SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE: MTH), the fifth largest public homebuilder in the U.S., plans to release the Company's fourth quarter 2025 results on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 after the market closes. Management will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) on Thursday, January 29, 2026. To participate in the conference call, please go to Meritage’s Investor Relations page to ...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Staying true to its brand promise of delivering a Life.Built.Better®, Meritage Homes – the fifth-largest public homebuilder in the U.S. – strengthened its commitment to building stronger communities across the country in 2025. Beyond funding $2 million for K-12 education initiatives, the Company donated over an additional $2 million through its philanthropic foundation, Meritage Cares, along with in-kind contributions to organizations across its markets. ...

National homebuilder commemorates its four-decade history with the milestone of delivering 200,000 homes since 1985SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meritage Homes, the fifth largest public homebuilder in the U.S., is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025. Founded in 1985 by Steven J. Hilton and William W. Cleverly, Meritage started as a semi-custom luxury builder and pivoted to focus on affordable entry-level homes in 2016. Today, Meritage is a top five public homebuilder in the U.S. ...

Core Viewpoint - Meritage Homes reported weaker-than-expected Q3 2025 results, with earnings and revenues declining year-over-year, attributed to ongoing housing market challenges and increased costs [2][3][4]. Earnings & Revenue Discussion - Earnings per share (EPS) of $1.39 fell 18.7% short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.71 and declined 48% year-over-year from $2.67 [4]. - Total revenues amounted to $1.424 billion, down from $1.597 billion reported in the year-ago period [4]. - Total closing revenues were $1.42 billion, an 11% decline from the prior-year quarter and missing the consensus mark of $1.52 billion by 6.6% [5]. Segment Details - Home closing revenues of $1.40 billion declined 12% from the prior-year quarter due to lower average selling prices (ASPs) and reduced closing volumes [6]. - The company closed 3,685 units, down 7% from the year-ago quarter, with an ASP of $380,000, a 5% decline year-over-year [7]. - The quarter-end backlog totaled 1,699 units, down 26% year-over-year, with a backlog value decrease of 28% to $670 million [8]. Cost and Margin Analysis - Home closing gross margin contracted 570 basis points to 19.1%, primarily due to increased buyer incentives and higher lot costs [8]. - SG&A expenses as a percentage of home closing revenues rose to 10.8% from 9.9% in the prior-year quarter, driven by reduced leverage on lower revenues [9]. Financial Position and Shareholder Returns - The company ended the quarter with $729 million in cash and equivalents, up from $652 million at year-end 2024, with a debt-to-capital ratio of 25.7% [11]. - During the quarter, Meritage returned $85 million to shareholders, including $55 million in share repurchases and $30 million in dividends [12]. Q4 2025 Guidance - The company expects home closings between 3,800 and 4,000 homes, with projected home closing revenues between $1.46 billion and $1.54 billion [13]. - EPS is expected to be between $1.51 and $1.70, down from $2.36 reported a year ago [13]. Estimate Revisions and Market Outlook - There has been a downward trend in estimates, with the consensus estimate shifting -12.57% [14]. - Meritage has a Zacks Rank 4 (Sell), indicating expectations of below-average returns in the coming months [16]. Industry Comparison - Meritage belongs to the Zacks Building Products - Home Builders industry, where PulteGroup reported revenues of $4.4 billion, a year-over-year change of -1.6% [17].

Core Points - Meritage Homes Corporation has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.43 per share, payable on December 31, 2025, to shareholders of record as of December 17, 2025 [1] - The company has repurchased $128 million of shares in the fourth quarter and $273 million year-to-date, with $536 million remaining under the current authorization program [2] - Meritage plans to increase its share repurchase commitment to $100 million per quarter in 2026, anticipating reduced land acquisition and development spending [3] Company Overview - Meritage Homes is the fifth-largest public homebuilder in the U.S., based on homes closed in 2024, and operates in multiple states including Arizona, California, and Texas [6] - The company has delivered over 200,000 homes in its 40-year history and is recognized for its energy-efficient homebuilding practices [7] - Meritage has received multiple awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its commitment to energy efficiency and quality construction [8]

Financial Performance - Home closing volume decreased by 6.5% to 3,685 homes in Q3 2025, down from 3,942 homes in Q3 2024, contributing to a revenue decline of 11.8% to $1.4 billion[127] - Average sales price (ASP) for closings fell by 5.6% to $379.7 thousand in Q3 2025, compared to $402.3 thousand in Q3 2024, impacting gross margin which declined by 570 basis points to 19.1%[127] - Home closing gross profit decreased to $267.0 million in Q3 2025 from $392.6 million in Q3 2024, reflecting increased costs and lower sales prices[127] - Total home closing revenue for Q3 2025 was $1.4 billion, an 11.8% decrease from $1.6 billion in Q3 2024[142] - For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, net income was $369.0 million, down from $613.5 million in the same period of 2024, reflecting lower revenue and profitability[129] Home Orders and Backlog - Home orders increased by 3.5% to 3,636 in Q3 2025, driven by a 14.3% rise in average active communities, although the order pace decreased to 3.8 net homes per month[130] - The cancellation rate rose to 11% in Q3 2025 from 10% in Q3 2024, with a backlog of 1,699 homes valued at $670.0 million, down 25.6% year-over-year[130] - Home order volume for Q3 2025 increased by 3.5% to 3,636 homes compared to 3,512 homes in Q3 2024[142] - The order backlog at September 30, 2025 was valued at $670.0 million, down 28.1% from $931.7 million at September 30, 2024[139] - Homes in backlog decreased by 25.6% to 1,699 units at September 30, 2025, compared to 2,284 units at the same date in 2024[139] Regional Performance - The West Region saw a 29.2% decrease in home closing revenue to $420.7 million in Q3 2025, down from $594.5 million in Q3 2024[144] - The Central Region's home order volume increased by 8.9% to 1,289 homes in Q3 2025, while home closing revenue decreased by 8.6% to $443.1 million[146] - The East Region's home order volume increased by 17.4% to 1,480 homes in Q3 2025, despite a decrease in ASP by 6.9%[142] - In the East Region, home closings increased by 12.1% to 1,542 homes, generating $535.6 million in revenue, compared to $506.5 million in the prior year[149] - The East Region's cancellation rate increased to 12% from 10% in the prior year, but remains below the historical company average[149] Cost and Expenses - Commissions and other sales costs increased by $1.8 million to $99.7 million, representing 7.1% of home closing revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2025, up 90 basis points from the prior year[164] - General and administrative expenses decreased by $7.4 million to $51.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, maintaining a percentage of home closing revenue at 3.7%[165] - Other income, net, was $8.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2025, down from $10.7 million in the prior year, primarily due to lower interest income on cash balances[167] Tax and Financial Ratios - The effective income tax rate increased to 22.6% in Q3 2025 from 21.6% in Q3 2024, due to fewer homes qualifying for energy tax credits[127] - The debt-to-capital ratio stood at 25.7% at the end of Q3 2025, indicating a strong balance sheet after issuing $500.0 million in senior notes[133] - The net debt-to-capital ratio was 17.2% as of September 30, 2025, compared to 11.7% at the end of 2024[185] - The leverage ratio stood at 15.6% as of September 30, 2025, well below the maximum covenant limit of 60%[189] Cash Flow and Financing - Net cash used in operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, was $125.4 million, compared to $128.0 million in the prior year[181] - Net cash provided by financing activities totaled $243.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, primarily from the issuance of $492.1 million in Senior Notes[183] - As of September 30, 2025, the company had $728.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and $825.9 million available under the Credit Facility, totaling approximately $1.6 billion in available capacity[172] Strategic Goals and Market Position - The company aims to maintain a top 5 market position and is focused on increasing homeowner satisfaction through energy-efficient homes and improved buying experiences[133] - The company plans to fund its material cash requirements primarily through cash flows generated by operations, with potential additional debt or equity financing[177] - The Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.43 per share for Q3 2025, compared to $0.375 per share in Q3 2024, totaling $1.29 per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, versus $1.125 per share in the same period of 2024[186]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, home closing revenue was $1.4 billion, a 12% decrease year-over-year due to a 7% lower home closing volume and a 5% decrease in average selling price (ASP) to $380,000 per home [18][24] - The gross margin for home closings was 19.1%, down 570 basis points from 24.8% in Q3 2024, reflecting increased use of incentives and inventory-related impairments [19][24] - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q3 2025 was $1.55, compared to $2.67 in Q3 2024, marking a 48% year-over-year decrease [24][25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Orders increased by 4% year-over-year to 3,636 units, driven by a 14% increase in average community count, despite a 7% decrease in average absorption pace [4][13] - The cancellation rate was 11%, lower than the historical average, attributed to the 60-day closing-ready commitment [13] - The company achieved a backlog conversion rate of 211%, with more than 60% of orders closing in the same quarter [6][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local demand varied across regions, with strong absorption in Dallas, Houston, Southern California, and Carolinas, while challenges persisted in Austin, San Antonio, and parts of Florida and Northern California [15] - The average selling price on orders was $389,000, down 4% from the prior year due to increased use of incentives [14] - The company moderated starts to approximately 3,000 homes, a 19% decrease year-over-year, to align with softer demand [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on affordable move-in-ready homes and a 60-day closing-ready guarantee to provide certainty to home buyers [5][9] - A 100% spec strategy allows flexibility to adjust starts based on real-time local demand, with a goal of maintaining a four to six months' supply of specs [10][12] - The company reduced land acquisitions by 70% year-over-year, indicating a strategic shift to optimize asset management [11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that consumer confidence remains low, impacting demand despite recent Fed rate cuts and lower mortgage rates [8][9] - The long-term outlook for the housing market is optimistic due to favorable demographic trends and an undersupply of affordable homes [9] - Management anticipates that the incentive burden will taper off as market conditions stabilize, allowing for improved margins in the future [9][22] Other Important Information - The company returned $85 million to shareholders in Q3 2025, an increase from $57 million in Q3 2024, and repurchased over 772,000 shares for $55 million [27][28] - The balance sheet remains healthy with cash of $729 million and a net debt-to-capital ratio of 17.2% [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of strategy pivot on overall return profile - Management acknowledged that while ROE compression is influenced by market conditions, there are opportunities to optimize inventory turnover and cash generation moving forward [34][36] Question: Community count growth outlook in 2026 - Management indicated that new communities would not significantly impact margins but would help leverage fixed costs better [38][41] Question: Expectations for orders in Q4 - Management does not expect Q4 absorptions to exceed Q3 levels but anticipates an increase in starts aligned with community count growth [47][46] Question: Buyer psychology and market share - Management believes the ability to close within 60 days enhances their competitive position, potentially gaining market share from peers [78]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, home closing revenue was $1.4 billion, a 12% decrease year-over-year due to a 7% lower home closing volume and a 5% decrease in average selling price (ASP) to $380,000 per home [18][24] - The gross margin for home closings was 19.1%, down 570 basis points from 24.8% in Q3 2024, reflecting increased use of incentives and inventory-related impairments [19][24] - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q3 2025 was $1.55, while diluted EPS decreased 48% year-over-year to $1.39 from $2.67 in 2024 [24][25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Orders increased by 4% year-over-year to 3,636 units, driven by a 14% increase in average community count, despite a 7% decrease in average absorption pace [4][13] - The cancellation rate remained at 11%, lower than the historical average, due to the 60-day closing-ready commitment [13] - The company achieved a backlog conversion rate of 211% in Q3, with 3,685 home deliveries [6][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local demand varied across regions, with strong absorption in Dallas, Houston, Southern California, and Carolinas, while challenges persisted in Austin, San Antonio, and parts of Florida and Northern California [15] - The average selling price on orders was $389,000, down 4% from the prior year due to increased use of incentives and discounts [14] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on affordable move-in-ready homes and a 60-day closing-ready guarantee to provide certainty to home buyers [5][8] - A 100% spec strategy allows flexibility to adjust starts based on local demand, with a 19% year-over-year reduction in starts to align with market conditions [10][16] - The company aims to optimize its community count and land spend while maintaining a strong balance sheet, returning $85 million to shareholders in Q3 [12][26] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that consumer confidence has declined, impacting demand, but remains optimistic about long-term housing market trends due to favorable demographics and undersupply of affordable homes [8][9] - The company anticipates a steady community count from Q3 to Q4, with expectations for double-digit growth in community count for 2026 [14][30] - Management highlighted the importance of buyer psychology and the potential for rapid changes in the sales environment with improved consumer confidence [70][71] Other Important Information - The company reduced land acquisition by 70% year-over-year, acquiring about 5,800 fewer lots, while still achieving community count growth [11][29] - The balance sheet remains healthy with $729 million in cash and a net debt-to-capital ratio of 17.2% [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of strategy pivot on overall return profile - Management acknowledged the need to optimize inventory turnover and spec strategy, indicating potential for improved cash generation and returns as the strategy matures [34][35] Question: Community count growth outlook in 2026 - Management indicated that new communities would not significantly impact margins but would help leverage fixed costs better [38][39] Question: Expectations for orders in Q4 - Management does not expect Q4 absorptions to exceed Q3 levels, focusing instead on optimizing profitability rather than chasing volume [47][49] Question: Buyer psychology and market share - Management believes the ability to close within 60 days enhances their competitive position, potentially gaining market share from peers [78]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q3 2025, home closing revenue was $1.4 billion, a 12% decrease year-over-year due to a 7% lower home closing volume and a 5% decrease in average selling price (ASP) to $380,000 per home [19][25] - The gross margin for home closings was 19.1%, down 570 basis points from 24.8% in Q3 2024, reflecting increased use of incentives and inventory-related impairments [19][20] - Adjusted diluted EPS for Q3 2025 was $1.55, while diluted EPS decreased 48% year-over-year to $1.39 from $2.67 in 2024 [25][26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Orders increased by 4% year-over-year to 3,636 units, driven by a 14% increase in average community count, although average absorption pace decreased by 7% [4][13] - The cancellation rate remained at 11%, lower than the historical average, due to the 60-day closing-ready commitment [13] - The company achieved a backlog conversion rate of 211% in Q3, with over 60% of orders closing within the quarter [5][17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local demand varied across regions, with strong absorption in Dallas, Houston, Southern California, and the Carolinas, while challenges persisted in Austin, San Antonio, and parts of Florida and Northern California [16] - The average selling price on orders was $389,000, down 4% from the prior year due to increased use of incentives and discounts [14] - The company moderated starts to approximately 3,000 homes, a 19% decrease year-over-year, to align with the softer demand environment [17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on affordable move-in-ready homes and a 60-day closing-ready guarantee to provide certainty to home buyers [4][8] - A 100% spec strategy allows flexibility to adjust starts based on real-time local demand, with a goal to maintain a four to six months' supply of specs [10][12] - The company reduced land acquisition by 70% year-over-year, acquiring about 5,800 fewer lots, while still achieving community count growth [11][27] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that consumer confidence remains low, impacting demand despite favorable macroeconomic conditions like the Fed's rate cut [8][9] - The long-term outlook for the housing market is optimistic due to favorable demographic trends and an undersupply of affordable homes [9][10] - Management anticipates that the incentive burden will taper off as market conditions stabilize, allowing for improved margins in the future [9][23] Other Important Information - The company returned $85 million to shareholders in Q3 2025, an increase from $57 million in the same quarter of 2024 [28] - The balance sheet remains healthy with cash of $729 million and a net debt-to-capital ratio of 17.2% [27] - The company plans to maintain a steady community count from Q3 to Q4, projecting mid-double-digit year-over-year growth [14][31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Impact of strategy pivot on overall return profile - Management acknowledged that while ROE compression is influenced by market conditions, there are opportunities to optimize inventory turnover and improve cash generation [34][36] Question: Community count growth outlook in 2026 - New communities are expected to come on at margins similar to current levels, with no significant headwind or tailwind anticipated from community growth [39][40] Question: Expectations for orders in Q4 - Management does not expect Q4 absorptions per store to exceed Q3 levels, focusing instead on optimizing profitability rather than chasing volume [47][49] Question: Clarification on incentives and margin outlook - Management clarified that while margins are expected to decline slightly in Q4, they are focused on clearing older spec inventory to improve overall margin profiles [56][59] Question: Share repurchase strategy moving forward - Management indicated that the current share repurchase cadence is likely the floor, with potential for increased repurchases based on market conditions [62][63] Question: Consumer confidence and sales environment - Management believes that improvements in consumer confidence could lead to a quick change in the sales environment, allowing the company to capitalize on its move-in-ready inventory [66][68]

THIRD QUARTER 2025 ANALYST CONFERENCE CALL OCTOBER 29, 2025 Safe Harbor The information included in this presentation contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include expectations about the housing market in general and our future results including our fourth quarter 2025 projected home closing volume, home closing revenue, home closing gross margin, effective tax rate and diluted EPS. All historical 2024 share and per sh ...