D.R. Horton Q1 Earnings Call Highlights

Core Insights - D.R. Horton reported a revenue of $6.5 billion from home sales in the quarter, a decrease from $7.1 billion a year earlier, with 17,818 homes closed compared to 19,059 homes previously [1] - The company emphasized that demand is constrained by affordability, and it is adjusting its strategy by balancing pace, price, and incentives to drive sales while maintaining returns [2] - The average closing price of homes was $365,500, remaining flat sequentially but down 3% year over year [1] Financial Performance - D.R. Horton generated a consolidated pre-tax income of $798 million on $6.9 billion in revenue, resulting in a pre-tax profit margin of 11.6%. Net income was $595 million, with earnings per diluted share at $2.03, down from $2.61 in the prior-year quarter [3][4] - The company reported a gross margin of 20.4% for home sales, an increase of 40 basis points sequentially, attributed to a recovery of prior-period warranty costs [8] - Home sales revenue per square foot remained flat, while "stick-and-brick" costs decreased by 1% and lot costs increased by 2% [9] Sales and Orders - Net sales orders increased by 3% year over year to 18,300 homes, with an order value unchanged at $6.7 billion. The cancellation rate was 18%, consistent with the prior year [7] - The average price of net sales orders was $364,000, flat sequentially and down 2% year over year [7] Inventory and Land Strategy - D.R. Horton ended the quarter with 30,400 homes in inventory, including 20,000 unsold homes. The company started 18,500 homes in the December quarter, a 27% increase sequentially [14] - The lot position consisted of approximately 590,500 lots, with 25% owned and 75% controlled through purchase contracts. The company prefers to build on lots developed by others to enhance capital efficiency [15] Capital Returns and Financial Health - The company returned significant capital to shareholders, repurchasing 4.4 million shares for $670 million in the quarter and $4.4 billion over the past 12 months [5][19] - At quarter end, stockholders' equity was $24 billion, with a book value per share of $82.60, up 5% year over year. The company reported $6.6 billion in consolidated liquidity [20] Guidance - For the second quarter, D.R. Horton expects consolidated revenue of $7.3 billion to $7.8 billion and homebuilding closings of 19,700 to 20,200 homes. The company guided a home sales gross margin of 19% to 19.5% [22] - For fiscal 2026, the company reiterated expectations for consolidated revenue of approximately $33.5 billion to $35.0 billion and homebuilding closings of 86,000 to 88,000 homes [22]