UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

 

 

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2018.

 

 

For the transition period from ____________ to _____________.

 

001-07395

 

Commission File Number

 

 

AV HOMES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

(480) 214-7400

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  ☒  No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes  ☒  No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act    ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes  ☐  No ☒

 

As of April 20, 2018, there were 22,348,223 shares of common stock, $1.00 par value, issued and outstanding.

 

 

AV HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

FORM 10-Q

 

 

 

INDEX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART I. Financial Information

 

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

AV HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except per share amount)

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

AV HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

(unaudited)

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

AV HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

 

See notes to consolidated financial statements (unaudited).

AV HOMES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)

March 31, 2018

 

Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AV Homes, Inc. and all subsidiaries, partnerships and other entities in which AV Homes, Inc. (“AV Homes,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Company”) has a controlling interest. The interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. These statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments that, in the opinion of management, are necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of AV Homes as of March 31, 2018 and for all periods presented. These statements should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in AV Homes’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. For comparative purposes, certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. We have no components of comprehensive income (loss); therefore, net income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) are the same for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

 

We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with an initial maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2018, our cash and cash equivalents were invested primarily in money market accounts. Due to the short maturity period of the cash equivalents, the carrying amounts of these instruments approximate their fair values.

 

Our cash items that are restricted as to withdrawal or usage include deposits of $1.3 million and $1.2 million as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. Our restricted cash is comprised mainly of customer deposits held in a third-party escrow account and cash held to guarantee our performance to construct improvements in certain communities.

 

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheets to the amounts shown in the consolidated statements of cash flows as of March 31, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):

 

 

Receivables

 

Receivables primarily consist of amounts in transit or due from title companies for home closings and for rebates.

 

Land and Other Inventories and Homebuilding Cost of Revenue

 

Land and other inventories include expenditures for land acquisition, land development, home construction, construction costs for amenities, and direct and allocated indirect costs, including interest cost capitalized until development and construction are substantially completed. These costs are assigned to components of land and other inventories based on specific identification, relative sales value, or area allocation methods.

 

Land and other inventories are stated at cost unless the asset is determined to be impaired, in which case the asset is written to its fair value, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 360, Property, Plant and Equipment (“ASC 360”).

 

Homebuilding cost of revenue is comprised of direct and allocated costs, including estimated future costs for the limited warranty we provide on our homes. Land acquisition, land development and other common costs are generally allocated on a relative sales value or area allocation basis to the homes or lots within the applicable community or land parcel. Land acquisition and land development costs include related interest and real estate taxes during the period of time under development.

 

We evaluate our land and other inventories for impairment on a quarterly basis in accordance with ASC 360 to reflect market conditions, including a consideration of supply of new and resale homes for sale in the respective market, level of foreclosure activity and competition. For assets held and used, if indicators are present, we perform an impairment test by comparing the estimated future undiscounted cash flows to be generated by the asset to its carrying value. If such cash flows are less than the asset’s carrying value, the carrying value is written down to its estimated fair value. Generally, fair value is determined by discounting the estimated cash flows at a rate commensurate with the inherent risks associated with the asset and related estimated cash flow streams. The discount rate used in the determination of fair value would vary, depending on the state of development. Assumptions and estimates used in the determination of the estimated future cash flows are based on several factors, including expectations of future operations and economic conditions. Changes to these assumptions could significantly affect the estimates of future cash flows, which could affect the potential for future impairments. Due to the uncertainties of the estimation process, actual results could differ significantly from such estimates.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, our impairment assessments resulted in $0.7 million and $0.1 million of impairment charges, respectively, and are included in homebuilding cost of revenue in the consolidated statements of operations.

 

Property and Equipment, net

 

Property and equipment, net are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation, and depreciation is computed by the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives of the assets: land improvements 5 to 15 years; buildings and improvements 3 to 40 years; and machinery, equipment and fixtures 3 to 10 years. Maintenance and operating expenses of equipment utilized in the development of land are capitalized to land inventory. All other repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred.

 

Property and equipment includes amenity assets such as club facilities on properties we own. The cost of amenity assets includes expenditures for land acquisition, construction, land development and direct and allocated costs. Property and equipment owned and constructed by us also includes interest cost incurred during development and construction.

 

Each reporting period, we review our property and equipment for indicators of impairment in accordance with ASC 360. For our amenities, which are located within our housing communities, indicators of impairment are similar to those of our housing communities (described above), as these factors may impact our ability to generate revenues at our amenities or cause construction costs to increase. In addition, we factor in the collectability and potential delinquency of the fees due for our amenity memberships. During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, we did not identify indicators of impairment for our property and equipment.

 

Investments in Unconsolidated Entities

 

We participate in entities in which we own less than 100% of the equity interests. One entity in which we have a 58% equity interest was formed for the purpose of acquiring and developing land in our Encore active adult community in Arizona, while the other is a mortgage joint venture in which we have a 50% equity interest and was formed in the fourth quarter of 2017 to serve as a preferred lender for homebuyers in our markets, along with other related services.

 

We determine the method for accounting for our investments at inception or upon a reconsideration event. We share in the profits and losses of unconsolidated entities generally in accordance with our ownership interests. Earnings from investments in unconsolidated entities is included within interest income and other in our consolidated statement of operations. We and our equity partners make initial and ongoing capital contributions to these unconsolidated entities on a pro-rata basis. The obligation to make capital contributions is governed by each unconsolidated entity’s respective operating agreement or

other governing documents. The balance of our investments in unconsolidated entities was $0.2 million and $0.3 million as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, and is included in prepaid expenses and other assets in our consolidated balance sheets.

 

Goodwill

 

Goodwill arises from business combinations and represents the excess of the consideration transferred for an acquired entity over the net fair value amounts that were assigned to the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying value. There were no indicators of impairment during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

We recognize homebuilding, amenity and land sales revenues in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), which requires revenue to be recognized in a manner to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration expected to be received in exchange for those goods or services.

 

Our homebuilding contracts require us to construct and deliver homes to our customers. The transaction price is stated in the final sales contract that is signed by the customer. Homebuilding revenue is recognized at closing when payment is due and when title to and possession of the property are transferred to the homebuyer.

 

We own and operate certain amenities pursuant to recorded mandatory club plans, which require us to provide members with access to amenity facilities in exchange for the payment of club dues. We collect club dues and other fees from our members, which are billed on a monthly basis. Our performance obligation is to make available the club amenities on an ongoing basis. Accordingly, we recognize revenue over the period for which dues have been paid. Revenue from our golf club operations is also included in amenity revenue and is recognized as the service is provided.

 

Our contracts for sales of land involve the selling of real property. The transaction price is stated in the final sales contract that is signed by the customer. Land sales revenue is recognized at closing when payment is due and when title to and possession of the real property are transferred to the buyer.

 

We report our revenue from contracts with customers by type of good or service and by geographical regions, as we believe this achieves the disclosure objective to depict how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. See the accompanying consolidated statement of operations, and segment operating statement in Note 7, Segment Information, for our disaggregated revenue disclosures.

 

We have contract assets that consist of cash from home closings held in escrow for our benefit, typically for less than five days, which are considered deposits in-transit and classified as cash. Contract liabilities include earnest money deposits collected from home or land buyers pursuant to our written sales contracts. These deposits remain classified as liabilities and are recognized as revenue at the time of closing when full payment is received. If a contract is cancelled by a customer and the related deposit is non-refundable, the deposit is recognized as homebuilding or land sales revenue. See the accompanying consolidated balance sheets for our customer deposits balances as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017. During the three months ended March 31, 2018, we recognized $4.2 million of homebuilding revenue that was included in our customer deposit liability balance as of December 31, 2017. See Warranty Costs within Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, for information on warranties and related obligations.

 

A number of practical expedients are available in the application of the recognition and measurement principles with ASC 606. We have elected to apply the portfolio approach to our homebuilding and amenity contracts rather than evaluating individual contracts since the characteristics of each type of contract are similar. We reasonably expect that this election will not be materially different from the impact of applying ASC 606 on an individual contract basis. In addition, since our homebuilding and land sale contracts are typically completed in less than a year, we have not disclosed the transaction price for the remaining performance obligations as of the end of each reporting period or when we expect to recognize this revenue. For amenity contracts, we have elected to use the invoice practical expedient since we determined that we have a right to invoice an amount that corresponds directly with the value to the customer of our performance completed to date. See Recent Accounting Pronouncements within Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, for further discussion.

 

Sales Incentives

 

When sales incentives involve a discount on the selling price of the home, we record the discount as a reduction of revenue at the time of home closing. If the sales incentive requires us to provide a free product or service to the customer, the cost of the free product or service is recorded as homebuilding cost of revenue at the time of home closing. This includes the cost related to optional upgrades and seller-paid financing costs, closing costs, homeowners’ association fees, or merchandise.

 

Advertising Costs

 

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, advertising costs were $0.9 million and $0.8 million, respectively. Advertising costs, sales commissions and closing costs are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

 

Warranty Costs

 

Warranty reserves for homes are established to cover estimated costs for materials and labor with regard to warranty-type claims to be incurred subsequent to the closing of a home. Reserves are determined based on historical data and other relevant factors. We have, and require our subcontractors to have, general liability, property, workers’ compensation, and other business insurance. These insurance policies protect us against a portion of our risk of loss from claims, subject to certain self-insured per occurrence and aggregate retentions, deductibles, and available policy limits. We may have recourse against subcontractors for certain claims relating to workmanship and materials. Warranty reserves are included in accrued and other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

 

During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, changes in the warranty reserve consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

Income Taxes

 

Our effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 was (23.9)% and 41.5%, respectively. Our effective tax rate is impacted by a number of factors, the most significant of which is the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) on December 22, 2017. For the year ended December 31, 2017, our deferred tax assets were remeasured based on the corporate income tax rate change from 35% to 21%. Effective January 1, 2018, the lower federal rate of 21% and any other changes to tax laws affect the value of our deferred tax assets and the effective tax rate going forward. Our assessment of the TCJA was based on information available at the time of this report and results for the three months ended March 31, 2018. Future periods may differ from the impact disclosed herein due to, among other things, changes in interpretations and assumptions made by us, guidance that may be issued and actions we may take as a result of the TCJA. The overall impact of the TCJA is also subject to the effect of other provisions of the TCJA.

 

We evaluate our deferred tax assets each period to determine if a valuation allowance is required based on whether it is “more likely than not” that some portion of the deferred tax assets would not be realized. The ultimate realization of these deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of sufficient taxable income during future periods. We conduct our evaluation by considering all available positive and negative evidence. This evaluation considers, among other factors, historical operating results, forecasts of future profitability, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, and the outlooks for the U.S. housing industry and broader economy. As of March 31, 2018, we do not have a valuation allowance related to our deferred tax assets.

 

The accounting for deferred taxes is based upon estimates of future results. Differences between estimated and actual results could result in changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets that could have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations or financial position. Changes in existing tax laws could also affect actual tax results and the realization of deferred tax assets over time.

 

Unrecognized tax benefits represent the difference between tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return and the benefits recognized for financial statement purposes. As of March 31, 2018, we had no unrecognized tax benefits.

 

Any interest or penalties assessed have been immaterial to our financial results. In the event we are assessed any interest or penalties in the future, we plan to include them in our consolidated statements of operations as income tax expense.

 

Share-Based Compensation

 

The Amended and Restated 1997 Incentive and Capital Accumulation Plan (2011 Restatement), as amended (“Incentive Plan”), and the 2015 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2015 Plan”) provide for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, performance awards, and stock units to officers, employees and directors of AV Homes. The exercise prices of stock options granted under the Incentive Plan and the 2015 Plan may not be less than the stock exchange closing price of our common stock on the date of grant. Stock option awards under the Incentive Plan and 2015 Plan generally expire 10 years after the date of grant.

 

As of March 31, 2018, there were an aggregate of 1.2 million shares available for grant under the 2015 Plan and 0.7 million shares reserved for future issuance relating to stock options, performance share units, and restricted stock units previously awarded and currently outstanding under the 2015 Plan. Additionally, as of March 31, 2018, an aggregate of 0.4 million shares of our common stock were reserved for future issuance in connection with options and restricted stock units previously awarded under the Incentive Plan.

 

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

 

Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of AV Homes. The computation of diluted earnings (loss) per share for the three months ended March 31, 2018 did not assume the effect of employee stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units or convertible notes because the effects were antidilutive. The computation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2017 did not assume the effect of employee stock options or convertible notes because the effects were antidilutive.

 

The following table represents a reconciliation of the net income (loss) and weighted average shares outstanding for the calculation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands, except per share amounts):

 

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805), Clarifying the Definition of a Business (“ASU 2017-01”). ASU 2017-01 clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of addressing whether transactions involving in-substance nonfinancial assets, held directly or in a subsidiary, should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of nonfinancial assets or of businesses. ASU 2017-01 was effective for us for the fiscal year and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018 and applied prospectively. The adoption of ASU 2017-01 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (“ASU 2016-15”). ASU 2016-15 reduces the existing diversity in practice in financial reporting across all industries by clarifying certain existing principles in ASC 230, Statement of Cash Flows (“ASC 230”), including providing additional guidance on how and what an entity should consider in determining the classification of certain cash flows. Additionally, in November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Restricted Cash (“ASU 2016-18”). ASU 2016-18 clarifies certain existing principles in ASC 230, including providing additional guidance related to transfers between cash and restricted cash and how entities present, in their statement of cash flows, the cash receipts and cash payments that directly affect the restricted cash accounts. Both ASU 2016-15 and ASU 2016-18 were effective for us for the fiscal year and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018 and were applied on a retrospective basis. The adoption of ASU 2016-15 and ASU 2016-18 resulted in changes in the presentation of certain items within the consolidated statements of cash flows but did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 will require organizations that lease assets–referred to as “lessees”–to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases. Under ASU 2016-02, a lessee will be required to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than twelve months. Lessor accounting remains substantially similar to current GAAP. In addition, disclosures of leasing activities are to be expanded to include qualitative along with specific quantitative information. ASU 2016-02 is effective for us for fiscal years and interim periods beginning January 1, 2019. The standard mandates a modified retrospective transition method. We continue to evaluate the impact of adopting this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). The standard is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that requires revenue to be recognized in a manner to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration expected to be received in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also affects certain industry-specific cost guidance. The FASB has also issued several updates to this standard. The standard was effective for us for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018.

 

We have applied the provisions of ASU 2014-09 on a modified retrospective basis to contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018 and concluded that there was no material change to the amount or timing of our homebuilding, amenity and other, and land sales revenues. Our homebuilding revenue currently includes forfeited customer deposits, and did not change under the new standard. However, the standard impacted the timing of recognition for certain selling costs related to model homes and sales offices. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2014-09, for selling communities, these costs were capitalized as land and other inventories and expensed as homes in the communities were closed in accordance with ASC 970-340. Upon adoption of ASC 2014-09, these capitalized selling costs were recorded as property and equipment in the amount of $5.3 million, while the remaining costs that would have been expensed under the new guidance are reflected as a $1.8 million reduction of retained earnings on January 1, 2018.

 

 

 

Note 2 - Business Acquisitions

 

On January 8, 2018, we acquired substantially all of the assets and assumed certain liabilities of MMLC Texas Builders, LLC (“Oakdale-Hampton Homes”) for $44.6 million, including an earn-out, which remains subject to customary post-closing adjustments. A portion of the aggregate consideration equal to $0.6 million was placed in a third-party escrow account as security for Oakdale-Hampton Homes’ indemnification and other obligations under the purchase agreement. Oakdale-Hampton Homes acquires developed land and constructs single-family homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area. This acquisition marks our entry into a new key growth market. The results of Oakdale-Hampton’s operations are included in our consolidated financial statements from the acquisition date of January 8, 2018.

 

The Oakdale-Hampton Homes acquisition was accounted for in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). We recorded the acquired assets and liabilities at their estimated fair values. We determined the estimated fair values with the assistance of appraisals or valuations performed by independent third-party specialists, discounted cash flow analyses, quoted market prices where available, and estimates by management. To the extent the consideration transferred exceeded the fair value of the net assets acquired in this transaction, such excess was assigned to goodwill.

 

The following table summarizes the calculation of the fair value of the total consideration transferred to Oakdale-Hampton Homes and its preliminary allocation to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date (in thousands):

 

 

Fair Value

 

Receivables and other assets, property and equipment, accounts payable and accrued and other liabilities were generally stated at historical carrying values given the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.

 

We determined the fair value of land and other inventories on a lot-by-lot basis primarily using market comparable land and home sales transactions combined with our estimates related to expected average home selling prices and sales incentives, expected sales paces and cancellation rates, expected land development and construction timelines, and anticipated land development, construction, and overhead costs. Such estimates must be made for each individual community and may vary significantly between communities. The fair values of identified intangible assets were determined using discounted cash flow models.

 

The $0.6 million of acquired intangible assets relates to trade names that are being amortized over 2.5 years. Amortization expense for these assets totaled $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018, which is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

 

We estimated the preliminary fair value of acquired assets and liabilities as of the date of acquisition based on information available at that time. The valuation of these tangible and identifiable intangible assets and liabilities is subject to further management review and may change between the preliminary allocation and the end of the purchase price allocation period.

 

Transaction and Integration Costs

 

Transaction and integration costs directly related to the Oakdale-Hampton Homes acquisition, including legal and accounting fees, were expensed as incurred in accordance with ASC 805.

 

Goodwill

 

As of the acquisition date, goodwill included the expected economic value attributable to Oakdale-Hampton Homes’ assembled workforce. The acquisition provided increased scale and presence in an existing market with immediate revenue opportunities through an established backlog.

 

Supplemental Pro Forma Information

 

The following represents pro forma operating results as if Oakdale-Hampton Homes had been included in our consolidated statements of operations as of the beginning of the fiscal year presented (in thousands, except per share data):

 

 

The supplemental pro forma operating results have been determined after adjusting the operating results of Oakdale-Hampton Homes to reflect additional expense that would have been recorded assuming the fair value adjustments to inventory and intangible assets had been applied as of January 1, 2017. These results may not be indicative of future operating results.

 

Note 3 - Land and Other Inventories

 

As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, land and other inventories consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

We capitalize interest to inventories during the period of development in accordance with ASC 835, Interest (“ASC 835”). Homebuilding interest capitalized to inventory is included in homebuilding cost of revenue as related units or lots are closed. To the extent our homebuilding debt exceeds our qualified assets, as defined in ASC 835, we expense a portion of interest incurred. Qualified homebuilding assets consist of land, lots and homes that are under development or construction, excluding finished unsold homes or finished models.

 

The following table represents interest incurred, interest capitalized, and interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):

 

 

 

Note 4  - Senior Debt

 

As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, senior debt, net consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

6.625% Senior Notes due 2022

 

On May 18, 2017, we completed a private offering of $400.0 million of our 6.625% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “6.625% Notes”). The proceeds of the 6.625% Notes were used to (i) fund the repurchase and redemption of the $200.0 million in aggregate principal amount of our outstanding 8.50% Senior Notes due 2019 and (ii) pay amounts outstanding under our senior secured credit facility, totaling $30.0 million. We intend to use the remaining proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include the financing of acquisitions. The 6.625% Notes mature on May 15, 2022, unless earlier redeemed or repurchased. Interest on the 6.625% Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears in cash on May 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing November 15, 2017.

 

We have the option to redeem all or a portion of the 6.625% Notes at any time on or after May 15, 2019 at certain redemption prices, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the date of redemption. At any time prior to May 15, 2019, we have the option to redeem up to 35% of the original principal amount of the 6.625% Notes with the proceeds of certain equity offerings by us at a redemption price of 106.625% of the principal amount of the 6.625% Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the date of redemption, provided that at least 65% of the original aggregate principal amount of the 6.625% Notes remains outstanding after such redemption. Prior to May 15, 2019, we may redeem some or all of the 6.625% Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 6.625% Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to but excluding the applicable redemption date plus the applicable “make-whole” premium.

 

The indenture governing the 6.625% Notes contains covenants that limit our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to (i) pay dividends, or make other distributions or redeem or repurchase our capital stock; (ii) prepay, redeem or repurchase certain debt; (iii) incur additional and guarantee indebtedness; (iv) issue certain preferred stock or similar equity securities; (v) make loans and investments; (vi) incur liens; (vii) sell assets; (viii) enter into transactions with affiliates; (ix) enter into agreements restricting our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends; and (x) consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all assets. These covenants are subject to important exceptions and qualifications.

 

6.00% Senior Convertible Notes due 2020

 

On June 23, 2015, we completed a private offering of $80.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.00% Senior Convertible Notes due 2020 (the “6.00% Notes”). The proceeds of the 6.00% Notes were used to (i) repurchase 7.50% Senior Exchange Convertible Notes due 2016 and 7.50% Senior Convertible Notes due 2016 and (ii) pay approximately $1.5 million of accrued interest (in respect of the notes being exchanged or repurchased) and premium (in respect of the notes being repurchased). The 6.00% Notes will mature on July 1, 2020, unless earlier repurchased or converted. The 6.00% Notes are governed by the Indenture dated February 4, 2011 and the Third Supplemental Indenture dated June 23, 2015 between us and the trustee named therein. The 6.00% Notes bear regular cash interest on the principal amount of each note, payable semi-annually in arrears on January 1 and July 1 of each year, beginning on January 1, 2016.

 

The 6.00% Notes were issued pursuant a series of separate, privately negotiated note purchase agreements entered into on June 17, 2015 by us and certain qualified institutional buyers. TPG Aviator, L.P. (“TPG”) purchased $20.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 6.00% Notes for $20.0 million in cash and waived its rights to purchase additional 6.00% Notes, resulting in a fully diluted beneficial ownership for TPG of approximately 43.8% of our common stock at the time of the transaction. Pursuant to the terms of our Related Person Transaction Policy, the audit committee of our board of directors reviewed and approved the terms of the 6.00% Notes and TPG’s purchase of 6.00% Notes.

 

Senior Unsecured Credit Facility

 

On May 18, 2017, we entered into an unsecured revolving credit agreement (the “Senior Unsecured Credit Facility”) with each of the financial institutions party thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and Citibank, N.A., as syndication agent.

 

The Senior Unsecured Credit Facility includes a revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $155.0 million, with an “accordion” feature that allows us, with the consent of the lenders, to increase the aggregate amount to $250.0 million. The facility includes a letter of credit sub-facility in an amount equal to 50% of total commitments then in effect. The maximum amount available under the Senior Unsecured Credit Facility is limited to the lesser of (i) $155.0 million (subject to increase pursuant to the “accordion”) and (ii) an amount equal to the borrowing base minus our consolidated senior debt.  As of March 31, 2018, we had sufficient qualified assets in the borrowing base to cover borrowings of up to $155.0 million and had no borrowings outstanding.

 

Interest will be payable on revolving credit borrowings at variable rates determined by the applicable LIBOR plus 3.25% or the prime rate plus 2.25%, at our election. We pay quarterly fees of 0.50% per annum on the unused portion of the lenders’ commitments under the Senior Unsecured Credit Facility to the lenders.

 

The Senior Unsecured Credit Facility expires on July 28, 2020. Upon expiration, all borrowings become due and payable. We may prepay loans borrowed under the Senior Unsecured Credit Facility or reduce the commitments thereunder at our option, without any prepayment fee or penalty.

 

The Senior Unsecured Credit Facility is guaranteed by certain of our subsidiaries and we have the option to add or remove guarantors from time to time, subject to certain limitations.

 

We were in compliance with all financial covenants as of March 31, 2018.

 

Note 5 - Estimated Development Liability

 

The estimated development liability consists primarily of utility completion obligations in Rio Rico, Arizona and Poinciana, Florida for more than 8,000 home sites previously sold, prior to 1980. The estimated development liability is reduced by actual expenditures and is evaluated and adjusted, as appropriate, to reflect management’s estimate of potential costs. In addition, we obtain third-party engineer evaluations on an annual basis and adjust this liability to reflect changes in the estimated completion costs. Cash expenditures associated with these obligations were $0.1 million during each of the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017.  Future increases or decreases of costs for construction, material and labor, as well as other land development and utilities infrastructure costs, may have a significant effect on the estimated development liability. The balance of the estimated development liability was $31.4 million and $31.6 million as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

 

Note 6 - Commitments and Contingencies

 

Legal

 

We are involved in litigation from time to time, primarily arising in the normal course of our business. These cases are in various procedural stages. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of these legal and regulatory matters, we generally cannot predict the ultimate resolution of the pending matters, the related timing, or the eventual loss. While the outcome of such contingencies cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not believe that the resolution of such matters will have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

 

On April 26, 2017, we received notice of a Class Action Complaint filed in the Circuit Court for the 10th Judicial Circuit, Polk County, Florida, generally alleging that the collection of club membership fees in connection with the use and enjoyment of the club facilities located within the Solivita community is illegal in that it violates, among other laws, Florida’s Homeowners’ Association Act (“FLHOA”) and Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (“FDUTPA”). It also generally alleges that certain other actions by us have violated FLHOA and FDUTPA. The complaint seeks relief in various forms including recovery for the prior payment of club membership fees and an injunction to prohibit the future collection of club membership fees. On June 9, 2017, we filed an amended motion to dismiss this matter, which was heard on June 13, 2017.  On August 8, 2017, the judge issued an order denying in part and granting in part the motion to dismiss. Plaintiffs were

provided leave to amend the FDUTPA claims and filed an amended complaint on September 15, 2017. We filed our amended answer on September 29, 2017 along with certain affirmative defenses. The amended answer also contains counterclaims against the plaintiffs for breach of contract and tortious interference with contractual relations, among other claims. On October 5, 2017, we also filed a motion for summary judgment, which was heard on December 8, 2017. On January 23, 2018, the court ruled, granting our motion for summary judgment in part and denying it in part. Importantly, the court ruled that our club operations in Solivita constitute commercial property under the FLHOA, that the club facilities are not common areas of the homeowners’ association and that nothing in the FLHOA prevents a developer from owning club operations for profit, as is the case in this instance. As a result of the foregoing ruling, it is our continuing contention that every count of the plaintiffs’ class action lawsuit must ultimately fail as each is without merit and rely, directly or indirectly, on an interpretation of the FLHOA rejected by the court. On April 6, 2018, the court heard arguments relative to the plaintiffs’ amended motion for class certification pursuant to which the plaintiffs seek to certify a class of “persons who currently own, or previously owned, a home in Solivita, who have paid, or have been obligated to pay, a Club Membership Fee under the Club Plan Declaration on or after April 26, 2013.” The court has yet to rule on the plaintiffs’ motion for class certification.

 

Surety Bonds

 

Surety bonds, issued by third-party entities, are used primarily to guarantee our performance to construct improvements in our various communities. As of March 31, 2018, we had outstanding surety bonds of approximately $43.0 million. The amount of outstanding surety bonds could fluctuate depending on the level of development activity. We do not believe that it is likely any of these outstanding surety bonds will be drawn upon.

 

Note 7 - Segment Information

 

Our operating segments are defined as a component of an enterprise for which discrete financial information is available and is reviewed regularly by the chief operating decision maker to evaluate performance and make operating decisions. We have identified our chief operating decision maker as our Chief Executive Officer. Our reportable segments are as follows: Florida, the Carolinas, Arizona and Texas.

 

The following table summarizes our information for reportable segments for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):

 

 

 

Note 8 - Fair Value Disclosures

 

ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820”), provides guidance for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities, defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value under GAAP, expands disclosures about fair value measurements, and establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

 

The accounting standards require that assets and liabilities carried at fair value be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

 

Level 1: Fair value determined based on quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.

 

Level 2: Fair value determined using significant observable inputs, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities or quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data, by correlation or other means.

 

Level 3: Fair value determined using significant unobservable inputs, such as discounted cash flows, or similar techniques.

 

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivables, accounts payable, and the Senior Unsecured Credit Facility approximate the fair values due to their short-term nature.

 

Certain assets are required to be recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis when events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

 

The carrying amounts and fair values of our financial liabilities as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

In estimating the fair value of financial liabilities, we used the following methods and assumptions:

 

Senior Notes

 

As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the fair values of the 6.625% Notes and the 6.00% Notes are estimated, based on quoted or estimated market prices. These fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

Contingent Consideration (“earn-out”)

 

This was recognized as part of the purchase price paid for the Oakdale-Hampton Homes acquisition in 2018.  At inception, the fair value was determined through the use of valuation models that simulated earnings, applying the terms of the earn-out in each simulated path, determining the average payment in each year across all the trials of the simulation, and calculating the present values of the future payments. The primary inputs and key assumptions include estimated future earnings, probabilities of achievement, earnings volatility, and the discount rate.  These fall within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

 

 

 

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Executive Overview

 

We are engaged in the business of homebuilding and community development in Florida, the Carolinas, Arizona and Texas. We also engage to a limited degree in other real estate activities, such as the operation of amenities and the sale of land for third-party development. We manage our business through four reportable segments: Florida, the Carolinas, Arizona and Texas.

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2018, we derived 43% of our revenues from Florida, 35% of our revenues from the Carolinas, 17% of our revenues from Arizona and 5% of our revenues from Texas.

 

Our primary business is the development of land and the construction and sale of homes. Our current homebuilding sales activities include locations in Florida, the Carolinas, Arizona and Texas, with additional communities in the pipeline for each region. We build both active adult communities, which are restricted to homeowners that are age 55 and older, and primary residential communities, which are open to all ages. This geographic and product segment diversification helps mitigate our overall business risks. We also opportunistically sell existing non-core commercial and industrial land positions, as well as scattered lot positions and land assets, that are in excess of our needed supply in a given market.

 

As of March 31, 2018, our selling community count included 73 locations: 21 in Florida, 34 in the Carolinas,  seven in Arizona and 11 in Texas, with additional communities in the pipeline for each region. Our count of communities with closings as of March 31, 2018 included 64 locations: 18 in Florida, 33 in the Carolinas, seven in Arizona and six in Texas.

 

Solivita and Vitalia in Central Florida; CantaMia and Encore in Arizona; and Creekside at Bethpage in Raleigh, North Carolina currently serve as our flagship communities in the active adult market. These communities broaden our geographic footprint and product offering, and should provide us with market participation in the long-term growth of demand from the wave of Baby Boomers entering their retirement years.

 

We continue to invest in new and existing markets to create a more diversified portfolio that mitigates cyclical impact over time. Through homebuilder acquisitions and purchases of new land and lot positions, we have expanded and continue to expand within our existing markets in Central Florida, Charlotte, Raleigh, Jacksonville, the greater Phoenix area, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Replacement lot positions require new acquisitions of developed lots or platted or unplatted undeveloped land, or we may decide to develop current land holdings, depending on market conditions within the submarket of these assets.

 

Our business is significantly influenced by a number of factors that affect our revenues and costs, including market demand for new homes, labor supply and wages, materials prices and availability, land availability, and mortgage rates and availability. In managing our business and the influence of these factors, we track several key operating metrics described below.

 

Key Operating Metrics

 

Contracts signed. Net contracts signed for a given period represents the number of contracts we have entered into with home buyers for the purchase and sale of homes, less the number of contracts that were cancelled in the same period. We consider a home sales contract cancelled when the customer terminates the contract or when we provide notice of termination due to a failure on the part of the customer to close on the home or meet a contingency under the contract.

 

Home starts. Home starts is the number of new homes on which we have started construction in a given period. Home starts are monitored by management in order to minimize the time between contract signing and home closing.

 

Closings. Closings represents the number of home sales closed in the period. We recognize revenue equal to the sales price of a home when the sales are closed and title passes to the purchasers.

 

Backlog. Backlog is the number of homes we are building that are under contract for sale that have not closed as of the end of the period being presented. The dollar value of backlog is the revenue anticipated to be realized at closing equal to the purchase price provided in the applicable contract. Backlog is an important indicator of home closings and homebuilding revenues in future periods.

 

Average sales price. Average sales price represents total revenue for a given period divided by the number of closings for such period.

Seasonality

 

Our business is affected to some extent by the seasonality of home sales, which generally produce increased closings in the latter half of the year. However, periods of economic downturn in the industry can alter seasonal patterns.

 

Results of Operations

 

The following table provides a comparison of certain financial data related to our operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):