Strategic Review Process

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United Homes Stock Slips Post Q2 Earnings Despite Higher Margins
ZACKSยท 2025-08-12 17:36
Core Viewpoint - United Homes Group, Inc. (UHG) reported a decline in revenues and net income for the second quarter of 2025, while experiencing a significant increase in share price over the past month, indicating mixed performance amidst challenging market conditions. Financial Performance Summary - UHG's revenues for Q2 2025 were $105.5 million, a decrease of 3.6% from $109.4 million in Q2 2024, with home closings down 10.1% to 303 units from 337 units [2] - The average sales price increased by 2.3% to $349,000 from $341,000, partially offsetting the decline in volume [2] - Gross margin improved by 100 basis points year over year to 18.9% from 17.9%, driven by cost efficiencies and higher-margin redesigned floor plans [2] - Adjusted gross margin rose to 21.3% from 20.9% in the same period [2] Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA - UHG incurred a net loss of $6.3 million, or $0.11 per share, compared to a net income of $28.6 million, or $0.50 per share, in the previous year, primarily due to a $6.2 million non-cash fair value adjustment [3] - Adjusted EBITDA was $7.2 million, down 5.5% from $7.7 million year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 6.9% [3] Key Business Metrics - Net new orders fell 5.9% year over year to 304 homes from 323, with most markets declining except for Upstate and Rosewood, which saw increases of 26% and 78%, respectively [4] - Backlog as of June 30, 2025, was 202 homes valued at approximately $74.9 million, down from 248 homes valued at approximately $85.7 million a year earlier [4] Liquidity Position - Available liquidity as of June 30, 2025, totaled $95.2 million, including $36.5 million in cash and $58.7 million in unused credit capacity [5] Management Commentary - CEO Jack Micenko noted the positive impact of the refreshed product initiative on sales and profitability, with gross margins trending about 300 basis points above legacy designs [6] - CFO Keith Feldman highlighted a 270-basis-point sequential improvement in gross margin due to product mix and cost-saving measures [6] Influencing Factors - Revenue decline was attributed to lower unit volumes and high mortgage rates affecting affordability, despite an increase in average sales price and gross margin expansion [7] - Operating expenses remained elevated as a percentage of revenue due to reduced top-line performance, even though they were slightly lower in dollar terms year over year [7] Guidance - Management expressed confidence in further margin gains in 2025 compared to 2024, citing ongoing product enhancements and disciplined land acquisition strategies [8] Strategic Developments - On May 19, 2025, UHG's board initiated a strategic review process to explore options including a potential sale of the company or asset sales to maximize shareholder value, with no definitive outcome or timeline disclosed [10]