10-KPeriod: FY2011

HORTON D R INC /DE/ Annual Report, Year Ended Sep 30, 2011

Filed November 17, 2011For Securities:DHI

Summary

D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI) operates as one of the largest homebuilding companies in the United States, with operations in 25 states and 73 metropolitan markets. In fiscal year 2011, the company experienced a challenging environment within the homebuilding industry, which had been in a downturn for five consecutive years. Despite a decrease in homebuilding revenues by 18% to $3.5 billion and a 20% decrease in homes closed to 16,695, the company demonstrated resilience. Net sales orders saw a 10% decrease, but the sales order backlog increased by 22% to $1.0 billion, indicating a stabilization in demand towards the latter part of the fiscal year. The company also reported a modest net income of $71.8 million, a significant improvement from the prior year's net income of $245.1 million, largely due to strategic cost management and debt reduction efforts that mitigated the impact of the industry downturn. DHI's financial services segment, primarily DHI Mortgage and title services, contributed to overall revenues, though its performance was also linked to homebuilding activity. The company maintained a strong liquidity position by generating significant cash from operations, reducing inventory, and paying down debt. Looking ahead, D.R. Horton remains focused on managing its costs, optimizing its lot option strategy, and adapting its product mix and pricing to market conditions, positioning itself to benefit from an eventual housing market recovery.

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$3.64B
Interest Expense-$51.90M
Net Income$71.80M
EPS (Basic)$0.23
EPS (Diluted)$0.23
Shares Outstanding (Basic)318.30M
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)318.50M

Key Highlights

  • 1D.R. Horton reported homebuilding revenues of $3.5 billion, a decrease of 18% from the prior year, reflecting the ongoing challenging conditions in the housing market.
  • 2The company closed 16,695 homes in fiscal year 2011, a 20% decrease compared to the prior year, with an average closing sales price of $212,200.
  • 3Despite a decline in net sales orders by 10%, the sales order backlog increased by 22% to $1.0 billion, indicating potential future revenue growth.
  • 4The company maintained a strong liquidity position, with $1.0 billion in homebuilding cash and marketable securities, and reduced its homebuilding debt to $1.6 billion.
  • 5D.R. Horton's financial services segment contributed revenues of $87.2 million, with a pre-tax income of $19.1 million.
  • 6The company's strategy includes managing sales prices and incentives, controlling SG&A costs, and opportunistically acquiring land and lots to adapt to market demand.
  • 7While the overall industry faced challenges, DHI reported a net income of $71.8 million for the fiscal year, demonstrating an ability to manage operations effectively during a downturn.

Frequently Asked Questions

In fiscal year 2011, D.R. Horton reported a 18% decrease in homebuilding revenues to $3.5 billion and a 20% decrease in homes closed to 16,695. Despite these volume declines due to the challenging housing market, the company maintained a positive net income of $71.8 million, supported by strategic cost management and debt reduction.

The company noted that the homebuilding industry had been in a significant downturn for five years. This resulted in reduced home sales, increased sales order cancellation rates (27% in FY2011), and a need to manage inventory and costs carefully. However, DHI did report signs of stabilization in demand towards the latter half of fiscal year 2011.

D.R. Horton's strategy involves maintaining a strong cash balance and liquidity, managing sales prices and incentives, reducing costs (including SG&A), renegotiating lot option contracts, selectively starting construction, and modifying product offerings to meet consumer demand. The company believes its strong balance sheet and reduced leverage position it well for an eventual housing recovery.

D.R. Horton's sales order backlog increased by 22% to $1.0 billion, representing 4,854 homes, compared to $850.8 million (4,128 homes) in the prior year. This indicates an improvement in the pipeline of future sales.