
Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported record fourth quarter and full year 2024 results, with home closing revenue increasing by 24% year-over-year to $557 million [7][22] - Net income attributable to Green Brick grew 42% year-over-year to $104 million, and diluted EPS increased 46% year-over-year to $2.31, both records for any fourth quarter in the company's history [8][25] - For the full year, net income attributable to Green Brick increased 34.1% year-over-year to $382 million, and diluted EPS grew 37.6% over 2023 to $8.45, the highest in company history [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Home closings grew almost sixfold from 665 units in 2015 to 3,783 in 2024, generating home closing revenues that exceeded $2 billion for the first time [10] - Homebuilding gross margins improved from 20.6% in 2015 to 33.8% in 2024, representing a 64% improvement [10] - Trophy brand represented 51% of total closings in Q4 2024, with an average selling price (ASP) below the company average [23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net new home orders during the fourth quarter grew 29.3% year-over-year to 878, one of the highest growth rates among public homebuilders [27] - The DFW housing market continued to perform well, with Trophy contributing 54% of net new orders by volume [32] - The company has a strong land position, with total lots owned and controlled increasing by 32% to over 37,800 lots [38] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company focuses on infill and infill adjacent submarkets where supply is constrained and competition is limited, which has driven its success [15] - The company plans to increase its spend on land development by 46% to approximately $300 million in 2025 [37] - A new share repurchase plan has been authorized to buy back up to $100 million of common shares, indicating a commitment to maximizing shareholder value [40] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management remains optimistic about long-term housing demand despite challenges posed by elevated mortgage rates, expecting significant demand from millennials and Gen Z entering their prime home buying years [19][20] - The company anticipates that the housing market remains undersupplied by an estimated 4 million to 7 million units [20] - Management expressed confidence in their ability to adjust home prices and incentives as needed due to industry-leading gross margins [36] Other Important Information - The company has maintained a low debt to total capital ratio of 17.2% at the end of 2024, the lowest year-end level since 2015 [12][30] - 93% of outstanding debt is fixed rate with an interest rate of 3.3% [31] Q&A Session Summary Question: Trends in January and February regarding sales and incentives - Management noted that sales trends in January and February are similar to the previous year, with mortgage rates dropping in February leading to a decrease in incentives [49][51] Question: Breakdown of the 46% increase in development spend - Management explained that the increase in land development spend is due to prior investments in land, which are now coming to fruition, and that community count growth is expected in the near future [54][58] Question: Expectations for SG&A leverage in 2025 - Management indicated that while there may be modest increases in headcount, the efficiency of the Trophy brand will help improve SG&A as a percentage of revenue over time [62][64]