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D.R. Horton to Report Q3 Earnings: Buy, Sell or Hold the Stock?
ZACKSยท 2025-07-18 15:55
Core Viewpoint - D.R. Horton Inc. is expected to report disappointing results for Q3 fiscal 2025, with significant declines in earnings and revenues due to ongoing affordability pressures and consumer uncertainty [3][6][9]. Financial Performance - In the last reported quarter (Q2 fiscal 2025), D.R. Horton reported earnings of $2.58 per share, down from $3.52 a year ago, and net income of $810 million on revenues of $7.7 billion [3][6]. - Home sales revenues decreased by 15% to $7.18 billion, with the average selling price of homes down 1% year-over-year to $372,500 [3][9]. - The consensus estimate for Q3 earnings per share is $2.93, indicating a 28.5% decline from the previous year's EPS of $4.10, while revenues are expected to be between $8.4 billion and $8.9 billion, down from $9.97 billion a year ago [6][9][11]. Market Conditions - The U.S. homebuilding market is experiencing soft demand, elevated inventories, and margin pressures, which are expected to negatively impact D.R. Horton's Q3 results [10][12]. - The company anticipates home closings to be between 22,000 and 22,500 units, down from 24,155 units a year ago, due to affordability issues [9][12]. Segment Performance - Homebuilding revenues are projected to decline by 6.7% year-over-year to $6.56 billion, with home closures expected to decrease by 7.6% [13]. - The Rental Property segment is expected to see revenues of $343.6 million, reflecting a 16.9% drop from the previous year [14]. - The Financial Services segment is projected to generate $221 million in revenues, an 8.8% decline from the year-ago level [14]. Margin Analysis - The home sales gross margin is expected to be between 21% and 21.5%, down from 24% reported in the previous year, reflecting a contraction of 280 basis points [15]. - Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues are expected to rise to 7.9% compared to 7.1% a year ago [16]. Orders and Backlog - Net sales orders are predicted to decline by 3.9% year-over-year to 23,887 units, with the backlog expected to decrease by 6.3% to 15,737 units [16]. Stock Performance and Valuation - D.R. Horton stock has gained 9% over the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Building Products - Home Builders industry but lagging behind the broader Construction sector and the S&P 500 [20]. - The stock is trading at a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 11.01, higher than the industry average of 10.25 and above its five-year median of 9.44 [22]. Long-term Outlook - Despite near-term challenges, D.R. Horton maintains a strong market position and resilient operating model, with expectations for a rebound once macro pressures ease [26][27].