Beazer Homes (BZH) Q3 Revenue Falls 8%

Core Insights - Beazer Homes reported a net loss for fiscal Q3 2025, with diluted earnings per share at $(0.01), missing analyst estimates of $0.42 and down from $0.88 in the same quarter last year [1][2] - Homebuilding revenue was $535.4 million, falling short of the consensus estimate of $559.0 million, representing a 9.2% decline year-over-year [1][2] - The company faced challenges including lower home sales, weaker orders, particularly in Texas, and ongoing affordability issues, leading to a $10.3 million inventory impairment charge [1][5] Financial Performance - Diluted EPS (GAAP) decreased by 101.1% from $0.88 in Q3 2024 to $(0.01) in Q3 2025 [2] - Revenue fell by 8.4% from $595.7 million in Q3 2024 to $545.4 million in Q3 2025 [2] - Homebuilding gross margin decreased to 13.5% from 17.3% in the previous year [2][6] - Adjusted EBITDA dropped 40.0% year-over-year to $32.1 million [2][5] Market Trends - Net new orders decreased by 19.5% to 861 units, with a cancellation rate rising to 19.8% [2][7] - Backlog of sold-but-not-yet-closed homes declined by 30.6% [7] - The company increased its active community count by 14.4% to 167, but the sales pace per community declined [7] Cost Structure - Selling, general, and administrative expenses rose by 130 basis points to 13.2% of revenue [8] - The company reported higher inventory charges of $10.3 million, indicating unprofitable land and housing investments [8] Strategic Focus - Beazer Homes emphasizes energy efficiency, with nearly 99% of new home starts built to Zero Energy Ready standards [9] - The company aims to expand its community count while maintaining energy efficiency standards and improving financial strength by lowering its net debt to net capitalization ratio [4][11] - Management has set a long-term goal to expand active communities to over 200 by the end of fiscal 2027 and to grow book value per share at a double-digit compound annual rate [11] Future Outlook - Management's previous forecasts for fiscal 2025 included community count growth of up to 15% and adjusted gross margins around 18.5%, but current trends challenge these targets [10] - Land spending guidance has been cut to $750 million to $800 million, reflecting a cautious approach to future development [10] - A new $100 million share repurchase program has been authorized, signaling confidence despite ongoing order softness [11]