CalAtlantic Group, Inc. Reports 2017 First Quarter Results

ARLINGTON, Va., April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CalAtlantic Group, Inc. (NYSE: CAA) today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017.

Larry Nicholson, President and Chief Executive Officer of CalAtlantic Group, Inc. commented, "I'm pleased with our strong start to the new year.  Our first quarter results were solid, with net new orders up 4%, new home deliveries up 10%, and net income up 14%, to $0.62 per diluted share, as compared to the first quarter of 2016.  We saw order growth accelerate through the quarter and we remain well positioned for a strong finish to the spring selling season."

2017 CalAtlantic First Quarter Highlights and Comparisons to 2016 First Quarter

• Net new orders of 4,304, up 4%; Dollar value of net new orders up 7%
• 562 average active selling communities, down 2%
• 3,012 new home deliveries, up 10%
• Average selling price of $444 thousand, up 3%
• Home sale revenues of $1.3 billion, up 13%
• Gross margin from home sales of 20.5%, compared to 21.0%
• SG&A rate from home sales of 11.7%, compared to 11.6%
• Operating margin from home sales of $118.6 million, or 8.9%, compared to $110.3 million, or 9.4%
• Net income of $82.6 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, vs. net income of $72.7 million, or $0.52 per diluted share
• $294.2 million of land purchases and development costs, compared to $371.6 million

Orders.  Net new orders for the 2017 first quarter were up 4% from the 2016 first quarter, to 4,304 homes, with the dollar value of these orders up 7%.  The Company's monthly sales absorption rate was 2.6 per community for the 2017 first quarter, up 6% compared to the 2016 first quarter and up 56% from the 2016 fourth quarter, consistent with normal seasonal patterns.  The Company's cancellation rate for the 2017 first quarter was 13%, up compared to 12% for the 2016 first quarter and down from 20% for the 2016 fourth quarter.

Backlog.  The dollar value of homes in backlog increased 1% to $3.3 billion, or 7,109 homes, compared to $3.2 billion, or 7,019 homes, for the 2016 first quarter, and increased 22% compared to $2.7 billion, or 5,817 homes, for the 2016 fourth quarter.  The increase in year-over-year backlog value was driven primarily by the 6% increase in the Company's monthly sales absorption rate.  As of March 31, 2017, the average gross margin of the 7,109 total homes in backlog was 20.4%.    

Revenue.  Revenues from home sales for the 2017 first quarter increased 13%, to $1.3 billion, as compared to the 2016 first quarter, resulting from a 10% increase in new home deliveries and a 3% increase in the Company's average home price to $444 thousand.  The increase in average home price was primarily attributable to product mix and general price increases within select markets.   

Gross Margin.  The Company achieved gross margin from homes sales of 20.5% for the 2017 first quarter. Our 2017 gross margin was negatively impacted by a shift in community mix, a competitive pricing environment, and an increase in direct construction costs per home. 

SG&A Expenses.  Selling, general and administrative expenses for the 2016 first quarter were $156.3 million, or 11.7%, as compared to $136.7 million, or 11.6%, for the 2016 first quarter.  This 10 basis point increase was primarily the result of an increase in co-broker commissions.   

Land.  During the 2017 first quarter, the Company spent $294.2 million on land purchases and development costs, compared to $371.6 million for the 2016 first quarter. The Company purchased $165.3 million of land, consisting of 3,075 homesites, of which 34% (based on homesites) is located in the North region, 36% in the Southeast region, 25% in the Southwest region, and 5% in the West region.  As of March 31, 2017, the Company owned or controlled 64,903 homesites, of which 46,392 were owned and actively selling or under development, 13,905 were controlled or under option, and the remaining 4,606 homesites were held for future development or for sale. 

Liquidity.  The Company ended the quarter with $787.4 million of available liquidity, including $143.9 million of unrestricted homebuilding cash and $643.5 million available to borrow under its $750 million revolving credit facility. The Company's homebuilding debt to book capitalization as of March 31, 2017 and 2016 was 44.4% and 48.2%, respectively, and adjusted net homebuilding debt to adjusted book capitalization was 43.1%* and 46.8%*, respectively.  In addition, the Company's homebuilding debt to adjusted homebuilding EBITDA for the LTM period ending March 31, 2017 and 2016 was 3.4x* and 5.0x*, respectively.

Earnings Conference Call

A conference call to discuss the Company's 2017 first quarter results will be held at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time April 28, 2017.  The call will be broadcast live over the internet and can be accessed through the Company's website at http://investors.calatlantichomes.com.  The call will also be accessible via telephone by dialing (888) 428-9506 (domestic) or (719) 325-2106 (international); Passcode: 6965780.  The audio transmission with the slide presentation will be available on our website for replay within 2 to 3 hours following the live broadcast, and can be accessed by dialing (888) 203-1112 (domestic) or (719) 457-0820 (international); Passcode: 6965780.  

About CalAtlantic Group, Inc.

CalAtlantic Group, Inc. (NYSE: CAA), one of the nation's largest and most respected homebuilders, offers well-crafted homes in thoughtfully designed communities that meet the desires of customers across the homebuilding spectrum, from entry level to luxury, in 41 Metropolitan Statistical Areas spanning 17 states.  With a trusted reputation for quality craftsmanship, an outstanding customer experience and exceptional architectural design earned over its 50 year history, CalAtlantic Group, Inc. utilizes its over five decades of land acquisition, development and homebuilding expertise to acquire and build desirable communities in locations that meet the high expectations of the company's homebuyers.  We invite you to learn more about us by visiting www.calatlantichomes.com.

This news release and the referenced earnings conference call contain forward-looking statements.  These statements include but are not limited to new home orders; deliveries; backlog; absorption rates; cancellation rates; average home price; revenue; profitability; cash flow; liquidity; gross margin; operating margin; product mix; land supply; our liquidity; our ability to execute our business; our positioning, the strength of the spring selling, and our ability to capitalize on it; and the amount and timing of share repurchases.  Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations or beliefs regarding future events or circumstances, and you should not place undue reliance on these statements.  Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors many of which are out of the Company's control and difficult to forecast that may cause actual results to differ materially from those that may be described or implied.  Such factors include but are not limited to:  local and general economic and market conditions, including consumer confidence, employment rates, interest rates, the cost and availability of mortgage financing, and stock market, home and land valuations; the impact on economic conditions, terrorist attacks or the outbreak or escalation of armed conflict involving the United States; the cost and availability of suitable undeveloped land, building materials and labor; the cost and availability of construction financing and corporate debt and equity capital; our significant amount of debt and the impact of restrictive covenants in our debt agreements; our ability to repay our debt as it comes due; changes in our credit rating or outlook; the demand for and affordability of single-family homes; the supply of housing for sale; cancellations of purchase contracts by homebuyers; the cyclical and competitive nature of the Company's business; governmental regulation, including the impact of "slow growth" or similar initiatives; delays in the land entitlement process, development, construction, or the opening of new home communities; adverse weather conditions and natural disasters; environmental matters; risks relating to the Company's financial services operations; future business decisions and the Company's ability to successfully implement the Company's operational and other strategies; litigation and warranty claims; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.  The Company assumes no, and hereby disclaims any, obligation to update any of the foregoing or any other forward-looking statements.  The Company nonetheless reserves the right to make such updates from time to time by press release, periodic report or other method of public disclosure without the need for specific reference to this press release.  No such update shall be deemed to indicate that other statements not addressed by such update remain correct or create an obligation to provide any other updates.

Contact: Jeff McCall, EVP & CFO (240) 532-3888, [email protected]

*Please see "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" at the end of this release.

(Note: Tables Follow)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Each of the below measures are non-GAAP financial measures and other companies may calculate such non-GAAP measures differently.  Due to the significance of the GAAP components excluded, such measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to operating performance measures prescribed by GAAP.

The table set forth below reconciles the Company's gross margin percentage from home sales to adjusted gross margin percentage from home sales, excluding extraordinary purchase accounting adjustments related to the merger and interest amortized to cost of home sales.  The table set forth below also calculates adjusted operating margin percentage from home sales, excluding extraordinary purchase accounting adjustments related to the merger.  We believe these measures are useful to management and investors as they provide perspective on the underlying operating performance of the business excluding these charges and provide comparability with the Company's peer group.

The table set forth below reconciles the Company's pretax income to adjusted pretax income, excluding extraordinary purchase accounting adjustments and merger and other one-time transaction related costs.  We believe these measures are useful to management and investors as they provide perspective on the underlying operating performance of the business excluding these charges and provide comparability with the Company's peer group. 

The table set forth below reconciles the Company's total consolidated debt to adjusted net homebuilding debt and provides the Company's total consolidated debt to book capitalization and adjusted net homebuilding debt to total adjusted book capitalization ratios.  In addition, the table set forth below calculates homebuilding debt to adjusted homebuilding EBITDA.  We believe these ratios are useful to management and investors as a measure of the Company's ability to obtain financing.  For purposes of the ratio of adjusted net homebuilding debt to total adjusted book capitalization, total adjusted book capitalization is adjusted net homebuilding debt plus stockholders' equity.  Adjusted net homebuilding debt excludes indebtedness of the Company's financial services subsidiary and additionally reflects the offset of cash and equivalents. 

The table set forth below calculates EBITDA and Adjusted Homebuilding EBITDA.  Adjusted Homebuilding EBITDA means net income (plus cash distributions of income from unconsolidated joint ventures) before (a) income taxes, (b) homebuilding interest expense, (c) expensing of previously capitalized interest included in cost of sales, (d) impairment charges, (e) (gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt, (f) homebuilding depreciation and amortization, including amortization of capitalized model costs, (g) amortization of stock-based compensation, (h) income (loss) from unconsolidated joint ventures, (i) income (loss) from financial services subsidiaries, (j) extraordinary purchase accounting adjustments and (k) merger and other one-time transaction related costs.  Other companies may calculate Adjusted Homebuilding EBITDA (or similarly titled measures) differently.  We believe Adjusted Homebuilding EBITDA information is useful to management and investors as it provides perspective on the underlying performance of the business.  Adjusted Homebuilding EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure and due to the significance of the GAAP components excluded, should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income, cash flow from operations or any other operating or liquidity performance measure prescribed by GAAP.

 

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SOURCE CalAtlantic Group, Inc.