RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- K. Hovnanian M.E. Investments, LLC (KHME), a subsidiary of Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: HOV) and the majority shareholder of Al Tahaluf Real Estate Company, CJSC, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tourism Development Fund (TDF) and Emaar, The Economic City (EEC) to enable high-quality tourism investment and lifestyle-focused residential opportunities in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). The parties signed the agreement dur ...

Company Operations - The company is currently offering homes for sale in 140 communities across 27 markets in 13 states, with an average sales price of $519,000 nationwide in fiscal 2025[12] - The company employed 1,891 full-time associates as of October 31, 2025, with 1,194 involved in homebuilding operations[25] - The company ended fiscal 2025 with 140 active selling communities, an increase from 130 in fiscal 2024, with an average of 129 active selling communities for the year[58] - The average number of homes contracted but not delivered in active selling communities totaled 8,199, with 12,673 remaining homes available[59] - The company’s residential development activities include site planning, obtaining regulatory approvals, and constructing necessary infrastructure and amenities[55] Financial Performance - Housing revenues for fiscal 2025 totaled $2.85 billion, with 5,496 homes delivered and an average sales price of $519,088[56] - For the year ended October 31, 2025, consolidated housing revenues totaled $2.85 billion from 5,496 homes delivered, with an average sales price of $519,088[56] - The company originated loans in fiscal 2025, with 20.2% of home buyers paying in cash and 80.0% obtaining mortgages, including 58.7% conforming conventional loans and 40.3% FHA/VA loans[53] - The company repurchased $26.6 million, $113.5 million, and $245.0 million in aggregate principal of senior secured notes in fiscal years 2025, 2024, and 2023, respectively[36] - The company completed a debt exchange in May 2024, resulting in a $75.3 million principal reduction of senior notes and term loans, with an aggregate cash payment of $31.5 million[36] Land and Inventory Management - Controlled land as of October 31, 2025, included 21,970 total home sites, with 20,456 under option valued at $1.39 billion[65] - The company has 20,456 home sites under option, valued at $1.387 billion, and 1,514 home sites owned, valued at $42.065 million[65] - The company has spent $99.0 million on option fees and deposits for properties under option as of October 31, 2025[65] - The company walked away from 14,902 lots, resulting in charges to income before income taxes of $18.2 million, compared to 3,800 lots and $1.6 million in fiscal 2024, and 3,838 lots and $1.5 million in fiscal 2023[44] - The company may mothball certain communities during declining market conditions, reclassifying inventory on its balance sheets[66] Market Strategy and Competition - The company aims to achieve economies of scale by becoming a significant builder in each of its selected markets[37] - The company is among the top 20 homebuilders in the U.S. in terms of homebuilding revenues and deliveries, competing with various builders and developers[69] - The company operates in highly competitive markets, ranking among the top 20 homebuilders in the U.S. based on revenues and home deliveries[69] - The company has a disciplined approach to land purchases, focusing on price points that will generate appropriate investment returns amid elevated sales concessions[34] - The company is subject to extensive regulations that can delay or restrict homebuilding operations, impacting future revenues and earnings[70] Operational Efficiency - The company has reduced construction and administrative costs by consolidating vendors and executing national purchasing contracts, improving efficiency in operations[67] - The company improved cycle times by approximately 30 days since the beginning of fiscal 2023, approaching pre-pandemic averages in many markets[48] - Labor and material shortages that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic have improved, with lumber prices easing as supply chain conditions have stabilized[67] - The company experienced a significant rise in lumber prices due to supply chain challenges, but conditions have improved, easing price pressures[67] - Labor and material shortages initially caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have improved, but future shortages remain unpredictable[67] Employee and Community Engagement - The company plans to reinstate the tuition reimbursement benefit effective January 1, 2026, which had been suspended since May 2009[32] - The company has extended its partnership with the Building Talent Foundation for another two years to advance education and training for underrepresented groups in the construction industry[28] - The company is committed to fostering a diverse workforce and has extended its partnership with the Building Talent Foundation to advance education and training for underrepresented groups[28] Marketing and Customer Engagement - The company’s marketing strategy includes a national call center to support customer leads and facilitate virtual tours and in-person model home tours[50] - The company has shifted focus to increasing the availability of quick-move-in homes (QMI homes) to provide customers with more certainty on mortgage payments[35] - The company has executed "Build-For-Rent" agreements to supplement its existing for-sale business, increasing inventory turnover in fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025[35]

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Core Insights - The home builder reported a net loss of $667,000 as it increased incentives to sustain a strong sales pace [1] Company Performance - The company is experiencing financial challenges, indicated by the net loss of $667,000 [1] - Increased incentives were implemented to maintain sales momentum, suggesting a competitive market environment [1]

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Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues for the fourth quarter reached $818 million, a 17% decline year-over-year, primarily due to a 13% reduction in deliveries and the absence of a significant land sale from the previous year [5][6] - Adjusted gross margin was 16.3%, showing a year-over-year decline driven by higher incentives to support affordability, with incentives accounting for 12.2% of the average sales price [5][7] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $89 million, exceeding guidance, while adjusted pre-tax income was $49 million, close to the midpoint of guidance [5][6] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The number of contracts in the fourth quarter fell by 8% compared to last year, reflecting overall market conditions [9] - Sales pace for each month in the fourth quarter was lower than the same months last year, with contracts per community declining 16% compared to the 1997-2002 period [10][12] - Quick-moving homes (QMIs) comprised 73% of total sales, down from 79% in prior quarters, indicating a focus on aligning starts with sales pace [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Traffic per community increased significantly in three of the four months of the fourth quarter compared to last year, indicating a positive trend in buyer interest [9] - Despite higher mortgage rates and a slower sales pace nationwide, net prices increased in 36% of communities during the fourth quarter, particularly in stronger markets [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on sales pace over price, prioritizing the clearance of older vintage lots to make way for new land acquisitions with better margins [8][21] - The strategy includes maintaining a robust inventory of QMIs to enable quick sales and optimize inventory levels [14][15] - The company plans to continue using mortgage rate buy-downs and similar incentives to support sales while managing costs through negotiations with suppliers [39][40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenging market conditions but expressed optimism about performance bottoming out in the upcoming quarter and gradually improving thereafter [45] - The company expects gross margins to bottom in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 and to improve in subsequent quarters if market conditions remain stable [25][36] Other Important Information - The company ended the fourth quarter with $404 million in liquidity, well above the targeted range, and completed a significant refinancing, marking a milestone in reducing debt risk [22][23] - The lot count decreased 14% year-over-year, reflecting disciplined land acquisition strategies [19][20] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are you doing anything to offset some of the pressure from gross margins? - The company has successfully controlled costs and reduced expenses in some areas, maintaining flat costs despite increases from tariffs [39] Question: When do you expect gross margin to take higher next year? - The improvement in gross margins is expected to be a mix of working through older properties and bringing on newer land deals identified in 2024 and 2025 [41]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues for Q4 2025 reached $818 million, a 17% decline year-over-year, primarily due to a 13% reduction in deliveries and the absence of a significant land sale from the previous year [6][18] - Adjusted gross margin was 16.3%, showing a year-over-year decline driven by higher incentives to support affordability, with incentives accounting for 12.2% of the average sales price [7][12] - Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $89 million, exceeding guidance, while adjusted pre-tax income was $49 million, close to the midpoint of guidance [5][6] - The company reported a total interest expense ratio increase compared to last year, mainly due to interest expensed immediately for large communities in planning [8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The number of contracts in Q4 fell by 8% compared to last year, reflecting overall market conditions, with traffic per community increasing significantly in three of the four months [9][10] - Sales pace for each month in Q4 was lower than the same months last year, with contracts per community in Q4 2025 being 16% below levels seen during the 1997-2002 period [10][11] - Quick-moving homes (QMIs) comprised 73% of total sales in Q4, down from 79% in prior quarters, indicating a focus on aligning starts with sales pace [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company ended Q4 with 156 communities open for sale, reflecting steady growth despite a challenging market [18] - The lot count decreased 14% year-over-year, with a disciplined land acquisition strategy leading to a reduction in controlled lots [19][20] - The company managed to increase net prices in 36% of communities during Q4, particularly in stronger markets like Delaware and New Jersey [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on sales pace over price, moving through lower margin lots to clear the balance sheet for new land acquisitions projected to carry higher margins [8][21] - A strategic decision was made to sell through lower margin lots to make room for new land acquisitions that meet internal return targets [21] - The company is actively working with land sellers to find mutually beneficial solutions in the current market [21] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about performance bottoming out in the upcoming quarter, with expectations for gradual improvement in margins [35] - The company anticipates that gross margin percentage will bottom in Q1 of fiscal 2026 and gradually improve in subsequent quarters [25][34] - Management highlighted the importance of maintaining a robust inventory of QMIs to meet buyer needs while optimizing operational efficiency [15][22] Other Important Information - The company ended Q4 with $404 million in liquidity, well above targeted ranges, and completed significant refinancing, marking a milestone with nearly all debt now being unsecured [22][23] - Equity has grown by $1.3 billion, and debt has been reduced by $754 million, improving the net debt to capital ratio to 44.2% [24] Q&A Session Summary Question: Are there any actions being taken to offset pressure on gross margins? - The company has been re-bidding with suppliers and trade partners, achieving some cost reductions, and managing costs flat despite increases from tariffs [38] Question: When is an expected increase in gross margin anticipated? - The expected increase in gross margin is driven by a mix of working through older properties and bringing on newer deals identified in 2024 and 2025 [40]

分组1 - Hovnanian reported quarterly earnings of $5.96 per share, significantly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.63 per share, but down from $12.79 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +846.03% [1] - The company posted revenues of $817.9 million for the quarter ended October 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.42%, but down from $979.64 million year-over-year [2] - Hovnanian has surpassed consensus EPS estimates only once in the last four quarters, indicating inconsistent performance [2] 分组2 - The stock has added about 0.1% since the beginning of the year, underperforming compared to the S&P 500's gain of 16.5% [3] - The company's earnings outlook is crucial for investors, as it includes current consensus earnings expectations and recent changes in these expectations [4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is -$0.98 on revenues of $628.5 million, and $0.17 on revenues of $3.17 billion for the current fiscal year [7] 分组3 - The Zacks Industry Rank for Building Products - Home Builders is currently in the bottom 15% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a challenging environment for the sector [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5] - Hovnanian currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), indicating expected performance in line with the market in the near future [6]

Financial Performance - Total revenues for Q4 2025 were $818 million, compared to guidance of $750-$850 million[11] - Adjusted homebuilding gross margin for Q4 2025 was 163%, within the guidance of 150%-165%[11] - Income from unconsolidated joint ventures was $13 million in Q4 2025, exceeding the guidance of $8-$12 million[11] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 2025 was $89 million, compared to guidance of $77-$87 million[11] - Adjusted income before income taxes for Q4 2025 was $49 million, compared to $126 million in Q4 2024[15] - Adjusted homebuilding gross margin decreased from 217% in Q4 2024 to 163% in Q4 2025[15] Contracts and Traffic - Contracts, including domestic unconsolidated joint ventures, decreased from 1,571 in Q4 2024 to 1,450 in Q4 2025[19] - The company's total liquidity was $2728 million in cash and cash equivalents, $63 million in restricted cash, and $1250 million available under a senior secured revolving credit facility as of October 31, 2025[8] - Total lots controlled were 38,742 as of October 31, 2025[49] - Option deposits as of October 31, 2025, were $3332 million[84]

Core Insights - The home builder reported a significant decline in home-building gross margin percentage, which fell to 10.7% from 18% a year earlier [1] Summary by Category Financial Performance - Home-building gross margin percentage decreased to 10.7% compared to 18% in the previous year [1]