Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated $140 million of pre-tax income, down 26% from last year's record third quarter results, with a pre-tax income percentage of 12% of revenue and gross margins of 24% [3][4] - Total revenue for the third quarter decreased by 1% to $1.1 billion, with an average closing price of $477,000, a 2% decrease from last year's average of $489,000 [4][11] - Earnings per diluted share decreased to $3.92 from $5.10 last year, with a book value per share of $120, up 15% from a year ago [13][8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company closed a record 2,296 homes in the third quarter, a 1% increase compared to the previous year, but sold 1,908 homes, down 6% from 2024's third quarter [4][11] - The Smart Series, the most affordable line of homes, comprised about 52% of total sales, up from about 50% a year ago [5] - The mortgage and title operations achieved pre-tax income of $16.6 million, an increase of 28% from $12.9 million in the previous year, with revenue increasing 16% to a record $34.6 million [15][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - New contracts in the northern region decreased by 17%, while new contracts in the southern region increased by 3% compared to last year's third quarter [7] - Deliveries in the southern region increased by 8%, while deliveries in the northern region decreased by 7% from a year ago, with 59% of deliveries coming from the southern region [7] - The company ended the quarter with 233 communities, a 7% increase from 217 a year ago, with the northern region up 9% and the southern region up 6% [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to continue using mortgage rate buy-downs to incentivize sales and drive traffic, which has been a significant factor in maintaining sales performance [3][24] - The company remains optimistic about the business, believing the industry will benefit from the undersupply of homes and growing household formations [9] - The company aims to grow its community count by about 5% from 2023, with a strong land position and a total of approximately 50,700 owned and controlled lots [8][9] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management described the current housing market conditions as "just okay," with challenges in demand and market conditions [3] - The management expressed confidence in the company's strong balance sheet and liquidity, which provides flexibility as market conditions evolve [9] - The management noted that while there are pressures on margins, they believe they are closer to the bottom than before, with expectations for community count growth in 2026 [42][89] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with an all-time record $3.1 billion of equity, resulting in a strong debt-to-capital ratio of 18%, down from 20% last year [8] - The company spent $115 million on land purchases and $181 million on land development during the third quarter [18] - The company has repurchased 15% of its outstanding shares since the start of 2022, with $100 million remaining under the current board authorization [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Discussion on orders and seasonality - Management acknowledged the unpredictable market conditions and emphasized the importance of driving traffic through mortgage rate buy-downs [22][24] Question: Gross margin trends in different regions - Management noted that demand and margins are holding up better in Orlando compared to Tampa and Sarasota, with varying performance across Texas [27][28] Question: Comments on government discussions regarding housing - Management stated they have not had discussions with the administration but noted the importance of addressing local zoning regulations to improve housing affordability [36][37] Question: Insights on gross and SG&A margins - Management indicated that they are closer to the bottom on margins and discussed the pressures from higher land costs and the need for careful management of selling expenses [42][45] Question: Regional order growth trends - Management expressed satisfaction with the performance in the Midwest markets, despite some challenges in Florida and Texas [54][56] Question: Thoughts on M&A opportunities - Management stated there are no current plans for M&A but would consider opportunities that align with their growth strategy [82][83] Question: Community count growth expectations for 2026 - Management confirmed expectations for community count growth next year, aiming for a 5% to 10% increase annually [89][90]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company generated $140 million of pre-tax income, down 26% from last year's record third quarter results, with a pre-tax income percentage of 12% of revenue and gross margins of 24% [3][4] - Total revenue for the third quarter decreased by 1% to $1.1 billion, with an average closing price of $477,000, a 2% decrease from last year's average of $489,000 [4][11] - Earnings per diluted share decreased to $3.92 from $5.10 last year, with a book value per share of $120, up 15% from a year ago [13][8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company closed a record 2,296 homes in the third quarter, a 1% increase compared to the previous year, but sold 1,908 homes, down 6% from 2,023 homes sold in the same quarter last year [4][11] - The Smart Series, the most affordable line of homes, comprised about 52% of total sales, up from 50% a year ago [5] - The mortgage and title operations achieved pre-tax income of $16.6 million, an increase of 28% from $12.9 million in the previous year, with revenue increasing 16% to a record $34.6 million [15][16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - New contracts in the northern region decreased by 17%, while new contracts in the southern region increased by 3% compared to last year's third quarter [7] - Deliveries in the southern region increased by 8%, while deliveries in the northern region decreased by 7% from a year ago, with 59% of deliveries coming from the southern region [7] - The company ended the quarter with 233 communities, up 7% from 217 a year ago, with a community count growth estimate of about 5% for 2025 [10][11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to continue using mortgage rate buy-downs to incentivize sales and drive traffic, which has been a significant factor in maintaining sales performance [3][24] - The company remains optimistic about the business, believing the industry will benefit from the undersupply of homes and growing household formations [9] - The company is focused on maintaining a strong balance sheet and liquidity while selectively repurchasing shares [18][66] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management described the current housing market conditions as "just okay," with ongoing challenges in demand and market volatility [3][24] - The company expects strong full-year results in specific markets such as Columbus, Chicago, Dallas, and Minneapolis, despite some regional challenges [7][56] - Management highlighted the importance of local zoning regulations as a significant impediment to housing affordability and volume levels [37] Other Important Information - The company ended the quarter with an all-time record $3.1 billion of equity and a debt-to-capital ratio of 18%, down from 20% last year [8][9] - The company spent $297 million on land purchases and development during the quarter, with a focus on maintaining a strong land position [17][18] Q&A Session Summary Question: Discussion on orders and seasonality - Management acknowledged the unpredictable market conditions and emphasized the importance of using mortgage rate buy-downs to drive sales [22][24] Question: Gross margin trends in different regions - Management noted that demand and margins vary significantly across different markets, with Orlando performing better than Tampa and Sarasota [27][28] Question: Comments on administration discussions regarding home builders - Management stated they have not had discussions with the administration but are aware of ongoing conversations about improving housing affordability [36][37] Question: Insights on gross and SG&A margins - Management indicated that margins are stabilizing, with pressures from higher land costs and increased sales commissions [42][45] Question: Regional order growth trends - Management expressed satisfaction with the performance in the Midwest, particularly in Columbus and Chicago, despite some challenges in Florida and Texas [54][56] Question: Thoughts on M&A opportunities - Management stated there are no current M&A plans but would consider opportunities that align with their growth strategy [82][83] Question: Community count growth for 2026 - Management expects community count growth next year, targeting a 5% to 10% increase annually [89][90]