Hovnanian Enterprises(HOV) - 2023 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics - Total revenues for Q2 2023 were $704 million, flat year-over-year [18] - Adjusted gross margin was 20.9% in Q2 2023, down from 26.6% in Q2 2022 [18] - SG&A expenses were 10.7% of total revenues in Q2 2023, compared to 9.7% in Q2 2022 [19] - Adjusted EBITDA was$ 87 million in Q2 2023, down from $124 million in Q2 2022 [19] - Net income for Q2 2023 was$ 34 million, compared to $62 million in Q2 2022 [19] - Net debt to adjusted EBITDA was 2.2x at the end of Q1 2023, down significantly from 8.9x in 2019 [10] Business Line Data and Key Metrics - Contracts per community increased 18% from 3.3 in May 2022 to 3.9 in May 2023 [20] - Quick move-in (QMI) homes accounted for 60% of sales in 2023, up from 40% historically [48] - The cancellation rate in Q2 2023 returned to a normalized 18% [22] - The company has 4.8 QMIs per community at the end of Q2 2023, slightly above the historical average [48] Market Data and Key Metrics - The number of existing homes for sale in the US remains depressed at 910,000, less than half of the historical average of over 2 million [24] - Contracts per community in the West segment improved significantly in Q2 2023, closing the gap with the Northeast and Southeast [46] - The company raised net home prices in 69% of its communities during Q2 2023, reflecting strong demand [92] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - The company is focused on increasing the use of land options to enhance inventory turns and reduce risk [28][54] - The company has a 5.5-year supply of controlled land, with 71% of lots controlled via options [54][55] - The company is targeting a return to top-line growth in fiscal 2024, driven by an increase in new communities and a solid pace in contracts per community [27] - The company is trading at a 41% discount to the homebuilding industry average PE ratio, despite strong financial metrics [34] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management is optimistic about future growth prospects, citing favorable demographics and a persistently low supply of existing homes [51] - The company expects total revenues for fiscal 2023 to be between$ 2.5 billion and $2.65 billion, with adjusted gross margins of 21% to 22.5% [32] - Management anticipates returning to a more normalized sales pace and increasing community count, which should drive growth in fiscal 2024 [27] - The company is closely monitoring the high-yield market for potential refinancing opportunities [4] Other Important Information - The company reduced staffing levels by 10% since the end of fiscal 2022 and implemented salary reductions for senior executives to cut SG&A costs [25] - The company redeemed$ 100 million of its 7.75% senior secured notes in May 2023, bringing total debt reduction since fiscal 2020 to $494 million [57] - The company has$ 337 million in deferred tax assets, which will enhance cash flow by offsetting future tax liabilities [57] Q&A Session Summary Question: Why did May contracts per community decline slightly compared to April? - The decline was attributed to seasonality, with May having only 4 Sundays compared to April's 5 Sundays, and a drop in build-for-rent (BFR) sales [108] Question: What is the company's plan for debt reduction? - The company plans to continue reducing debt in future periods, balancing investments in land with strengthening the balance sheet [68][71] Question: How are margins for quick move-in (QMI) homes compared to to-be-built homes? - The margin spread between QMIs and to-be-built homes has narrowed, with some markets showing identical margins for both [81][82] Question: Will the company pay cash taxes in the near future? - The company will not pay federal income taxes due to its deferred tax assets, but it will pay some state taxes [85][102]