taxing
authorities are successful in asserting tax positions that are contrary to our
position.
From time
to time, we are audited by various federal, state and local authorities
regarding income tax matters. Significant judgment is required to determine our
provision for income taxes and our liabilities for federal, state, local, and
other taxes. Our audits are in various stages of completion; however, no
outcome for a particular audit can be determined with certainty prior to the
conclusion of the audit, appeal and, in some cases, litigation process.
Although we believe our approach to determining the appropriate tax
treatment is supportable and in accordance with Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes,” and
Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for
Uncertainty in Income Taxes”, it is possible that the final tax authority will
take a tax position that is materially different than that which is reflected in
our income tax provision and other tax reserves. As each audit is
conducted, adjustments, if any, are appropriately recorded in our Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements in the period determined. Such
differences could
18
have a
material adverse effect on our income tax provision or benefit, or other tax
reserves, in the reporting period in which such determination is made and,
consequently, on our results of operations, financial position and/or cash flows
for such period.
We
experience fluctuations and variability in our operating results on a quarterly
basis and, as a result, our historical performance may not be a meaningful
indicator of future results.
We
historically have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, variability
in home sales and results of operations on a quarterly basis. As a
result of such variability, our historical performance may not be a meaningful
indicator of future results. Factors that contribute to this
variability include: (a) timing of home deliveries and land sales;
(b) delays in construction schedules due to strikes, adverse weather, acts of
God, reduced subcontractor availability, and governmental restrictions; (c) our
ability to acquire additional land or options for additional land on acceptable
terms; (d) conditions of the real estate market in areas where we operate and of
the general economy; (e) the cyclical nature of the homebuilding industry,
changes in prevailing interest rates, and the availability of mortgage
financing; and (f) costs and availability of materials and labor.
Homebuilding
is subject to warranty and liability claims in the ordinary course of business
that can be significant.
As a
homebuilder, we are subject to home warranty, personal injury and
construction defect claims arising in the ordinary course of
business. We record warranty and other reserves for homes we sell
based on historical experience in our markets and our judgment of the
qualitative risks associated with the types of homes built. We have,
and require the majority of our subcontractors to have, general liability,
workers’ compensation, and other business insurance. These insurance
policies protect us against a portion of our risk of loss from claims, subject
to certain self-insured retentions, deductibles, and other coverage
limits. We reserve for the costs to cover our self-insured retentions
and deductible amounts under these policies and for any costs of claims and
lawsuits based on an analysis of our historical claims, which includes an
estimate of claims incurred but not yet reported. Because of the
uncertainties inherent to these matters, we cannot provide assurance that our
insurance coverage, our subcontractors’ arrangements, and our reserves will be
adequate to address all of our warranty, personal injury and construction
defect claims in the future. For example, contractual indemnities can
be difficult to enforce, we may be responsible for applicable self-insured
retentions, and some types of claims may not be covered by insurance or may
exceed applicable coverage limits. Additionally, the coverage offered
and the availability of general liability insurance for construction defects are
currently limited and costly. We have responded to the increases in
insurance costs and coverage limitations by increasing our self-insured
retentions. There can be no assurance that coverage will not be
further restricted and may become even more costly or may not be available at
rates that are acceptable to us.
Natural
disasters and severe weather conditions could delay deliveries, increase costs,
and decrease demand for homes in affected areas.
Several
of our markets, specifically our operations in Florida, North Carolina and
Washington, D.C., are situated in geographical areas that are regularly impacted
by severe storms, hurricanes, and flooding. In addition, our
operations in the Midwest can be impacted by severe storms, including
tornados. The occurrence of these or other natural disasters can
cause delays in the completion of, or increase the cost of, developing one or
more of our communities, and as a result could materially and adversely impact
our results of operations.
Supply
shortages and other risks related to the demand for skilled labor and building
materials could increase costs and delay deliveries.
The
residential construction industry has, from time to time, experienced
significant material and labor shortages in insulation, drywall, brick, cement
and certain areas of carpentry and framing, as well as fluctuations in lumber
prices and supplies. Any shortages of long duration in these areas
could delay construction of homes, which could adversely affect our business and
increase costs. To date, we have not experienced any significant
issues with availability of building materials or skilled labor.
We
are subject to extensive government regulations, which could restrict our
homebuilding or financial services business.
The
homebuilding industry is subject to numerous and increasing local, state and
federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning zoning, resource
protection, building design and construction, and similar
matters. This includes local regulations that impose restrictive
zoning and density requirements in order to limit the number of homes that can
eventually be built within the boundaries of a particular location. Such
regulation also affects construction activities, including construction
materials that must be used in certain aspects of building design, as well as
sales activities and other dealings with homebuyers. We must also obtain
licenses, permits and approvals from various governmental agencies for our
development activities, the granting of which are beyond our
19
control. Furthermore,
increasingly stringent requirements may be imposed on homebuilders and
developers in the future. Although we cannot predict the impact on us
to comply with any such requirements, such requirements could result in
time-consuming and expensive compliance programs. In addition, we
have been, and in the future may be,
subject to periodic delays or may be precluded from developing certain projects
due to building moratoriums. These moratoriums generally relate to
insufficient water supplies or sewage facilities, delays in utility hookups, or
inadequate road capacity within the specific market area or
subdivision. These moratoriums can occur prior to, or subsequent to,
commencement of our operations, without notice or recourse.
We are
also subject to a variety of local, state and federal statutes, ordinances,
rules and regulations concerning consumer protection matters and the protection
of health and the environment. These statutes, ordinances, rules, and
regulations, and any failure to comply therewith, could give rise to
additional liabilities or expenditures and have an adverse affect on our results
of operations, financial condition, or business. The particular consumer
protection matters regulate the marketing, sales, construction, closing and
financing of our homes. The particular environmental laws that apply to
any given project vary greatly according to the project site and the present and
former uses of the property. These environmental laws may result in
delays, cause us to incur substantial compliance costs (including substantial
expenditures for pollution and water quality control), and prohibit or severely
restrict development in certain environmentally sensitive
regions. Although there can be no assurance that we will be
successful in all cases, we have a general practice of requiring resolution of
environmental issues prior to purchasing land in an effort to avoid major
environmental issues in our developments.
In
addition to the laws and regulations that relate to our homebuilding operations,
M/I Financial is subject to a variety of laws and regulations concerning the
underwriting, servicing and sale of mortgage loans.
We are dependent
on the services of certain key employees, and the loss of their services could
hurt our business.
Our
future success depends, in part, on our ability to attract, train, and retain
skilled personnel. If we are unable to retain our key employees or
attract, train, and retain other skilled personnel in the future, it could
materially and adversely impact our operations and result in additional expenses
for identifying and training new personnel.
ITEM
1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM
2. PROPERTIES
We own
and operate an approximately 85,000 square foot office building for our home
office in Columbus, Ohio and lease all of our other offices.
Due to
the nature of our business, a substantial amount of property is held as
inventory in the ordinary course of business. See “ITEM 1. BUSINESS –
Land Acquisition and Development.”
ITEM
3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
The
Company and certain of its subsidiaries have been named as defendants in various
claims, complaints and other legal actions including the legal action
described below which are routine and incidental to our business. Certain
of the liabilities resulting from these actions are covered by insurance.
While management currently believes that the ultimate resolution of these
matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse
effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations, such
matters are subject to inherent uncertainties. The Company has recorded a
liability to provide for the anticipated costs, including legal defense costs,
associated with the resolution of these matters. However, there exists the
possibility that the costs to resolve these matters could differ from the
recorded estimates and, therefore, have a material adverse impact on the
Company’s net income for the periods in which the matters are resolved. On
March 14, 2008, a former employee filed a complaint in the United
States District Court, Middle District of Florida, on behalf of himself and
those similarly situated, against M/I Homes, Inc., alleging that he and other
construction superintendents were misclassified as exempt and not paid overtime
compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act and seeking equitable
relief, damages and attorneys' fees. Five other plaintiffs have filed
consent forms in order to join the action. The Company filed an answer on
or about August 21, 2008 and intends to vigorously defend against the
claims.
ITEM
4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
None.
20
PART
II
ITEM
5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER
MATTERS
|
|
AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY
SECURITIES
|
The
Company’s common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol “MHO.” As of February 18, 2009, there were approximately 450
record holders of the Company’s common shares. At that date, there
were 17,626,123 common shares issued and 14,023,982 common shares
outstanding. The table below presents the highest and lowest sales
prices for the Company’s common shares during each of the quarters
presented:
2008
|
HIGH
|
LOW
|
||
First
quarter
|
$19.39
|
$
7.21
|
||
Second
quarter
|
20.25
|
14.28
|
||
Third
quarter
|
26.00
|
12.62
|
||
Fourth
quarter
|
23.15
|
5.15
|
||
2007
|
||||
First
quarter
|
$38.25
|
$26.46
|
||
Second
quarter
|
31.40
|
25.11
|
||
Third
quarter
|
29.74
|
13.45
|
||
Fourth
quarter
|
18.02
|
8.91
|
The
highest and lowest sales prices for the Company’s common shares from January 1,
2009 through February 18, 2009 were $12.10 and $6.04, respectively.
The
indenture governing our senior notes contains restrictive covenants that limit,
among other things, the ability of the Company to pay dividends on common and
preferred shares or repurchase any shares. If our “consolidated
restricted payments basket,” as defined in the indenture governing our senior
notes, is less than zero, we are restricted from making certain payments,
including dividends, as well as from repurchasing any shares. During
the second quarter of 2008, the Company ceased paying dividends due to such
covenants. At December 31, 2008, our restricted payments basket was
($146.8) million. As a result of this deficit, we are currently
restricted from paying dividends on our common shares and our 9.75% Series A
Preferred Shares, and from repurchasing any shares under our common shares
repurchase program that was authorized by our Board of Directors in November
2005. We will continue to be "consolidated restricted until such time
that the restricted payments basket" has been restored or our senior notes are
repaid, and our Board of Directors authorizes us to resume dividend
payments.
Dividends
paid to common shareholders totaled $1.1 million for the year ended December 31,
2008 and $1.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Performance
Graph
The
following graph illustrates the Company’s performance in the form of cumulative
total return to shareholders for the last five calendar years through December
31, 2008, assuming a hypothetical investment of $100 and reinvestment of all
dividends paid on such investment, compared to the cumulative total return of
the same hypothetical investment in both the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index and
the Standard & Poor’s 500 Homebuilding Index.
21
|
Period
Ending
|
|||||
Index
|
12/31/03
|
12/31/04
|
12/31/05
|
12/31/06
|
12/31/07
|
12/31/08
|
M/I
Homes, Inc.
|
100.00
|
141.44
|
104.47
|
98.47
|
27.24
|
27.43
|
S&P
500
|
100.00
|
110.88
|
116.33
|
134.70
|
142.10
|
89.53
|
S&P
500 Homebuilding Index
|
100.00
|
133.64
|
169.17
|
135.34
|
55.63
|
33.99
|
Share
Repurchases
On
November 8, 2005, the Company obtained authorization from the Board of Directors
to repurchase up to $25 million worth of its outstanding common
shares. The purchases may occur in the open market and/or in
privately negotiated transactions as market conditions
warrant. During the twelve month period ended December 31, 2008, the
Company did not repurchase any shares. As discussed above, because
our “consolidated restricted payments basket” under the indenture governing our
senior notes, is less than zero, we are restricted from repurchasing any shares
under our common shares repurchase program.
Issuer Purchases of Equity
Securities
Total
Number of Shares
Purchased
|
Average
Price
Paid
per
Share
|
Total
Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced
Program
|
Approximate
Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Program
(a)
|
||||
October
1 to October 31, 2008
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
$6,715,000
|
|||
November
1 to November 30, 2008
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
$6,715,000
|
|||
December
1 to December 31, 2008
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
$6,715,000
|
|||
Total
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
$6,715,000
|
(a)
|
As
of February 18, 2009, the Company had purchased a total of 473,300 shares
at an average price of $38.63 per share pursuant to the existing
Board-approved $25 million repurchase program that was publicly announced
on November 10, 2005, and had approximately $6.7 million remaining
available for repurchase under the $25 million repurchase program, which
expires on November 8, 2010. The indenture governing our senior
notes contains a provision that restricts us from repurchasing any shares
when the calculation of the "consolidated restricted payment basket," as
defined therein, falls below zero. At December 31, 2008, the
payment basket is $(146.8) million and, therefore, we are restricted from
repurchasing any shares. We will continue to be restricted
until such time that the restricted payments basket has been restored or
our senior notes are repaid.
|
22
ITEM
6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
(a)
|
The
following table sets forth our selected consolidated financial data as of the
dates and for the periods indicated. This table should be read
together with “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our Consolidated Financial
Statements, including the Notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Annual
Report on Form 10-K.
(In
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
2005
|
2004
|
||||||||||
Income
Statement (Year
Ended December 31):
|
|||||||||||||||
Revenue
|
$ | 607,659 | $ | 1,016,460 | $ | 1,274,145 | $ | 1,312,504 | $ | 1,132,002 | |||||
Gross
margin (b)
|
$ | (77,805 | ) | $ | 35,487 | $ | 247,719 | $ | 329,917 | $ | 286,602 | ||||
Net
(loss) income from continuing operations (b) (c)
|
$ | (245,415 | ) | $ | (92,480 | ) | $ | 29,297 | $ | 98,574 | $ | 73,516 | |||
Discontinued
operation, net of tax (a)
|
$ | (33 | ) | $ | (35,646 | ) | $ | 9,578 | $ | 2,211 | $ | 18,018 | |||
Net
(loss) income (c)
|
$ | (245,448 | ) | $ | (128,126 | ) | $ | 38,875 | $ | 100,785 | $ | 91,534 | |||
Preferred
dividends
|
$ | 4,875 | $ | 7,313 | - | - | - | ||||||||
Net
(loss) income to common shareholders (b) (c)
|
$ | (250,323 | ) | $ | (135,439 | ) | $ | 38,875 | $ | 100,785 | $ | 91,534 | |||
(Loss)
earnings per share to common shareholders:
|
|||||||||||||||
Basic:
(b) (c)
|
|||||||||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (7.14 | ) | $ | 2.10 | $ | 6.89 | $ | 5.21 | |||
Discontinued
operation
|
$ | - | $ | (2.55 | ) | $ | 0.68 | $ | 0.16 | $ | 1.28 | ||||
Total
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (9.69 | ) | $ | 2.78 | $ | 7.05 | $ | 6.49 | |||
Diluted:
(b) (c)
|
|||||||||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (7.14 | ) | $ | 2.07 | $ | 6.78 | $ | 5.10 | |||
Discontinued
operation
|
$ | - | $ | (2.55 | ) | $ | 0.67 | $ | 0.15 | $ | 1.25 | ||||
Total
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (9.69 | ) | $ | 2.74 | $ | 6.93 | $ | 6.35 | |||
Weighted
average shares outstanding:
|
|||||||||||||||
Basic
|
14,016 | 13,977 | 13,970 | 14,302 | 14,107 | ||||||||||
Diluted
|
14,016 | 13,977 | 14,168 | 14,539 | 14,407 | ||||||||||
Dividends
per common share
|
$ | 0.05 | $ | 0.10 | $ | 0.10 | $ | 0.10 | $ | 0.10 | |||||
Balance
Sheet (December 31):
|
|||||||||||||||
Inventory
|
$ | 516,029 | $ | 797,329 | $ | 1,092,739 | $ | 984,279 | $ | 761,077 | |||||
Total
assets (c)
|
$ | 693,288 | $ | 1,117,645 | $ | 1,477,079 | $ | 1,329,678 | $ | 978,526 | |||||
Notes
payable banks – homebuilding operations
|
$ | - | $ | 115,000 | $ | 410,000 | $ | 260,000 | $ | 279,000 | |||||
Note
payable bank – financial services operations
|
$ | 35,078 | $ | 40,400 | $ | 29,900 | $ | 46,000 | $ | 30,000 | |||||
Notes
payable banks - other
|
$ | 16,300 | $ | 6,703 | $ | 6,944 | $ | 7,165 | $ | 8,370 | |||||
Senior
notes – net of discount
|
$ | 199,168 | $ | 198,912 | $ | 198,656 | $ | 198,400 | - | ||||||
Shareholders’
equity (c)
|
$ | 333,061 | $ | 581,345 | $ | 617,052 | $ | 592,568 | $ | 487,611 |
(a)
|
In
December 2007, we sold substantially all of our assets in our West Palm
Beach, Florida market and announced our exit from this
market. The results of operations for this market for all years
presented have been reclassified as discontinued operation in accordance
with SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of
Long-Lived Assets.”
|
(b)
|
2008,
2007 and 2006 include the impact of charges relating to the impairment of
inventory and investment in unconsolidated LLCs, reducing gross margin by
$153.3 million, $148.4 million and $67.2, respectively. Those
charges, along with the write-off of land deposits, intangibles and
pre-acquisition costs, reduced net (loss) income from continuing
operations by $98.3 million, $96.9 million and $46.7 million and (loss)
earnings per diluted share by $7.00, $6.71 and $3.29 for the years ended
December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
|
(c)
|
2008
net (loss) also reflects a $108.6 million valuation allowance for deferred
tax assets, or $7.75 per share.
|
23
ITEM
7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND
|
|
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
|
OVERVIEW
|
M/I Homes, Inc. (the
“Company” or “we”) is one of the nation’s leading builders of single-family
homes, having delivered over 73,000 homes since we commenced homebuilding in
1976. The Company’s homes are marketed and sold under the trade names
M/I Homes and Showcase Homes. The Company has homebuilding operations
in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois;
Tampa and Orlando, Florida; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and the
Virginia and Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. In 2007, the latest
year for which information is available, we were the 19th largest U.S.
single-family homebuilder (based on homes delivered) as ranked by Builder
Magazine.
Included
in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results
of Operations are the following topics relevant to the Company’s performance and
financial condition:
·
|
Information
Relating to Forward-Looking Statements;
|
·
|
Our
Application of Critical Accounting Estimates and
Policies;
|
·
|
Our
Results of Operations;
|
·
|
Discussion
of Our Liquidity and Capital Resources;
|
·
|
Summary
of Our Contractual Obligations;
|
·
|
Discussion
of Our Utilization of Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements;
and
|
·
|
Impact
of Interest Rates and
Inflation.
|
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
|
Certain information
included in this report or in other materials we have filed or will file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) (as well as information
included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by
us) contains or may contain forward-looking statements, including, but
not limited to, statements regarding our future financial performance and
financial condition. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,”
“envisions” “targets,” “goals,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,”
“seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words and similar expressions are
intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These
statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Any
forward-looking statements that we make herein and in future reports and
statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may
differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements as a result of
various risk factors such as:
●
|
The
U.S. economy is in the midst of an unprecedented combination of economic
turmoil, uncertainty in the credit and financial markets, and worldwide
concerns of a financial collapse. Prolonged conditions of this nature
could severely impact our ability to operate;
|
●
|
The
homebuilding industry is undergoing a significant downturn, and its
duration and ultimate severity are uncertain in the current state of the
economy; continued slowdown in our business will continue to adversely
affect our operating results and financial condition;
|
●
|
Demand
for new homes is sensitive to economic conditions over which we have no
control, such as the availability of mortgage
financing;
|
●
|
Increasing
interest rates could cause defaults for homebuyers who financed homes
using non-traditional financing products, which could increase the number
of homes available for resale;
|
●
|
Our
land investment exposes us to significant risks, including potential
impairment write-downs, that could negatively impact our profits if the
market value of our inventory declines;
|
●
|
If
we are unable to successfully compete in the highly competitive
homebuilding industry, our financial results and growth may
suffer;
|
●
|
If
the current downturn becomes more severe or continues for an extended
period of time, it would have continued negative consequences on our
operations, financial position, and cash flows;
|
●
|
Inflation
can adversely affect us, particularly in a period of declining home sale
prices;
|
●
|
Our
lack of geographic diversification could adversely affect us if the
homebuilding industry in our markets declines;
|
●
|
If
we are not able to obtain suitable financing, our business may be
negatively impacted;
|
●
|
Reduced
numbers of home sales force us to absorb additional carrying
costs;
|
●
|
The
terms of our indebtedness may restrict our ability to
operate;
|
●
|
If
our financial performance further declines, we may not be able to maintain
compliance with the covenants in our credit facilities and senior
notes;
|
24
●
|
The
ability to incur additional indebtedness could magnify other risk
factors;
|
●
|
Our
competitive position could suffer if we were unable to take advantage of
acquisition opportunities;
|
●
|
We
could be adversely affected by a negative change in our credit
rating;
|
●
|
Errors
in estimates and judgments that affect decisions about how we operate and
on the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses
could have a material impact on us;
|
●
|
We
conduct certain of our operations through unconsolidated joint ventures
with independent third parties in which we do not have a controlling
interest. These investments involve risks and are highly
illiquid;
|
●
|
The
credit agreement of our financial services segment will expire in May
2009;
|
●
|
If
our ability to resell mortgages to investors is impaired, we may be
required to broker loans;
|
●
|
Federal
laws and regulations that adversely affect liquidity in the secondary
mortgage market could hurt our business;
|
●
|
Recent
proposed rule change by the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development could negatively impact our operations and
revenue;
|
●
|
We
compete on several levels with homebuilders that may have greater sales
and financial resources, which could hurt future
earnings;
|
●
|
Our
business requires the use of significant amounts of capital, sources for
which may include our Credit Facility. In the event we were to
amend our Credit Facility, such amendment could result in lower available
commitment amounts and less favorable terms and conditions, which could
have a negative impact on our borrowing capacity and/or cash
flows;
|
●
|
Our
net operating loss carryforwards could be substantially limited if we
experience an ownership change as defined in the Internal Revenue
Code;
|
●
|
Cash
flows and results of operations could be adversely affected if legal
claims are brought against us and are not resolved in our
favor;
|
●
|
In
the ordinary course of business, we are required to obtain performance
bonds, the unavailability of which could adversely affect our results of
operations and/or cash flows;
|
●
|
Changes
in accounting principles, interpretations and practices may affect our
reported revenues, earnings and results of operations;
|
●
|
We
can be injured by failures of persons who act on our behalf to comply with
applicable regulations and guidelines;
|
●
|
Tax
law changes could make home ownership more expensive or less
attractive;
|
●
|
Our
income tax provision and other tax liabilities may be insufficient if
taxing authorities are successful in asserting tax positions that are
contrary to our position;
|
●
|
We
experience fluctuations and variability in our operating results on a
quarterly basis and, as a result, our historical performance may not be a
meaningful indicator of future results;
|
●
|
Homebuilding
is subject to warranty and liability claims in the ordinary course of
business that can be significant;
|
●
|
Natural
disasters and severe weather conditions could delay deliveries, increase
costs, and decrease demand for homes in affected areas;
|
●
|
Supply
shortages and other risks related to the demand for skilled labor and
building materials could increase costs and delay
deliveries;
|
●
|
We
are subject to extensive government regulations, which could restrict our
homebuilding or financial services business; and
|
●
|
We
are dependent on the services of certain key employees, and the loss of
their services could hurt our
business.
|
These
risk factors are more fully discussed in Item 1A. of this report. Any
forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date made. Except as
required by applicable law or the rules and regulations of the SEC, we undertake
no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements or risk factors,
whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise. However, any further disclosures made on related subjects
in our subsequent reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K should be
consulted. This discussion is provided as permitted by the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and all of our forward-looking
statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary
statements contained or referenced in this section.
APPLICATION OF CRITICAL
ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND POLICIES
The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date
of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and
expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates
and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that are
believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the
basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities
that are not readily apparent from other sources. On an ongoing
basis, management evaluates such
25
estimates
and judgments and makes adjustments as deemed necessary. Actual
results could differ from these estimates using different estimates and
assumptions, or if conditions are significantly different in the
future. Listed below are those estimates that we believe are critical
and require the use of complex judgment in their application.
Revenue
Recognition. Revenue from the sale of a home is recognized
when the closing has occurred, title has passed, and an adequate initial and
continuing investment by the homebuyer is received, in accordance with Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 66, “Accounting for Sales of Real
Estate,” or when the loan has been sold to a third party
investor. Revenue for homes that close to the buyer having a deposit
of 5% or greater, home closings financed by third parties, and all home closings
insured under FHA or VA government-insured programs are recorded in the
financial statements on the date of closing.
Revenue
related to all other home closings initially funded by our wholly-owned
subsidiary, M/I Financial Corp. (“M/I Financial”), is recorded on the date that
M/I Financial sells the loan to a third party investor, because the receivable
from the third party investor is not subject to future subordination and the
Company has transferred to this investor the usual risks and rewards of
ownership that is in substance a sale and does not have a substantial continuing
involvement with the home, in accordance with SFAS No. 140, “Accounting for
Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishments of
Liabilities.”
All
associated homebuilding costs are charged to cost of sales in the period when
the revenues from home closings are recognized. Homebuilding costs
include land and land development costs, home construction costs (including an
estimate of the costs to complete construction), previously capitalized
interest, real estate taxes, indirect costs, and estimated warranty
costs. All other costs are expensed as incurred. Sales
incentives, including pricing discounts and financing costs paid by the Company,
are recorded as a reduction of Revenue in the Company’s Consolidated Statements
of Operations. Sales incentives in the form of options or upgrades
are recorded in homebuilding costs in accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force
No. 01-09, “Accounting for Consideration Given by a Vendor to a Customer
(Including a Reseller of a Vendor’s Products).”
We
recognize the majority of the revenue associated with our mortgage loan
operations when the mortgage loans and related servicing rights are sold to
third party investors. The revenue recognized is reduced by the fair
value of the related guarantee provided to the investor. The fair
value of the guarantee is recognized in revenue when the Company is released
from its obligation under the guarantee. Generally, all of the
financial services mortgage loans and related servicing rights are sold to third
party investors within two weeks of origination. We recognize
financial services revenue associated with our title operations as homes are
closed, closing services are rendered, and title policies are issued, all of
which generally occur simultaneously as each home is closed. All of
the underwriting risk associated with title insurance policies is transferred to
third party insurers.
Inventory. We
use the specific identification method for the purpose of accumulating costs
associated with land acquisition and development, and home
construction. Inventory is recorded at cost, unless events and
circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the land may be
impaired. In addition to the costs of direct land acquisition, land
development and related costs (both incurred and estimated to be incurred), and
home construction costs, inventory includes capitalized interest, real estate
taxes, and certain indirect costs incurred during land development and home
construction. Such costs are charged to cost of sales simultaneously
with revenue recognition, as discussed above. When a home is closed,
we typically have not yet paid all incurred costs necessary to complete the
home. As homes close, we compare the home construction budget to
actual recorded costs to date to estimate the additional costs to be incurred
from our subcontractors related to the home. We record a liability
and a corresponding charge to cost of sales for the amount we estimate will
ultimately be paid related to that home. We monitor the accuracy of
such estimate by comparing actual costs incurred in subsequent months to the
estimate. Although actual costs to complete in the future could
differ from the estimate, our method has historically produced consistently
accurate estimates of actual costs to complete closed homes.
Typically,
our building cycle ranges from five to six years, commencing with the
acquisition of the entitled land and continuing through the land development
phase and concluding with the sale, construction and closing of the
homes. Actual community lives will vary, based on the size of the
community and the associated absorption rates. Master-planned
communities encompassing several phases may have significantly longer
lives. Additionally, the current slow-down in the housing market has
negatively impacted our sales pace, thereby also extending the lives of certain
communities.
The
Company assesses inventory for recoverability in accordance with the provisions
of SFAS No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived
Assets” (“SFAS 144”), which requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for
impairment whenever events or changes in local or national economic conditions
indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be
recoverable. In conducting our quarterly review for indicators
of
26
impairment
on a community level, we evaluate, among other things, the margins on homes that
have been delivered, margins on sales contracts in backlog, projected margins
with regard to future home sales over the life of the community, projected
margins with regard to future land sales, and the value of the land
itself. We pay particular attention to communities in which inventory
is moving at a slower than anticipated absorption pace, and communities whose
average sales price and/or margins are trending downward and are anticipated to
continue to trend downward. From this review, we identify communities
whose carrying values may exceed their undiscounted cash flows. For
those communities deemed to be impaired, the impairment recognized is measured
by the amount by which the carrying amount of the communities exceeds the fair
value of the communities.
Our
determination of fair value is based on projections and
estimates. Changes in these expectations may lead to a change in the
outcome of our impairment analysis. Our analysis is completed on a
quarterly basis at a community level; therefore, changes in local conditions may
affect one or several of our communities.
For the
year ended December 31, 2008, the company evaluated all communities for
impairment indicators. A recoverability analysis was performed for
113 communities and an impairment charge was recorded in 97 of those
communities. The carrying value of those 97 impaired communities was
$264.0 million at December 31, 2008.
For all
of the categories listed below, the key assumptions relating to the valuations
are dependent on project-specific local market and/or community conditions and
are inherently uncertain. Because each inventory asset is unique,
there are numerous inputs and assumptions used in our valuation
techniques. Local market-specific factors that may impact these
projected assumptions include:
●
|
historical
project results such as average sales price and sales rates, if closings
have occurred in the project;
|
●
|
competitors’
local market and/or community presence and their competitive
actions;
|
●
|
project
specific attributes such as location desirability and uniqueness of
product offering;
|
●
|
potential
for alternative product offerings to respond to local market
conditions;
|
●
|
current
local market economic and demographic conditions and related trends and
forecasts; and
|
●
|
community-specific
strategies regarding speculative
homes.
|
Operating
communities. For existing operating communities, the
recoverability of assets is measured on a quarterly basis by comparing the
carrying amount of the assets to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to
be generated by the assets based on home sales. These estimated cash flows
are developed based primarily on management’s assumptions relating to the
specific community. The significant assumptions used to evaluate the
recoverability of assets include: the timing of development and/or
marketing phases; projected sales price and sales pace of each existing or
planned community; the estimated land development, home construction, and
selling costs of the community; overall market supply and demand; the local
market; and competitive conditions. Management reviews these
assumptions on a quarterly basis. While we consider available
information to determine what we believe to be our best estimates as of the end
of a reporting period, these estimates are subject to change in future reporting
periods as facts and circumstances change. These assumptions vary
widely across different communities and geographies and are largely dependent on
local market conditions.
Future
communities. For raw land or land under development that
management anticipates will be utilized for future homebuilding activities, the
recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying amount of the
assets to future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets
based on home sales, consistent with the evaluations performed for operating
communities discussed above.
For raw
land, land under development, or lots that management intends to market for sale
to a third party, but that do not meet all of the criteria to be classified as
land held for sale as discussed below, the recoverability of the assets is
determined based on either the estimated net sales proceeds expected to be
realized on the sale of the assets or the estimated fair value determined using
cash flow valuation techniques.
If the
Company has not yet determined whether raw land or land under development will
be utilized for future homebuilding activities or marketed for sale to a third
party, the Company assesses the recoverability of the inventory using a
probability-weighted approach, in accordance with SFAS 144.
Land held for
sale. Land held for sale includes land that meets all of the
following six criteria, as defined in SFAS 144: (1) management,
having the authority to approve the action, commits to a plan to sell the asset;
(2) the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject
only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets; (3) an
active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan
to sell the asset have been initiated; (4) the sale of the asset is probable,
and transfer of the asset is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed
sale, within one year; (5) the asset is being actively marketed for sale at a
price that is
27
reasonable
in relation to its current fair value; and (6) actions required to complete the
plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be
made or that the plan will be withdrawn. In accordance with SFAS 144,
the Company records land held for sale at the lower of its carrying value or
fair value less costs to sell. In performing impairment evaluation
for land held for sale, management considers, among other things, prices for
land in recent comparable sales transactions, market analysis and recent bona
fide offers received from outside third parties, as well as actual
contracts. If the estimated fair value less the costs to sell an
asset is less than the current carrying value, the asset is written down to its
estimated fair value less costs to sell.
For all
of the above categories, the key assumptions relating to the above valuations
are dependent on project-specific local market and/or community conditions and
are inherently uncertain. Because each inventory asset is unique,
there are numerous inputs and assumptions used in our valuation
techniques. Local market-specific factors that may impact our project
assumptions include:
●
|
historical
project results such as average sales price and sales rates, if closings
have occurred in the project;
|
●
|
competitors’
local market and/or community presence and their competitive
actions;
|
●
|
project-specific
attributes such as location desirability and uniqueness of product
offering;
|
●
|
potential
for alternative product offerings to respond to local market
conditions;
|
●
|
current
local market economic and demographic conditions and related trends and
forecasts;
|
●
|
community-specific
strategies regarding speculative
homes.
|
These and
other local market-specific factors that may impact project assumptions
discussed above are considered by personnel in our homebuilding divisions as
they prepare or update the forecasted assumptions for each community.
Quantitative and qualitative factors other than home sales prices could
significantly impact the potential for future impairments. The sales
objectives can differ between communities, even within a given
sub-market. For example, facts and circumstances in a given community
may lead us to price our homes with the objective of yielding a higher sales
absorption pace, while facts and circumstances in another community may lead us
to price our homes to minimize deterioration in our gross margins, although it
may result in a slower sales absorption pace. Furthermore, the key
assumptions included in our estimated future undiscounted cash flows may be
interrelated. For example, a decrease in estimated base sales price
or an increase in home sales incentives may result in a corresponding increase
in sales absorption pace. Additionally, a decrease in the average
sales price of homes to be sold and closed in future reporting periods for one
community that has not been generating what management believes to be an
adequate sales absorption pace may impact the estimated cash flow assumptions of
a nearby community. Changes in our key assumptions, including
estimated construction and development costs, absorption pace, selling
strategies, or discount rates, could materially impact future cash flow and fair
value estimates.
As of
December 31, 2008, our projections generally assume a gradual improvement in
market conditions over time, along with a gradual increase in
costs. These assumed gradual increases generally begin in 2010,
depending on the market and community. If communities are not
recoverable based on undiscounted cash flows, the impairment to be recognized is
measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the
fair value of the assets. The fair value of a community is determined
by discounting management’s cash flow projections using an appropriate
risk-adjusted interest rate. As of December 31, 2008, we utilized
discount rates ranging from 12% to 15% in the above valuations. The
discount rate used in determining each asset’s fair value depends on the
community’s projected life, development stage, and the inherent risks associated
with the related estimated cash flow stream as well as current risk free rates
available in the market and estimated market risk premiums. For
example, construction in progress inventory, which is closer to completion, will
generally require a lower discount rate than land under development in
communities consisting of multiple phases spanning several years of
development. We believe our assumptions on discount rates are
critical because the selection of a discount rate affects the estimated fair
value of the homesites within a community. A higher discount rate reduces the
estimated fair value of the homesites within the community, while a lower
discount rate increases the estimated fair value of the homesites within a
community.
Our
quarterly assessments reflect management’s estimates. Due to the
uncertainties related to our operations and our industry as a whole as further
discussed in Risk Factors beginning on page 12 of this Annual Report on Form
10-K, we are unable to determine at this time if and to what extent continuing
changes in our local markets will result in future impairments.
Consolidated
Inventory Not Owned. We enter into land option agreements in
the ordinary course of business in order to secure land for the construction of
homes in the future. Pursuant to these land option agreements, we
typically provide a deposit to the seller as consideration for the right to
purchase land at different times in the future, usually at pre-determined
prices. If the entity holding the land under option is a variable
interest entity, the Company’s deposit (including letters of credit) represents
a variable interest in the entity, and we must use our
28
judgment
to determine if we are the primary beneficiary of the entity. Factors
considered in determining whether we are the primary beneficiary include the
amount of the deposit in relation to the fair value of the land, the expected
timing of our purchase of the land, and assumptions about projected cash
flows. We consider our accounting policies with respect to
determining whether we are the primary beneficiary to be critical accounting
policies due to the judgment required.
We also
periodically enter into lot option arrangements with third-parties to whom we
have sold our raw land inventory. We evaluate these transactions in
accordance with SFAS No. 49, “Accounting for Product Financing Arrangements,”
and FASB Interpretation No. 46(R), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities”
(“FIN 46(R)”) to determine if we should record an asset and liability at the
time we sell the land and enter into the lot option contract.
Investment in
Unconsolidated Limited Liability Companies. We invest in
entities that acquire and develop land for distribution to us in connection with
our homebuilding operations. In our judgment, we have determined that
these entities generally do not meet the criteria of variable interest entities
because they have sufficient equity to finance their operations. We
must use our judgment to determine if we have substantive control or exercise
significant influence over these entities. If we were to determine
that we have substantive control or exercise significant influence over an
entity, we would be required to consolidate the entity. Factors
considered in determining whether we have substantive control or exercise
significant influence over an entity include risk and reward sharing, experience
and financial condition of the other partners, voting rights, involvement in
day-to-day capital and operating decisions, and continuing
involvement. In the event an entity does not have sufficient equity
to finance its operations, we would be required to use judgment to determine if
we were the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity. We
consider our accounting policies with respect to determining whether we are the
primary beneficiary or have substantive control or exercise significant
influence over an entity to be critical accounting policies due to the judgment
required. Based on the application of our accounting policies, these
entities are accounted for by the equity method of accounting.
In
accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 18, “The Equity Method
of Investments In Common Stock,” and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) Topic
5.M, “Other Than Temporary Impairment of Certain Investments in Debt and Equity
Securities,” the Company evaluates its investment in unconsolidated limited
liability companies (“LLCs”) for potential impairment on a quarterly
basis. If the fair value of the investment is less than the
investment’s carrying value and the Company has determined that the decline in
value is other than temporary, the Company would write down the value of the
investment to fair value. The determination of whether an
investment’s fair value is less than the carrying value requires management to
make certain assumptions regarding the amount and timing of future contributions
to the LLC, the timing of distribution of lots to the Company from the LLC, the
projected fair value of the lots at the time of distribution to the Company, and
the estimated proceeds from, and timing of, the sale of land or lots to third
parties. In determining the fair value of investments in
unconsolidated LLCs, the Company evaluates the projected cash flows associated
with the LLC using a probability-weighted approach based on the likelihood of
different outcomes. As of December 31, 2008, the Company used a
discount rate of 15% in determining the fair value of investments in
unconsolidated LLCs. In addition to the assumptions management must
make to determine if the investment’s fair value is less than the carrying
value, management must also use judgment in determining whether the impairment
is other than temporary. The factors management considers are: (1)
the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than
cost; (2) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the Company; and
(3) the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment in the
limited liability company for a period of time sufficient to allow for any
anticipated recovery in market value. In situations where the
investments are 100% equity financed by the partners, and the joint venture
simply distributes lots to its partners, the Company evaluates “other than
temporary” by preparing an undiscounted cash flow model as described in
inventory above for operating communities. If such model results in
positive value versus carrying value, and the fair value of the investment is
less than the investment’s carrying value, the Company determines that the
impairment is temporary; otherwise, the Company determines that the impairment
is other than temporary and impairs the investment. Because of the
high degree of judgment involved in developing these assumptions, it is possible
that the Company may determine the investment is not impaired in the current
period but, due to passage of time or change in market conditions leading to
changes in assumptions, impairment could occur.
Guarantees and
Indemnities. Guarantee and indemnity liabilities are
established by charging the applicable income statement or balance sheet line,
depending on the nature of the guarantee or indemnity, and crediting a
liability. M/I Financial provides a limited-life guarantee on loans
sold to certain third parties and estimates its actual liability related to the
guarantee and any indemnities subsequently provided to the purchaser of the
loans in lieu of loan repurchase based on historical loss
experience. Actual future costs associated with loans guaranteed or
indemnified could differ materially from our current estimated
amounts. The Company has also provided certain other guarantees and
indemnifications in connection with the purchase and development of land,
including environmental indemnifications, guarantees of the completion of land
development, a loan maintenance and limited payment
29
guaranty,
and minimum net worth guarantees of certain subsidiaries. The Company
estimates these liabilities based on the estimated cost of insurance coverage or
estimated cost of acquiring a bond in the amount of the
exposure. Actual future costs associated with these guarantees and
indemnifications could differ materially from our current estimated
amounts.
Warranty. Warranty
accruals are established by charging cost of sales and crediting a warranty
accrual for each home closed. The amounts charged are estimated by
management to be adequate to cover expected warranty-related costs for materials
and outside labor required under the Company’s warranty programs. Accruals
are recorded for warranties under the following warranty programs:
●
|
Home
Builder’s Limited Warranty – warranty program which became effective for
homes closed starting with the third quarter of 2007;
|
●
|
30-year
transferable structural warranty – effective for homes closed after April
25, 1998;
|
●
|
two-year
limited warranty program – effective prior to the implementation of the
Home Builder’s Limited Warranty; and
|
●
|
20-year
transferable structural warranty – effective for homes closed between
September 1, 1989 and April 24,
1998.
|
The
warranty accruals for the Home Builder’s Limited Warranty and two-year limited
warranty program are established as a percentage of average sales price, and the
structural warranty accruals are established on a per unit basis. Our
warranty accruals are based upon historical experience by geographic area and
recent trends. Factors that are given consideration in determining
the accruals include: (1) the historical range of amounts paid per average sales
price on a home; (2) type and mix of amenity packages added to the home; (3) any
warranty expenditures included in the above not considered to be normal and
recurring; (4) timing of payments; (5) improvements in quality of construction
expected to impact future warranty expenditures; (6) actuarial estimates, which
reflect both Company and industry data; and (7) conditions that may affect
certain projects and require a different percentage of average sales price for
those specific projects.
Changes
in estimates for warranties occur due to changes in the historical payment
experience and differences between the actual payment pattern experienced during
the period and the historical payment pattern used in our evaluation of the
warranty accrual balance at the end of each quarter. Actual future
warranty costs could differ from our current estimated amount.
Self-insurance. Self-insurance
accruals are made for estimated liabilities associated with employee health
care, Ohio workers’ compensation, and general liability
insurance. Our self-insurance limit for employee health care is
$250,000 per claim per year for fiscal 2008, with stop loss insurance covering
amounts in excess of $250,000 up to $2,000,000 per claim per
year. Our self-insurance limit for workers’ compensation is $400,000
per claim, with stop loss insurance covering all amounts in excess of this
limit. The accruals related to employee health care and workers’
compensation are based on historical experience and open cases. Our
general liability claims are insured by a third party; the Company generally has
a $7.5 million deductible per occurrence and an $18.25 million deductible in the
aggregate, with lower deductibles for certain types of claims. The
Company records a general liability accrual for claims falling below the
Company’s deductible. The general liability accrual estimate is based
on an actuarial evaluation of our past history of claims and other industry
specific factors. The Company has recorded expenses totaling $0.9
million, $3.8 million and $7.0 million, respectively, for all self-insured and
general liability claims during the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and
2006. Because of the high degree of judgment required in determining
these estimated accrual amounts, actual future costs could differ from our
current estimated amounts.
Stock-Based
Compensation. We account for stock-based compensation in
accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R), “Share Based Payment,” which
requires that companies measure and recognize compensation expense at an amount
equal to the fair value of share-based payments granted under compensation
arrangements. We calculate the fair value of stock options using the
Black-Scholes option pricing model. Determining the fair value of
share-based awards at the grant date requires judgment in developing
assumptions, which involve a number of variables. These variables
include, but are not limited to, the expected stock price volatility over the
term of the awards, the expected dividend yield, and the expected term of the
option. In addition, when we first issue share-based awards, we also
use judgment in estimating the number of share-based awards that are expected to
be forfeited.
Derivative
Financial Instruments. To meet financing needs of our
home-buying customers, M/I Financial is party to interest rate lock commitments
(“IRLCs”), which are extended to customers who have applied for a mortgage loan
and meet certain defined credit and underwriting criteria. These IRLCs are
considered derivative financial instruments under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (“SFAS 133”).
30
M/I
Financial manages interest rate risk related to its IRLCs and mortgage loans
held for sale through the use of forward sales of mortgage-backed securities
(“FMBSs”), use of best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments and the
occasional purchase of options on FMBSs in accordance with Company
policy. These FMBSs, options on FMBSs, and IRLCs covered by FMBSs are
considered non-designated derivatives. The Company adopted SFAS No.
159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities,” and
SAB No. 109, “Written Loan Commitments Recorded at Fair Value Through Earnings,”
for IRLCs entered into in 2008. In determining fair value of IRLCs,
M/I Financial considers the value of the resulting loan if sold in the secondary
market. The fair value includes the price that the loan is expected
to be sold for along with the value of servicing release
premiums. The fair value of IRLCs entered into in 2007 and before
excludes the value of the servicing release premium in accordance with the
applicable accounting guidance at that time. This determines the
initial fair value, which is indexed to zero at inception. Subsequent
to inception, M/I Financial estimates an updated fair value which is compared to
the initial fair value. In addition, M/I Financial uses fallout
estimates which fluctuate based on the rate of the IRLC in relation to current
rates. In accordance with SFAS 133 and related Derivatives
Implementation Group conclusions, gains or losses are recorded in financial
services revenue. Certain IRLCs and mortgage loans held for sale are
committed to third party investors through the use of best-efforts whole loan
delivery commitments. In accordance with SFAS 133, the IRLCs and
related best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments, which generally are highly
effective from an economic standpoint, are considered non-designated derivatives
and are accounted for at fair value, with gains or losses recorded in financial
services revenue. Under the terms of these best-efforts whole loan
delivery commitments covering mortgage loans held for sale, the specific
committed mortgage loans held for sale are identified and matched to specific
delivery commitments on a loan-by-loan basis. The delivery
commitments are designated as fair value hedges of the mortgage loans held for
sale, and both the delivery commitments and loans held for sale are recorded at
fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in financial services
revenue.
Income
Taxes—Valuation Allowance. In accordance
with SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes,” a valuation allowance is
recorded against a deferred tax asset if, based on the weight of available
evidence, it is more-likely-than-not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that some
portion or the entire deferred tax asset will not be realized. The realization
of a deferred tax asset ultimately depends on the existence of sufficient
taxable income in either the carryback or carryforward periods under applicable
tax law. The four sources of taxable income to be considered in determining
whether a valuation allowance is required include:
●
|
future
reversals of existing taxable temporary differences (i.e., offset gross
deferred tax assets against gross deferred tax
liabilities);
|
●
|
taxable
income in prior carryback years;
|
●
|
tax
planning strategies; and
|
●
|
future
taxable income, exclusive of reversing temporary differences and
carryforwards.
|
Determining
whether a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is necessary requires an
analysis of both positive and negative evidence regarding realization of the
deferred tax assets. Examples of positive evidence may include:
●
|
a
strong earnings history exclusive of the loss that created the deductible
temporary differences, coupled with evidence indicating that the loss is
the result of an aberration rather than a continuing
condition;
|
●
|
an
excess of appreciated asset value over the tax basis of a company’s net
assets in an amount sufficient to realize the deferred tax asset;
and
|
●
|
existing
backlog that will produce more than enough taxable income to realize the
deferred tax asset based on existing sales prices and cost
structures.
|
Examples
of negative evidence may include:
●
|
the
existence of “cumulative losses” (defined as a pre-tax cumulative loss for
the business cycle – in our case four years);
|
●
|
a
carryback or carryforward period that is so brief that it would limit the
realization of tax benefits;
|
●
|
a
history of operating loss or tax credit carryforwards expiring unused;
and
|
●
|
unsettled
circumstances that, if unfavorably resolved, would adversely affect future
operations and profit levels on a continuing
basis.
|
In
accordance with SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes” (“SFAS 109”),
the Company evaluates its deferred tax assets, including net operating losses,
to determine if a valuation allowance is required. SFAS 109 requires that
companies assess whether a valuation allowance should be established based on
the consideration of all available evidence using a “more likely than not”
standard. In making such judgments, significant weight is given to
evidence that can be objectively verified. SFAS 109 provides that a
cumulative loss in recent years is significant
31
negative
evidence in considering whether deferred tax assets are realizable, and also
restricts the amount of reliance on projections of future taxable income to
support the recovery of deferred tax assets. The Company’s current and
prior year losses present the most significant negative evidence as to whether
the Company needs to reduce its deferred tax assets with a valuation
allowance. Given the continued downturn in the homebuilding industry
during 2008, we are now in a four-year cumulative pre-tax loss position during
the years 2005 through 2008. We currently believe the cumulative weight of
the negative evidence exceeds that of the positive evidence and, as a result, it
is more likely than not that we will not be able to utilize all of our deferred
tax assets. Therefore, during 2008, the Company recorded a valuation
allowance of $108.6 million against its deferred tax assets, $22.1 million
of which relates to beginning of the year deferred tax assets and $86.5 million
of which relates to deferred tax assets that arose in 2008 as a result of 2008
operating activities. The accounting for deferred taxes is based upon
an estimate of future results. Differences between the anticipated
and actual outcomes of these future tax consequences could have a material
impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or financial
position.
The
weight given to the potential effect of negative and positive evidence is
commensurable with the extent to which it can be objectively
verified. We must use judgment in considering the relative impact of
positive and negative evidence. For the year ended December 31, 2008,
the Company recorded a non-cash charge of $108.6 million for a valuation
allowance related to our deferred tax assets.
Future
adjustments to our deferred tax asset valuation allowance will be determined
based upon changes in the expected realization of our net deferred tax
assets. In 2009, we do not expect to record any additional tax
benefits as the carryback has been exhausted. Additionally, our
determination with respect to recording a valuation allowance may be further
impacted by, among other things:
●
|
additional
inventory impairments;
|
●
|
additional
pre-tax operating losses;
|
●
|
the
utilization of tax planning strategies that could accelerate the
realization of certain deferred tax assets; or
|
●
|
changes
in relevant tax law.
|
Additionally,
due to the considerable estimates utilized in establishing a valuation allowance
and the potential for changes in facts and circumstances in future reporting
periods, it is reasonably possible that we will be required to either increase
or decrease our valuation allowance in future reporting periods.
Income Taxes—FIN
48. The Company
evaluates tax positions that have been taken or are expected to be taken in tax
returns, and records the associated tax benefit or liability in accordance with
Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for
Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (“FIN 48”). Tax positions are recognized
when it is more-likely-than-not that the tax position would be sustained upon
examination. The tax position is measured at the largest amount of
benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon
settlement. Interest and penalties for all uncertain tax positions
are recorded within provision (benefit) for income taxes in the Consolidated
Statements of Operations.
RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS
|
In
conformity with SFAS No. 131, “Disclosure about Segments of an Enterprise and
Related Information” (“SFAS 131”), the Company’s segment information is
presented on the basis that the chief operating decision makers use in
evaluating segment performance. The Company’s chief operating
decision makers evaluate the Company’s performance in various ways, including:
(1) the results of our nine individual homebuilding operating segments and the
results of the financial services operations; (2) the results of our three
homebuilding regions; and (3) our consolidated financial results. We
have determined our reportable segments in accordance with SFAS 131 as follows:
Midwest homebuilding, Florida homebuilding, Mid-Atlantic homebuilding, and
financial services operations. The homebuilding operating segments
that are included within each reportable segment have similar operations and
exhibit similar economic characteristics, and therefore meet the aggregation
criteria in SFAS 131. Our homebuilding operations include the
acquisition and development of land, the sale and construction of single-family
attached and detached homes, and the occasional sale of lots and land to third
parties. The homebuilding operating segments that comprise each of
our reportable segments are as follows:
Midwest
|
Florida
|
Mid-Atlantic
|
Columbus,
Ohio
|
Tampa,
Florida
|
Washington,
D.C.
|
Cincinnati,
Ohio
|
Orlando,
Florida
|
Charlotte,
North Carolina
|
Indianapolis,
Indiana
|
Raleigh,
North Carolina
|
|
Chicago,
Illinois
|
32
The
financial services operations include the origination and sale of mortgage
loans, and title and insurance agency services primarily for purchasers of the
Company’s homes.
Highlights
and Trends for the Year Ended December 31, 2008
Overview
The
United States is in the midst of an unprecedented combination of economic
turmoil, uncertainty in the credit and financial markets, and worldwide concerns
of a financial collapse. Since the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005, we have
experienced a slowdown in our business. This slowdown has worsened over
the past several months. This slowdown, which we believe started with a
decline in consumer confidence, an overall softening of demand for new homes,
and an oversupply of homes available for sale, has been exacerbated by, among
other things, a decline in the overall economy, increasing unemployment, fear of
job loss, a significant decline in the securities markets, the continuing
decline in home prices, the large number of homes that are or will be available
due to foreclosures, the inability of some of our home buyers to sell their
current home, the deterioration in the credit markets, and the direct and
indirect impact of the turmoil in the mortgage loan market. We believe
that the key to a recovery in our business is the return of consumer confidence
and a stabilization of financial markets and home prices. Potential home
buyers, reacting to industry specific factors and these broader economic
concerns, are likely to stay on the sidelines until the economic and financial
picture becomes clearer. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed
the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into
law. This stimulus package includes, among other things, an $8,000
tax credit for new home purchases that occur between January 1, 2009 and
December 1, 2009. We continue our primarily defensive staregy,
wich includes: (1) adjusting our approach to land acquisition and
development and construction practices and continue to shorten our land
pipeline; (2) limiting land development expenditures; (3) reducing production
volumes; and (4) working to try to balance home prices and profitability with
sales pace, although our primary focus at this point is generating cash and
liquidity.
We are
concerned about the dislocation in the secondary mortgage market. We
maintain relationships with a widely diversified group of mortgage financial
institutions, most of which are among the largest and, we believe, most reliable
in the industry. Our buyers generally have been able to obtain adequate
financing. Nevertheless, tightening credit standards have shrunk the pool
of potential home buyers and the availability of certain loan products
previously available to our home buyers. Mortgage market liquidity issues and
higher borrowing rates may impede some of our home buyers from closing, while
others may find it more difficult to sell their existing homes as their
prospective buyers face the problem of obtaining a mortgage. We believe
that our home buyers generally should be able to continue to secure
mortgages. Because we cannot predict the short- and long-term liquidity of
the credit markets, we continue to caution that, with the uncertainties in these
markets, the pace of home sales could slow further until these markets
stabilize.
Based on
our experience during prior downturns in the housing market, we believe that
unexpected opportunities may arise in difficult times for those builders that
are well-prepared. In the current challenging environment, we believe our
balance sheet, liquidity and access to capital, our commitment to customer
service, our geographic presence, our diversified product lines, our experienced
personnel, and our brand name all position us well for such opportunities now
and in the future. At December 31, 2008, we had $32.5 million of
cash and cash equivalents on hand and approximately $29.3 million available
under our revolving credit facility, which extends to 2010, along with an
expected tax refund of $39.5 million. We believe we have the resources
available to fund attractive opportunities, should they arise.
When our
industry recovers, we believe that we will see reduced competition from the
small and mid-sized private builders, leading to our ability to increase
our market share in our existing markets. We believe that the access of
these private builders to capital already appears to be severely constrained.
We envision that there will be fewer and more selective lenders serving
our industry at that time. Those lenders likely will gravitate to the home
building companies that offer them the greatest security, the healthiest balance
sheets and the broadest array of potential business opportunities. We
believe that this reduced competition, combined with attractive long-term
demographics, will reward those builders who can persevere through the current
challenging environment.
Notwithstanding
the current market conditions, and as market conditions improve over
time, we believe that geographic and product diversification, access to
lower-cost capital, and strong demographics have in the past, and will in the
future, benefit those builders that can control land and persevere through the
increasingly difficult regulatory approval process. We believe that these
factors favor the large publicly traded home building companies with the capital
and expertise to control home sites and gain market share. We believe
that, as builders reduce the number of home sites being taken through the
approval process and this process continues to become more difficult, and if the
political pressure from no-growth proponents continues to increase, our
expertise in taking land through the approval process and our already approved
land positions will allow us to grow in the years to come.
33
We are
also delaying planned land purchases and development spending and have
significantly reduced our total number of controlled lots owned and under
option. While we will continue to purchase select land positions
where it makes strategic and economic sense to do so, we currently anticipate
minimal investment in new land parcels in the near term. We have also
closely evaluated and made significant reductions in employee headcount and
overhead expenses and have put in place strategic plans to reduce costs and
improve ongoing operating efficiencies. Given the persistence of
these difficult market conditions, improving the efficiency of our overhead
costs will continue to be a significant area of focus. We believe
that these measures will help to strengthen our market position and allow us to
take advantage of opportunities that may develop when the homebuilding industry
stabilizes. Given the continued weakness in new home sales and closings,
visibility as to future earnings performance is limited. Our outlook
is tempered with caution, as conditions in many of the markets we serve have
become increasingly challenging. Our evaluation for land-related
charges recorded to date assumed our best estimates of cash flows for the
communities tested. If conditions in the homebuilding industry worsen in the
future or if our strategy related to certain communities changes, we may be
required to evaluate our assets, including additional communities, for
additional impairments or write-downs, which could result in additional charges
that might be significant.
Key Financial
Results
●
|
For
the year ended December 31, 2008, total revenue decreased $408.8 million
(40%) to approximately $607.7 million when compared to the year ended
December 31, 2007. This decrease is largely attributable to a
decrease of $386.0 million in housing revenue, from $939.5 million in 2007
to $553.5 million in 2008 due to both a decline in homes delivered and the
average sales price of homes delivered. Homes delivered
decreased 36%, from 3,173 in 2007 to 2,025 in 2008, and the average sales
price of homes delivered decreased from $296,000 to
$274,000. Our financial services revenue also decreased $4.9
million (26%) in 2008 compared to 2007 due primarily to a 31% decrease in
the number of mortgage loans originated.
|
●
|
Loss
from continuing operations before income taxes for 2008 increased by $64.2
million from $150.9 million in 2007 to $215.1 million in
2008. During 2008, the Company incurred charges totaling $158.6
million, compared to $152.0 million in 2007 related to the impairment of
inventory, investment in unconsolidated LLCs, and abandoned land
transaction costs. Excluding the impact of the above-mentioned
charges, the Company had a pre-tax loss of $56.5 million in 2008 compared
to pre-tax income of $1.1 million in 2007. The $57.6 million
increase in pre-tax loss from 2007 was driven by the decrease in housing
revenue discussed above, along with lower pre-impairment gross margins,
which declined from 18.1% in 2007 to 12.4% in 2008. General and
administrative expenses decreased $15.6 million (17%) from 2007 to 2008
primarily due to: (1) a decrease of $7.7 million in payroll and incentive
expenses; (2) a decrease of $4.2 million in intangible amortization due to
the 2007 write-off of goodwill and other assets; (3) a decrease of $2.5
million in land related expenses, including abandoned projects and deposit
write-offs; and (4) a decrease of $0.8 million in advertising
expenses. Selling expenses decreased by $23.8 million (30%) for
the year ended December 31, 2008 when compared to the year ended December
31, 2007 primarily due to: (1) a $14.5 million decrease in variable
selling expenses; (2) a $4.8 million decrease in model home expenses; (3)
a $3.3 million decrease in advertising expenses; (4) a $0.9 million
decrease in payroll-related expenses; and (5) a $0.3 million decrease in
expenses related to our sales offices.
|
●
|
New
contracts for 2008 were 1,879, down 23% compared to 2,452 in
2007. For the year ended December 31, 2008, our cancellation
rate was 27% compared to 33% in 2007. By region, our
cancellation rates in 2008 versus 2007 were as follows: Midwest – 30% in
2008 and 31% in 2007; Florida – 21% in 2008 and 46% in 2007; and
Mid-Atlantic – 25% in 2008 and 23% in 2007.
|
●
|
Our
mortgage company’s capture rate increased from 79% for the year ended
December 31, 2007 to approximately 85% for the year ended December 31,
2008. Capture rate is influenced by financing availability and
can fluctuate up or down from period to period.
|
●
|
We
continue to deal with very weak and ever-changing market conditions that
require us to constantly monitor the value of our inventory and
investments in unconsolidated LLCs in those markets in which we operate,
in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles. During the year ended December 31, 2008, we
recorded $158.6 million of charges relating to the impairment of inventory
and investment in unconsolidated LLCs and write-off of abandoned land
transaction costs, compared to $152.0 million of charges during the year
ended December 31, 2007. We generally believe that we will see
a gradual improvement in market conditions over the long
term. In 2009, we will continue to update our evaluation of the
value of our inventory and investments in unconsolidated LLCs for
impairment, and could be required to record additional impairment charges,
which would negatively impact earnings should market conditions
deteriorate further or results differ from management’s original
assumptions.
|
34
●
|
In
2008, the Company recorded a non-cash tax charge of $108.6 million for a
valuation allowance related to its deferred tax assets. This was reflected
as a charge to income tax expense and resulted in a reduction of the
Company’s net deferred tax assets. Consequently, the Company’s effective
tax rate was (14.1%) for the year ended December 31, 2008, compared to an
effective tax rate of 38.7% in 2007. Due to the uncertainty of
future market conditions, we cannot give any predictions as to our 2009
effective tax rate.
|
The
following table shows, by segment, revenue, operating (loss) income,
depreciation expense and interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2008,
2007 and 2006, as well as the Company’s (loss) income from continuing operations
before income taxes for such periods. The following table also shows,
by segment, assets and investment in LLCs at December 31, 2008, 2007 and
2006:
Years
Ended
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Revenue:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 232,715 | $ | 358,441 | $ | 493,156 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
151,643 | 312,930 | 496,998 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
202,038 | 326,451 | 260,059 | ||||||
Other
homebuilding – unallocated (a)
|
7,131 | (424 | ) | 647 | |||||
Financial
services
|
14,132 | 19,062 | 27,125 | ||||||
Intercompany
eliminations
|
- | - | (3,840 | ) | |||||
Total
revenue
|
$ | 607,659 | $ | 1,016,460 | $ | 1,274,145 | |||
|
|||||||||
Operating
(loss) income:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding (b)
|
$ | (73,073 | ) | $ | (10,377 | ) | $ | 897 | |
Florida
homebuilding (b)
|
(71,864 | ) | (63,117 | ) | 100,390 | ||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding (b)
|
(41,491 | ) | (43,547 | ) | (21,955 | ) | |||
Other
homebuilding – unallocated (a)
|
503 | 386 | 156 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
6,010 | 8,517 | 15,816 | ||||||
Less:
Corporate selling, general and administrative expense (c)
|
(29,567 | ) | (27,395 | ) | (34,191 | ) | |||
Total
operating (loss) income
|
$ | (209,482 | ) | $ | (135,533 | ) | $ | 61,113 | |
|
|||||||||
Interest
expense:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 5,197 | $ | 4,788 | $ | 6,408 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
2,335 | 5,877 | 4,609 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
3,209 | 3,815 | 4,384 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
456 | 636 | 406 | ||||||
Corporate
|
- | 227 | - | ||||||
Total
interest expense
|
$ | 11,197 | $ | 15,343 | $ | 15,807 | |||
|
|||||||||
Other
income (d)
|
$ | 5,555 | - | - | |||||
|
|||||||||
(Loss)
income from continuing operations before income taxes
|
$ | (215,124 | ) | $ | (150,876 | ) | $ | 45,306 | |
|
|||||||||
Assets:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 242,066 | $ | 354,220 | $ | 432,572 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
121,587 | 241,603 | 426,806 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
185,268 | 276,887 | 349,929 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
60,992 | 62,411 | 61,145 | ||||||
Corporate
|
83,375 | 167,926 | 110,661 | ||||||
Assets
of discontinued operation
|
- | 14,598 | 95,966 | ||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 693,288 | $ | 1,117,645 | $ | 1,477,079 |
Investment
in unconsolidated LLCs:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 6,359 | $ | 15,705 | $ | 17,570 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
6,771 | 24,638 | 32,078 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
- | - | - | ||||||
Financial
services
|
- | - | - | ||||||
Total
investment in unconsolidated LLCs
|
$ | 13,130 | $ | 40,343 | $ | 49,648 | |||
|
|||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 336 | $ | 543 | $ | 182 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
1,288 | 1,603 | 1,689 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
1,028 | 849 | 244 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
471 | 498 | 383 | ||||||
Corporate
|
4,631 | 4,495 | 4,229 | ||||||
Total
depreciation and amortization
|
$ | 7,754 | $ | 7,988 | $ | 6,727 |
35
(a) Other
homebuilding – unallocated consists of the net impact in the period due to
timing of homes delivered with low down-payment loans (buyers put less than 5%
down) funded by the Company’s financial services operations not yet sold to a
third party. In accordance with applicable accounting rules,
recognition of such revenue must be deferred until the related loan is sold to a
third party. Refer to the Revenue Recognition policy described in our
Application of Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies in Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for
further discussion.
(b) The
years ending December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 include the impact of charges
relating to the impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated LLCs
and the write-off of land deposits and pre-acquisition costs of $158.6 million,
$152.0 million and $72.7 million, respectively. For 2008, 2007 and
2006, these charges reduced operating income by $56.3 million, $8.8 million and
$25.0 million in the Midwest region, $66.9 million, $88.3 million and $5.8
million in the Florida region, and $35.4 million, $54.9 million and $41.9
million in the Mid-Atlantic region, respectively.
(c) The
years ending December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 include the impact of severance
charges of $3.3 million, $5.4 million and $7.0 million,
respectively. The year ended December 31, 2008 also includes
charges of $3.3 million for corporate asset
impairments. The year ended December 31, 2007 also includes the
write-off of $5.2 million of intangibles.
(d) Other income is
comprised of the gain recognized on the exchange of the Company’s
airplane.
The
following table shows total assets by segment as of December 31, 2008 and
2007:
At
December 31, 2008
|
||||||||||||||
Corporate,
|
||||||||||||||
Financial
Services
|
||||||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Midwest
|
Florida
|
Mid-Atlantic
|
and
Unallocated
|
Total
|
|||||||||
Land
purchase deposits
|
$ | 96 | $ | 32 | $ | 942 | $ | - | $ | 1,070 | ||||
Inventory
(a)
|
232,853 | 102,500 | 179,606 | - | 514,959 | |||||||||
Investments
in unconsolidated entities
|
6,359 | 6,771 | - | - | 13,130 | |||||||||
Other
assets
|
2,758 | 12,284 | 4,720 | 144,367 | 164,129 | |||||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 242,066 | $ | 121,587 | $ | 185,268 | $ | 144,367 | $ | 693,288 |
At
December 31, 2007
|
||||||||||||||
Corporate,
|
||||||||||||||
Financial
Services
|
||||||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Midwest
|
Florida
|
Mid-Atlantic
|
and
Unallocated (b)
|
Total
|
|||||||||
Land
purchase deposits
|
$ | 344 | $ | 388 | $ | 3,699 | $ | - | $ | 4,431 | ||||
Inventory
(a)
|
332,991 | 205,773 | 253,468 | 666 | 792,898 | |||||||||
Investments
in unconsolidated entities
|
15,705 | 24,638 | - | - | 40,343 | |||||||||
Other
assets
|
5,180 | 10,849 | 19,720 | 244,224 | 279,973 | |||||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 354,220 | $ | 241,648 | $ | 276,887 | $ | 244,890 | $ | 1,117,645 |
(a)
|
Inventory
includes Single-family lots, land and land development costs; land held
for sale; homes under construction; model homes and furnishings; community
development district infrastructure; and consolidated inventory not
owned.
|
(b)
|
Corporate,
Financial Services and Unallocated also includes assets of $14.6 million
related to our discontinued
operation.
|
Seasonality
and Variability in Quarterly Results
We have
experienced, and expect to continue to experience, significant seasonality and
quarter-to-quarter variability in homebuilding activity levels. In
most years, homes delivered increase substantially in the third and fourth
quarters. We believe that this seasonality reflects the tendency of
homebuyers to shop for a new home in the spring with the goal of closing in the
fall or winter, as well as the scheduling of construction to accommodate
seasonal weather conditions. We also have experienced, and expect to
continue to experience, seasonality in our financial services operations,
because loan originations correspond with the delivery of homes in our
homebuilding operations. The following table reflects this cycle for
the Company during the four quarters of 2008 and 2007:
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||||||
December
31,
|
September
30,
|
June
30,
|
March
31,
|
||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
2008
|
2008
|
2008
|
2008
|
|||||||
Revenue
|
$ | 150,187 | $ | 160,385 | $ | 141,002 | $ | 156,085 | |||
Unit
data:
|
|||||||||||
New
contracts
|
339 | 456 | 530 | 554 | |||||||
Homes
delivered
|
554 | 555 | 466 | 450 | |||||||
Backlog
at end of period
|
566 | 781 | 880 | 816 | |||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
|||||||||||
December
31,
|
September
30,
|
June
30,
|
March
31,
|
||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
2007
|
2007
|
2007
|
2007
|
|||||||
Revenue
|
$ | 340,460 | $ | 232,983 | $ | 226,448 | $ | 216,569 | |||
Unit
data:
|
|||||||||||
New
contracts
|
293 | 546 | 682 | 931 | |||||||
Homes
delivered
|
984 | 765 | 738 | 686 | |||||||
Backlog
at end of period
|
712 | 1,403 | 1,622 | 1,678 |
36
A home is
included in “new contracts” when our standard sales contract is
executed. “Homes delivered” represents homes for which the closing of
the sale has occurred. “Backlog” represents homes for which the
standard sales contract has been executed, but which are not included in homes
delivered because closings for these homes have not yet occurred as of the end
of the period specified.
37
Reportable
Segments
The
following table presents, by reportable segment, selected results of operations
for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006:
Years
Ended
|
|||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Midwest
Region
|
|||||||||
Homes
delivered
|
937 | 1,436 | 1,821 | ||||||
Average
sales price per home delivered
|
$ | 244 | $ | 247 | $ | 265 | |||
Revenue
homes
|
$ | 228,728 | $ | 354,000 | $ | 481,773 | |||
Revenue
third party land sales
|
$ | 3,987 | $ | 4,441 | $ | 11,383 | |||
Operating
(loss) income homes (a)
|
$ | (64,338 | ) | $ | (10,665 | ) | $ | 2,574 | |
Operating
(loss) income land (a)
|
$ | (8,735 | ) | $ | 288 | $ | (1,677 | ) | |
Interest
expense
|
$ | 5,197 | $ | 4,788 | $ | 6,408 | |||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
$ | 336 | $ | 543 | $ | 182 | |||
Assets
|
$ | 242,066 | $ | 354,220 | $ | 432,572 | |||
Investment
in unconsolidated LLCs
|
$ | 6,359 | $ | 15,705 | $ | 17,570 | |||
New
contracts, net
|
911 | 1,195 | 1,513 | ||||||
Backlog
at end of period
|
365 | 391 | 632 | ||||||
Average
sales price of homes in backlog
|
$ | 230 | $ | 273 | $ | 274 | |||
Aggregate
sales value of homes in backlog
|
$ | 84,000 | $ | 107,000 | $ | 173,000 | |||
Number
of active communities
|
73 | 76 | 83 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
Florida
Region
|
|||||||||
Homes
delivered
|
474 | 877 | 1,389 | ||||||
Average
sales price per home delivered
|
$ | 263 | $ | 313 | $ | 333 | |||
Revenue
homes
|
$ | 124,314 | $ | 274,297 | $ | 462,316 | |||
Revenue
third party land sales
|
$ | 27,329 | $ | 38,633 | $ | 34,682 | |||
Operating
(loss) income homes (a)
|
$ | (47,990 | ) | $ | (28,071 | ) | $ | 89,614 | |
Operating
(loss) income land (a)
|
$ | (23,874 | ) | $ | (35,046 | ) | $ | 10,776 | |
Interest
expense
|
$ | 2,335 | $ | 5,877 | $ | 4,609 | |||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
$ | 1,288 | $ | 1,603 | $ | 1,689 | |||
Assets
|
$ | 121,587 | $ | 241,603 | $ | 426,806 | |||
Investment
in unconsolidated LLCs
|
$ | 6,771 | $ | 24,638 | $ | 32,078 | |||
New
contracts, net
|
430 | 505 | 615 | ||||||
Backlog
at end of period
|
77 | 121 | 493 | ||||||
Average
sales price of homes in backlog
|
$ | 265 | $ | 292 | $ | 371 | |||
Aggregate
sales value of homes in backlog
|
$ | 20,000 | $ | 35,000 | $ | 183,000 | |||
Number
of active communities
|
25 | 34 | 41 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
Mid-Atlantic
Region
|
|||||||||
Homes
delivered
|
614 | 860 | 691 | ||||||
Average
sales price per home delivered
|
$ | 327 | $ | 362 | $ | 372 | |||
Revenue
homes
|
$ | 200,455 | $ | 311,195 | $ | 257,244 | |||
Revenue
third party land sales
|
$ | 1,583 | $ | 15,256 | $ | 2,815 | |||
Operating
loss homes (a)
|
$ | (41,471 | ) | $ | (31,264 | ) | $ | (21,958 | ) |
Operating
(loss) income land (a)
|
$ | (20 | ) | $ | (12,283 | ) | $ | 3 | |
Interest
expense
|
$ | 3,209 | $ | 3,815 | $ | 4,384 | |||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
$ | 1,028 | $ | 849 | $ | 244 | |||
Assets
|
$ | 185,268 | $ | 276,887 | $ | 349,929 | |||
Investment
in unconsolidated LLCs
|
$ | - | $ | - | $ | - | |||
New
contracts, net
|
538 | 752 | 672 | ||||||
Backlog
at end of period
|
124 | 200 | 308 | ||||||
Average
sales price of homes in backlog
|
$ | 285 | $ | 388 | $ | 415 | |||
Aggregate
sales value of homes in backlog
|
$ | 35,000 | $ | 78,000 | $ | 128,000 | |||
Number
of active communities
|
30 | 36 | 34 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
Total
Homebuilding Regions
|
|||||||||
Homes
delivered
|
2,025 | 3,173 | 3,901 | ||||||
Average
sales price per home delivered
|
$ | 274 | $ | 296 | $ | 308 | |||
Revenue
homes
|
$ | 553,497 | $ | 939,492 | $ | 1,201,333 | |||
Revenue
third party land sales
|
$ | 32,899 | $ | 58,330 | $ | 48,880 | |||
Operating
(loss) income homes (a)
|
$ | (153,799 | ) | $ | (70,000 | ) | $ | 70,230 | |
Operating
(loss) income land (a)
|
$ | (32,629 | ) | $ | (47,041 | ) | $ | 9,102 | |
Interest
expense
|
$ | 10,741 | $ | 14,480 | $ | 15,401 | |||
Depreciation
and amortization
|
$ | 2,652 | $ | 2,995 | $ | 2,115 | |||
Assets
|
$ | 548,921 | $ | 872,710 | $ | 1,209,307 | |||
Investment
in unconsolidated LLCs
|
$ | 13,130 | $ | 40,343 | $ | 49,648 | |||
38
Years
Ended
|
|||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
|
|||||||||
New
contracts, net
|
1,879 | 2,452 | 2,800 | ||||||
Backlog
at end of period
|
566 | 712 | 1,433 | ||||||
Average
sales price of homes in backlog
|
$ | 247 | $ | 308 | $ | 338 | |||
Aggregate
sales value of homes in backlog
|
$ | 139,000 | $ | 220,000 | $ | 484,000 | |||
Number
of active communities
|
128 | 146 | 158 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
Financial
Services
|
|||||||||
Number
of loans originated
|
1,623 | 2,340 | 2,729 | ||||||
Value
of loans originated
|
$ | 382,992 | $ | 586,520 | $ | 666,863 | |||
Revenue
|
$ | 14,132 | $ | 19,062 | $ | 27,125 | |||
General
and administrative expenses
|
$ | 8,122 | $ | 10,545 | $ | 11,309 | |||
Interest
expense
|
$ | 456 | $ | 636 | $ | 406 | |||
Income
before income taxes
|
$ | 5,554 | $ | 7,881 | $ | 15,410 |
(a) Amount
includes impairment and abandonment charges for 2008, 2007 and 2006
as follows:
December
31,
|
|||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||
Midwest:
|
|||||||||
Homes
|
$ | 47,604 | $ | 8,803 | $ | 23,099 | |||
Land
|
8,729 | - | 1,921 | ||||||
56,333 | 8,803 | 25,020 | |||||||
|
|||||||||
Florida:
|
|||||||||
Homes
|
42,642 | 50,802 | 5,827 | ||||||
Land
|
24,264 | 37,468 | - | ||||||
66,906 | 88,270 | 5,827 | |||||||
|
|||||||||
Mid-Atlantic:
|
|||||||||
Homes
|
35,063 | 42,661 | 41,906 | ||||||
Land
|
310 | 12,255 | - | ||||||
35,373 | 54,916 | 41,906 | |||||||
|
|||||||||
Total
|
|||||||||
Homes
|
$ | 125,309 | $ | 102,266 | $ | 70,832 | |||
Land
|
$ | 33,303 | $ | 49,723 | $ | 1,921 | |||
$ | 158,612 | $ | 151,989 | $ | 72,753 |
Cancellation
Rates
The
following table sets forth the cancellation rates for each of our homebuilding
segments for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006:
Year-Ended
December 31,
|
|||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||
Midwest:
|
29.8%
|
30.9%
|
35.5%
|
||
Florida:
|
20.7%
|
45.8%
|
47.8%
|
||
Mid-Atlantic:
|
25.4%
|
23.3%
|
26.0%
|
||
|
|||||
Total
|
26.6%
|
32.7%
|
36.8%
|
Year Ended December 31, 2008
Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2007
Midwest
Region. For the year ended December 31, 2008, Midwest
homebuilding revenue was $232.7 million, a 35% decrease compared to
2007. The decrease was primarily due to the 35% decrease in the
number of homes delivered, along with a 1% decrease in the average sales price
of homes delivered from $247,000 in 2007 to $244,000 in
2008. Operating loss increased by $62.7 million, going from $10.4
million in 2007 to $73.1 million in 2008 primarily due to lower profit margins
as discussed below. Excluding impairment charges of $56.0 million and
$8.1 million in 2008 and 2007, respectively, our gross margins were 8.4% and
12.9% for those same periods in our Midwest region. The 4.5% decrease
was a result of more sales incentives offered on our Midwest homes along with an
increase in the percentage of speculative homes delivered, which typically have
a lower profit margin compared to total homes delivered. Selling,
general and administrative costs decreased $11.9 million, from $48.5 million in
2007 to $36.6 million in 2008 due to a decrease in payroll related expenses,
model home expenses and land-related expenses. For the year ended
December 31, 2008, our Midwest region new contracts declined 24% compared to the
year ended December 31, 2007 due to weak market conditions. Year-end
backlog declined 7% in units, from 391 at December 31, 2007 to 365 at December
31, 2008, and 21% in total sales value, from $106.6 million at
December
39
31, 2007
to $83.8 million at December 31, 2008, with an average sales price in backlog of
$230,000 at December 31, 2008 compared to $273,000 at December 31,
2007.
Florida
Region. For
the year ended December 31, 2008, Florida homebuilding revenue decreased by
$161.3 million (52%) compared to 2007. The decrease in revenue was
primarily due to a 46% decrease in the number of homes delivered in 2008
compared to 2007 as well as a 16% decline in the average sales price of homes
delivered from $313,000 in 2007 to $263,000 in 2008. Operating loss
increased by $8.8 million, going from $63.1 million in 2007 to $71.9 million in
2008 primarily due to lower profit margins as discussed
below. Excluding impairment charges of $66.7 million for the year
ended December 31, 2008 and $86.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2007,
our gross margins decreased to 12.4% from 21.6% for those same
periods. The 9.2% decrease was primarily due to the decrease in the
average sales price of homes delivered discussed above, along with an increase
in the number of speculative homes delivered, which typically have a lower
profit margin. Selling, general and administrative costs decreased
$20.4 million, from $44.3 million in 2007 to $23.9 million in 2008 due to a
decrease in variable selling expenses, payroll related expenses, real estate
taxes, and the 2007 write-off of goodwill and other assets. Our
Florida region new contracts decreased from 505 in 2007 to 430 in
2008. Management anticipates continued challenging conditions in our
Florida markets in 2009 based on the decrease in backlog units from 121 at
December 31, 2007 to 77 at December 31, 2008, along with the decrease in the
total sales value of homes in backlog from $35.4 million at December 31, 2007 to
$20.4 million at December 31, 2008, and the decrease in the average sales price
of homes in backlog from $292,000 at December 31, 2007 to $265,000 at December
31, 2008.
Mid-Atlantic
Region. In
our Mid-Atlantic region, homebuilding revenue decreased $124.4 million (38%) for
the year ended December 31, 2008 compared to the year ended December 31,
2007. This decrease is primarily due to the decrease in homes
delivered from 860 in 2007 to 614 in 2008. New contracts decreased
28%, from 752 in 2007 to 538 in 2008. Operating loss decreased by
$2.0 million, going from $43.5 million in 2007 to $41.5 million in 2008
primarily due to lower selling, general and administrative costs as discussed
below, which were partially offset by lower profit margins. Excluding
impairment charges of $30.5 million and $53.8 million for the years ended
December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively, our gross margins were 11.0% and 15.5%
for those same periods in our Mid-Atlantic region. The decrease of
4.5% was primarily due to the decrease in the average sales price of homes
delivered, from $362,000 in 2007 to $327,000 in 2008, and an increase in the
number of speculative homes delivered, which typically have a lower profit
margin. Excluding deposit write-offs and pre-acquisition costs of
$4.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2008, selling, general and
administrative expenses decreased $10.8 million, primarily due to a decrease in
payroll related expenses and variable selling expenses. Year-end
backlog declined 38% in units, from 200 at December 31, 2007 to 124 at December
31, 2008, and 55% in total sales value, from $77.6 million at December 31, 2007
to $35.3 million at December 31, 2008, with an average sales price in backlog of
$285,000 at December 31, 2008 compared to $388,000 at December 31,
2007.
Financial
Services. For the year ended December 31, 2008, revenue from
our mortgage and title operations decreased $5.0 million (26%), from $19.1
million in 2007 to $14.1 million in 2008, due primarily to a 31% decrease in
loan originations. Operating income for our financial services
segment decreased $2.5 million (29%), from $8.5 million in 2007 to $6.0 million
in 2008 primarily due to the decrease in revenue described above, which was
partially offset by a $2.4 million decrease in selling, general and
administrative expenses.
At
December 31, 2008, M/I Financial had mortgage operations in all of our
markets. Approximately 85% of our homes delivered during 2008 that
were financed were through M/I Financial, compared to 79% in
2007. Capture rate is influenced by financing availability and can
fluctuate up or down from quarter to quarter.
Corporate
Selling, General and Administrative Expense. Corporate selling, general
and administrative expenses increased $2.2 million (8%), from $27.4 million in
2007 to $29.6 million in 2008. The increase was primarily due to a
$3.3 million impairment of the Company’s plane which is for sale, which was
partially offset by a reduction in employee-related costs.
Interest -
Net. Interest expense for the Company decreased $4.1 million
(27%) from $15.3 million in 2007 to $11.2 million in 2008. This
decrease was primarily due to the decrease in our weighted average borrowings
from $496.6 million in 2007 to $259.1 million in 2008, which was partially
offset by a decrease of $11.0 million in interest capitalized, due primarily to
a significant reduction in land development activities, and a slight increase in
our weighted average borrowing rate, from 7.58% for the year ended December 31,
2007 to 8.07% for the year ended December 31, 2008.
40
Year Ended December 31, 2007 Compared to Year
Ended December 31, 2006
Midwest
Region. For the year ended December 31, 2007, Midwest
homebuilding revenue was $358.4 million, a 27% decrease compared to 2006’s
homebuilding revenue of $493.2 million. The revenue decrease was
primarily due to the 21% decrease in the number of homes
delivered. For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Midwest region
had an operating loss of $10.4 million (3% of revenue) compared to income of
$0.9 million (0.2% of revenue) in 2006. The $11.3 million decrease in
operating income was the result of fewer homes delivered and a reduction in
profit due to sales incentives offered to customers. In addition, the
decrease in operating income was due to an $8.8 million charge relating to the
impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated LLCs and the write-off
of certain land and lot deposits and pre-acquisition costs in our Midwest
region. For 2007, the Midwest region’s new contracts declined 21%
compared to 2006 due to softness in market conditions in the
Midwest. Year end backlog declined 38% in units and 38% in total
sales value, with an average sales price in backlog of $273,000 at December 31,
2007 compared to $274,000 at December 31, 2006.
Florida Region.
For the
year ended December 31, 2007, Florida homebuilding revenue decreased from $497.0
million in 2006 to $312.9 million in 2007, a decrease of 37%. The
decrease in revenue is primarily due to a 37% decrease in the number of homes
delivered in 2007 compared to 2006, along with a decrease in the average sales
price, from $333,000 in 2006 to $313,000 in 2007. There was an
increase of $3.9 million in revenue from the sale of land to third parties, from
$34.7 million in 2006 to $38.6 million in 2007. Operating income
decreased $163.5 million, from $100.4 million of income in 2006 to a loss of
$63.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, with 2007 including an $88.3
million charge relating to the impairment of inventory and investment in
unconsolidated LLCs and the write-off of certain land and lot deposits and
pre-acquisition costs in our Florida region. For 2007, our Florida
region’s new contracts decreased 18%, from 615 in 2006 to 505 in 2007, primarily
due to the current oversupply of inventory driven by many investors exiting the
market and the resulting impact on consumer confidence. Our Florida
region saw a decrease in backlog units from 493 at the end of 2006 compared to
121 at the end of 2007, and a decrease in the average sales price of the homes
in backlog from $371,000 at December 31, 2006 to $292,000 at December 31,
2007.
Mid-Atlantic
Region. In
our Mid-Atlantic region, homebuilding revenue increased $66.4 million (26%) for
the year ended December 31, 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, where
revenue increased from $260.1 million to $326.5 million. Driving this
increase was an increase in homes delivered of 24%, from 691 in 2006 to 860 in
2007. Revenue from the sale of land to outside parties increased
$12.4 million, also contributing to the increase in homebuilding
revenue. Partially offsetting the increase was a decrease in the
average sales price of homes delivered from $372,000 in 2006 to $362,000 in
2007. The decrease in the average sales price of home delivered
primarily relates to the sales discounts being offered in our Washington, D.C.
market, which has lowered the average sales price of our homes in that
market. Our Mid-Atlantic region had an operating loss of $43.5
million for the year ended December 31, 2007 compared to an operating loss of
$22.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This decrease in
operating income was primarily due to a $54.9 million charge relating to the
impairment of inventory and the write-off of certain land and lot deposits and
pre-acquisition costs in our Mid-Atlantic region. New contracts
increased 12% to 752 for the year ended December 31, 2007, while year end
backlog units decreased 35% to 200 for that same period.
Financial
Services. For the year ended December 31, 2007, revenue from
our mortgage and title operations decreased $8.1 million (30%), from $27.1
million in 2006 to $19.1 million in 2007, due to a 14% decrease in loan
originations from 2,729 in 2006 to 2,340 in 2007. The total value of
loans originated also decreased from $666.9 million in 2006 to $586.5 million in
2007. At December 31, 2007, M/I Financial had mortgage operations in
all of our markets except for Chicago. Approximately 79% of our homes
delivered during 2007 that were financed were through M/I Financial, compared to
80% in 2006. General and administrative expenses decreased $0.8
million due to a decrease in payroll and incentive-related costs due to
headcount reductions in response to market conditions.
Corporate
Selling, General and Administrative Expense. Corporate general
and administrative expenses decreased $6.4 million (20%), from $32.8 million in
2006 to $26.4 million in 2007, due to a decrease of $6.6 million in payroll and
profit-based incentive compensation as a result of the decline in our overall
operating results when compared to 2006. Corporate selling expense
decreased $0.5 million from 2006 due to a decrease in training expenses of $0.5
million in 2007.
Interest -
Net. Interest expense decreased $0.5 million (3%) from $15.8
million for the year ended December 31, 2006 to $15.3 million for the year ended
December 31, 2007. The primary reason for this decrease was the $7.3
million decrease in interest incurred due to a decrease in our weighted average
borrowings of $129.1 million in 2007 when compared to 2006. This
decrease was almost entirely offset by a $6.8 million decrease in the amount
of
41
interest
capitalized due to a decrease in housing construction and land development
activities and an increase in our weighted average borrowing rate from 7.25% in
2006 to 7.58% in 2007.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL
RESOURCES
Operating
Cash Flow Activities
Funding
for our business has been provided principally by cash flow from operating
activities, before inventory additions, unsecured bank borrowings, and the
public debt and equity markets. Prior to 2008, we used our cash flow from
operating activities, before inventory additions, bank borrowings and the
proceeds of public debt and equity offerings, to acquire additional land for new
communities, fund additional expenditures for land development, fund
construction costs needed to meet the requirements of our backlog, invest in
unconsolidated entities, repurchase our common shares, and repay
debt.
During
the year ended December 31, 2008, we generated $148.9 million of cash from our
operating activities, compared to $202.2 million of cash from our operating
activities during 2007. The $148.9 million net cash generated during
2008 was primarily a result of a $50.6 million tax refund, $161.1 million net
conversion of inventory into cash as a result of home closings as well as
third-party land sales. The net cash generated was also due to the
$19.7 million net reduction in mortgage loans held for sale due to proceeds from
the sale of mortgage loans being in excess of new loan originations during the
period. Partially offsetting these increases was a net decrease due
to other operating activities, including $42.9 million in accounts payable and
$4.8 million in customer deposits.
The
primary reason for the $53.3 million decrease in cash generated from operating
activities from 2007 to 2008 is due to the decline in cash received from
third-party land sales, which was $51.9 million in 2007, compared to $39.3
(including the collection of a $6.4 million receivable) million in
2008. Beginning in the second half of 2006, we began reducing our
land purchases, and during 2008, we purchased $22.9 million of land and
lots. We have entered into land option agreements in order to secure
land for the construction of homes in the future. Pursuant to these
land option agreements, we have provided deposits to land sellers totaling $3.7
million as of December 31, 2008 as consideration for the right to purchase land
and lots in the future, including the right to purchase $45.6 million of land
and lots during the years 2009 through 2018. We evaluate our future
land purchases on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration current and
projected market conditions, and negotiate terms with sellers, as necessary,
based on market conditions and our existing land supply by market. At
December 31, 2008, we owned or controlled through options approximately 9,723
home sites, as compared to approximately 16,173 at December 31,
2007.
In 2008,
we put forth a strong effort to market our speculative homes with special
incentives. As a result of that effort, we reduced our speculative
inventory by 32%, going from 632 speculative homes in 2007 to 431 in
2008. While many of those speculative homes were the result of
customer contract cancellations, we are also strategically building speculative
homes as the nature of the homebuilding market right now requires readily
available homes for purchase. Customers today are not entering into
contacts until they sell their existing home, and once it’s sold, they usually
need to purchase and move into a home within a short amount of time, and
speculative homes are usually ready to move into within a short time of signing
a contract.
Should
our business remain at its current level or decline from present levels, we
believe that our inventory levels would continue to decrease as we complete and
deliver the homes under construction but do not commence construction of as many
new homes, as we complete the improvements on the land we already own and as we
sell and deliver the speculative homes that are currently in inventory,
resulting in additional cash flow from operations.
Investing
Cash Flow Activities
For the
year ended December 31, 2008, we generated $0.7 million of cash, primarily due
to the proceeds of $9.5 million from the exchange of our airplane, which was
partially offset by $5.2 million used for additional investments in certain of
our unconsolidated LLCs, along with $3.9 million in property and equipment
purchases. The Company is currently pursuing the sale of its
airplane.
Financing
Cash Flow Activities
For the
year ended December 31, 2008, we used $118.6 million of cash. Using
the $50.6 million tax refund that we received in 2008, along with cash generated
from operations, we repaid $110.5 million under our revolving credit
facilities. During the year ended December 31, 2008, we paid a total
of $5.9 million in dividends, which includes $4.9 million in dividends paid on
our 9.75% Series A preferred shares. The indenture governing our
senior notes
42
contains
a provision that restricts the payment of dividends on our common or preferred
shares when the calculation of the “consolidated restricted payments basket,” as
defined therein, falls below zero, which it did during the second quarter of
2008. As a result, we are restricted from making any further dividend
payments on our common or preferred shares until such time as the restricted
payments basket has been restored or our senior notes are repaid, and our Board
of Directors authorizes us to resume dividend payments.
Our
homebuilding and financial services operations financing needs depend on
anticipated sales volume in the current year as well as future years, inventory
levels and related turnover, forecasted land and lot purchases, and other
Company plans. We fund these operations with cash flows from
operating activities, borrowings under our bank credit facilities, and from time
to time, issuances of new debt and/or equity securities, as management deems
necessary.
We have
incurred substantial indebtedness, and may incur substantial indebtedness in the
future, to fund our homebuilding activities. We routinely monitor
current operational requirements, financial market conditions, and credit
relationships. We believe that our operations and borrowing resources
will provide for our current and long-term liquidity
requirements. However, we continue to evaluate the impact of market
conditions on our liquidity and may determine that modifications are necessary
if market conditions continue to deteriorate and extend beyond our
expectations. We believe that we will be able to continue to fund our
current operations and meet our contractual obligations through a combination of
existing cash resources and our existing sources of credit. Due to the
deterioration of the credit markets and the uncertainties that exist in the
economy and for home builders in general, we cannot be certain that we will be
able to replace existing financing or find sources of additional financing in
the future. Please refer to Item 1A. of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for
further discussion of risk factors that could impact our source of
funds.
Included
in the table below is a summary of our available sources of cash as of December
31, 2008:
|
|||
|
Expiration
Date
|
Outstanding
Balance
|
Available
Amount
|
Notes
payable banks – homebuilding
|
10/6/2010
|
$ -
|
$ 29,259
|
Note
payable bank – financial services
|
5/21/2009
|
$ 35,078
|
$ 354
|
Senior
notes
|
4/1/2012
|
$200,000
|
$ -
|
Universal
shelf registration (a)
|
-
|
$ -
|
$250,000
|
(a) This
shelf registration should allow us to expediently access capital markets in the
future. The timing and amount of offerings, if any, will depend on
market and general business conditions.
Notes Payable
Banks - Homebuilding. In January 2009, we entered into the
Third Amendment to the Credit Facility (the “Credit Facility”)
to: (1) reduce the Aggregate Commitment (as defined therein) from
$250 million to $150 million, which is then reduced to $125 million, $100
million and $60 million if the Company’s consolidated tangible net worth falls
below $250 million, $200 million and $150 million, respectively; (2) require
secured borrowings based on a Secured Borrowing Base calculated as
100% of Secured Borrowing Base Cash plus 40% of the aggregated
Appraised Value of the Qualified Real Property, as defined therein; (3) provide
for $65 million of availability during the Initial Period (to July 20,
2009) with three 1-month extension options; however,
during the Initial Period, requires that any cash in excess of $25 million be
designated as collateral; (4) redefine consolidated tangible net worth as equal
to or exceeding (i) $100 million plus (ii) fifty percent (50%) of Consolidated
Earnings (without deduction for losses and excluding the effect of any decrease
in any Deferred Tax Valuation Allowance) earned for each completed fiscal
quarter ending after December 31, 2008 to the date of determination, excluding
any quarter in which the Consolidated Earnings are less than zero; plus (iii)
the amount of any reduction or reversal in Deferred Tax Valuation Allowance for
each completed fiscal quarter ending after December 31, 2008; (5) require the
permitted leverage ratio not to exceed 2.00x; (6) increase the percentage of
speculative units allowed based on the latest six and twelve month closings; (7)
increase the limitations on joint venture investments and extensions of credit
in connection with the sale of land; and (8) increase the pricing
provisions.
Our
Credit Facility has key financial and other covenants, including:
●
|
requiring
us to maintain tangible net worth (“Minimum Net Worth”) of at least (1)
$100 million plus (2) 50% of consolidated earnings (without deduction for
losses and excluding the effect of any decreases in any deferred tax
valuation allowance) earned for each completed fiscal quarter ending after
December 31, 2008 to the date of determination, excluding any quarter in
which the consolidated earnings are less than zero plus (3) the amount of
any reduction or reversal in deferred tax valuation allowance for each
completed fiscal quarter ending after December 31,
2008;
|
●
|
Maintaining
a leverage ratio not in excess of 2.00 to
1.00;
|
43
●
|
requiring
adjusted cash flow from operations to be greater than 1.50x, or requiring
us to maintain unrestricted cash of more than $25
million;
|
●
|
prohibiting
secured indebtedness from exceeding $25 million;
|
●
|
prohibiting
the net book value of our land and lots where construction of a home has
not commenced, less the lesser of 25% of tangible net worth or prior six
month sales times average book value of a finished lot, from exceeding
125% of tangible net worth plus 50% of the aggregate outstanding
subordinated debt (the “Total Land Restriction”);
|
●
|
limiting
the number of unsold housing units and model units that we may have in our
inventory at the end of any fiscal quarter from exceeding the greater of
40% of the number of home closings within the twelve months ending on such
date or 80% of the number of unit closings within the six months ending on
such date (the “Spec and Model Home Restriction”);
|
●
|
limiting
extension of credit on the sale of land to 10% of tangible net worth;
and
|
●
|
limiting
investment in joint ventures to 25% of tangible net
worth.
|
The
following table summarizes these covenant thresholds pursuant to the Third
Amendment to the Credit Facility, and our compliance with such
covenants:
Financial
Covenant
|
Covenant
Requirement
|
Actual
|
||
(dollars
in millions)
|
||||
Minimum
Net Worth (a)
|
=
|
$ 100.0
|
$ 329.9
|
|
Leverage
Ratio (b)
|
≤
|
2.00
to 1.00
|
0.82
to 1.00
|
|
Adjusted
Cash Flow Ratio (c)
|
≥
|
1.50
to 1.00
|
9.20
to 1.00
|
|
Secured
Indebtedness
|
<
|
25.0
|
16.3
|
|
Permitted
Debt Based on Borrowing Base
|
≤
|
$ 29.3
|
$ 0.0
|
|
Total
Land Restriction
|
≤
|
$ 412.4
|
$ 288.9
|
|
Spec
and Model Homes Restriction
|
≤
|
887
|
475
|
|
Extension
of Credit on the Sale of Land
|
<
|
33.0
|
6.1
|
|
Investment
in Unconsolidated Limited Liability Companies
|
<
|
82.5
|
13.3
|
|
(a) Minimum
Net Worth (called “Actual Consolidated Tangible Net Worth” in the Credit
Agreement) was calculated based on the stated amount of our consolidated
equity less intangible assets of $3.1 million as of December 31,
2008.
|
|
(b) Repayment
guarantees are included in the definition of Indebtedness for purposes of
calculating the Leverage Ratio.
|
|
(c) If
the adjusted cash flow ratio is below 1.50X, the Company is required to
maintain unrestricted cash in an amount not less than $25
million.
|
At
December 31, 2008, the Company’s homebuilding operations did not have any
outstanding borrowings, had financial letters of credit outstanding totaling
$11.3 million and had performance letters of credit outstanding totaling $24.4
million under the Credit Facility. The Credit Facility provides for a
maximum borrowing amount of $150 million. Under the terms of the
Credit Facility, the $150 million capacity includes a maximum amount of $100
million in outstanding letters of credit. Borrowing availability is
determined based on the lesser of: (1) Credit Facility loan capacity less Credit
Facility borrowings (including cash borrowings and letters of credit) or (2) the
calculated maximum secured borrowing base cash plus Qualified Real Property,
less the actual borrowing.
As of
December 31, 2008, borrowing availability under the amended Credit Facility was
$29.3 million in accordance with the borrowing base
calculation. Borrowings under the Credit Facility are at the
Alternate Base Rate plus a margin ranging from 350 to 425 basis points, or at
the Eurodollar Rate plus a margin ranging from 450 to 525 basis
points. The Alternate Base Rate is defined as the higher of the Prime
Rate, the Federal Funds Rate plus 50 basis points or the one month Eurodollar
Rate plus 100 basis points. As of December 31, 2008, the Company was
in compliance with all restrictive covenants of the Credit Facility as amended
on January 15, 2009.
We
continue to operate in a challenging economic environment, and our ability to
comply with our debt covenants may be affected by economic or business
conditions beyond our control. However, we believe that cash flow
from operating activities, together with available borrowing options and other
sources of liquidity, will be sufficient to fund currently anticipated working
capital, planned capital spending and debt service requirements for at least the
next twelve months.
Note Payable Bank
– Financial Services. On May 22, 2008, M/I Financial entered
into a Secured Credit Agreement (“MIF Credit Agreement”) with Guaranty
Bank. This agreement replaced M/I Financial’s previous credit
agreement that expired on May 30, 2008.
The MIF
Credit Agreement provides M/I Financial with $30.0 million maximum borrowing
availability, with an additional $10 million of availability from December 15,
2008 through January 15, 2009. The MIF Credit Agreement, which
expires on May 21, 2009, is secured by certain mortgage loans. The
MIF Credit Agreement also provides for limits with respect to certain loan types
that can secure the borrowings under the agreement. As of the end of
each fiscal quarter, M/I Financial must have tangible net worth of at least $9.0
million and adjusted tangible
44
net worth
(tangible net worth less the outstanding amount of intercompany loans) of no
less than $7.0 million. The ratio of total liabilities to adjusted
tangible net worth shall never be more than 10.0 to 1.0. M/I
Financial pays interest on each advance under the MIF Credit Agreement at a per
annum rate of LIBOR plus 1.35%.
At
December 31, 2008, we had $0.4 million of availability under the MIF Credit
Agreement. As of December 31, 2008, M/I Financial was in compliance
with all restrictive covenants of the MIF Credit Agreement.
Mortgage Notes
Payable. As of December 31, 2008 and 2007, the Company had
outstanding a building mortgage note payable in the principal amount of $6.4
million and $6.7 million, respectively, with a fixed interest rate of 8.117% and
maturity date of April 1, 2017. The book value of the collateral
securing this note was $10.9 million at both December 31, 2008 and
2007.
Notes Payable
Other. On April 4, 2008, the Company entered into a loan
agreement with a financial institution which is collateralized by the Company’s
aircraft that was exchanged in the first quarter of 2008. This $10.2
million promissory note bears interest at LIBOR plus 2.25% and is due April
2015. The balance of the note at December 31, 2008 was $9.9
million.
Senior
Notes. At December 31, 2008, we had $200.0 million of 6.875%
senior notes outstanding. The notes are due April
2012. The Credit Facility prohibits the early repurchase of the
senior notes.
The
indenture governing our senior notes contains restrictive covenants that limit,
among other things, the ability of the Company to pay dividends on common and
preferred shares as well as the ability to repurchase any shares. If
our “consolidated restricted payments basket,” as defined in the indenture
governing our senior notes, is less than zero, we are restricted from making
certain payments, including dividends, as well as repurchasing any
shares. At December 31, 2008, our restricted payments basket was
($146.8) million. As a result of this deficit, we are currently
restricted from paying dividends on our common shares and our 9.75% Series A
Preferred Shares, as well as repurchasing any shares under our common share
repurchase program that was approved by our Board of Directors in November
2005.
Weighted Average
Borrowings. For the year ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, our
weighted average borrowings outstanding were $259.1 million and $496.6 million,
respectively, with a weighted average interest rate of 8.07% and 7.58%,
respectively. The decrease in borrowings was primarily the result of
the Company using cash generated from operations to pay down outstanding
debt.
Preferred
Shares. On March 15, 2007, we issued 4,000,000 depositary
shares, each representing 1/1000th of a
9.75% Series A Preferred Share (the “Preferred Shares”), or 4,000 Preferred
Shares in the aggregate, for net proceeds of $96.3 million. Dividends
on the Preferred Shares are non-cumulative and are paid at an annual rate of
9.75%. Dividends are payable quarterly in arrears, if declared by us,
on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15. If there is a
change of control of the Company and if the Company’s corporate credit rating is
withdrawn or downgraded to a certain level (together constituting a “change of
control event”), the dividends on the Preferred Shares will increase to 10.75%
per year. We may not redeem the Preferred Shares prior to March 15,
2012, except following the occurrence of a change of control
event. On or after March 15, 2012, we have the option to redeem the
Preferred Shares in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, payable
in cash of $25 per depositary share. The Preferred Shares have no
stated maturity, are not subject to any sinking fund provisions, are not
convertible into any other securities and will remain outstanding indefinitely
unless redeemed by us. Holders of the Preferred Shares have no voting
rights, except as otherwise required by applicable Ohio law; however, in the
event we do not pay dividends for an aggregate of six quarters (whether or not
consecutive), the holders of the Preferred Shares will be entitled to nominate
two members to serve on our Board of Directors. The Preferred Shares
are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol
“MHO-PA.”
In 2008,
we paid a total of $4.9 million of dividends on the Preferred
Shares. Pursuant to certain restrictive covenants in the indenture
governing our senior notes, we are currently restricted from making any further
dividend payments on our common shares or the Preferred Shares. We
will continue to be restricted until such time that the restricted payments
basket (as defined in the indenture) has been restored or our senior notes are
repaid, and our Board of Directors authorizes us to resume dividend
payments. See Note 20 to our Consolidated Financial Statements for
more information concerning those restrictive covenants.
Universal Shelf
Registration. On August 4, 2008, the Company filed a $250 million
universal shelf registration statement with the SEC. Pursuant to the
filing, the Company may, from time to time over an extended period, offer new
debt and/or equity securities. The timing and amount of offerings, if
any, will depend on market and general
45
business
conditions. No debt or equity securities have been offered for sale
under this universal shelf registration statement as of December 31,
2008.
CONTRACTUAL
OBLIGATIONS
Included
in the table below is a summary of future amounts payable under contractual
obligations:
Payments
due by period
|
||||||||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Total
|
Less
than
1
year
|
1 –
3 years
|
3 –
5 years
|
More
than
5
years
|
|||||||||
Notes
payable banks – homebuilding (a)
|
$ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | ||||
Note
payable bank – financial services (b)
|
35,078 | 35,078 | - | - | - | |||||||||
Mortgage
notes payable (including interest)
|
9,820 | 796 | 1,590 | 1,591 | 5,843 | |||||||||
Note
payable – other (c)
|
9,857 | 457 | 914 | 914 | 7,572 | |||||||||
Senior
notes (including interest)
|
248,812 | 13,941 | 27,882 | 206,989 | - | |||||||||
Obligation
for consolidated inventory not owned (d)
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
Community development
district obligations (including interest) (e)
|
678 | 678 | - | - | - | |||||||||
Capital
leases
|
89 | 89 | - | - | - | |||||||||
Operating
leases
|
14,850 | 4,213 | 5,951 | 3,485 | 1,201 | |||||||||
Purchase
obligations (f)
|
67,544 | 67,544 | - | - | - | |||||||||
Land
option agreements (g)
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
Unrecognized
tax benefits (h)
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
Total
|
$ | 386,728 | $ | 122,796 | $ | 36,337 | $ | 212,979 | $ | 14,616 |
(a)
Borrowings under the Credit Facility are at the Alternate Base Rate plus a
margin ranging from 350 to 425 basis points, or at the Eurodollar Rate plus a
margin ranging from 450 to 525 basis points. The Alternate Base Rate
is defined as the higher of the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate plus 50 basis
points or the one month Eurodollar rate plus 100 basis points. There
were no borrowings outstanding at December 31, 2008.
(b)
Borrowings under the MIF Credit Facility are at the Prime Rate or at LIBOR plus
135 basis points. Borrowings outstanding at December 31, 2008 had a
weighted average interest rate of 1.79%. Interest payments by period
will be based upon the outstanding borrowings and the applicable interest
rate(s) in effect. The above amounts do not reflect
interest.
(c) The
amount reported herein of $9.9 million represents a promissory note that is
collateralized by the Company’s aircraft that was exchanged in the first quarter
of 2008. The note bears interest at LIBOR plus 2.25% and is due April
2015. The above amounts do not reflect interest.
(d) The
Company is party to land purchase option agreements to acquire developed lots
from sellers who are variable interest entities. The Company has
determined that it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entities,
and therefore is required under Financial Accounting Standards Board
Interpretation 46(R), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities” to
consolidate the entities. As of December 31, 2008, the Company has
recorded a liability of $5.5 million relating to consolidation of these variable
interest entities. The actual cash payments that the Company will
make in the future will be based upon the number of lots acquired each period
under the option agreements and the related per lot prices in effect at that
time. One of the land purchase option agreements has specific
performance provisions. We are required to purchase $3.0 million of
land in the future, but at this time cannot accurately specify the time
period. Refer to Note 14 of our Consolidated Financial Statements for
further discussion of this obligation.
(e) The
amount reported herein of $0.7 million represents principal and interest for a
bond obligation incurred in connection with the acquisition of lots in a
community in Florida. This obligation will be repaid as the Company
closes on the lots in this community to third parties. The estimated
payments by period above have been estimated based on the expected timing of
closings. In addition, in connection with the development of certain
of the Company’s communities, local government entities have been established
and bonds have been issued by those entities to finance a portion of the related
infrastructure. These community development district obligations
represent obligations of the Company as the current holder of the property, net
of cash held by the district available to offset the particular bond
obligations. As of December 31, 2008, the Company has recorded a
liability of $10.4 million relating to these community development district
obligations. However, the actual cash payments that the Company will
ultimately make will be dependent upon the timing of the sale of those lots
within the district to third parties. Because we are unable to
estimate the timing of such sales, the amounts have not been included
above. Refer to Note 13 of our Consolidated Financial Statements for
further discussion of these obligations.
(f) The
Company has obligations with certain subcontractors and suppliers of raw
materials in the ordinary course of business to meet the commitment to deliver
566 homes with an aggregate sales price of $139.5 million. Based on
our current housing gross margin of 7.0%, exclusive of impairment charges, less
variable selling costs of 4.2% of revenue, less costs already incurred on homes
in backlog, we estimate payments totaling approximately $67.5 million to be made
in 2009 relating to those homes.
(g) The
Company has options and contingent purchase agreements to acquire land and
developed lots with an aggregate purchase price of approximately $45.6
million. Purchase of properties is generally contingent upon
satisfaction of certain requirements by the Company and the sellers and
therefore the timing of payments under these agreements is not
determinable. The Company has no specific performance obligations
with respect to these agreements.
(h) We
are subject to U.S. federal income tax as well as income tax of multiple state
and local jurisdictions. As of December 31, 2008, we had $4.7 million of
gross unrecognized tax benefits, including $1.3 million of related accrued
interest and $0.4 million of related accrued penalties. We are currently
under examination by various taxing jurisdictions and anticipate finalizing the
examinations with certain jurisdictions within the next twelve months.
However, the final outcome of these examinations is not yet determinable.
The statute of limitations for our major tax jurisdictions remains open for
examination of tax years 2005 through 2008.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET
ARRANGEMENTS
Our
primary use of off-balance sheet arrangements is for the purpose of securing the
most desirable lots on which to build homes for our homebuyers in a manner that
we believe reduces the overall risk to the Company. Our
off-balance
46
sheet
arrangements relating to our homebuilding operations include unconsolidated
LLCs, land option agreements, guarantees and indemnifications associated with
acquiring and developing land, and the issuance of letters of credit and
completion bonds. Additionally, in the ordinary course of business,
our financial services operations issue guarantees and indemnities relating to
the sale of loans to third parties.
Unconsolidated
Limited Liability Companies. In the ordinary course of
business, the Company periodically enters into arrangements with third parties
to acquire land and develop lots. These arrangements include the
creation by the Company of LLCs, with the Company’s interest in these entities
ranging from 33% to 50%. These entities engage in land development
activities for the purpose of distributing (in the form of a capital
distribution) or selling developed lots to the Company and its partners in the
entity. These entities generally do not meet the criteria of variable
interest entities (“VIEs”), because the equity at risk is sufficient to permit
the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated support
from the equity investors; however, we must evaluate each entity to determine
whether it is or is not a VIE. If an entity was determined to be a
VIE, we would then evaluate whether or not we are the primary
beneficiary. These evaluations are initially performed when each new
entity is created and upon any events that require reconsideration of the
entity.
We have
determined that none of the LLCs in which we have an interest are VIEs, and we
also have determined that we do not have substantive control or exercise
significant influence over any of these entities; therefore, our homebuilding
LLCs are recorded using the equity method of accounting. The Company
believes its maximum exposure related to any of these entities as of December
31, 2008 to be the amount invested of $13.1 million, plus letters of credit and
bonds totaling $2.0 million that serve as completion bonds for the development
work in progress and our possible future obligations under guarantees and
indemnifications provided in connection with these entities, as further
discussed in Note 9 and Note 10 of our Consolidated Financial
Statements.
Land Option
Agreements. In the ordinary course of business, the Company
enters into land option agreements in order to secure land for the construction
of homes in the future. Pursuant to these land option agreements, the
Company will provide a deposit to the seller as consideration for the right to
purchase land at different times in the future, usually at predetermined
prices. Because the entities holding the land under the option
agreement often meet the criteria for VIEs, the Company evaluates all land
option agreements to determine if it is necessary to consolidate any of these
entities. The Company currently believes that its maximum exposure as
of December 31, 2008 related to these agreements is equal to the amount of the
Company’s outstanding deposits, which totaled $3.7 million, including cash
deposits of $1.1 million, prepaid acquisition costs of $0.3 million, letters of
credit of $2.1 million and corporate promissory notes of $0.2
million.
Guarantees and
Indemnities. In
the ordinary course of business, M/I Financial enters into agreements that
guarantee purchasers of its mortgage loans that M/I Financial will repurchase a
loan if certain conditions occur. M/I Financial has also provided
indemnifications to certain third party investors and insurers in lieu of
repurchasing certain loans. The risks associated with these
guarantees and indemnities are offset by the value of the underlying assets, and
the Company accrues its best estimate of the probable loss on these
loans. Additionally, the Company has provided certain other
guarantees and indemnities in connection with the acquisition and development of
land by our homebuilding operations. Refer to Note 10 of our
Consolidated Financial Statements for additional details relating to our
guarantees and indemnities.
Letters of Credit
and Completion Bonds. The Company provides standby letters of
credit and completion bonds for development work in progress, deposits on land
and lot purchase agreements and miscellaneous deposits. As of
December 31, 2008, the Company had outstanding $80.1 million of completion bonds
and standby letters of credit, some of which were issued to various local
governmental entities, that expire at various times through December
2016. Included in this total are: (1) $37.8 million of performance
and maintenance bonds and $25.2 million of performance letters of credit that
serve as completion bonds for land development work in progress (including the
Company’s $0.9 million share of our LLCs’ letters of credit and bonds); (2)
$11.3 million of financial letters of credit, of which $2.1 million represents
deposits on land and lot purchase agreements; and (3) $5.8 million of financial
bonds.
INTEREST RATES AND
INFLATION
Our
business is significantly affected by general economic conditions of the United
States of America and, particularly, by the impact of interest rates and
inflation. Higher interest rates may decrease our potential market by
making it more difficult for homebuyers to qualify for mortgages or to obtain
mortgages at interest rates that are acceptable to them. The impact of
increased rates can be offset, in part, by offering variable rate loans with
lower interest rates. In conjunction with our mortgage financing services,
hedging methods are used to reduce our exposure to interest rate fluctuations
between the commitment date of the loan and the time the loan
closes.
47
During
the past year, we have experienced some detrimental effect from inflation,
particularly the inflation in the cost of land that occurred over the past
several years. As a result of declines in market conditions in most
of our markets, in certain communities we have been unable to recover the cost
of these higher land prices, resulting in lower gross margins and significant
charges being recorded in our operating results due to the impairment of
inventory and investments in unconsolidated LLCs, and other write-offs relating
to deposits and pre-acquisition costs of abandoned land transactions. In
recent years, we have not experienced a detrimental effect from inflation in
relation to our home construction costs, and we have been successful in reducing
certain of these costs with our subcontractors in the current year.
However, unanticipated construction costs or a change in market conditions may
occur during the period between the date sales contracts are entered into with
customers and the delivery date of the related homes, resulting in lower gross
profit margins.
48
ITEM
7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET
RISK
|
Our
primary market risk results from fluctuations in interest rates. We
are exposed to interest rate risk through borrowings under our unsecured
revolving credit facilities, consisting of the Credit Facility and the MIF
Credit Agreement, which permit borrowings of up to $190 million as of December
31, 2008, subject to availability constraints. Additionally, M/I
Financial is exposed to interest rate risk associated with its mortgage loan
origination services.
Loan Commitments:
Interest rate lock commitments (“IRLCs”) are extended to home-buying
customers who have applied for mortgages and who meet certain defined credit and
underwriting criteria. Typically, the IRLCs will have a duration of
less than nine months; however, in certain markets, the duration could extend to
twelve months.
Some
IRLCs are committed to a specific third-party investor through the use of
best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments matching the exact terms of the
IRLC loan. The notional amount of the committed IRLCs and the
best-efforts contracts was $21.2 million and $2.1 million at December 31, 2008
and December 31, 2007, respectively. At December 31, 2008, the fair
value of the committed IRLCs resulted in a liability of $0.1 million and the
related best-efforts contracts resulted in a liability of less than $0.1
million. At December 31, 2007, the fair value of the committed IRLCs
resulted in an asset of less than $0.1 million and the related best-efforts
contracts resulted in a liability of less than $0.1 million. For the
years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, we recognized $0.1 million of
expense, less than $0.1 million of expense, and less than $0.1 million of
income, respectively, relating to marking these committed IRLCs and the related
best-efforts contracts to market.
Uncommitted
IRLCs are considered derivative instruments under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (“SFAS 133”), and are fair value
adjusted, with the resulting gain or loss recorded in current
earnings. At December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the notional
amount of the uncommitted IRLCs was $25.4 million and $34.3 million,
respectively. The fair value adjustment related to these uncommitted
IRLCs, which is based on quoted market prices, resulted in an asset of $0.8
million and $0.2 million at December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007,
respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006,
we recognized income of $0.6 million, $0.2 million and $0.3 million,
respectively, relating to marking the uncommitted IRLCs to market.
Forward
sales of mortgage-backed securities (“FMBSs”) are used to protect uncommitted
IRLC loans against the risk of changes in interest rates between the lock date
and the funding date. FMBSs related to uncommitted IRLCs are
classified and accounted for as non-designated derivative instruments, with
gains and losses recorded in current earnings. At December 31, 2008
and December 31, 2007, the notional amount under these FMBSs was $14.0 million
and $37.0 million, respectively, and the related fair value adjustment, which is
based on quoted market prices, resulted in a liability of $0.2 million at both
December 31, 2008 and 2007. For the years ended December 31, 2008,
2007 and 2006, we recognized income of less than $0.1 million, expense of $0.3
million, and income of $0.3 million, respectively, relating to marking these
FMBSs to market.
Mortgage Loans
Held for Sale:
During the intervening period between when a loan is closed and when it
is sold to an investor, the interest rate risk is covered through the use of a
best-efforts contract or by FMBSs.
The
notional amount of the best-efforts contracts and related mortgage loans held
for sale was $13.6 million and $15.4 million at December 31, 2008 and December
31, 2007, respectively. The fair value of the best-efforts contracts
and related mortgage loans held for sale resulted in a net asset of $0.2 million
at December 31, 2008 and a net liability of less than $0.1 million at December
31, 2007 under the matched terms method of SFAS 133. For the years
ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, we recognized income of $0.2 million and less
than $0.1 million, respectively, relating to marking these best-efforts
contracts and the related mortgage loans held for sale to
market. There was no net impact to earnings for the year ended
December 31, 2006.
The
notional amounts of both the FMBSs and the related mortgage loans held for sale
were $23.0 million at December 31, 2008 and $43.0 million and $43.2 million,
respectively, at December 31, 2007. In accordance with SFAS 133, the
FMBSs are classified and accounted for as non-designated derivative instruments,
with gains and losses recorded in current earnings. As of December
31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the related fair value adjustment for marking
these FMBSs to market resulted in a liability of $0.9 million and a liability of
$0.4 million, respectively. For both the years ended December 31,
2008 and 2007, we recognized expense of $0.5 million, and for the year ended
December 31, 2006, we recognized income of $0.1 million, relating to marking
these FMBSs to market.
49
The
following table provides the expected future cash flows and current fair values
of borrowings under our credit facilities and mortgage loan origination services
that are subject to market risk as interest rates fluctuate, as of December 31,
2008:
Weighted
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Average
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Interest
|
Value
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
Rate
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
Thereafter
|
Total
|
12/31/08
|
|||||||||||||||||
ASSETS:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mortgage
loans held for sale:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fixed
rate
|
5.37 | % |
$
|
38,573 | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | - | $ | 38,573 | $ | 37,772 | ||||||||
Variable
rate
|
N/A | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||
LIABILITIES:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Long-term
debt – fixed rate
|
6.91 | % | $ | 283 | $ | 306 | $ | 332 | $ | 200,360 | $ | 391 | $ | 4,770 | $ | 206,442 | $ | 113,030 | ||||||||
Long-term
debt – variable rate
|
2.64 | % | 35,535 | 457 | 457 | 457 | 457 | 7,572 | 44,935 | 44,935 | ||||||||||||||||
|
50
ITEM
8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the
Board of Directors and Shareholders of M/I Homes, Inc.
Columbus,
Ohio
We have
audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of M/I Homes, Inc. and
subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the related
consolidated statements of operations, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for
each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008. These
financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management.
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based
on our audits.
We
conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that
we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the
financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes
examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in
the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting
principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as
evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that
our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our
opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material
respects, the financial position of M/I Homes, Inc. and subsidiaries as of
December 31, 2008 and 2007, and the results of their operations and their cash
flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2008, in
conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.
We have
also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States), the Company's internal control over financial
reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated
Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the
Treadway Commission and our report dated February 24, 2009 expressed an
unqualified opinion on the Company's internal control over financial
reporting.
/s/
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
|
Deloitte
& Touche LLP
|
Columbus,
Ohio
February
24, 2009
51
M/I
HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Years
Ended
|
||||||||
(In
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
|
||||||||
Revenue
|
$ | 607,659 | $ | 1,016,460 | $ | 1,274,145 | ||
Costs,
expenses and other income:
|
||||||||
Land
and housing
|
532,164 | 832,596 | 959,226 | |||||
Impairment
of inventory and investment in unconsolidated LLCs
|
153,300 | 148,377 | 67,200 | |||||
General
and administrative
|
77,458 | 93,049 | 98,289 | |||||
Selling
|
54,219 | 77,971 | 88,317 | |||||
Interest
- net
|
11,197 | 15,343 | 15,807 | |||||
Other
income
|
(5,555 | ) | - | - | ||||
Total
costs, expenses and other income
|
822,783 | 1,167,336 | 1,228,839 | |||||
|
||||||||
(Loss)
income from continuing operations before income taxes
|
(215,124 | ) | (150,876 | ) | 45,306 | |||
|
||||||||
Provision
(benefit) for income taxes
|
30,291 | (58,396 | ) | 16,009 | ||||
|
||||||||
(Loss)
income from continuing operations
|
(245,415 | ) | (92,480 | ) | 29,297 | |||
|
||||||||
Discontinued
operation, net of tax
|
(33 | ) | (35,646 | ) | 9,578 | |||
|
||||||||
Net
(loss) income
|
(245,448 | ) | (128,126 | ) | 38,875 | |||
|
||||||||
Preferred
dividends
|
4,875 | 7,313 |
-
|
|||||
|
||||||||
Net
(loss) income to common shareholders
|
$ | (250,323 | ) | $ | (135,439 | ) | $ | 38,875 |
|
||||||||
(Loss)
income per common share:
|
||||||||
Basic:
|
||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (7.14 | ) | $ | 2.10 |
Discontinued
operation
|
$ | - | $ | (2.55 | ) | $ | 0.68 | |
Basic
(loss) income
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (9.69 | ) | $ | 2.78 |
Diluted:
|
||||||||
Continuing
operations
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (7.14 | ) | $ | 2.07 |
Discontinued
operation
|
$ | - | $ | (2.55 | ) | $ | 0.67 | |
Diluted
(loss) income
|
$ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (9.69 | ) | $ | 2.74 |
|
||||||||
Weighted
average shares outstanding:
|
||||||||
Basic
|
14,016 | 13,977 | 13,970 | |||||
Diluted
|
14,016 | 13,977 |
14,168
|
|||||
|
||||||||
Dividends
per common share
|
$ | 0.05 | $ | 0.10 | $ | 0.10 |
See Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements.
52
M/I
HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
December
31,
|
||||||
(Dollars
in thousands, except par values)
|
2008
|
2007
|
||||
|
||||||
ASSETS:
|
||||||
Cash
|
$ | 32,518 | $ | 1,506 | ||
Cash
held in escrow
|
6,658 | 21,239 | ||||
Mortgage
loans held for sale
|
37,772 | 54,127 | ||||
Inventory
|
516,029 | 797,329 | ||||
Property
and equipment - net
|
27,732 | 35,699 | ||||
Investment
in unconsolidated limited liability companies
|
13,130 | 40,343 | ||||
Income
tax receivable
|
39,456 | 53,667 | ||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
- | 67,867 | ||||
Other
assets
|
19,993 | 31,270 | ||||
Assets of discontinued
operation
|
- | 14,598 | ||||
TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 693,288 | $ | 1,117,645 | ||
|
||||||
LIABILITIES
AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
||||||
|
||||||
LIABILITIES:
|
||||||
Accounts
payable
|
$ | 27,542 | $ | 66,242 | ||
Accrued
compensation
|
6,762 | 9,509 | ||||
Customer
deposits
|
3,506 | 6,932 | ||||
Other
liabilities
|
55,287 | 58,473 | ||||
Community
development district obligations
|
11,035 | 12,410 | ||||
Obligation
for consolidated inventory not owned
|
5,549 | 7,433 | ||||
Liabilities
of discontinued operation
|
- | 14,286 | ||||
Notes
payable banks – homebuilding operations
|
- | 115,000 | ||||
Note
payable bank – financial services operations
|
35,078 | 40,400 | ||||
Notes
payable - other
|
16,300 | 6,703 | ||||
Senior
notes – net of discount of $832 and $1,088, respectively, at December 31,
2008 and 2007
|
199,168 | 198,912 | ||||
TOTAL
LIABILITIES
|
360,227 | 536,300 | ||||
|
||||||
Commitments
and contingencies
|
- | - | ||||
|
||||||
SHAREHOLDERS’
EQUITY:
|
||||||
Preferred
shares – $.01 par value; authorized 2,000,000
shares; issued 4,000 shares
|
96,325 | 96,325 | ||||
Common
shares – $.01 par value; authorized 38,000,000
shares; issued 17,626,123 shares
|
176 | 176 | ||||
Additional
paid-in capital
|
82,146 | 79,428 | ||||
Retained
earnings
|
225,956 | 477,339 | ||||
Treasury
shares – at cost – 3,602,141 and 3,621,333 shares, respectively, at
December 31, 2008 and 2007
|
(71,542 | ) | (71,923 | ) | ||
TOTAL
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
333,061 | 581,345 | ||||
TOTAL
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
$ | 693,288 | $ | 1,117,645 |
See Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements.
53
M/I
HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Preferred
Shares
|
Common
Shares
|
Additional
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Shares
|
Shares
|
Paid-In
|
Retained
|
Treasury
|
Shareholders’
|
|||||||||||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands, except per share amounts)
|
Outstanding
|
Amount
|
Outstanding
|
Amount
|
Capital
|
Earnings
|
Shares
|
Equity
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2005
|
- | - | 14,327,265 |
$
|
176 |
$
|
72,470 |
$
|
576,726 |
$
|
(56,804 | ) |
$
|
592,568 | ||||||||
Net
income
|
- | - | - | - | - | 38,875 | - | 38,875 | ||||||||||||||
Dividends
on common shares,
$0.10
per share
|
- | - | - | - | - | (1,415 | ) | - | (1,415 | ) | ||||||||||||
Income
tax benefit from stock
options
and deferred
compensation
distributions
|
- | - | - | - | 229 | - | - | 229 | ||||||||||||||
Share
repurchases
|
- | - | (463,500 | ) | - | - | - | (17,893 | ) | (17,893 | ) | |||||||||||
Stock
options exercised
|
- | - | 28,200 | - | 83 | - | 558 | 641 | ||||||||||||||
Stock-based
compensation
expense
|
- | - | - | 3,057 | - | - | 3,057 | |||||||||||||||
Deferral
of executive and
director
compensation
|
- | - | - | - | 990 | - | - | 990 | ||||||||||||||
Executive
and director deferred
compensation
distributions
|
- | - | 28,783 | - | (547 | ) | - | 547 | - | |||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2006
|
- | - | 13,920,748 |
$
|
176 |
$
|
76,282 |
$
|
614,186 |
$
|
(73,592 | ) |
$
|
617,052 | ||||||||
Net
loss
|
- | - | - | - | - | (128,126 | ) | - | (128,126 | ) | ||||||||||||
Preferred
shares issued, net of
issuance
costs of $3,675
|
4,000 |
$
|
96,325 | - | - | - | - | - | 96,325 | |||||||||||||
Dividends
on preferred shares,
$609.375
per share
|
- | - | - | - | - | (7,313 | ) | - | (7,313 | ) | ||||||||||||
Dividends
on common shares,
$0.10
per share
|
- | - | - | - | - | (1,408 | ) | - | (1,408 | ) | ||||||||||||
Income
tax benefit from stock
options
and deferred
compensation
distributions
|
- | - | - | - | 72 | - | - | 72 | ||||||||||||||
Stock
options exercised
|
- | - | 37,400 | - | 62 | - | 742 | 804 | ||||||||||||||
Restricted
shares issued, net of
forfeitures
|
- | - | 3,001 | - | (60 | ) | - | 60 | - | |||||||||||||
Share-based
compensation
expense
|
- | - | - | - | 3,167 | - | - | 3,167 | ||||||||||||||
Deferral
of executive and
director
compensation
|
- | - | - | - | 772 | - | - | 772 | ||||||||||||||
Executive
and director deferred
compensation
distributions
|
- | - | 43,641 | - | (867 | ) | - | 867 | - | |||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2007
|
4,000 |
$
|
96,325 | 14,004,790 |
$
|
176 |
$
|
79,428 |
$
|
477,339 |
$
|
(71,923 | ) |
$
|
581,345 | |||||||
Net
loss
|
- | - | - | - | - | (245,448 | ) | - | (245,448 | ) | ||||||||||||
Dividends
on preferred shares,
$1,218.75
per share
|
- | - | - | - | - | (4,875 | ) | - | (4,875 | ) | ||||||||||||
Dividends
on common shares,
$0.05
per share
|
- | - | - | - | - | (1,060 | ) | - | (1,060 | ) | ||||||||||||
Income
tax benefit from stock
options
and deferred
compensation
distributions
|
- | - | - | - | (97 | ) | - | - | (97 | ) | ||||||||||||
Stock
options exercised – net of restricted stock forfeitures
|
- | - | 5,527 | - | (35 | ) | - | 110 | 75 | |||||||||||||
Share-based
compensation
expense
|
- | - | - | - | 2,983 | - | - | 2,983 | ||||||||||||||
Deferral
of executive and
director
compensation
|
- | - | - | - | 138 | - | - | 138 | ||||||||||||||
Executive
and director deferred
compensation
distributions
|
- | - | 13,665 | - | (271 | ) | - | 271 | - | |||||||||||||
Balance
at December 31, 2008
|
4,000 |
$
|
96,325 | 14,023,982 |
$
|
176 |
$
|
82,146 |
$
|
225,956 |
$
|
(71,542 | ) |
$
|
333,061 |
See Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements.
54
M/I
HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Years
Ended
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
OPERATING
ACTIVITIES:
|
|||||||||
Net
(loss) income
|
$ | (245,448 | ) | $ | (128,126 | ) | $ | 38,875 | |
Adjustments
to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by (used) in operating
activities:
|
|||||||||
Inventory
valuation adjustments and abandoned land transaction
write-offs
|
134,160 | 196,952 | 76,326 | ||||||
Impairment
of investment in unconsolidated limited liability
companies
|
24,452 | 13,125 | 2,440 | ||||||
Impairment
of goodwill and intangible assets
|
- | 5,175 | - | ||||||
Impairment
of property and equipment
|
3,283 | - | - | ||||||
Mortgage
loan originations
|
(382,992 | ) | (586,520 | ) | (666,863 | ) | |||
Proceeds
from the sale of mortgage loans
|
405,107 | 586,846 | 675,531 | ||||||
Fair
value adjustment of mortgage loans held for sale
|
(2,395 | ) | 487 | 443 | |||||
Net
(gain) loss from property disposals
|
(5,524 | ) | 373 | 112 | |||||
Bad
debt expense
|
1,255 | - | - | ||||||
Depreciation
|
6,197 | 5,912 | 3,936 | ||||||
Amortization
of intangibles, debt discount and debt issue costs
|
1,557 | 2,081 | 2,795 | ||||||
Stock-based
compensation expense
|
2,983 | 3,167 | 3,057 | ||||||
Deferred
income tax benefit
|
(40,740 | ) | (28,144 | ) | (28,216 | ) | |||
Deferred
tax asset valuation allowance
|
108,607 | - | - | ||||||
Income
tax receivable
|
14,211 | (53,667 | ) | - | |||||
Excess
tax benefits from stock-based payment arrangements
|
97 | (72 | ) | (229 | ) | ||||
Equity
in undistributed loss of limited liability companies
|
431 | 892 | 62 | ||||||
Write-off
of unamortized debt discount and financing costs
|
1,059 | 534 | 195 | ||||||
Change
in assets and liabilities:
|
|||||||||
Cash
held in escrow
|
14,597 | 37,720 | (27,152 | ) | |||||
Inventory
|
161,087 | 180,517 | (158,236 | ) | |||||
Other
assets
|
8,695 | (930 | ) | (6,030 | ) | ||||
Accounts
payable
|
(42,882 | ) | (10,776 | ) | 7,495 | ||||
Customer
deposits
|
(4,798 | ) | (11,110 | ) | (16,167 | ) | |||
Accrued
compensation
|
(2,848 | ) | (12,257 | ) | (3,050 | ) | |||
Other
liabilities
|
(11,276 | ) | 32 | (9,336 | ) | ||||
Net
cash provided by (used in) operating activities
|
148,875 | 202,211 | (104,012 | ) | |||||
|
|||||||||
INVESTING
ACTIVITIES:
|
|||||||||
Purchase
of property and equipment
|
(3,947 | ) | (4,461 | ) | (4,806 | ) | |||
Proceeds
from the sale of property
|
9,454 | - | - | ||||||
Investment
in unconsolidated limited liability companies
|
(5,196 | ) | (9,978 | ) | (17,041 | ) | |||
Return
of investment from unconsolidated limited liability
companies
|
431 | 578 | 89 | ||||||
Net
cash provided by (used in) investing activities
|
742 | (13,861 | ) | (21,758 | ) | ||||
|
|||||||||
FINANCING
ACTIVITIES:
|
|||||||||
Net
(repayments of) proceeds from bank borrowings
|
(110,465 | ) | (284,500 | ) | 133,900 | ||||
Principal
repayments of mortgage notes payable and community
development
|
|||||||||
district
bond obligations
|
(331 | ) | (509 | ) | (1,357 | ) | |||
Proceeds
from preferred shares issuance – net of issuance costs
of $3,675
|
- | 96,325 | - | ||||||
Debt
issue costs
|
(1,063 | ) | (847 | ) | (1,721 | ) | |||
Payments
on capital lease obligations
|
(789 | ) | (984 | ) | (183 | ) | |||
Dividends
paid
|
(5,935 | ) | (8,721 | ) | (1,415 | ) | |||
Proceeds
from exercise of stock options
|
75 | 804 | 641 | ||||||
Excess
tax benefits from stock-based payment arrangements
|
(97 | ) | 72 | 229 | |||||
Common
share repurchases
|
- | - | (17,893 | ) | |||||
Net
cash (used in) provided by financing activities
|
(118,605 | ) | (198,360 | ) | 112,201 | ||||
Net
increase (decrease) in cash
|
31,012 | (10,010 | ) | (13,569 | ) | ||||
Cash
balance at beginning of year
|
1,506 | 11,516 | 25,085 | ||||||
Cash
balance at end of year
|
$ | 32,518 | $ | 1,506 | $ | 11,516 | |||
|
|||||||||
SUPPLEMENTAL
DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
|
|||||||||
Cash
paid during the year for:
|
|||||||||
Interest
– net of amount capitalized
|
$ | 3,455 | $ | 16,272 | $ | 14,337 | |||
Income
taxes
|
$ | 525 | $ | 10,246 | $ | 57,918 | |||
|
|||||||||
NON-CASH
TRANSACTIONS DURING THE YEAR:
|
|||||||||
Community
development district infrastructure
|
$ | (1,304 | ) | $ | (6,899 | ) | $ | 10,891 | |
Consolidated
inventory not owned
|
$ | (1,884 | ) | $ | 2,407 | $ | 934 | ||
Capital
lease obligations
|
$ | - | $ | (1,457 | ) | $ | 753 | ||
Distribution
of single-family lots from unconsolidated limited liability
companies
|
$ | 9,969 | $ | 7,912 | $ | 16,609 | |||
Non-monetary
exchange of fixed assets
|
$ | 13,000 | - | - | |||||
Contribution
of property to unconsolidated limited liability companies
|
- | 958 | - | ||||||
Deferral
of executive and director compensation
|
$ | 138 | $ | 772 | $ | 990 | |||
Executive
and director deferred stock distributions
|
$ | 271 | $ | 867 | $ | 547 | |||
|
See Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements.
55
M/I
HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
NOTE
1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Business. M/I
Homes, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “we”) is engaged primarily in
the construction and sale of single-family residential property in Columbus and
Cincinnati, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; Tampa and Orlando,
Florida; Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina; and the Virginia and Maryland
suburbs of Washington, D.C. The Company designs, sells and builds
single-family homes on finished lots, which it develops or purchases ready for
home construction. The Company also purchases undeveloped land to
develop into finished lots for future construction of single-family homes and,
on a limited basis, for sale to others. Our homebuilding operations
operate across three geographic regions in the United States. Within
these regions, our operations have similar economic characteristics; therefore
they have been aggregated into three reportable homebuilding segments: Midwest
homebuilding, Florida homebuilding and Mid-Atlantic homebuilding.
The
Company conducts mortgage financing activities through its wholly-owned
subsidiary, M/I Financial Corp. (“M/I Financial”), which originates mortgage
loans for purchasers of the Company’s homes. The loans and the
servicing rights are sold to outside mortgage lenders. The Company
and M/I Financial also operate wholly- and majority-owned subsidiaries that
provide title services to purchasers of the Company’s homes. In
addition, the Company operates a majority-owned subsidiary that collects
commissions as a broker of property and casualty insurance
policies. As a broker, the Company does not retain any risk
associated with these insurance policies. Our mortgage banking, title
service and insurance activities have similar economic characteristics;
therefore, they have been aggregated into one reportable segment, the financial
services segment.
Principles of
Consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial
statements include the accounts of M/I Homes, Inc. and its
subsidiaries.
Accounting
Principles. The accompanying consolidated financial statements
have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States of America (“GAAP”). All intercompany
transactions have been eliminated. The preparation of 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.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents. All highly liquid
investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less are
considered to be cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2008 and 2007,
the majority of cash was held in one bank.
Cash Held in
Escrow. Cash held in escrow represents cash relating to homes
closed at year-end that were not yet funded to the Company as of December
31st
due to timing, and cash that was deposited in an escrow account at the time of
closing on homes to homebuyers which will be released to the Company when the
related work is completed on each home, which generally occurs within six months
of closing on the home.
Mortgage Loans
Held for Sale. Mortgage loans held for sale consists primarily
of single-family residential loans collateralized by the underlying
property. Generally, all of the mortgage loans and related servicing
rights are sold to third-party investors within two weeks of
origination. Refer to the Revenue Recognition policy described below
for additional discussion.
Inventory. We
use the specific identification method for the purpose of accumulating costs
associated with land acquisition and development, and home
construction. Inventory is recorded at cost, unless events and
circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the land may be
impaired. In addition to the costs of direct land acquisition, land
development and related costs (both incurred and estimated to be incurred), and
home construction costs, inventory includes capitalized interest, real estate
taxes, and certain indirect costs incurred during land development and home
construction. Such costs are charged to cost of sales simultaneously
with revenue recognition, as discussed below. When a home is closed,
we typically have not yet paid all incurred costs necessary to complete the
home. As homes close, we compare the home construction budget to
actual recorded costs to date to estimate the additional costs to be incurred
from our subcontractors related to the home. We record a liability
and a corresponding charge to cost of sales for the amount we estimate will
ultimately be paid related to that home. We monitor the accuracy of
such estimate by comparing actual costs incurred in subsequent months to the
estimate. Although actual costs to complete in the future could
differ from the estimate, our method has historically produced consistently
accurate estimates of actual costs to complete closed homes.
56
As a
result of the declining homebuilding market, we have decided to mothball (or
stop development on) certain communities where we determine the current
performance does not justify further investment at this time. As of
December 31, 2008, we have mothballed six communities that were not active
and thirty phases in eighteen active communities until market conditions
improve. We continually review communities to determine if
mothballing is appropriate.
We assess
inventory for recoverability in accordance with the provisions of Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment
or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets” (“SFAS 144”). SFAS 144 requires
that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in
local or national economic conditions indicate that the carrying amount of an
asset may not be recoverable. In conducting our quarterly review for
indicators of impairment on a community level, we evaluate, among other things,
the margins on homes that have been delivered, margins on sales contracts in
backlog, projected margins with regard to future home sales over the life of the
community, projected margins with regard to future land sales, and the value of
the land itself. We pay particular attention to communities in which
inventory is moving at a slower than anticipated absorption pace, and
communities whose average sales price and/or margins are trending downward and
are anticipated to continue to trend downward. From this review, we
identify communities whose carrying values may exceed their undiscounted cash
flows.
Operating
communities. For existing operating communities, the
recoverability of assets is measured on a quarterly basis by comparing the
carrying amount of the assets to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to
be generated by the assets based on home sales. These estimated cash
flows are developed based primarily on management’s assumptions relating to the
community. The significant assumptions used to evaluate the
recoverability of assets include the timing of development and/or marketing
phases, projected sales price and sales pace of each existing or planned
community, and the estimated land development, home construction and selling
costs of the community, overall market supply and demand, the local market, and
competitive conditions. Management reviews these assumptions on a
quarterly basis. While we consider available information to determine
what we believe to be our best estimates as of the end of a reporting period,
these estimates are subject to change in future reporting periods as facts and
circumstances change.
Future
communities. For raw land or land under development that
management anticipates will be utilized for future homebuilding activities, the
recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying amount of the
assets to future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets
based on home sales, consistent with the evaluations performed for operating
communities discussed above.
For raw
land, land under development or lots that management intends to market for sale
to a third party, but that do not meet all of the criteria to be classified as
land held for sale as discussed below, the recoverability of the assets is
determined based on either the estimated net sales proceeds expected to be
realized on the sale of the assets, or the estimated fair value determined using
cash flow valuation techniques.
If the
Company has not yet determined whether raw land or land under development will
be utilized for future homebuilding activities or marketed for sale to a third
party, the Company assesses the recoverability of the inventory using a
probability-weighted approach, in accordance with SFAS 144.
Land held for
sale. Land held for sale includes land that meets all of the
following six criteria defined in SFAS 144: (1) management, having
the authority to approve the action, commits to a plan to sell the asset; (2)
the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject only
to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets; (3) an active
program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to
sell the asset have been initiated; (4) the sale of the asset is probable, and
transfer of the asset is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed
sale, within one year; (5) the asset is being actively marketed for sale at a
price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value; and (6) actions
required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant
changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be
withdrawn. In accordance with SFAS 144, the Company records land held
for sale at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less costs to
sell. In performing impairment evaluation for land held for sale,
management considers, among other things, prices for land in recent comparable
sales transactions, market analysis, and recent bona fide offers received from
outside third parties, as well as actual contracts. If the estimated
fair value less the costs to sell an asset is less than the current carrying
value, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value less costs to
sell.
For all
of the above categories, the key assumptions relating to the above valuations
are dependent on project-specific local market and/or community conditions and
are inherently uncertain. Because each inventory asset is unique,
there are numerous inputs and assumptions used in our valuation
techniques. Local market-specific factors that may impact our project
assumptions include:
57
●
|
historical
project results such as average sales price and sales rates, if closings
have occurred in the project;
|
●
|
competitors’
local market and/or community presence and their competitive
actions;
|
●
|
project-specific
attributes such as location desirability and uniqueness of product
offering;
|
●
|
potential
for alternative product offerings to respond to local market
conditions;
|
●
|
current
local market economic and demographic conditions and related trends and
forecasts;
|
●
|
community-specific
strategies regarding speculative
homes.
|
These and
other local market-specific conditions that may be present are considered by
personnel in our homebuilding divisions as they prepare or update the forecasted
assumptions for each community. Quantitative and qualitative factors other than
home sales prices could significantly impact the potential for future
impairments. The sales objectives can differ between communities,
even within a given sub-market. For example, facts and circumstances
in a given community may lead us to price our homes with the objective of
yielding a higher sales absorption pace, while facts and circumstances in
another community may lead us to price our homes to minimize deterioration in
our gross margins, although it may result in a slower sales absorption
pace. Furthermore, the key assumptions included in our estimated
future undiscounted cash flows may be interrelated. For example, a decrease in
estimated base sales price or an increase in home sales incentives may result in
a corresponding increase in sales absorption pace. Additionally, a
decrease in the average sales price of homes to be sold and closed in future
reporting periods for one community that has not been generating what management
believes to be an adequate sales absorption
pace may impact the estimated cash flow assumptions of a nearby
community. Changes in our key assumptions, including estimated
construction and development costs, absorption pace, selling strategies, or
discount rates, could materially impact future cash flow and fair value
estimates.
As of
December 31, 2008, our projections generally assume a gradual improvement in
market conditions over time, along with a gradual increase in
costs. These gradual increases begin in 2010, depending on the
market. If communities are not recoverable based on undiscounted cash
flows, the impairment to be recognized is measured as the amount by which the
carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the
assets. The fair value of a community is determined by discounting
management’s cash flow projections using an appropriate risk-adjusted interest
rate. As of December 31, 2008, we utilized discount rates ranging
from 12% to 15% in the above valuations. The discount rate used in
determining each asset’s fair value depends on the community’s projected life,
development stage, and the inherent risks associated with the related estimated
cash flow stream as well as current risk free rates available in the market and
estimated market risk premiums. For example, construction in progress
inventory, which is closer to completion, will generally require a lower
discount rate than land under development in communities consisting of multiple
phases spanning several years of development. We believe our
assumptions on discount rates are critical because the selection of a discount
rate affects the estimated fair value of the homesites within a
community. A higher discount rate reduces the estimated fair value of
the homesites within the community, while a lower discount rate increases the
estimated fair value of the homesites within a community.
Our
quarterly assessments reflect management’s estimates. However, if
homebuilding market conditions and our operating results change, or if the
current challenging market conditions continue for an extended period, future
results could differ materially from management’s judgments and
estimates.
Capitalized
Interest. The Company capitalizes interest during land
development and home construction. Capitalized interest is charged to
cost of sales as the related inventory is delivered to a third
party. The summary of capitalized interest is as
follows:
Year
Ended December 31,
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Capitalized
interest, beginning of year
|
$ | 29,212 | $ | 29,492 | $ | 16,787 | |||
Interest
capitalized to inventory
|
9,593 | 18,118 | 24,946 | ||||||
Capitalized
interest charged to cost of sales
|
(12,969 | ) | (18,398 | ) | (12,241 | ) | |||
Capitalized
interest, end of year
|
$ | 25,836 | $ | 29,212 | $ | 29,492 | |||
|
|||||||||
Interest
incurred – continuing operations
|
$ | 20,790 | $ | 33,461 | $ | 40,753 |
Consolidated
Inventory Not Owned. The Company enters into land option
agreements in the ordinary course of business in order to secure land for the
construction of homes in the future. Pursuant to these land option
agreements, we typically provide a deposit to the seller as consideration for
the right to purchase land at different times in the future, usually at
predetermined prices. If the entity holding the land under option is
a variable interest entity, the Company’s deposit (including letters of credit)
represents a variable interest in the entity, and we must use our judgment to
determine if we are the primary beneficiary of the entity. Factors
considered in determining whether we are the primary beneficiary include the
amount of the deposit in relation to the fair value of the land, expected timing
of our purchase of the land, and assumptions about projected cash
flows.
58
We also
periodically enter into lot option arrangements with third-parties to whom we
have sold our raw land inventory. We evaluate these transactions in
accordance with SFAS No. 49, “Accounting for Product Financing Arrangements, and
FASB Interpretation No. 46(R), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities”
(“FIN 46(R)”) to determine if we should record an asset and liability at the
time we sell the land and enter into the lot option contract.
Investment in
Unconsolidated Limited Liability Companies. The Company
invests in entities that acquire and develop land for distribution or sale to us
in connection with our homebuilding operations. In our judgment, we
have determined that these entities generally do not meet the criteria of
variable interest entities because they have sufficient equity to finance their
operations. We must use our judgment to determine if we have
substantive control or exercise significant influence over these
entities. If we were to determine that we have substantive control or
exercise significant influence over an entity, we would be required to
consolidate the entity. Factors considered in determining whether we
have substantive control or exercise significant influence over an entity
include risk and reward sharing, experience and financial condition of the other
partners, voting rights, involvement in day-to-day capital and operating
decisions, and continuing involvement. In the event an entity does
not have sufficient equity to finance its operations, we would be required to
use judgment to determine if we were the primary beneficiary of the variable
interest entity. Based on the application of our accounting policies,
these entities are accounted for by the equity method of
accounting.
In
accordance with Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) Opinion No. 18, “The Equity
Method of Investments In Common Stock,” and Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5.M, “Other Than Temporary Impairment of
Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities” (“SAB Topic 5M”), the Company
evaluates its investment in unconsolidated limited liability companies (“LLCs”)
for potential impairment on a quarterly basis. If the fair value of
the investment is less than the investment carrying value, and the Company has
determined that the decline in value is other than temporary, the Company would
write down the value of the investment to fair value. The
determination of whether an investment’s fair value is less than the carrying
value requires management to make certain assumptions regarding the amount and
timing of future contributions to the LLC, the timing of distributions of lots
to the Company from the LLC, the projected fair value of the lots at the time of
each distribution to the Company, and the estimated proceeds from, and timing
of, the sale of land or lots to third parties. In determining the
fair value of investments in LLCs, the Company evaluates the projected cash
flows associated with the LLC using a probability-weighted approach based on the
likelihood of different outcomes. As of December 31, 2008, the
Company used a discount rate of 15% in determining the fair value of investments
in unconsolidated LLCs. In addition to the assumptions management must
make to determine if the investment’s fair value is less than the carrying
value, management must also use judgment in determining whether the impairment
is other than temporary. The factors management considers are: (1)
the length of time and the extent to which the market value has been less than
cost; (2) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the Company; and
(3) the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment in the
limited liability company for a period of time sufficient to allow for any
anticipated recovery in market value. In situations where the
investments are 100% equity financed by the partners, and the joint venture
simply distributes lots to its partners, the Company evaluates “other than
temporary” by preparing an undiscounted cash flow model as described in
inventory above for operating communities. If such model results in
positive value versus carrying value, and the fair value of the investment is
less than the investment’s carrying value, the Company determines that the
impairment is temporary; otherwise, the Company determines that the impairment
is other than temporary and impairs the investment. Because of the
high degree of judgment involved in developing these assumptions, it is possible
that the Company may determine the investment is not impaired in the current
period but, due to passage of time or change in market conditions leading to
changes in assumptions, impairment could occur.
Property and
Equipment. The Company records property and equipment at cost and
subsequently depreciates the assets using both straight-line and accelerated
methods. Following are the major classes of depreciable assets and
their estimated useful lives:
December
31,
|
||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
||||
Land,
building and improvements
|
$ | 11,823 | $ | 11,823 | ||
Office
furnishings, leasehold improvements, computer equipment and computer
software
|
21,542 | 18,153 | ||||
Transportation
and construction equipment
|
10,015 | 22,528 | ||||
Property
and equipment
|
43,380 | 52,504 | ||||
Accumulated
depreciation
|
(15,648 | ) | (16,805 | ) | ||
Property
and equipment, net
|
$ | 27,732 | $ | 35,699 |
Estimated
Useful
Lives
|
|
Building
and improvements
|
35
years
|
Office
furnishings, leasehold improvements, computer equipment and computer
software
|
3-7
years
|
Transportation
and construction equipment
|
5-20
years
|
59
Depreciation
expense was $4.7 million, $4.6 million and $3.7 million in 2008, 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
Property
and equipment held for sale includes property and equipment that meets all of
the following six criteria defined in SFAS 144: (1) management,
having the authority to approve the action, commits to a plan to sell the asset;
(2) the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject
only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets; (3) an
active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan
to sell the asset have been initiated; (4) the sale of the asset is probable,
and transfer of the asset is expected to qualify for recognition as a completed
sale, within one year; (5) the asset is being actively marketed for sale at a
price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value; and (6) actions
required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant
changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be
withdrawn. In accordance with SFAS 144, the Company records property
and equipment held for sale at the lower of its carrying value or fair value
less costs to sell. The Company obtained an estimate from an aircraft
sale and acquisition company to determine the airplane’s fair value less costs
to sell. Based on this estimate, it was determined that the plane was
impaired and a $3.3 million impairment charge was recorded for the year ending
December 31, 2008. At December 31, 2008, the airplane had a market
value of $8.9 million.
Other
Assets. Other assets includes certificates of deposit of $0.2
million at both December 31, 2008 and 2007, which have been pledged as
collateral for mortgage loans sold to third parties and, therefore, are
restricted from general use. The certificates of deposit will be
released when there is a 95% loan-to-value on the related loans and there have
been no late payments by the mortgagor in the last twelve
months. Other assets also includes non-trade receivables, notes
receivable, deposits and prepaid expenses.
Other
Liabilities. Other liabilities includes taxes payable, accrued
self-insurance costs, accrued warranty expenses, and various other miscellaneous
accrued expenses.
Guarantees and
Indemnities. Guarantee and indemnity liabilities are
established by charging the applicable income statement or balance sheet line,
depending on the nature of the guarantee or indemnity, and crediting a
liability. M/I Financial provides a limited-life guarantee on loans
sold to certain third parties, and estimates its actual liability related to the
guarantee, and any indemnities subsequently provided to the purchaser of the
loans in lieu of loan repurchase, based on historical loss
experience. Actual future costs associated with loans guaranteed or
indemnified could differ materially from our current estimated
amounts. The Company has also provided certain other guarantees and
indemnifications in connection with the purchase and development of land,
including environmental indemnifications, guarantees of the completion of land
development, a loan maintenance and limited payment guaranty and minimum net
worth guarantees of certain subsidiaries. The Company estimates these
liabilities based on the estimated cost of insurance coverage or estimated cost
of acquiring a bond in the amount of the exposure. Actual future
costs associated with these guarantees and indemnifications could differ
materially from our current estimated amounts.
Segment
Information. Our reportable
business segments consist of Midwest homebuilding, Florida homebuilding,
Mid-Atlantic homebuilding, and financial services. Our homebuilding
operations derive a majority of their revenue from constructing single-family
homes in nine markets in the United States. Our operations in the
nine markets each individually represent an operating segment in accordance with
SFAS No. 131, “Disclosure about Segments of an Enterprise and Related
Information” (“SFAS 131”). Prior to the fourth quarter of 2006, the
Company’s homebuilding operations were aggregated into a single reportable
homebuilding segment due to the manner in which the operations were managed and
similar economic characteristics. During the fourth quarter of 2006,
the Company’s chief operating decision makers made a decision to change how the
homebuilding operations were managed and completed the implementation of a
regional management structure. Due to similar economic
characteristics within the homebuilding operations, the Company has aggregated
the operating segments into three regions that represent the reportable
homebuilding segments. The financial services segment generates
revenue by originating and selling mortgages and by collecting fees for title
and insurance services.
Revenue
Recognition. Revenue from the sale of a home is recognized
when the closing has occurred, title has passed, and an adequate initial and
continuing investment by the homebuyer is received, in accordance with SFAS No.
66, “Accounting for Sales of Real Estate,” or when the loan has been sold to a
third-party investor. Revenue for homes that close to the buyer
having a deposit of 5% or greater, home closings financed by third parties, and
all home closings insured under FHA or VA government-insured programs are
recorded in the financial statements on the date of closing.
Revenue
related to all other home closings initially funded by M/I Financial is recorded
on the date that M/I Financial sells the loan to a third-party investor, because
the receivable from the third-party investor is not subject to future
subordination, and the Company has transferred to this investor the usual risks
and rewards of ownership that is in substance a sale and does not have a
substantial continuing involvement with the home, in accordance
with
60
SFAS No.
140, “Accounting for Transfers and Servicing of Financial Assets and
Extinguishments of Liabilities,” (“SFAS 140”).
All
associated homebuilding costs are charged to cost of sales in the period when
the revenues from home closings are recognized. Homebuilding costs
include land and land development costs; home construction costs (including an
estimate of the costs to complete construction); previously capitalized
interest, real estate taxes and indirect costs; and estimated warranty
costs. All other costs are expensed as incurred. Sales
incentives, including pricing discounts and financing costs paid by the Company,
are recorded as a reduction of revenue in the Company’s Consolidated Statements
of Operations. Sales incentives in the form of options or upgrades
are recorded in homebuilding costs in accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force
No. 01-09, “Accounting for Consideration Given by a Vendor to a Customer
(Including a Reseller of a Vendor’s Products).”
We
recognize the majority of the revenue associated with our mortgage loan
operations when the mortgage loans and related servicing rights are sold to
third party investors. The revenue recognized is reduced by the fair
value of the related guarantee provided to the investor. The fair
value of the guarantee is recognized in revenue when the Company is released
from its obligation under the guarantee. Generally, all of the
financial services mortgage loans and related servicing rights are sold to third
party investors within two weeks of origination. We recognize
financial services revenue associated with our title operations as homes are
closed, closing services are rendered, and title policies are issued, all of
which generally occur simultaneously as each home is closed. All of
the underwriting risk associated with title insurance policies is transferred to
third-party insurers.
Warranty. Warranty
accruals are established by charging cost of sales and crediting a warranty
accrual for each home closed. The amounts charged are estimated by
management to be adequate to cover expected warranty-related costs for materials
and outside labor required under the Company’s warranty
programs. Accruals are recorded for warranties under the following
warranty programs:
●
|
Home
Builder’s Limited Warranty –warranty program, which became effective for
homes closed starting with the third quarter of 2007;
|
●
|
30-year
transferable structural warranty – effective for homes closed after April
25, 1998;
|
●
|
two-year
limited warranty program – effective prior to the implementation of the
new Home Builder’s Limited Warranty; and
|
●
|
20-year
transferable structural warranty – effective for homes closed between
September 1, 1989 and April 24,
1998.
|
The
warranty accruals for the Home Builder’s Limited Warranty and two-year limited
warranty program are established as a percentage of average sales price, and the
structural warranty accruals are established on a per unit basis. Our
warranty accruals are based upon historical experience by geographic area and
recent trends. Factors that are given consideration in determining
the accruals include: (1) the historical range of amounts paid per average sales
price on a home; (2) type and mix of amenity packages added to the home; (3) any
warranty expenditures included in the above not considered to be normal and
recurring; (4) timing of payments; (5) improvements in quality of construction
expected to impact future warranty expenditures; (6) actuarial estimates, which
reflect both Company and industry data; and (7) conditions that may affect
certain projects and require a different percentage of average sales price for
those specific projects.
Changes
in estimates for warranties occur due to changes in the historical payment
experience and differences between the actual payment pattern experienced during
the period and the historical payment pattern used in our evaluation of the
warranty accrual balance at the end of each quarter. Actual future
warranty costs could differ from our current estimated amount.
Self-insurance. Self-insurance
accruals are made for estimated liabilities associated with employee health
care, Ohio workers’ compensation, and general liability
insurance. Our self-insurance limit for employee health care is
$250,000 per claim per year for fiscal 2008, with stop loss insurance covering
amounts in excess of $250,000 up to $2,000,000 per claim per
year. Our self-insurance limit for workers’ compensation is $400,000
per claim, with stop loss insurance covering all amounts in excess of this
limit. The accruals related to employee health care and workers’
compensation are based on historical experience and open cases. Our
general liability claims are insured by a third party; the Company generally has
a $7.5 million deductible per occurrence and $18.25 million in the aggregate,
with lower deductibles for certain types of claims. The Company
records a general liability accrual for claims falling below the Company’s
deductible. The general liability accrual estimate is based on an
actuarial evaluation of our past history of claims and other industry specific
factors. The Company has recorded expenses totaling $0.9 million,
$3.8 million and $7.0 million, respectively, for all self-insured and general
liability claims during the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and
2006. Because of the high degree of judgment required in determining
these estimated accrual amounts, actual future costs could differ from our
current estimated amounts.
61
Amortization of
Debt Issuance Costs. The costs incurred in connection with the
issuance of debt are being amortized over the terms of the related
debt. Unamortized debt issue costs of $3.1 million and $4.4 million
are included in Other Assets at December 31, 2008 and 2007,
respectively.
Advertising and
Research and Development. The Company expenses advertising and
research and development costs as incurred. The Company expensed $7.7
million, $11.1 million and $12.6 million in 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively,
for advertising expenses. The Company expensed $1.7 million, $2.5
million and $4.7 million in 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively, on research and
development expenses.
Derivative
Financial Instruments. To meet financing needs of our
home-buying customers, M/I Financial is party to interest rate lock commitments
(“IRLCs”), which are extended to customers who have applied for a mortgage loan
and meet certain defined credit and underwriting criteria. These IRLCs are
considered derivative financial instruments under SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (“SFAS 133”). M/I
Financial manages interest rate risk related to its IRLCs and mortgage loans
held for sale through the use of forward sales of mortgage-backed securities
(“FMBSs”), use of best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments and the
occasional purchase of options on FMBSs in accordance with Company
policy. These FMBSs, options on FMBSs and IRLCs covered by FMBSs are
considered non-designated derivatives. The Company adopted SFAS No.
159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities”
(“SFAS 159”), and SAB No. 109, “Written Loan Commitments Recorded at Fair Value
Through Earnings” (“SAB 109”), for IRLCs entered into in 2008. In
determining fair value of IRLCs, M/I Financial considers the value of the
resulting loan if sold in the secondary market. The fair value
includes the price that the loan is expected to be sold for along with the value
of servicing release premiums. The fair value of IRLCs entered into
in 2007 and before excludes the value of the servicing release premium in
accordance with the applicable accounting guidance at that time. This
determines the initial fair value, which is indexed to zero at
inception. Subsequent to inception, M/I Financial estimates an
updated fair value which is compared to the initial fair value. In
addition, M/I Financial uses fallout estimates which fluctuate based on the rate
of the IRLC in relation to current rates. In accordance with SFAS 133
and related Derivatives Implementation Group conclusions, gains or losses are
recorded in financial services revenue. Certain IRLCs and mortgage
loans held for sale are committed to third party investors through the use of
best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments. In accordance with SFAS
133, the IRLCs and related best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments, which
generally are highly effective from an economic standpoint, are considered
non-designated derivatives and are accounted for at fair value, with gains or
losses recorded in financial services revenue. Under the terms of
these best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments covering mortgage loans held
for sale, the specific committed mortgage loans held for sale are identified and
matched to specific delivery commitments on a loan-by-loan basis. The
delivery commitments are designated as fair value hedges of the mortgage loans
held for sale, and both the delivery commitments and loans held for sale are
recorded at fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in financial
services revenue.
Earnings Per
Share. In accordance with SFAS No. 128, “Earnings Per
Share,” basic (loss) earnings per share for the twelve months ended December 31,
2008 and 2007 is computed based on the weighted average common shares
outstanding during each period. Diluted (loss) earnings per share is
computed based on the weighted average common shares outstanding, along with the
stock options, equity units and stock units described in Note 3 (collectively,
“stock equivalent awards”) deemed outstanding during the period, plus the
weighted average common shares that would be outstanding assuming the conversion
of stock equivalent awards, excluding the impact of such conversions if they are
anti-dilutive or would decrease the reported diluted (loss) earnings per share.
The number of anti-dilutive options that require exclusion from the
computation of (loss) earnings per share is summarized in the table
below. There are no adjustments to net (loss) income necessary in the
calculation of basic or diluted (loss) earnings per share.
62
Year
Ended December 31,
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
(In
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Loss
|
Shares
|
EPS
|
Loss
|
Shares
|
EPS
|
Income
|
Shares
|
EPS
|
|||||||||||||||
Basic
(loss) earnings from continuing
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
operations
|
$ | (245,415 | ) | $ | (92,480 | ) | $ | 29,297 | |||||||||||||||
Less:
preferred stock dividends
|
4,875 | 7,313 | - | ||||||||||||||||||||
(Loss)
income to common
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
shareholders
from continuing
operations
|
$ | (250,290 | ) | 14,016 | $ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (99,793 | ) | 13,977 | $ | (7.14 | ) | $ | 29,297 | 13,970 | $ | 2.10 | ||||
Effect
of dilutive securities:
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Stock
options awards
|
- | - | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Deferred
compensation awards
|
- | - | 127 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Diluted
(loss) earnings
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
to
common shareholders from
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
continuing
operations
|
$ | (250,290 | ) | 14,016 | $ | (17.86 | ) | $ | (99,793 | ) | 13,977 | $ | (7.14 | ) | $ | 29,297 | 14,168 | $ | 2.07 | ||||
Anti-dilutive
stock equivalent awards
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
not
included in the calculation
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
of
diluted (loss) earnings per share
|
1,386 | 1,159 | 707 |
Profit
Sharing. The Company has a deferred profit-sharing plan that
covers substantially all Company employees and permits members to make
contributions to the plan on a pre-tax salary basis in accordance with the
provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. Company contributions to the plan are made at the discretion
of the Company’s Board of Directors and totaled $0.3 million, $0.2 million and
$1.9 million for 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Deferred
Compensation Plans. Effective November 1, 1998, the Company
adopted the Executives’ Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Executive Plan”), a
non-qualified deferred compensation plan. The purpose of the
Executive Plan is to provide an opportunity for certain eligible employees of
the Company to defer a portion of their compensation and to invest in the
Company’s common shares. In 1997, the Company adopted the Director
Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Director Plan”) to provide its directors with
an opportunity to defer their director compensation and to invest in the
Company’s common shares. Further information relating to the
Executive Plan and Director Plan are included in Note 3.
Stock-Based
Compensation. In 2006, the Company adopted the provisions of
SFAS No. 123(R), “Share Based Payment” (“SFAS 123(R)”), which requires that
companies measure and recognize compensation expense at an amount equal to the
fair value of share-based payments granted under compensation
arrangements. We calculate the fair value of stock options using the
Black-Scholes option pricing model. Determining the fair value of
share-based awards at the grant date requires judgment in developing
assumptions, which involve a number of variables. These variables
include, but are not limited to, the expected stock price volatility over the
term of the awards, the expected dividend yield, and the expected term of the
option. In addition, we also use judgment in estimating the number of
share-based awards that are expected to be forfeited. Further
information relating to stock-based compensation is included in Note
3.
Income
Taxes—Valuation
Allowance. In accordance
with SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes” (“SFAS 109”), a valuation
allowance is recorded against a deferred tax asset if, based on the weight of
available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not (a likelihood of more than 50%)
that some portion or the entire deferred tax asset will not be realized. The
realization of a deferred tax asset ultimately depends on the existence of
sufficient taxable income in either the carryback or carryforward periods under
applicable tax law. The four sources of taxable income to be considered in
determining whether a valuation allowance is required include:
●
|
future
reversals of existing taxable temporary differences (i.e., offset gross
deferred tax assets against gross deferred tax
liabilities);
|
●
|
taxable
income in prior carryback years;
|
●
|
tax
planning strategies; and
|
●
|
future
taxable income, exclusive of reversing temporary differences and
carryforwards.
|
63
Determining
whether a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is necessary requires an
analysis of both positive and negative evidence regarding realization of the
deferred tax assets. Examples of positive evidence may include:
●
|
a
strong earnings history exclusive of the loss that created the deductible
temporary differences, coupled with evidence indicating that the loss is
the result of an aberration rather than a continuing
condition;
|
●
|
an
excess of appreciated asset value over the tax basis of a company’s net
assets in an amount sufficient to realize the deferred tax asset;
and
|
●
|
existing
backlog that will produce more than enough taxable income to realize the
deferred tax asset based on existing sales prices and cost
structures.
|
Examples
of negative evidence may include:
●
|
the
existence of “cumulative losses” (defined as a pre-tax cumulative loss for
the business cycle – in our case, four years);
|
●
|
an
expectation of being in a cumulative loss position in a future reporting
period;
|
●
|
a
carryback or carryforward period that is so brief that it would limit the
realization of tax benefits;
|
●
|
a
history of operating loss or tax credit carryforwards expiring unused;
and
|
●
|
unsettled
circumstances that, if unfavorably resolved, would adversely affect future
operations and profit levels on a continuing
basis.
|
The
weight given to the potential effect of negative and positive evidence is
commensurable with the extent to which it can be objectively
verified. We must use judgment in considering the relative impact of
positive and negative evidence. Based on the evidence evaluated, in 2008, we
recorded a non-cash charge of $108.6 million for a valuation allowance related
to our deferred tax assets.
Future
adjustments to our deferred tax asset valuation allowance will be determined
based upon changes in the expected realization of our net deferred tax
assets. We do not expect to record any additional tax benefits as the
carryback has been exhausted. Additionally, our determination with
respect to recording a valuation allowance may be further impacted by, among
other things:
●
|
additional
inventory impairments;
|
●
|
additional
pre-tax operating losses; or
|
●
|
the
utilization of tax planning strategies that could accelerate the
realization of certain deferred tax
assets.
|
Additionally,
due to the considerable estimates utilized in establishing a valuation allowance
and the potential for changes in facts and circumstances in future reporting
periods, it is reasonably possible that we will be required to either increase
or decrease our valuation allowance in future reporting periods.
Income Taxes—FIN
48. The Company
evaluates tax positions that have been taken or are expected to be taken in tax
returns, and records the associated tax benefit or liability in accordance with
Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for
Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (“FIN 48”). Tax positions are recognized
when it is more-likely-than-not that the tax position would be sustained upon
examination. The tax position is measured at the largest amount of
benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon
settlement. Interest and penalties for all uncertain tax positions
are recorded within provision (benefit) for income taxes in the Unaudited
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Impact of New
Accounting Standards.
In
September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“SFAS
157”). SFAS 157 defines fair value by clarifying the exchange price
notion presented in earlier definitions and providing a framework for measuring
fair value. SFAS 157 also expands disclosures about fair value
measurements. SFAS 157 is effective for financial statements issued
for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007 and interim periods within
those years. SFAS 157, with respect to certain non-financial assets
and liabilities, was effective for the Company on January 1, 2009, and the
adoption of SFAS 157 did not have a material impact on the Company.
In
February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for
Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“SFAS 159”). SFAS 159
allows companies to measure many financial instruments and certain other items
at fair value that are not currently required to be measured at fair
value. SFAS 159 also provides presentation and disclosure
requirements that will enable users to compare similar types of assets and
liabilities of different entities that have different measurement
attributes. The Company adopted SFAS 159 on January 1, 2008, and it
did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial
statements.
64
In March
2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, “Disclosures About Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities—an amendment of FASB Statement No. 133”
(“SFAS 161”). SFAS 161 expands the disclosure requirements in SFAS
133 regarding an entity’s derivative instruments and hedging
activities. SFAS 161 is effective for the Company’s fiscal year
beginning January 1, 2009. The Company adopted SFAS 161 on
January 1, 2009 and it did not have an impact on the consolidated financial
statements.
In
December 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (“FSP”) FAS 140-4 and FIN
46(R)-8, “Disclosure by Public Entities (Enterprises) About Transfers of
Financial Assets and Interests in Variable Interest Entities.” The
purpose of the FSP is to promptly improve disclosures by public companies until
the pending amendments to FASB Statement No. 140, “Accounting for Transfers
and Servicing of Financial Assets and Extinguishment of Liabilities” (“SFAS
140”), and FIN 46(R), are finalized and approved by the FASB. The FSP
amends SFAS 140 to require public companies to provide additional disclosures
about transferor’s continuing involvement with transferred financial
assets. It also amends FIN 46(R) by requiring public companies to
provide additional disclosures regarding their involvement with variable
interest entities. This FSP is effective for the Company’s year
ending December 31, 2008. The FSP did not have a material effect
on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
NOTE
2. Discontinued Operation
In
December 2007, the Company sold substantially all of its West Palm Beach,
Florida division to a private builder and announced it would exit this
market.
In
accordance with SFAS 144, results of our West Palm Beach division have been
classified as a discontinued operation, and prior periods have been restated to
be consistent with the December 31, 2008 presentation. The Company’s
Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect the assets and liabilities of the
discontinued operation as separate line items, and the operations of its West
Palm Beach division for the current and prior periods are reported in
discontinued operation on the Consolidated Statements of
Operations. Discontinued operation includes revenues from our West
Palm Beach division of $13.1 million, $83.8 million and $85.1 million for the
years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. It also
includes pre-tax losses of $0.1 million, $57.8 million and pre-tax income of
$14.8 million for the three years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006,
respectively. During 2007, a pre-tax charge of $58.9 million relating
to the impairment of inventory was charged to our West Palm Beach
division. Discontinued operation includes less than $0.1 million,
$1.3 million and $0.4 million of interest expense for the years ended December
31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Interest expense was allocated
to West Palm Beach operations based on weighted average net investment at the
Company’s weighted average borrowing rate.
NOTE
3. Stock-Based Compensation
The
Company has two plans that allow for the granting of stock options, performance
stock options, and stock appreciation rights, and awarding of restricted common
stock to certain key officers, employees and directors. Prior to
January 1, 2006, the Company accounted for its stock-based compensation plans
under the recognition and measurement principles of APB Opinion 25, “Accounting
for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related interpretations, and recognized no
compensation expense for stock option grants since all options granted had an
exercise price equal to the market value of the underlying common stock on the
date of grant. The Company applied the provisions of FASB Staff
Position FAS 123(R), “Transition Election Related to Accounting for the Tax
Effect of Share-Based Payment Arrangements” to compute the beginning amount
available for use in offsetting future tax deficiencies relating to stock-based
compensation.
Stock
Incentive Plan
As of
December 31, 2008, the Company has a stock incentive plan (the 1993 Stock
Incentive Plan as Amended, or the “Stock Incentive Plan”) approved by the
Company’s shareholders, that includes stock options, restricted stock and stock
appreciation programs, under which the maximum number of common shares that may
be granted under the plan in each calendar year shall be 5% of the total issued
and outstanding common shares as of the first day of each such year the plan is
in effect. Stock options are granted at the market price of the
Company’s common shares at the close of business on the date of
grant. Options awarded generally vest 20% annually over five years
and expire after ten years, with vesting accelerated upon the employee’s death
or disability or upon a change of control of the Company. Shares
issued upon option exercise are from treasury shares. As of December
31, 2008, 3,001 restricted common shares had been granted under the restricted
stock program and there were no awards granted under the stock appreciation
program. The restricted common shares vest 33 1/3% over three years,
beginning in the year of grant, with the number of equity awards that will
ultimately vest being based upon certain performance
conditions.
65
Following
is a summary of stock option activity for the year ended December 31, 2008,
relating to the stock options awarded under the Stock Incentive
Plan.
Shares
|
Weighted
Average Exercise Price
|
Weighted
Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years)
|
Aggregate
Intrinsic
Value (a)
(In
thousands)
|
||||||
Options
outstanding at December 31, 2007
|
998,350 | $ |
39.31
|
7.20
|
$ |
48
|
|||
Granted
|
408,500 |
17.66
|
|||||||
Exercised
|
(5,700 | ) |
12.89
|
||||||
Forfeited
|
(209,950 | ) |
33.80
|
||||||
Options
outstanding at December 31, 2008
|
1,191,200 | $ |
32.98
|
7.05
|
$ |
41
|
|||
Options
vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2008
|
1,096,666 | $ |
33.21
|
6.96
|
$ |
41
|
|||
Options
exercisable at December 31, 2008
|
686,816 | $ |
37.09
|
6.06
|
$ |
41
|
(a)
|
Intrinsic
value is defined as the amount by which the fair value of the underlying
common shares exceeds the exercise price of the
option.
|
The
aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during the year ended December
31, 2008 was less than $0.1 million and was approximately $0.4 million during
each of the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.
The fair
value of our five-year stock options granted during the years ended December 31,
2008, 2007 and 2006 was established at the date of grant using a Black-Scholes
pricing model with the weighted average assumptions as follows:
Year Ended December 31,
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||||
Expected
dividend yield
|
0.40 | % | 0.25 | % | 0.20 | % | |||||
Risk-free
interest rate
|
2.71 | % | 4.80 | % | 4.35 | % | |||||
Expected
volatility
|
41.98 | % | 33.9 | % | 34.8 | % | |||||
Expected
term (in years)
|
6.2 | 5.0 | 6.5 | ||||||||
Weighted
average grant date fair value of options granted during the
period
|
$ | 7.61 | $ | 12.60 | $ | 17.71 |
The fair
value of our three-year stock options granted during the years ended December
31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 was established at the date of grant using a
Black-Scholes pricing model with the weighted average assumptions as
follows:
Year Ended December
31,
|
|||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||||
Expected
dividend yield
|
-
|
0.25 | % |
-
|
|||||
Risk-free interest rate |
-
|
4.84 | % |
-
|
|||||
Expected
volatility
|
-
|
31.9 | % |
-
|
|||||
Expected
term (in years)
|
-
|
3.0 |
-
|
||||||
Weighted
average grant date fair value of options granted during the
period
|
-
|
$ | 9.19 |
-
|
Following
is a summary of restricted share activity for the year ended December 31, 2008,
relating to the restricted shares awarded under the Stock Incentive
Plan:
Shares
|
Weighted
Average
Grant
Date
Fair Value
|
|||
Nonvested
restricted shares at December 31, 2007
|
3,001 | $ | 33.86 | |
Grants
|
- | - | ||
Vested
|
(998 | ) | 33.86 | |
Forfeited
|
(173 | ) | 33.86 | |
Nonvested
restricted shares at December 31, 2008
|
1,830 | $ | 33.86 |
The
risk-free interest rate was based upon the U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate
at the date of the grant. Expected volatility is based on an average
of (1) historical volatility of the Company’s stock and (2) implied
volatility from traded options on the Company’s stock. The risk-free rate
for periods within the contractual life of the stock option award is based on
the yield curve of a zero-coupon U.S. Treasury bond on the date the stock option
award is granted, with a maturity equal to the expected term of the stock option
award granted. The Company uses historical data to estimate stock option
exercises and forfeitures within its valuation model. The expected life of
stock option awards granted is derived from historical exercise experience under
the Company’s share-based payment plans, and represents the period of time that
stock option awards granted are expected to be outstanding.
Total
compensation expense that has been charged against income relating to the Stock
Incentive Plan was $3.0 million, $3.2 million and $2.7 million for the years
ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. The total
income tax benefit recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for
this plan was $1.2 million and $1.0 million for the years ended December 31,
2007 and 2006, respectively. There was no income tax benefit
recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for this plan for the
year ended December 31, 2008. As of
66
December
31, 2008, there was a total of $5.4 million, $0.2 million and less than $0.1
million of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested stock option
awards that will be recognized as compensation expense as the awards vest over a
weighted average period of 2.0 years, 1.0 years and 1.4 years for the service
awards, bonus awards and performance-based awards, respectively. SFAS
123(R) requires the benefits of tax deductions in excess of recognized
compensation expense reported in the Statement of Cash Flows as a financing cash
inflow rather than an operating cash inflow. There were no excess tax
benefits from stock-based payment arrangements for the year ended December 31,
2008. For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company’s excess tax
benefits from stock-based payment arrangements were $0.1
million.
Director
Equity Plan
As of
December 31, 2008, the Company has the 2006 Director Equity Incentive Plan (the
“Director Equity Plan”). The Director Equity Plan includes stock
options, restricted stock, stock units and whole share programs. The
maximum number of common shares that may be granted under the plan is
200,000. In May 2008, the Company awarded 6,000 stock units under the
Director Equity Plan. At December 31, 2008, there were 23,000 units
outstanding with a value of $647.8 million. One stock unit is the
equivalent of one common share. Stock units and the related dividends
will be converted to common shares upon termination of service as a
director. The stock units granted under the Director Equity Plan vest
immediately; therefore, compensation expense relating to the stock units issued
in May 2008 was recognized entirely on the grant date. The amount of
expense per stock unit was equal to the $18.10 closing price of the Company’s
common shares on the date of grant, resulting in expense totaling approximately
$109,000 for the year ended December 31, 2008. In 2007, the Company
awarded 6,000 stock units under the Director Equity Plan, resulting in expense
totaling $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007. In 2006,
the Company awarded 11,000 stock units under the Director Equity Plan, resulting
in expense totaling $0.4 million for the year ended December 31,
2006.
Deferred
Compensation Plans
As of
December 31, 2008, the Company also has an Executive Plan and a Director Plan
(together the “Plans”), which provide an opportunity for the Company’s directors
and certain eligible employees of the Company to defer a portion of their cash
compensation to invest in the Company’s common shares. Compensation
expense deferred into the Plans totaled $0.1 million, $0.8 million and $1.0
million for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and
2006. The portion of cash compensation deferred by employees
and directors under the Plans is invested in fully-vested equity units in the
Plans. One equity unit is the equivalent of one common
share. Equity units and the related dividends will be converted and
distributed to the employee or director in the form of common shares at the
earlier of his or her elected distribution date or termination of service as an
employee or director of the Company. Distributions from the Plans
totaled $0.6 million, $1.4 million and $0.9 million, respectively, during the
years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006. As of December 31,
2008, there were a total of 95,782 equity units with a value of $2.4 million,
outstanding under the Plans. The aggregate fair market value of these
units at December 31, 2008, based on the closing price of the underlying common
shares, was approximately $1.0 million, and the associated deferred tax benefit
the Company would recognize if the outstanding units were distributed was $0.9
million as of December 31, 2008. Common shares are issued from
treasury shares upon distribution of deferred compensation from the
Plans.
NOTE
4. Inventory
A summary
of the Company’s inventory as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 is as
follows:
December
31,
|
|||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
|||
Single-family
lots, land and land development costs
|
$ | 333,651 | $ | 489,953 | |
Land
held for sale
|
2,804 | 8,523 | |||
Homes
under construction
|
150,949 | 264,912 | |||
Model
homes and furnishings - at cost (less accumulated
depreciation: December 31, 2008 - $2,130;
|
|||||
December
31, 2007 - $1,236)
|
12,928 | 11,750 | |||
Community
development district infrastructure
|
10,376 | 11,625 | |||
Land
purchase deposits
|
1,070 | 4,431 | |||
Consolidated
inventory not owned
|
4,251 | 6,135 | |||
Total
inventory
|
$ | 516,029 | $ | 797,329 |
Single-family
lots, land and land development costs include raw land that the Company has
purchased to develop into lots, costs incurred to develop the raw land into
lots, and lots for which development has been completed but have not yet been
used to start construction of a home.
67
Land held
for sale includes land that meets all of the following criteria, as defined in
SFAS 144: (1) management, having the authority to approve the action,
commits to a plan to sell the asset; (2) the asset is available for immediate
sale in its present condition subject only to terms that are usual and customary
for sales of such assets; (3) an active program to locate a buyer and other
actions required to complete the plan to sell the asset have been initiated; (4)
the sale of the asset is probable, and transfer of the asset is expected to
qualify for recognition as a completed sale, within one year; (5) the asset is
being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to
its current fair value; and (6) actions required to complete the plan indicate
that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that
the plan will be withdrawn. In accordance with SFAS 144, the Company
records land held for sale at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less
costs to sell.
Homes
under construction include homes that are finished and ready for delivery and
homes in various stages of construction. As of December 31, 2008 and
December 31, 2007, we had 431 homes (valued at $69.6 million) and 632 homes
(valued at $117.7 million), respectively, included in homes under construction
that were not subject to a sales contract.
Model
homes and furnishings include homes that are under construction or have been
completed and are being used as sales models. The amount also
includes the net book value of furnishings included in our model
homes. Depreciation on model home furnishings is recorded using an
accelerated method over the estimated useful life of the assets, typically three
years.
The
Company assesses inventory for recoverability in accordance with the provisions
of SFAS 144, which requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment
whenever events or changes in local or national economic conditions indicate
that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Refer to
Note 6 for additional details relating to our procedures for evaluating our
inventories for impairment.
Land
purchase deposits include both refundable and non-refundable amounts paid to
third party sellers relating to the purchase of land. On an ongoing
basis, the Company evaluates the land option agreements relating to the land
purchase deposits. In the period during which the Company makes the
decision not to proceed with the purchase of land under an agreement, the
Company writes off any deposits and accumulated pre-acquisition costs relating
to such agreement. For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and
2006, the Company wrote off $5.3 million, $3.6 million and $5.6 million,
respectively, in option deposits and pre-acquisition costs. Refer to
Note 6 for additional details relating to write-offs of land option deposits and
pre-acquisition costs.
NOTE
5. Fair Value Measurements
Effective
January 1, 2008, the Company adopted and implemented SFAS 159 for its mortgage
loans held for sale, and adopted SAB 109 for both mortgage loans held for sale
and IRLCs. Electing fair value allows a better offset of the changes
in fair values of the loans and the derivative instruments used to economically
hedge them.
In the
normal course of business, our financial services segment enters into
contractual commitments to extend credit to buyers of single-family homes with
fixed expiration dates. The commitments become effective when the
borrowers “lock-in” a specified interest rate within established time
frames. Market risk arises if interest rates move adversely between
the time of the “lock-in” of rates by the borrower and the sale date of the loan
to an investor. To mitigate the effect of the interest rate risk inherent
in providing rate lock commitments to borrowers, the Company enters into
optional or mandatory delivery forward sale contracts to sell whole loans and
mortgage-backed securities to broker/dealers or investors. The forward
sale contracts lock in an interest rate and price for the sale of loans similar
to the specific rate lock commitments. The Company does not engage in
speculative or trading derivative activities. Both the rate lock
commitments to borrowers and the forward sale contracts to broker/dealers or
investors are undesignated derivatives pursuant to the requirements of SFAS 133,
and accordingly, are marked to fair value through earnings. Fair value is
determined pursuant to SFAS 157 and SAB 109, both of which the Company
adopted on a prospective basis as of the beginning of 2008. Fair value
measurements are included in earnings in the accompanying statements of
operations. During the first quarter of 2008, the Company recognized
a $1.4 million fair value adjustment to earnings as the result of including the
servicing release premiums in the fair value calculation as required by SAB
109.
SFAS
157: (1) establishes a common definition for fair value to be applied
to assets and liabilities; (2) establishes a framework for measuring fair value;
and (3) expands disclosures concerning fair value measurements. SFAS
157 gives us three measurement input levels for determining fair value, which
are Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Fair values determined by Level 1
inputs utilize quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Fair values
determined by Level 2 inputs utilize inputs other than quoted prices included in
Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or
indirectly. Level 2 inputs include
68
quoted
prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs other
than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, such as
interest rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted
intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or
liability, and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity
for the asset or liability.
The fair
value is based on published prices for mortgage-backed securities with similar
characteristics and the buyup fees received or buydown fees to be paid upon
securitization of the loan. The buyup and buydown fees are calculated pursuant
to contractual terms with investors. To calculate the effects of interest
rate movements, the Company utilizes applicable published mortgage-backed
security prices, and multiplies the price movement between the rate lock date
and the balance sheet date by the notional loan commitment amount. The
Company sells all of its loans on a servicing released basis, and receives a
servicing release premium upon sale. Thus, the value of the servicing
rights included in the fair value measurement is based upon contractual terms
with investors and depends on the loan type. The Company applies a fallout rate
to IRLCs when measuring the fair value of rate lock commitments. Fallout
is defined as locked loan commitments for which the Company does not close a
mortgage loan and is based on management’s judgment and experience.
The fair
value of the Company’s forward sales contracts to broker/dealers solely
considers the market price movement of the same type of security between the
trade date and the balance sheet date. The market price changes are
multiplied by the notional amount of the forward sales contracts to measure the
fair value.
Mortgage
loans held for sale are closed at cost, which includes all fair value
measurement in accordance with SFAS 133.
Loan
Commitments: IRLCs are extended to home-buying customers who
have applied for mortgages and who meet certain defined credit and underwriting
criteria. Typically, the IRLCs will have a duration of less than nine
months; however, in certain markets, the duration could extend to twelve
months.
Some
IRLCs are committed to a specific third-party investor through the use of
best-efforts whole loan delivery commitments matching the exact terms of the
IRLC loan. The notional amount of the committed IRLCs and the
best-efforts contracts was $21.2 million and $2.1 million at December 31, 2008
and December 31, 2007, respectively. At December 31, 2008, the fair
value of the committed IRLCs resulted in a liability of $0.1 million, and the
related best-efforts contracts resulted in a liability of less than $0.1
million. At December 31, 2007, the fair value of the committed IRLCs
resulted in an asset of less than $0.1 million, and the related best-efforts
contracts resulted in a liability of less than $0.1 million. For the
years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, we recognized $0.1 million of
expense, less than $0.1 million of expense, and less than $0.1 million of
income, respectively, relating to marking these committed IRLCs and the related
best-efforts contracts to market.
Uncommitted
IRLCs are considered derivative instruments under SFAS 133, and are fair value
adjusted, with the resulting gain or loss recorded in current
earnings. At December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the notional
amount of the uncommitted IRLCs was $25.4 million and $34.3 million,
respectively. The fair value adjustment related to these uncommitted
IRLCs, which is based on quoted market prices, resulted in an asset of $0.8
million and $0.2 million at December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007,
respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006,
we recognized income of $0.6 million, $0.2 million and $0.3 million,
respectively, relating to marking the uncommitted IRLCs to market.
Forward sales of
mortgage-backed securities are used to protect uncommitted IRLC loans
against the risk of changes in interest rates between the lock date and the
funding date. FMBSs related to uncommitted IRLCs are classified and
accounted for as non-designated derivative instruments, with gains and losses
recorded in current earnings. At December 31, 2008 and December 31,
2007, the notional amount under these FMBSs was $14.0 million and $37.0 million,
respectively, and the related fair value adjustment, which is based on quoted
market prices, resulted in a liability of $0.2 million at both December 31, 2008
and 2007. For the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, we
recognized income of less than $0.1 million, expense of $0.3 million and income
of $0.3 million, respectively, relating to marking these FMBSs to
market.
Mortgage Loans
Held for Sale: During the
intervening period between when a loan is closed and when it is sold to an
investor, the interest rate risk is covered through the use of a best-efforts
contract or by FMBSs.
The
notional amount of the best-efforts contracts and related mortgage loans held
for sale was $13.6 million and $15.4 million at December 31, 2008 and December
31, 2007, respectively. The fair value of the best-efforts contracts
and related mortgage loans held for sale resulted in a net asset of $0.2 million
at December 31, 2008 and a net liability of less than $0.1 million at December
31, 2007 under the matched terms method of SFAS 133. For the
69
years
ended December 31, 2008 and 2007, we recognized income of $0.2 million and less
than $0.1 million, respectively, relating to marking these best-efforts
contracts and the related mortgage loans held for sale to
market. There was no net impact to earnings for the year ended
December 31, 2006.
The
notional amounts of both the FMBSs and the related mortgage loans held for sale
were $23.0 million at December 31, 2008 and $43.0 million and $43.2 million,
respectively, at December 31, 2007. In accordance with SFAS 133, the
FMBSs are classified and accounted for as non-designated derivative instruments,
with gains and losses recorded in current earnings. As of December
31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the related fair value adjustment for marking
these FMBSs to market resulted in a liability of $0.9 million and a liability of
$0.4 million, respectively. For both the years ended December 31,
2008 and 2007, we recognized expense of $0.5 million, and for the year ended
December 31, 2006, we recognized income of $0.1 million, relating to marking
these FMBSs to market.
The table
below shows the level and measurement of our assets measured at fair
value:
Fair
Value
|
Quoted
Prices in Active
|
Significant
|
|||||||||
Measurements
|
Markets
for Identical
|
Significant
Other
|
Unobservable
|
||||||||
Description
of Financial Instrument
|
December
31,
|
Assets
|
Observable
Inputs
|
Inputs
|
|||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
(Level
1)
|
(Level
2)
|
(Level
3)
|
|||||||
Mortgage
loans held for sale
|
$ | 1,464 | $ |
-
|
$ | 1,464 | $ |
-
|
|||
Forward
sales of mortgage-backed securities
|
(1,104 | ) |
-
|
(1,104 | ) |
-
|
|||||
Interest
rate lock commitments
|
638 |
-
|
638 |
-
|
|||||||
Best-efforts
contracts
|
73 |
-
|
73 |
-
|
|||||||
Total
|
$ | 1,071 | $ |
-
|
$ | 1,071 | $ |
-
|
NOTE
6. Valuation Adjustments and Write-offs
The
Company assesses inventory for recoverability in accordance with the provisions
of SFAS 144, which requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment
whenever events or changes in local or national economic conditions indicate
that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.
Operating
communities. For existing operating communities, the
recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying amount of the
assets to future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets
based on home sales. These estimated cash flows are developed based
primarily on management’s assumptions relating to the specific
community. The significant assumptions used to evaluate the
recoverability of assets include the timing of development and/or marketing
phases, projected sales price and sales pace of each existing or planned
community and the estimated land development and home construction and selling
costs of the community.
Future
communities. For raw land or land under development that
management anticipates will be utilized for future homebuilding activities, the
recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying amount of the
assets to future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the assets
based on home sales, consistent with the evaluations performed for operating
communities discussed above.
For raw
land, land under development or lots that management intends to market for sale
to a third party, but that do not meet all of the criteria to be classified as
land held for sale as discussed above in Note 4, the recoverability of the
assets is determined based on either the estimated net sales proceeds expected
to be realized on the sale of the assets, or the estimated fair value determined
using cash flow valuation techniques.
If the
Company has not yet determined whether raw land or land under development will
be utilized for future homebuilding activities or marketed for sale to a third
party, the Company assesses the recoverability of the inventory using a
probability-weighted approach, in accordance with SFAS 144.
Land held for
sale. Land held for sale includes land that meets the six
criteria defined in SFAS 144, as further discussed above in Note
4. In accordance with SFAS 144, the Company records land held for
sale at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less costs to
sell. Fair value is determined based on the expected third
party sale proceeds.
Investments in
unconsolidated limited liability companies. The Company
assesses investments in unconsolidated LLCs for impairment in accordance with
APB 18 and SAB Topic 5M. When evaluating the LLCs, if the fair
value of the investment is less than the investment’s carrying value, and the
Company determines the decline in value is other than temporary, the Company
would write down the investment to fair value. The Company’s LLCs
engage in
70
land
acquisition and development activities for the purpose of selling or
distributing (in the form of a capital distribution) developed lots to the
Company and its partners in the entity, as further discussed in Note 9.
The investment value of the LLCs that were impaired during the twelve month
period ending December 31, 2008, net of impairment charges and write-offs of
$24.5 million, was $11.2 million at December 31, 2008.
A summary
of the Company’s valuation adjustments and write-offs for the twelve months
ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 is as follows:
Year
Ended December 31,
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
|||||
Impairment
of operating communities:
|
||||||||
Midwest
|
$ | 44,359 | $ | 6,600 | $ | 17,747 | ||
Florida
|
14,770 | 22,985 | 1,366 | |||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
30,225 | 33,691 | 33,670 | |||||
Total
impairment of operating communities (a)
|
$ | 89,354 | $ | 63,276 | $ | 52,783 | ||
Impairment
of future communities:
|
||||||||
Midwest
|
$ | 1,524 | $ | 1,527 | $ | 1,077 | ||
Florida
|
4,380 | 12,619 | 1,375 | |||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
- | 6,923 | 7,604 | |||||
Total
impairment of future communities (a)
|
$ | 5,904 | $ | 21,069 | $ | 10,056 | ||
Impairment
of land held for sale:
|
||||||||
Midwest
|
$ | 8,727 | $ | - | $ | 1,921 | ||
Florida
|
24,554 | 37,701 | - | |||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
309 | 13,206 | - | |||||
Total
impairment of land held for sale (a)
|
$ | 33,590 | $ | 50,907 | $ | 1,921 | ||
Option
deposits and pre-acquisition costs write-offs:
|
||||||||
Midwest
|
$ | 311 | $ | 676 | $ | 3,713 | ||
Florida
(b)
|
162 | 1,840 | 1,208 | |||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
4,839 | 1,096 | 632 | |||||
Total
option deposits and pre-acquisition costs write-offs (c)
|
$ | 5,312 | $ | 3,612 | $ | 5,553 | ||
Impairment
of investments in unconsolidated LLCs:
|
||||||||
Midwest
|
$ | 1,413 | $ | - | $ | 562 | ||
Florida
|
23,039 | 13,125 | 1,878 | |||||
Mid-Atlantic
|
- | - | - | |||||
Total
impairment of investments in unconsolidated LLCs (a)
|
$ | 24,452 | $ | 13,125 | $ | 2,440 | ||
Total
impairments and write-offs of option deposits and
|
||||||||
pre-acquisition
costs (d)
|
$ | 158,612 | $ | 151,989 | $ | 72,753 |
(a)
Amounts are recorded within Impairment of Inventory and Investment in
Unconsolidated Limited Liability Companies in the Company’s Consolidated
Statements of Operations.
(b)
Includes the Company’s $0.8 million share of the write-off of an option deposit
in 2007 that is included in Equity in Undistributed Loss of Limited Liability
Companies in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.
(c)
Amounts are recorded within General and Administrative Expense in the Company’s
Consolidated Statement of Operations.
(d) Total
impairment excludes impairment of our West Palm Beach, Florida division of $58.9
million and $6.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006,
respectively, which are included in discontinued operation.
The
carrying value of the communities included in current communities, future
communities and land held for sale that were impaired during the twelve month
period ending December 31, 2008, net of impairment charges and write-offs of
$134.2 million, was $264.0 million at December 31, 2008.
NOTE
7. Goodwill and Intangible Assets
The
Company evaluates goodwill for impairment in accordance with SFAS No. 142,
“Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,” and evaluates finite-lived intangible
assets for impairment in accordance with SFAS 144. During the second
quarter of 2007, the Company made a decision, primarily due to market
conditions, to discontinue the use of the Shamrock name and other intangible
assets that were acquired as part of the July 2005 acquisition of Shamrock
Homes, a Florida homebuilder, and as a result wrote off the $3.6 million
remaining unamortized balance of these intangible assets. The Company
also determined that the goodwill associated with this acquisition was impaired
due to continued adverse market conditions, and wrote off the $1.6 million
goodwill balance.
NOTE
8. Transactions with Related Parties
During
2007, the Company sold land for approximately $0.8 million to an entity owned by
an employee of the Company. This transaction was ratified by the
independent members of the Board of Directors. There was no land sold
in 2008 or 2006.
71
The
Company made payments in the normal course of business totaling $2.2 million,
$7.3 million and $4.5 million during 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively, to
certain construction subcontractors and vendors who are related parties for work
performed in the construction of certain of our homes. The Company
also leased model homes, community sales offices and an administrative office
from various related parties, and made payments totaling approximately $0.1
million during 2008 and $0.3 million during both 2007 and 2006 for the use of
the homes as sales models and the use of the community sales and administrative
offices in our operations.
The
Company made a contribution of $0.5 million in 2006 to the M/I Homes Foundation,
a charitable organization having certain officers and directors of the Company
on its Board of Trustees. No contributions were made during 2008 or
2007.
The
Company had receivables totaling $0.7 million at December 31, 2008 and 2007 due
from executive officers, relating to amounts owed to the Company for
split-dollar life insurance policy premiums. The Company will collect
the receivable either directly from the executive officer, if employment
terminates other than by death, or from the executive officer’s beneficiary, if
employment terminates due to death of the executive officer. The
receivables are recorded in Other Assets on the Consolidated Balance
Sheets.
NOTE
9. Investment in Unconsolidated Limited Liability
Companies
At
December 31, 2008, the Company had interests ranging from 33% to 50% in LLCs
that do not meet the criteria of variable interest entities because each of the
entities had sufficient equity at risk to permit the entity to finance its
activities without additional subordinated support from the equity investors,
and one of these LLCs has outside financing that is not guaranteed by the
Company. These LLCs engage in land acquisition and development
activities for the purpose of selling or distributing (in the form of a capital
distribution) developed lots to the Company and its partners in the
entity. In one of these LLCs, the Company and its partner in the
entity have provided the lender with environmental indemnifications and a
guarantee of the completion of land development, a loan maintenance and limited
payment guaranty and guarantees of minimum net worth levels of one of the
Company’s subsidiaries as more fully described in Note 10 below. The
Company’s maximum exposure related to its investment in these entities as of
December 31, 2008 is the amount invested of $13.1 million plus letters of credit
and bonds totaling $2.0 million and the estimated possible future obligation of
$11.7 million under the guarantees and indemnifications discussed in Note 10
below. Included in the Company’s investment in LLCs at December 31,
2008 and 2007 are $0.6 million and $2.0 million, respectively, of capitalized
interest and other costs. The Company does not have a controlling
interest in these LLCs; therefore, they are recorded using the equity method of
accounting. The Company received distributions of developed lots at
cost totaling $10.0 million, $7.9 million, and $16.6 million in 2008, 2007 and
2006, respectively.
In
accordance with APB Opinion 18 and SEC SAB Topic 5.M, the Company evaluates its
investment in unconsolidated LLCs for potential impairment. If the
fair value of the investment is less than the investment carrying value, and the
Company determines the decline in value was other than temporary, the Company
would write down the investment to fair value. During the year ended
December 31, 2008, the Company recorded $24.5 million of impairment of its
investment in unconsolidated LLCs.
Summarized
condensed combined financial information for the LLCs that are included in the
homebuilding segments as of December 31, 2008 and 2007 and for each of the three
years in the period ended December 31, 2008 is as follows:
December
31,
|
|||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
|||
Assets:
|
|||||
Single-family
lots, land and land development costs
|
$ | 41,255 | $ | 165,646 | |
Other
assets
|
1,829 | 3,989 | |||
Total
assets
|
$ | 43,084 | $ | 169,635 | |
Liabilities
and partners’ equity:
|
|||||
Liabilities:
|
|||||
Notes
payable
|
$ | 11,678 | $ | 71,490 | |
Other
liabilities
|
687 | 8,429 | |||
Total
liabilities
|
12,365 | 79,919 | |||
Partners’
equity:
|
|||||
Company’s
equity
|
13,130 | 40,343 | |||
Other
equity
|
17,589 | 49,373 | |||
Total
partners’ equity
|
30,719 | 89,716 | |||
Total
liabilities and partners’ equity
|
$ | 43,084 | $ | 169,635 |
72
Summarized
Condensed Combined Statements of Operations:
Year
Ended December 31,
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Revenue
|
$ | 2,417 | $ | 1,081 | $ | 275 | |||
Costs
and expenses
|
16,143 | 2,713 | 301 | ||||||
Loss
|
$ | (13,726 | ) | $ | (1,632 | ) | $ | (26 | ) |
The
Company’s total equity in the loss relating to the above homebuilding LLCs was
approximately $0.1 million, $0.9 million and $0.1 million for the years ended
December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
NOTE
10. Guarantees and Indemnities
Warranty
In 2007,
the Company implemented a new limited warranty program (“Home Builder’s Limited
Warranty”) in addition to its thirty-year transferable structural limited
warranty, on homes closed after the implementation date. The Home
Builder’s Limited Warranty covers construction defects and certain damage
resulting from construction defects for a statutory period based on geographic
market and state law (currently ranging from five to ten years for the states in
which the Company operates) and includes a mandatory arbitration
clause. Prior to this new warranty program, the Company provided up
to a two-year limited warranty on materials and workmanship and a twenty-year
(for homes closed between 1989 and 1998) and a thirty-year (for homes closed
during or after 1998) transferable limited warranty against major structural
defects. The Company does not believe that this change in warranty
program will significantly impact its warranty expense.
Warranty
expense is accrued as the home sale is recognized and is intended to cover
estimated material and labor costs to be incurred during the warranty
period. The accrual amounts are based upon historical experience and
geographic location. A summary of warranty activity for the years
ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 is as follows:
Year-Ended
December 31,
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Warranty
accruals, beginning of year
|
$ | 12,006 | $ | 14,095 | $ | 13,940 | |||
Warranty
expense on homes delivered during the period
|
4,791 | 7,709 | 9,899 | ||||||
Changes
in estimates for pre-existing warranties
|
1,279 | 18 | (272 | ) | |||||
Settlements
made during the period
|
(8,558 | ) | (9,816 | ) | (9,472 | ) | |||
Warranty
accruals, end of year
|
$ | 9,518 | $ | 12,006 | $ | 14,095 |
Guarantees
and Indemnities
In the
ordinary course of business, M/I Financial enters into agreements that guarantee
certain purchasers of its mortgage loans that M/I Financial will repurchase a
loan if certain conditions occur, primarily if the mortgagor does not meet those
conditions of the loan within the first six months after the sale of the
loan. Loans totaling approximately $64.4 million and $174.8 million
were covered under the above guarantee as of December 31, 2008 and 2007,
respectively. A portion of the revenue paid to M/I Financial for
providing the guarantee on the above loans was deferred at December 31, 2007,
and will be recognized in income as M/I Financial is released from its
obligation under the guarantee. M/I Financial did not repurchase any
loans under the above agreements in 2008 or 2007, but has provided
indemnifications to third party investors in lieu of repurchasing certain
loans. The total of these loans indemnified by M/I Financial was
approximately $2.8 million and $2.4 million as of December 31, 2008 and 2007,
respectively. The risk associated with the guarantees and indemnities
above is offset by the value of the underlying assets. The Company
has accrued management’s best estimate of the probable loss on the above
loans.
M/I
Financial has also guaranteed the collectibility of certain loans to third-party
insurers of those loans for periods ranging from five to thirty
years. The maximum potential amount of future payments is equal to
the outstanding loan value less the value of the underlying asset plus
administrative costs incurred related to foreclosure on the loans, should this
event occur. The total of these costs are estimated to be $1.5
million and $1.9 million at December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively, and would
be offset by the value of the underlying assets. The Company has
accrued management’s best estimate of the probable loss on the above
loans.
The
Company has also provided certain other guarantees and
indemnifications. The Company has provided an environmental
indemnification to an unrelated third-party seller of land in connection with
the Company’s purchase of that land. In addition, the Company has
provided an environmental indemnification, a loan maintenance and limited
payment guaranty and a minimum net worth guarantee of one of the Company’s
subsidiaries in connection with outside financing provided by a lender to one of
our 50% owned LLCs. Under the environmental indemnification, the
Company and its partner in the applicable LLC are jointly and severally liable
for any environmental claims relating to
73
the
property that are brought against the lender. Under the loan
maintenance and limited payment guaranty, the Company and the applicable LLC
partner have jointly and severally agreed to the third-party lender to fund any
shortfall in the event the ratio of the loan balance to the current fair market
value of the property under development by the LLC is below a certain
threshold. As of December 31, 2008, the total maximum amount of
future payments the Company could be required to make under the loan maintenance
and limited payment guaranty was approximately $11.7 million. Under
the above guarantees and indemnifications, the LLC operating agreement provides
recourse against our LLC partner for 50% of any actual liability associated with
the environmental indemnification, land development completion guarantee and the
loan maintenance and limited payment guaranty.
The
Company has recorded a liability relating to the guarantees and indemnities
described above totaling $1.9 million and $2.3 million at December 31, 2008 and
2007, respectively, which is management’s best estimate of the fair value of the
Company’s liability.
The
Company has also provided a guarantee of the performance and payment obligations
of its wholly-owned subsidiary, M/I Financial, up to an aggregate principle
amount of $13.0 million. The guarantee was provided to a
government-sponsored enterprise to which M/I Financial delivers
loans.
NOTE
11. Commitments and Contingencies
At
December 31, 2008, the Company had sales agreements outstanding, some of which
have contingencies for financing approval, to deliver 566 homes with an
aggregate sales price of approximately $139.5 million. Based on our
current housing gross margin of 7.0%, excluding the charge for impairment of
inventory, less variable selling costs of 4.2% of revenue, less payments to date
on homes in backlog of $68.0 million, we estimate payments totaling
approximately $67.5 million to be made in 2009 relating to those
homes. At December 31, 2008, the Company also has options and
contingent purchase agreements to acquire land and developed lots with an
aggregate purchase price of approximately $45.6 million. Purchase of
properties is contingent upon satisfaction of certain requirements by the
Company and the sellers.
At
December 31, 2008, the Company had outstanding $80.1 million of completion bonds
and standby letters of credit, some of which were issued to various local
governmental entities that expire at various times through December
2016. Included in this total are: (1) $37.8 million of performance
and maintenance bonds and $25.2 million of performance letters of credit that
serve as completion bonds for land development work in progress (including the
Company’s $0.9 million share of our LLCs’ letters of credit and bonds); (2)
$11.3 million of financial letters of credit, of which $3.7 million represent
deposits on land and lot purchase agreements and (3) $5.8 million of financial
bonds.
The
Company and certain of its subsidiaries have been named as defendants in various
claims, complaints and other legal actions incidental to the Company’s
business. Certain of the liabilities resulting from these actions are
covered by insurance. While management currently believes that the
ultimate resolution of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will
not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or
overall trends in results of operations, such matters are subject to inherent
uncertainties. The Company has recorded a liability to provide for
the anticipated costs, including legal defense costs, associated with the
resolution of these matters. However, there exists the possibility
that the costs to resolve these matters could differ from the recorded estimates
and, therefore, have a material adverse impact on the Company’s net income for
the periods in which the matters are resolved.
NOTE
12. Lease Commitments
Operating
Leases. The Company leases various office facilities,
automobiles, model furnishings, and model homes under operating leases with
remaining terms of one to six years. The Company sells model homes to
investors with the express purpose of leasing the homes back as sales models for
a specified period of time. The Company records the sale of the home
at the time of the home closing, and defers profit on the sale, which is
subsequently recognized over the lease term, in accordance with SFAS No. 66,
“Accounting for Sales of Real Estate,” and SFAS No. 98, “Accounting for Leases:
Sale-Leaseback Transactions Involving Real Estate, Sales-Type Leases of Real
Estate, Definition of the Lease Term, and Initial Direct Costs of Direct
Financing Leases-an amendment of FASB Statements No. 13, 66, and 91 and a
rescission of FASB Statement No. 26 and Technical Bulletin No.
79-11.”
At
December 31, 2008, the future minimum rental commitments totaled $14.8 million
under non-cancelable operating leases with initial terms in excess of one year
as follows: 2009 - $4.2 million; 2010 - $3.1 million; 2011 - $2.8
million; 2012 - $2.5 million; 2013 - $1.0 million; and $1.2 million
thereafter. The Company’s total rental expense was $9.7 million,
$14.8, million and $12.7 million for 2008, 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
74
NOTE 13. Community
Development District Infrastructure and Related Obligations
A
Community Development District and/or Community Development Authority (“CDD”) is
a unit of local government created under various state and/or local statutes to
encourage planned community development and to allow for the construction and
maintenance of long-term infrastructure through alternative financing sources,
including the tax-exempt markets. A CDD is generally created through
the approval of the local city or county in which the CDD is located and is
controlled by a Board of Supervisors representing the landowners within the
CDD. CDDs may utilize bond financing to fund construction or
acquisition of certain on-site and off-site infrastructure improvements near or
within these communities. CDDs are also granted the power to levy
special assessments to impose ad valorem taxes, rates, fees and other charges
for the use of the CDD project. An allocated share of the principal
and interest on the bonds issued by the CDD is assigned to and constitutes a
lien on each parcel within the community evidenced by an assessment
(“Assessment”). The owner of each such parcel is responsible for the
payment of the Assessment on that parcel. If the owner of the parcel
fails to pay the Assessment, the CDD may foreclose on the lien pursuant to
powers conferred to the CDD under applicable state laws and/or foreclosure
procedures. In connection with the development of certain of the
Company’s communities, CDDs have been established and bonds have been issued to
finance a portion of the related infrastructure. Following are
details relating to the CDD bond obligations issued and outstanding as of
December 31, 2008:
Issue
Date
|
Maturity
Date
|
Interest
Rate
|
Principal
Amount
(in
thousands)
|
|||
7/15/2004
|
12/1/2022
|
6.00%
|
$
|
4,374
|
||
7/15/2004
|
12/1/2036
|
6.25%
|
10,060
|
|||
5/1/2004
|
5/1/2035
|
6.00%
|
9,135
|
|||
3/15/2007
|
5/1/2037
|
5.20%
|
7,005
|
|||
Total
CDD bond obligations issued and outstanding as of December 31,
2008
|
$
|
30,574
|
In
accordance with EITF Issue 91-10, “Accounting for Special Assessments and Tax
Increment Financing,” the Company records a liability for the estimated
developer obligations that are fixed and determinable and user fees that are
required to be paid or transferred at the time the parcel or unit is sold to an
end user. The Company reduces this liability by the corresponding
Assessment assumed by property purchasers and the amounts paid by the Company at
the time of closing and the transfer of the property. The Company has
recorded a $10.4 million liability related to these CDD bond obligations as of
December 31, 2008, along with the related inventory infrastructure.
In
addition, at December 31, 2008, the Company had outstanding a $0.7 million CDD
bond obligation in connection with the purchase of land. This
obligation bears interest at a rate of 5.5% and matures November 1,
2010. As lots are closed to third parties, the Company will repay the
CDD bond obligation associated with each lot.
NOTE
14. Consolidated Inventory Not Owned and Related
Obligation
In the
ordinary course of business, the Company enters into land option contracts in
order to secure land for the construction of homes in the
future. Pursuant to these land option contracts, the Company will
provide a deposit to the seller as consideration for the right to purchase land
at different times in the future, usually at predetermined
prices. Under FIN 46(R), if the entity holding the land under option
is a variable interest entity, the Company’s deposit (including letters of
credit) represents a variable interest in the entity. The Company
does not guarantee the obligations or performance of the variable interest
entity.
In
applying the provisions of FIN 46(R), the Company evaluated all land option
contracts and determined that the Company was subject to a majority of the
expected losses or entitled to receive a majority of the expected residual
returns under a contract. As the primary beneficiary under this
contract, the Company is required to consolidate the fair value of the variable
interest entity.
As of
December 31, 2008 and 2007, the Company had recorded $4.3 million and $6.1
million, respectively, within Inventory on the Consolidated Balance Sheet,
representing the fair value of land under contract. The corresponding
liability has been classified as Obligation for Consolidated Inventory Not Owned
on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
NOTE
15. Property and Equipment
In 2008,
the Company exchanged its airplane for an airplane of lesser value plus $9.5
million of cash consideration. The transaction was with an unrelated
party. The transaction was accounted for as a like-kind exchange
under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. In accordance with APB Opinion No. 29, as amended,
“Nonmonetary Transactions,” Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) Issue 01-2,
“Interpretation of APB Opinion No. 29,” and SFAS No. 153, “Exchanges of
Non-Monetary Assets – An Amendment of APB
75
Opinion
No. 29,” a gain of $5.6 million was recorded in Other Income on the Company’s
Consolidated Statements of Operations. At December 31, 2008, the
airplane, valued at $8.9 million, was classified as held for sale within
Property and Equipment on the Consolidated Balance sheet as the Company
anticipates selling it in 2009. See Note 1 for held for sale
requirements.
The
Company assesses property and equipment for recoverability in accordance with
the provisions of SFAS 144, which requires that long-lived assets be reviewed
for impairment whenever events or changes in local or national economic
conditions indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be
recoverable. The Company received a fair value assessment from an
aircraft sale and acquisition company and based on that assessment, at December
31, 2008, we recorded a loss of $3.3 million for impairment of the
airplane.
NOTE
16. Note Receivable
On
December 22, 2006, in connection with the sale of certain property to a
developer, the Company received a promissory note in the amount of $6.1 million
bearing interest at 4.91% per annum, secured by the related property. Interest
payments under the note are due semiannually, with the unpaid principal balance
and any unpaid accrued interest due on December 1, 2009. The
developer failed to fund the latest interest payment causing the Company to
evaluate the fair value of this note receivable based on the value of the
underlying security. The Company has recorded a $1.3 million
allowance against this note receivable.
NOTE
17. Notes Payable Banks
In
January 2009, we entered into the Third Amendment to the Second Amended and
Restated Credit Facility dated October 6, 2006 (the “Credit Facility”)
to: (1) reduce the Aggregate Commitment (as defined therein) from
$250 million to $150 million, which is then reduced to $125 million, $100
million and $60 million if the Company’s consolidated tangible net worth falls
below $250 million, $200 million and $150 million, respectively; (2) require
secured borrowings based on a Secured Borrowing Base calculated as
100% of Secured Borrowing Base Cash plus 40% of the aggregated
Appraised Value of the Qualified Real Property, as defined therein; (3) provide
for $65 million of availability during the Initial Period (to July 20,
2009) with three 1-month extension options; however,
during the Initial Period, requires that any cash in excess of $25 million be
designated as collateral; (4) redefine consolidated tangible net worth as equal
to or exceeding (i) $100 million plus (ii) fifty percent (50%) of Consolidated
Earnings (without deduction for losses and excluding the effect of any decrease
in any Deferred Tax Valuation Allowance) earned for each completed fiscal
quarter ending after December 31, 2008 to the date of determination, excluding
any quarter in which the Consolidated Earnings are less than zero; plus (iii)
the amount of any reduction or reversal in Deferred Tax Valuation Allowance for
each completed fiscal quarter ending after December 31, 2008; (5) require the
permitted leverage ratio not to exceed 2.00x; (6) increase the percentage of
speculative units allowed based on the latest six and twelve month closings; (7)
increase the limitations on joint venture investments and extensions of credit
in connection with the sale of land; and (8) increase the pricing
provisions.
Under the
Third Amendment to the Credit Facility, borrowing availability is $29.3 million
in accordance with the borrowing base calculation. Borrowings under
the Credit Facility are secured and are at the Alternate Base Rate plus a margin
ranging from 350 to 425 basis points, or at the Eurodollar Rate plus a margin
ranging from 450 to 525 basis points. The Alternate Base Rate is defined
as the higher of the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Rate plus 50 basis points or
the one month Eurodollar Rate plus 100 basis points. At December 31,
2008, the Company’s homebuilding operations had financial letters of credit
totaling $11.3 million, performance letters of credit totaling $24.4 million,
and no borrowings outstanding under the Credit
Facility.
The
Credit Facility also places limitations on the amount of additional indebtedness
that may be incurred by the Company, limitations on the investments that the
Company may make, including joint ventures and advances to officers and
employees, and limitations on the aggregate cost of certain types of inventory
that the Company can hold at any one time. The Company is required
under the Credit Facility to maintain a certain amount of tangible net worth
and, as of December 31, 2008, our tangible net worth exceeded the minimum
tangible net worth required by this
covenant by approximately $229.9 million. As of December 31, 2008,
the Company was in compliance with all restrictive covenants of the Credit
Facility as amended on January 15, 2009.
On May
22, 2008, M/I Financial entered into a secured credit agreement (“MIF Credit
Agreement”) with a financial institution. This agreement replaced M/I
Financial’s previous credit facility that expired on May 30,
2008.
76
The MIF
Credit Agreement provides M/I Financial with $30.0 million maximum borrowing
availability, with an additional $10.0 million of availability from December 15,
2008 through January 15, 2009. The MIF Credit Agreement, which
expires on May 21, 2009, is secured by certain mortgage loans. The
MIF Credit Agreement also provides for limits with respect to certain loan types
that can secure the borrowings under the agreement. As of the end of
each fiscal quarter, M/I Financial must have tangible net worth of at least $9.0
million, and adjusted tangible net worth (tangible net worth less the
outstanding amount of intercompany loans) of no less than $7.0
million. The ratio of total liabilities to adjusted tangible net
worth shall never be more than 10.0 to 1.0. M/I Financial pays
interest on each advance under the MIF Credit Agreement at a per annum rate of
LIBOR plus 1.35%.
At
December 31, 2008, we had $0.4 million of availability under the MIF Credit
Agreement. As of December 31, 2008, M/I Financial was in compliance
with all restrictive covenants of the MIF Credit Agreement.
NOTE
18. Mortgage Notes Payable
As of
December 31, 2008 and 2007, the Company had outstanding a building mortgage note
payable in the principal amount of $6.4 million and $6.7 million, respectively,
with a fixed interest rate of 8.117% and a maturity date of April 1,
2017. The book value of the collateral securing this note was $10.9
million at both December 31, 2008 and 2007.
NOTE
19. Notes Payable Other
On April
4, 2008, the Company entered into a loan agreement with a financial institution
which is collateralized by the Company’s aircraft that was exchanged in the
first quarter of 2008. This $10.2 million promissory note bears
interest at LIBOR plus 2.25% and is due April 2015. The balance of
the note at December 31, 2008 was $9.9 million.
NOTE
20. Senior Notes
As of
December 31, 2008, we had $200 million of 6.875% senior notes
outstanding. The notes are due April 2012. The Credit
Facility prohibits the early repurchase of our senior notes.
The
indenture governing our senior notes contains restrictive covenants that limit,
among other things, the ability of the Company to pay dividends on common and
preferred shares, or repurchase any shares. If our “consolidated
restricted payments basket,” as defined in the indenture governing our senior
notes, is less than zero, we are restricted from making certain payments,
including dividends, as well as from repurchasing any shares. At
December 31, 2008, our restricted payments basket was ($146.8)
million. As a result of this deficit, we are currently restricted
from paying dividends on our common shares and our 9.75% Series A Preferred
Shares, and from repurchasing any shares under our common shares repurchase
program that was authorized by our Board of Directors in November
2005. These restrictions do not affect our compliance with any of the
covenants contained in the Credit Facility and will not permit the lenders under
the Credit Facility to accelerate the loans.
NOTE
21. Universal Shelf Registration
On August
4, 2008, the Company filed a $250 million universal shelf registration statement
with the SEC. Pursuant to the filing, the Company may, from time to
time over an extended period, offer new debt and/or equity
securities. The timing and amount of offerings, if any, will depend
on market and general business conditions. No debt or equity
securities have been offered for sale under this universal shelf registration
statement as of December 31, 2008.
NOTE
22. Preferred Shares
The Company’s Articles of Incorporation
authorize the issuance of up to 2,000,000 non-cumulative preferred shares, par
value $.01 per share. On March 15, 2007, the Company issued 4,000,000
depositary shares, each representing 1/1000th of a 9.75% Series A Preferred
Share, or 4,000 Preferred Shares in the aggregate (the “Preferred
Shares”). The aggregate liquidation value of the Preferred Shares is
$100 million. As of December 31, 2008, total dividends paid on
Preferred Shares in 2008 were approximately $4.9 million.
As discussed in Note 20, the indenture
governing our senior notes contains a provision that restricts the payment of
dividends when the calculation of the “consolidated restricted payments basket,”
as defined therein, falls below zero. At December 31, 2008, the
restricted payments basket was $(146.8) million and, therefore, we are currently
restricted from making any further dividend payments on our Preferred
Shares. We will continue to be restricted
77
from
paying dividends until such time as the restricted payments basket has been
restored or our senior notes are repaid, and our Board of Directors authorizes
us to resume dividend payments.
NOTE
23. Income Taxes
The
provision (benefit) for income taxes from continuing operations consists of the
following:
Year
Ended December 31,
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Federal
|
$ | 26,448 | $ | (48,955 | ) | $ | 12,309 | ||
State
and local
|
3,843 | (9,441 | ) | 3,700 | |||||
Total
|
$ | 30,291 | $ | (58,396 | ) | $ | 16,009 |
Year
Ended December 31,
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Current
|
$ | (37,576 | ) | $ | (31,585 | ) | $ | 46,085 | |
Deferred
|
67,867 | (26,811 | ) | (30,076 | ) | ||||
Total
|
$ | 30,291 | $ | (58,396 | ) | $ | 16,009 |
For the
years ended December 31, 2008, 2007, and 2006, the Company’s effective tax rate
was (14.1%), 38.7%, and 35.3%, respectively. The negative tax rate in 2008 is
due primarily to the valuation allowance required on our deferred tax assets.
The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 introduced a special 3% tax
deduction under Internal Revenue Code Section 199, “Income Attributable to
Domestic Production Activities” (“Section 199”). In 2006, this
Section 199 deduction was accounted for as a permanent difference and
reduced current federal income tax expense. In 2007 and 2008, this item
reduced the current federal income tax benefit as the carryback of the 2007 and
2008 federal taxable losses decreased the benefit originally claimed in the 2005
and 2006 federal tax returns. A change in the State of Ohio’s tax
laws, which phases out the Ohio income tax and replaces it with a gross receipts
tax, and the settlement of certain state tax-related items also reduced our
effective rate in 2006. Reconciliation of the differences between
income taxes computed at the federal statutory tax rate and consolidated
provision for income taxes are as follows:
Year
Ended December 31,
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Federal
taxes at statutory rate
|
$ | (75,312 | ) | $ | (52,807 | ) | $ | 15,857 | |
State
and local taxes – net of federal tax benefit
|
2,498 | (6,137 | ) | 2,405 | |||||
Change
in FIN 48 reserve
|
(1,469 | ) | (641 | ) | - | ||||
Manufacturing
credit
|
(1,269 | ) | 1,519 | (1,354 | ) | ||||
Change
in valuation allowance
|
108,608 | 250 | - | ||||||
Other
|
(2,765 | ) | (580 | ) | (899 | ) | |||
Total
|
$ | 30,291 | $ | (58,396 | ) | $ | 16,009 |
The
Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and various
states. The Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state or
local examinations by tax authorities for years before 2005. The
Company is audited from time to time, and if any adjustments are made, they
would be either immaterial or reserved. The Company adopted the
provisions of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007. The implementation of FIN 48
did not result in any change by the Company of its liability for unrecognized
tax benefits. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of
unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
(In
thousands)
|
|||
Balance
at January 1, 2008
|
$ | 6,146 | |
Additions
based on tax positions related to the current year
|
- | ||
Additions
for tax positions of prior years
|
471 | ||
Reductions
for tax positions of prior years
|
(827 | ) | |
Settlements
|
(1,113 | ) | |
Balance
at December 31, 2008
|
$ | 4,677 |
The
Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax
benefits in tax expense. The Company recognized $0.5 million in
interest and penalty charges in 2008, $0.2 million in 2007 and $0.5 million in
2006. The Company had approximately $2.0 million for both the payment
of interest and the payment of penalties accrued at both December 31, 2008, and
2007.
The
Company has taken positions in certain taxing jurisdictions for which it is
reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits may
significantly decrease within the next twelve months. The possible
decrease could result from the finalization of the Company’s various state
income tax audits. State income tax audits are primarily concerned
with apportionment-related issues. The estimated range of the
reasonably possible decrease spans from a zero decrease to a decrease of $1.1
million related to lapse in statutes.
78
The tax
effects of the significant temporary differences that comprise the deferred tax
assets and liabilities are as follows:
December
31,
|
|||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
|||
Deferred
tax assets:
|
|||||
Warranty,
insurance and other accruals
|
$ | 12,177 | $ | 18,231 | |
Inventory
|
61,493 | 49,188 | |||
State
taxes
|
27 | 20 | |||
Net
operating loss carryforward
|
35,893 | 5,500 | |||
Deferred
charges
|
2,126 | 2,431 | |||
Total
deferred tax assets
|
111,716 | 75,370 | |||
Deferred
tax liabilities:
|
|||||
Depreciation
|
2,421 | 6,732 | |||
Prepaid
expenses
|
437 | 521 | |||
Total
deferred tax liabilities
|
2,858 | 7,253 | |||
Less
valuation allowance
|
108,858 | 250 | |||
Net
deferred tax asset
|
$ | - | $ | 67,867 |
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. These assets were largely generated as a result of inventory
impairments that the Company incurred in 2006, 2007 and 2008. If, for
some reason, the combination of future years’ income (or loss), combined with
the reversal of the timing differences, results in a loss, such losses can be
carried back to prior years or carried forward to future years to recover the
deferred tax assets.
In
accordance with SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes” (“SFAS 109”),
the Company evaluates its deferred tax assets, including net operating losses,
to determine if a valuation allowance is required. SFAS 109 requires that
companies assess whether a valuation allowance should be established based on
the consideration of all available evidence using a “more likely than not”
standard. In making such judgments, significant weight is given to
evidence that can be objectively verified. SFAS 109 provides that a
cumulative loss in recent years is significant negative evidence in considering
whether deferred tax assets are realizable, and also restricts the amount of
reliance on projections of future taxable income to support the recovery of
deferred tax assets. The Company’s current and prior year losses present
the most significant negative evidence as to whether the Company needs to reduce
its deferred tax assets with a valuation allowance. Given the continued
downturn in the homebuilding industry during 2008, we are now in a four-year
cumulative pre-tax loss position during the years 2005 through 2008. We
currently believe the cumulative weight of the negative evidence exceeds that of
the positive evidence and, as a result, it is more likely than not that we will
not be able to utilize all of our deferred tax assets. Therefore, during
2008, the Company recorded a valuation allowance of $108.6 million against
its deferred tax assets, $22.1 million of which relates to beginning of the year
deferred tax assets and $86.5 million of which relates to deferred tax assets
that arose in 2008 as a result of 2008 operating activities. The
accounting for deferred taxes is based upon an estimate of future
results. Differences between the anticipated and actual outcomes of
these future tax consequences could have a material impact on the Company’s
consolidated results of operations or financial position.
At
December 31, 2008, the Company had a $39.5 million income tax receivable
primarily relating to the estimated cash refund to be realized upon the
carryback of our current net taxable operating loss to 2006. At December
31, 2008, the Company had a Federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryback of
approximately $120.8 million and a federal NOL carryforward of approximately
$56.9 million. This Federal carryforward benefit will begin to expire in
2029. The Company also had state NOL benefits of $8.5 million.
These state carryforward benefits will begin to expire in 2022. The
amount of taxable income that needs to be generated by the Company in order to
realize our gross deferred tax assets is $292.2 million.
NOTE
24. Financial Instruments
Counterparty
Credit Risk. To reduce the risk associated with accounting
losses that would be recognized if counterparties failed to perform as
contracted, the Company limits the entities that management can enter into a
commitment with to the primary dealers in the market. This risk of
accounting loss is the difference between the market rate at the time of
non-performance by the counterparty and the rate the Company committed
to.
The
following table presents the carrying amounts and fair values of the Company’s
financial instruments at December 31, 2008 and 2007. SFAS No. 107,
“Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments,” defines the fair value
of a financial instrument as the amount at which the instrument could be
exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a
forced or liquidation sale.
79
December
31, 2008
|
December
31, 2007
|
||||||||||
Carrying
|
Fair
|
Carrying
|
Fair
|
||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
Amount
|
Value
|
Amount
|
Value
|
|||||||
Assets:
|
|||||||||||
Cash,
including cash in escrow
|
$ | 39,176 | $ | 39,176 | $ | 22,745 | $ | 22,745 | |||
Mortgage
loans held for sale
|
37,772 | 37,772 | 54,127 | 54,127 | |||||||
Other
assets
|
14,282 | 13,813 | 18,516 | 24,745 | |||||||
Notes
receivable
|
5,000 | 5,356 | 12,528 | 12,321 | |||||||
Commitments
to extend real estate loans
|
638 | 638 | 226 | 226 | |||||||
Best-efforts
contracts for committed IRLCs and mortgage loans
|
|||||||||||
held
for sale
|
73 | 73 | - | - | |||||||
Forward
sale of mortgage-backed securities
|
- | - | - | - | |||||||
Liabilities:
|
|||||||||||
Notes
payable - banks
|
35,078 | 35,078 | 155,400 | 155,400 | |||||||
Mortgage
notes payable
|
6,442 | 9,819 | 6,703 | 7,055 | |||||||
Notes
payable - other
|
9,857 | 9,857 | |||||||||
Senior
notes
|
199,168 | 105,000 | 198,912 | 163,000 | |||||||
Commitments
to extend real estate loans
|
- | - | - | - | |||||||
Best-efforts
contracts for committed IRLCs and mortgage loans
|
|||||||||||
held
for sale
|
- | - | 107 | 107 | |||||||
Forward
sale of mortgage-backed securities
|
1,104 | 1,104 | 617 | 617 | |||||||
Other
liabilities
|
54,183 | 54,183 | 57,749 | 57,749 | |||||||
Off-Balance
Sheet Financial Instruments:
|
|||||||||||
Letters
of credit
|
- | 727 | - | 551 |
The
following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating its
fair value disclosures of financial instruments at December 31, 2008 and
2007:
Cash, Cash Held
in Escrow and Other Liabilities. The carrying amounts of these
items approximate fair value.
Mortgage Loans
Held for Sale, Forward Sale of Mortgage-Backed Securities, Commitments to Extend
Real Estate Loans, Best-Efforts Contracts for Committed IRLCs and Mortgage Loans
Held for Sale, Notes Payable - Other and Senior Notes. The
fair value of these financial instruments was determined based upon market
quotes at December 31, 2008 and 2007. The market quotes used were
quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities along with inputs taken from
observable market data by correlation. The inputs were adjusted to
account for the condition of the asset or liability.
Other Assets and
Notes Receivable. The estimated fair value was determined by
calculating the present value of the amounts based on the estimated timing of
receipts.
Notes Payable -
Banks. The interest rate currently available to the Company
fluctuates with the Alternate Base Rate or Eurodollar Rate (for the Credit
Facility) or LIBOR (for the MIF Credit Facility), and thus their carrying value
is a reasonable estimate of fair value.
Mortgage Notes
Payable. The estimated fair value was determined by
calculating the present value of the future cash flows.
Letters of
Credit. Letters of credit and outstanding completion bonds of
$80.1 million and $134.2 million represent potential commitments at December 31,
2008 and 2007, respectively. The letters of credit generally expire
within one or two years. The estimated fair value of letters of
credit was determined using fees currently charged for similar
agreements.
NOTE
25. Business Segments
In
conformity with SFAS 131, the Company’s segment information is presented on the
basis that the chief operating decision makers use in evaluating segment
performance. The Company’s chief operating decision makers evaluate
the Company’s performance in various ways, including: (1) the results of our
nine individual homebuilding operating segments and the results of the financial
services operations; (2) the results of our three homebuilding regions; and (3)
our consolidated financial results. We have determined our reportable
segments in accordance with SFAS 131 as follows: Midwest homebuilding, Florida
homebuilding, Mid-Atlantic homebuilding, and financial services
operations. The homebuilding operating segments that are included
within each reportable segment have similar
operations and exhibit similar economic characteristics, and therefore meet the
aggregation criteria in SFAS 131. Our homebuilding operations include
the acquisition and development of land, the sale and construction of
single-family attached and detached homes, and the occasional sale of lots and
land to third parties. The homebuilding operating segments that
comprise each of our reportable segments are as follows:
80
Midwest
|
Florida
|
Mid-Atlantic
|
Columbus,
Ohio
|
Tampa,
Florida
|
Washington,
D.C.
|
Cincinnati,
Ohio
|
Orlando,
Florida
|
Charlotte,
North Carolina
|
Indianapolis,
Indiana
|
Raleigh,
North Carolina
|
|
Chicago,
Illinois
|
The
financial services operations include the origination and sale of mortgage loans
and title and insurance agency services for purchasers of the Company’s
homes.
The chief
operating decision makers utilize operating income (loss), defined as income
(loss) before interest expense and income taxes, as a performance
measure. Selected financial information for our reportable segments
for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 is presented
below:
Years
Ended
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
||||||
Revenue:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 232,715 | $ | 358,441 | $ | 493,156 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
151,643 | 312,930 | 496,998 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
202,038 | 326,451 | 260,059 | ||||||
Other
homebuilding – unallocated (a)
|
7,131 | (424 | ) | 647 | |||||
Financial
services
|
14,132 | 19,062 | 27,125 | ||||||
Intercompany
eliminations
|
- | - | (3,840 | ) | |||||
Total
revenue
|
$ | 607,659 | $ | 1,016,460 | $ | 1,274,145 | |||
|
|||||||||
Operating
(loss) income:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding (b)
|
$ | (73,073 | ) | $ | (10,377 | ) | $ | 897 | |
Florida
homebuilding (b)
|
(71,864 | ) | (63,117 | ) | 100,390 | ||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding (b)
|
(41,491 | ) | (43,547 | ) | (21,955 | ) | |||
Other
homebuilding – unallocated (a)
|
503 | 386 | 156 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
6,010 | 8,517 | 15,816 | ||||||
Less:
Corporate selling, general and administrative expense (c)
|
(29,567 | ) | (27,395 | ) | (34,191 | ) | |||
Total
operating (loss) income
|
$ | (209,482 | ) | $ | (135,533 | ) | $ | 61,113 | |
|
|||||||||
Interest
expense:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 5,197 | $ | 4,788 | $ | 6,408 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
2,335 | 5,877 | 4,609 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
3,209 | 3,815 | 4,384 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
456 | 636 | 406 | ||||||
Corporate
|
- | 227 | - | ||||||
Total
interest expense
|
$ | 11,197 | $ | 15,343 | $ | 15,807 |
|
||
|
|||||||||
Other
income (d)
|
$ | 5,555 | - | - | |||||
(Loss) income
from continuing operations before income taxes
|
$ | (215,124 | ) | $ | (150,876 | ) | $ | 45,306 | |
|
|||||||||
Assets:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 242,066 | $ | 354,220 | $ | 432,572 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
121,587 | 241,603 | 426,806 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
185,268 | 276,887 | 349,929 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
60,992 | 62,411 | 61,145 | ||||||
Corporate
|
83,375 | 167,926 | 110,661 | ||||||
Assets
of discontinued operation
|
- | 14,598 | 95,966 | ||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 693,288 | $ | 1,117,645 | $ | 1,477,079 | |||
|
|||||||||
Investment
in unconsolidated LLCs:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 6,359 | $ | 15,705 | $ | 17,570 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
6,771 | 24,638 | 32,078 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
- | - | - | ||||||
Financial
services
|
- | - | - | ||||||
Total
investment in unconsolidated LLCs
|
$ | 13,130 | $ | 40,343 | $ | 49,648 | |||
|
|||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization:
|
|||||||||
Midwest
homebuilding
|
$ | 336 | $ | 543 | $ | 182 | |||
Florida
homebuilding
|
1,288 | 1,603 | 1,689 | ||||||
Mid-Atlantic
homebuilding
|
1,028 | 849 | 244 | ||||||
Financial
services
|
471 | 498 | 383 | ||||||
Corporate
|
4,631 | 4,495 | 4,229 | ||||||
Total
depreciation and amortization
|
$ | 7,754 | $ | 7,988 | $ | 6,727 |
a) Other homebuilding –
unallocated consists of the net impact in the period due to timing of homes
delivered with low down-payment loans (buyers put less than 5% down) funded by
the Company’s financial services operations not yet sold to a third
party. In accordance with SFAS 66 and SFAS 140, recognition of such
revenue must be deferred until the related loan is sold to a third
party. Refer to the Revenue Recognition policy described in Note 1
for further discussion.
81
(b) The
years ending December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 include the impact of charges
relating to the impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated LLCs
and the write-off of land deposits and pre-acquisition costs of $158.6 million,
$152.0 million and $72.7 million, respectively. These charges reduced
operating income by $56.3 million, $8.8 million and $25.0 million in the Midwest
region; $66.9 million, $88.3 million, and $5.8 million in the Florida region;
and $35.4 million, $54.9 million, and $41.9 million in the Mid-Atlantic region,
respectively.
(c) The
years ending December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006 include the impact of severance
charges of $3.3 million, $5.4 million and $7.0 million,
respectively. The year ended December 31, 2008 also includes charges
of $3.3 million for corporate asset impairments. The year ended
December 31, 2007 also includes the write-off of $5.2 million of
intangibles.
(d) Other
income is comprised of the gain recognized on the exchange of the Company’s
airplane.
NOTE
27. Supplementary Financial Data (Unaudited)
The
following tables set forth our selected consolidated financial and operating
data for the periods indicated. These tables should be read together
with “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations” and our Consolidated Financial Statements,
including the Notes thereto, appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
Three
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||
December
31,
|
September
30,
|
June
30,
|
March
31,
|
|||||||||
2008
|
2008
|
2008
|
2008
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands)
|
(Unaudited)
|
(Unaudited)
|
(Unaudited)
|
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||
Revenue
|
$ | 150,187 | $ | 160,385 | $ | 141,002 | $ | 156,085 | ||||
Gross
margin (a)
|
$ | (35,832 | ) | $ | (24,280 | ) | $ | (21,103 | ) | $ | 3,410 | |
Net
loss from continuing operations (b)
|
$ | (75,360 | ) | $ | (58,655 | ) | $ | (91,250 | ) | $ | (20,150 | ) |
Discontinued
operation, net of tax (c)
|
$ | - | $ | - | $ | (413 | ) | $ | 380 | |||
Net
loss
|
$ | (75,360 | ) | $ | (58,655 | ) | $ | (91,663 | ) | $ | (19,770 | ) |
Three
Months Ended
|
||||||||||||
December
31,
|
September
30,
|
June
30,
|
March
31,
|
|||||||||
2007
|
2007
|
2007
|
2007
|
|||||||||
(Dollars
in thousands)
|
(Unaudited)
|
(Unaudited)
|
(Unaudited)
|
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||
Revenue
|
$ | 340,460 | $ | 232,983 | $ | 226,448 | $ | 216,569 | ||||
Gross
margin (a)
|
$ | (20,388 | ) | $ | 20,858 | $ | (10,226 | ) | $ | 45,243 | ||
Net
(loss) income from continuing operations (b)
|
$ | (42,315 | ) | $ | (16,805 | ) | $ | (35,431 | ) | $ | 2,071 | |
Discontinued
operation, net of tax (c)
|
$ | (26,145 | ) | $ | (4,912 | ) | $ | (4,748 | ) | $ | 159 | |
Net
(loss) income
|
$ | (68,460 | ) | $ | (21,717 | ) | $ | (40,179 | ) | $ | 2,230 |
(a)
|
First,
second, third and fourth quarters of 2008 include the impact of charges
relating to the impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated
LLCs of $21.1 million, $39.9 million, $43.1 million and $49.2 million,
respectively. First, second, third and fourth quarters of 2007
include the impact of charges relating to the impairment of inventory and
investment in unconsolidated LLCs of $1.2 million, $58.2 million, $24.2
million and $64.8 million,
respectively.
|
(b)
|
First,
second, third and fourth quarters of 2008 include the impact of charges
relating to the impairment of inventory and investment in unconsolidated
LLCs and the write-off of land deposits and pre-acquisition costs of $22.3
million, $39.9 million, $43.5 million and $52.9 million,
respectively. First, second, third and fourth quarters of 2007
include the impact of charges relating to the impairment of inventory and
investment in unconsolidated LLCs, the write-off of land deposits and
pre-acquisition costs and the write-off of goodwill and intangible assets
of $1.4 million, $39.8 million, $15.4 million and $40.4 million,
respectively.
|
(c)
|
There
were no charges relating to the impairment of inventory and investment in
unconsolidated LLCs, write-offs of land deposits and pre-acquisition costs
or the write-off of goodwill and intangible assets included in
discontinued operation in 2008 or for the first quarter of
2007. Discontinued operation for the second, third and fourth
quarters of 2007 includes the impact of charges relating to the impairment
of inventory and investment in unconsolidated LLCs, write-offs of land
deposits and pre-acquisition costs and the write-off of goodwill and
intangible assets of $4.9 million, $5.0 million and $26.3 million,
respectively.
|
82
ITEM
9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON
ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE
|
None.
ITEM
9A. CONTROLS AND
PROCEDURES
|
Conclusion
Regarding the Effectiveness of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
An
evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) was performed
by the Company's management, with the participation of the Company’s principal
executive officer and principal financial officer, as contemplated by Rule
13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based on that evaluation, the
Company's principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded
that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the
end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Management’s
Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
The
management of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining
adequate internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f)
under the Exchange Act). The Company’s internal control system was
designed to provide reasonable assurance to the Company’s management and Board
of Directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published
financial statements.
All
internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent
limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective
can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement
preparation and presentation.
The
Company’s management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008. In making
this assessment, it used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control – Integrated
Framework. Based on this assessment, management believes that,
as of December 31, 2008, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting
is effective based on those criteria.
The
effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2008 has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, our independent
registered public accounting firm, as stated in its attestation report included
on page 84 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Changes
in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
During
2008, certain changes in responsibility for performing internal control
procedures occurred as a result of various workforce
reductions. Management, with the participation of the principal
executive officer and principal financial officer, has evaluated these changes
in our internal control over financial reporting, and believes that we have
taken the necessary steps to establish and maintain effective internal controls
over financial reporting during the period of change.
ITEM
9B. OTHER
INFORMATION
|
None.
83
REPORT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the
Board of Directors and Shareholders of M/I Homes, Inc.
Columbus,
Ohio
We have
audited the internal control over financial reporting of M/I Homes, Inc. and
subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2008, based on criteria
established in Internal
Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is
responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting
and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal
Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our
audit.
We
conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that
we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether
effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all
material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of
internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material
weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness
of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other
procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe
that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A
company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or
under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal
financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the
company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide
reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control
over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain
to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly
reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2)
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to
permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are
being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of
the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely
detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's
assets that could have a material effect on the financial
statements.
Because
of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting,
including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of
controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or
detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the
effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods
are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or
procedures may deteriorate.
In our
opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal
control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008, based on the criteria
established in Internal
Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring
Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
We have
also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements as of and
for the year ended December 31, 2008 of the Company and our report dated
February 24, 2009 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial
statements.
/s/
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
|
Deloitte
& Touche
LLP
|
Columbus,
Ohio
February
24, 2009
84
PART
III
ITEM
10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
|
The
information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our
definitive Proxy Statement relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
We have
adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to our directors and
all employees of the Company. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
is posted on our website, mihomes.com. We intend to satisfy the
requirements under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding disclosure of amendments to,
or waivers from, provisions of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that
apply to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal
accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, by
posting such information on our website. Copies of the Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics will be provided free of charge upon written request directed to
Investor Relations, M/I Homes, Inc., 3 Easton Oval, Suite 500, Columbus, OH
43219.
ITEM
11. EXECUTIVE
COMPENSATION
|
The
information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our
definitive Proxy Statement relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
ITEM
12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND
MANAGEMENT AND
|
RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS
Equity
Compensation Plan Information
The
following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2008 with respect to
the common shares issuable under the Company’s equity compensation
plans:
Plan
Category
|
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants
and rights
(a)
|
Weighted-average
exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights
(b)
|
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity
compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column
(a))
(c)
|
||
Equity
compensation plans approved by shareholders (1)
|
1,216,182
|
$32.98
|
468,436
|
||
Equity
compensation plans not approved by shareholders (2)
|
95,782
|
-
|
675,237
|
||
Total
|
1,311,964
|
$32.98
|
1,143,673
|
(1)
Consists of the Company’s 1993 Stock Incentive Plan as Amended (1,191,200
outstanding stock options) and the Company’s 2006 Director Equity Incentive Plan
(23,153 outstanding stock units). The weighted average exercise price
relates to the stock options granted under the 1993 Stock Incentive Plan as
Amended. The stock units granted under the 2006 Director Equity
Incentive Plan are “full value awards” that were issued at an average unit price
of $27.98, and will be settled at a future date in common shares on a
one-for-one basis without the payment of any exercise price. There
are 176,847 common shares remaining available for future issuance under this
plan. Pursuant to the terms of the 1993 Stock Incentive Plan as
Amended, the maximum number of common shares in respect of which awards may be
granted under the plan in each calendar year is five percent of the total
outstanding common shares as of the first day of each such calendar
year. Refer to Note 3 of the Company’s Consolidated Financial
Statements for further discussion of these plans.
(2)
Consists of the Company’s Director Deferred Compensation Plan and the Company’s
Executives’ Deferred Compensation Plan. The average unit price of the
outstanding “phantom stock” units is $25.38. Pursuant to these plans,
our directors and eligible employees may defer the payment of all or a portion
of their director fees and annual cash bonuses, respectively, and the deferred
amount is converted into phantom stock units which will be settled at a future
date in common shares on a one-for-one basis without the payment of any exercise
price. Refer to Note 3 of the Company’s Consolidated Financial
Statements for further discussion of these plans.
The
remaining information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference
to our definitive Proxy Statement relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
ITEM
13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND
DIRECTOR
|
INDEPENDENCE
The
information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our
definitive Proxy Statement relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
ITEM
14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND
SERVICES
|
The
information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to our
definitive Proxy Statement relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders.
85
PART
IV
ITEM
15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) Documents filed as part of this
report
|
||||
(1) The
following financial statements are contained in Item 8:
|
||||
Page
in
|
||||
this
|
||||
Financial Statements
|
Report
|
|||
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
51
|
|||
Consolidated
Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and
2006
|
52
|
|||
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2008 and 2007
|
53
|
|||
Consolidated
Statements of Shareholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2008,
2007
|
||||
and
2006
|
54
|
|||
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and
2006
|
55
|
|||
Notes
to Consolidated Financial Statements
|
56-82
|
|||
(2)
|
Financial
Statement Schedules:
|
|||
|
||||
None
required.
|
||||
|
||||
(3)
|
Exhibits:
|
The
following exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K are filed as part of
this report. For convenience of reference, the exhibits are listed
according to the numbers appearing in the Exhibit Table to Item 601 of
Regulation S-K.
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
|
|
|
||
3.1
|
Amended
and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, hereby incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1993.
|
|
|
||
3.2
|
Amended
and Restated Regulations of the Company, hereby incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 3.4 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K of the fiscal
year ended December 31, 1998.
|
|
|
||
3.3
|
Amendment
of Article I(f) of the Company’s Amended and Restated Code of Regulations
to permit shareholders to appoint proxies in any manner permitted by Ohio
law, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1(b) of the Company’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
2001.
|
|
|
||
3.4
|
Amendment
to Article First of the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation dated January 9, 2004, hereby incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended March 31, 2006.
|
|
|
||
3.5
|
Certificate
of Amendment by Directors to Article Fourth of the Company’s Amended and
Restated Articles of Incorporation dated March 13, 2007, incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Company’s Current Report on From
8-K filed March 15, 2007.
|
|
|
||
4.1
|
Specimen
of Stock Certificate, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 of the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, Commission File No.
33-68564.
|
|
|
||
4.2
|
Indenture
dated as of March 24, 2005 by and among M/I Homes, Inc., its guarantors as
named in the Indenture and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee of
the 6 7/8% Senior Notes due 2012, hereby incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated as of March
24, 2005.
|
|
|
||
4.3
|
Registration
Rights Agreement dated as of March 24, 2005, among the Company, the
Guarantors listed on the signature page thereof and the Initial Purchasers
listed on the signature page thereof, incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.2 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated as of March
24, 2005.
|
|
|
||
4.4
|
Specimen
certificate representing the 9.75% Series A Preferred Shares, par value
$0.1 per share, of the Company, incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 15,
2007.
|
86
10.1*
|
The
M/I Homes, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan as Amended and Restated,
adopted as of January 1, 1997, hereby incorporate by reference to Exhibit
10.1 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2003.
|
|
10.2*
|
Amendment
Number 1 of the M/I Homes, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan for the
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 dated November
12, 2002, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
30, 2002.
|
|
10.3*
|
Second
Amendment to the M/I Homes, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan dated November
11, 2003, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2003.
|
|
10.4*
|
Third
Amendment to the M/I Homes, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan dated January
26, 2005, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2004.
|
|
10.5*
|
Fourth
Amendment to the M/I Homes, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan dated July 1,
2005, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30,
2005.
|
|
10.6*
|
Fifth
Amendment to the M/I Homes, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan dated November
7, 2006, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2006.
|
|
10.7*
|
Sixth
Amendment to the M/I Homes, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan dated December
13, 2006, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the
Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2006.
|
|
10.8
|
Second
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective as of October 6, 2006 by
and among M/I Homes, Inc., as borrower; JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as agent
for the lenders and Wachovia Bank National Association, as syndication
agent; The Huntington National Bank, KeyBank National Association, Charter
One Bank, N.A. SunTrust Bank, AmSouth Bank, Bank of Montreal, Guaranty
Bank, National City Bank and U.S. Bank National Association, as co-agents;
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Wachovia Bank, National Association, The
Huntington National Bank, KeyBank National Association, Charter One Bank,
N.A., SunTrust Bank, AmSouth Bank, Bank of Montreal, Guaranty Bank,
National City Bank, U.S. Bank National Association, LaSalle Bank National
Association, PNC Bank, N.A., City National Bank, Fifth Third Bank,
Franklin Bank, S.S.B., Comerica Bank, and Bank United, F.S.B., as banks;
and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as lead arranger and sole bookrunner,
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10 of the Company’s Current Report on
Form 8-K dated as of October 6, 2006.
|
|
10.9
|
Amendment
to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective as of December
22, 2006 by and among M/I Homes, Inc. as borrower and JPMorgan Chase Bank,
N.A. as agent, and the lenders party to that certain Second Amended and
Restated Credit Agreement dated October 6, 2006, incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2006.
|
|
10.10
|
First
Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated August 28,
2007, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 31, 2007.
|
|
10.11
|
Second
Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated March 27,
2008, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s
Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 1, 2008.
|
|
10.12
|
Third
Amendment to Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated January
15, 2009 incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 20, 2009.
|
|
10.13
|
Collateral
Agreement made by M/I Homes, Inc., and certain of its subsidiaries in
favor of PNC Bank, Nation Association, as Collateral Agent dated as of
January 15, 2009, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 20,
2009.
|
87
10.14
|
First
Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement Among M/I Financial, Corp.
and M/I Homes, Inc., as the Borrowers, and Guaranty Bank, hereby
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Current Report
on Form 8-K filed on April 28, 2006.
|
|
10.15
|
First
Amendment to First Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement
effective as of November 13, 2006, by and among M/I Financial Corp., the
Company and Guaranty Bank, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.12 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2007.
|
|
10.16
|
Second
Amendment to First Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement
effective as of April 27, 2007 by and among M/I Financial Corp., the
Company and Guaranty Bank, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.4 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
March 31, 2007.
|
|
10.17
|
Third
Amendment to First Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement
effective as of August 8, 2007 by and among M/I Financial Corp., the
Company and Guaranty Bank, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit
10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
September 31, 2007.
|
|
10.18
|
Fourth
Amendment to First Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement
effective as of April 18, 2008 by and among M/I Financial Corp, the
Company and Guaranty Bank, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
March 31, 2008.
|
|
10.19
|
Credit
Agreement by and among M/I Financial Corp., as borrower, the lenders party
thereto and Guaranty Bank, as administrative agent dated May 2, 2008,
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
2008.
|
|
10.20*
|
M/I
Homes, Inc. 1993 Stock Incentive Plan As Amended dated April 22, 1999,
hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 of the Company’s Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
1999.
|
|
10.21*
|
First
Amendment to M/I Homes, Inc. 1993 Stock Incentive Plan As Amended dated
August 11, 1999, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September
30, 1999.
|
|
10.22*
|
Second
Amendment to the Company’s 1993 Stock Incentive Plan as Amended dated
February 13, 2001, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30,
2002.
|
|
10.23*
|
Third
Amendment to the Company’s 1993 Stock Incentive Plan as Amended dated
April 27, 2006, hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the
Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31,
2006.
|
|
10.24*
|
Fourth
Amendment to M/I Homes, Inc. 1993 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended,
effective as of August 28, 2008, incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended September 30, 2008.
|
|
10.25
|
Form
of M/I Homes, Inc. 2006 Director Equity Incentive Plan Stock Units Award
Agreements, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
Company’s Current Report of Form 8-K filed on August 21,
2006.
|
|
10.26
|
M/I
Homes, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Director Equity Incentive Plan,
effective as of August 28, 2008, incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended September 30, 2008.
|
|
10.27
|
M/I
Homes, Inc. Amended and Restated Director Deferred Compensation Plan,
effective as of August 28, 2008, incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended September 30, 2008.
|
|
10.28*
|
M/I
Homes, Inc. Amended and Restated Executives’ Deferred Compensation Plan,
effective as of August 28, 2008, incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.4 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended September 30,
2008.
|
88
10.29*
|
Collateral
Assignment Split-Dollar Agreement by and among the Company and Robert H.
Schottenstein, and Janice K. Schottenstein as Trustee, of the Robert H.
Schottenstein 1996 Insurance Trust dated September 24, 1997, hereby
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.28 of the Company’s Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997. In
2004, the Trustee changed to Steven Schottenstein but did not require
amendment to the original agreement.
|
|
10.30*
|
Change
of Control Agreement between the Company and Robert H. Schottenstein dated
July 3, 2008, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 3,
2008.
|
|
10.31*
|
Change
of Control Agreement between the Company and Phillip G. Creek dated July
3, 2008, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Company’s
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 3, 2008.
|
|
10.32*
|
Change
of Control Agreement between the Company and J. Thomas Mason dated July 3,
2008, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Company’s
Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 3, 2008.
|
|
10.33*
|
M/I
Homes, Inc. 2004 Executive Officers Compensation Plan, hereby incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form
10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004.
|
|
10.34*
|
M/I
Homes, Inc. President’s Circle Bonus Pool Plan, hereby incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K
dated February 13, 2006.
|
|
10.35*
|
Form
of 2008 Award Formulas and Performance Goals Under the 2004 Executive
Officer Compensation Plan, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 19,
2008.
|
|
10.36*
|
Form
of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Award Agreement Under the 1993 Stock
Incentive Plan as Amended, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 16,
2007.
|
|
10.37*
|
Form
of Performance-Based Stock Option Award Agreement Under the 1993 Stock
Incentive Plan as Amended, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
10.3 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 16,
2007.
|
|
10.38
|
Agreement
for Purchase and Sale, dated as of December 21, 2007, by and between M/I
Homes of West Palm Beach, LLC, as seller, and KLP East LLC, as purchaser,
incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.43 to the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2007.
|
|
10.39
|
Amendment
to Agreement for Purchase and Sale, dated as of December 27, 2007, by and
between M/I Homes of West Palm Beach, LLC, as seller, and KLP East LLC, as
purchaser, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.44 to the Company’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2007.
|
|
21
|
Subsidiaries
of Company. (Filed herewith.)
|
|
23
|
Consent
of Deloitte & Touche LLP. (Filed
herewith.)
|
|
24
|
Powers
of Attorney. (Filed herewith.)
|
|
31.1
|
Certification
by Robert H. Schottenstein, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Item 601
of Regulation S-K as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002. (Filed herewith.)
|
|
31.2
|
Certification
by Phillip G. Creek, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Item 601 of
Regulation S-K as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002. (Filed herewith.)
|
|
32.1
|
Certification
by Robert H. Schottenstein, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002. (Filed herewith.)
|
|
32.2
|
Certification
by Phillip G. Creek, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002. (Filed herewith.)
|
|
*
Management contract or compensatory plan or
arrangement.
|
89
(b) Exhibits
|
||
Reference
is made to Item 15(a)(3) above. The following is a list of
exhibits, included in Item 15(a)(3) above, that are filed concurrently
with this report.
|
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
|
|
21
|
Subsidiaries
of Company.
|
|
23
|
Consent
of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
|
|
24
|
Powers
of Attorney.
|
|
31.1
|
Certification
by Robert H. Schottenstein, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Item 601
of Regulation S-K as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002.
|
|
31.2
|
Certification
by Phillip G. Creek, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Item 601 of
Regulation S-K as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002.
|
|
32.1
|
Certification
by Robert H. Schottenstein, Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002.
|
|
32.2
|
Certification
by Phillip G. Creek, Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002.
|
|
(c) Financial Statement
Schedules
|
||
None
required.
|
90
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Columbus, Ohio on this 25th day
of February 2009.
M/I
Homes, Inc.
|
|
(Registrant)
|
|
By:
|
/s/Robert
H. Schottenstein
|
Robert
H. Schottenstein
|
|
Chairman
of the Board,
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer and President
|
|
(Principal
Executive
Officer)
|
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been
signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the
capacities indicated on the 25th day of February 2009.
NAME AND TITLE
|
NAME AND TITLE
|
|
JOSEPH
A. ALUTTO*
|
/s/Robert
H. Schottenstein
|
|
Joseph
A. Alutto
|
Robert
H. Schottenstein
|
|
Director
|
Chairman
of the Board,
|
|
Chief
Executive Officer and President
|
||
FRIEDRICH
K. M. BÖHM*
|
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
|
Friedrich
K. M. Böhm
|
||
Director
|
/s/Phillip
G. Creek
|
|
Phillip
G. Creek
|
||
YVETTE
MCGEE BROWN*
|
Executive
Vice President,
|
|
Yvette
McGee Brown
|
Chief
Financial Officer and Director
|
|
Director
|
(Principal
Financial Officer)
|
|
THOMAS
D. IGOE*
|
/s/Ann
Marie W. Hunker
|
|
Thomas
D. Igoe
|
Ann
Marie W. Hunker
|
|
Director
|
Vice
President, Corporate Controller
|
|
(Principal
Accounting Officer)
|
||
J.
THOMAS MASON*
|
||
J.
Thomas Mason
|
||
Executive
Vice President, General
|
||
Counsel
and Director
|
||
JEFFREY
H. MIRO*
|
||
Jeffrey
H. Miro
|
||
Director
|
||
NORMAN
L. TRAEGER*
|
||
Norman
L. Traeger
|
||
Director
|
||
*The
above-named Directors and Officers of the registrant execute this report by
Robert H. Schottenstein and Phillip G. Creek, their Attorneys-in-Fact, pursuant
to powers of attorney executed by the above-named Directors and Officers and
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 24 to this
report.
By:
|
/s/Robert
H. Schottenstein
|
By:
|
/s/Phillip
G. Creek
|
|
Robert
H. Schottenstein, Attorney-In-Fact
|
Phillip
G. Creek, Attorney-In-Fact
|
91