Investors | News Releases | Beazer Homes Announces Record Third Quarter EPS Before Extraordinary Item Of $2.15, Up 71%; Targets Achieving Five-Year Goal for 2004 of $9.00 Per Share in 2002

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Beazer Homes Announces Record Third Quarter EPS Before Extraordinary Item Of $2.15, Up 71%; Targets Achieving Five-Year Goal for 2004 of $9.00 Per Share in 2002

July 23, 2001 at 4:28 PM EDT
ATLANTA, Jul 23, 2001 /PRNewswire/ -- Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (NYSE: BZH) (www.beazer.com ) today announced results for the quarter ended June 30, 2001, the third quarter of its 2001 fiscal year. Highlights of the quarter, compared to the same period of the prior year, are as follows:

* Diluted EPS Before Extraordinary Item: $2.15 (up 71% vs. $1.26 in prior year)
* Diluted EPS: $2.07 (up 64%), includes extraordinary loss of $.08 per share for early extinguishment of debt
* Home closings: 2,276 (up 15%); total revenues $449 million (up 15%)
* Record gross margin, before interest, on home sales: 19.3% (up 240 basis points)
* Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), before extraordinary item: $43.4 million (up 65%)
* EBITDA Margin: 9.7% (up 300 basis points)
* Net income before extraordinary item: $19.9 million (up 88%)
* Record June quarter new orders: 2,873 (up 31%)
* All-time record backlog: 4,636 homes (up 34%), sales value $892 million (up 31%)

Record Earnings For June Quarter

Ian J. McCarthy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Beazer Homes, said, "We are extremely pleased to announce record third fiscal quarter earnings before extraordinary item of $2.15 per share for June 2001, a 71% increase over last year. This increase reflects a dramatic improvement in our operating profit margin, driven by a significant increase in gross margin on home sales. The gross margin, before interest, on home sales for the quarter was an all-time record 19.3%, up 240 basis points over June 2000."

Mr. McCarthy continued, "The increase in our gross margin for the quarter reflects continued strong demand for our homes, especially in the first-time buyer segment. As a result of this strong demand, we have continued to increase prices in most of our markets."

Mr. McCarthy also said, "Net income of $2.07 per share for the quarter includes an extraordinary loss of $.08 per share related to the early extinguishment of our $115 million 9% Senior Notes due in 2004. During the quarter we repaid these senior notes and issued $200 million of 8 5/8% Senior Notes due in 2011."

Increased New Orders and Record Backlog Demonstrate Continued Strong

Demand

Mr. McCarthy said, "During the June quarter we had 2,873 new orders for homes, a 31% increase over the June 2000 quarter and a third fiscal quarter record. At June 30, 2001, we had 4,636 homes in backlog (up 34%) with a sales value of $892 million (up 31%), both all-time Company records. As with our margin improvement, these records demonstrate the continued strength in demand that we are experiencing for our homes, especially in the first-time buyer segment."

Mr. McCarthy continued, "New orders and backlog for the June quarter do not include our recently announced acquisition of Sanford Homes in Denver. On June 29th, we announced that we have signed a definitive agreement to purchase Sanford Homes, one of the largest private builders in the metropolitan Denver area. The acquisition is expected to close in early August. We are extremely excited about our entry into Denver, one of the country's largest and fastest- growing markets. We expect Sanford to add significantly to our growth in the future."

Beazer Strengthens Financial Position and Receives Upgrade From Moody's

David S. Weiss, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, said, "During the June quarter we substantially strengthened our financial position with the issuance of our new 8 5/8% Senior Notes due in 2011 and the repayment of our 9% Senior Notes due in 2004. We were able to refinance a significant portion of our capital structure with a longer maturity at a lower interest rate."

Mr. Weiss also said, "The addition of our new Senior Notes follows the completion earlier in this fiscal year of a $90 million four-year term loan. With these two debt issuances, we have extended the average maturity of our debt from five years at September 30, 2000 to eight years currently. In addition, we had no borrowings outstanding under our $250 million revolving credit facility at June 30, 2001. We believe that our current capital structure puts us in an extremely strong financial position and gives us significant financial flexibility to achieve the continued growth that we see going forward."

Mr. Weiss added, "At June 30, 2001, our ratio of debt to total capitalization was 54%, an improvement from the 56% level at June 30, 2000. We expect our debt to total capitalization level to improve further by the end of our September fiscal year, even after closing our pending acquisition of Sanford Homes."

Mr. Weiss concluded, "Moody's Investors Service announced last week that they have upgraded our Senior Notes from Ba3 to Ba2. This is our second upgrade from Moody's in two years. We are extremely proud that Moody's has recognized our superior financial performance and strengthening financial position. We intend to continue to manage our balance sheet and financial position conservatively, to maintain financial flexibility and warrant further upgrades."

Beazer Targets Achieving Five-Year Goal Two Years Early

Mr. McCarthy stated, "After the record June quarter, our earnings for the last twelve months are now $7.53 per share. This figure exceeds the high end of the range that we previously indicated we expected to achieve in fiscal 2001. Our record backlog at June 30 gives us increased confidence in our ability to continue to report increased earnings in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000. As a result, we are now increasing our expectation for fiscal 2001 earnings to the range of $7.75 to $8.00 per share." Mr. McCarthy also said, "We expect to end our September 2001 fiscal year with a record level of year-end backlog from our existing operations. Once closed, our acquisition of Sanford Homes will add to that year-end backlog and is expected to add over $.30 per share to earnings in fiscal 2002. In addition, we expect continued growth in new orders to come from accelerating market share gains by Beazer and other top- ten homebuilders, as well as strong demographic trends in both our existing markets and our newly acquired Denver operation. As a result of these factors, we are now very optimistic about our ability to report continued growth in earnings in fiscal 2002."

Mr. McCarthy concluded, "Two years ago, in April 1999, we announced a five-year plan to more than double our earnings to $9.00 per share by fiscal 2004. Our revenue growth and improved profitability since then have resulted in earnings growth well ahead of the targets set at that time. Our record backlog gives us a strong indication that this trend will continue. As a result, we now target achieving our five-year goal two years early, with EPS of $9.00 per share in fiscal 2002."

Beazer Homes USA, Inc., based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the country's ten largest single-family homebuilders with operations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Beazer Homes also provides mortgage origination, title and insurance services to its homebuyers.

Note: Certain statements in this Press Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to changes in general economic conditions, fluctuations in interest rates, increases in raw materials and labor costs, levels of competition and other factors described in the Company's Annual Report for the year ended September 30, 2000.

                              BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.
                    CONSOLIDATED OPERATING AND FINANCIAL DATA
                 (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

    FINANCIAL DATA
                                     Quarter Ended       Nine Months Ended
                                        June 30,              June 30,
                                    2001      2000       2001        2000
    INCOME STATEMENT
    Revenues                       $448,825  $389,557  $1,188,172  $1,031,263
    Costs and expenses:
      Home construction and land
       sales                        357,071   318,912     948,764     850,385
      Interest                        8,651     7,252      22,715      18,847
      Selling, general and
       administrative expense        51,218    42,450     132,742     112,911
    Operating income                 31,885    20,943      83,951      49,120
    Other income/(expense)              780    (3,608)        909      (4,994)

    Income before income taxes and
     extraordinary item              32,665    17,335      84,860      44,126
    Income taxes                     12,740     6,761      33,096      17,209
    Net income before
     extraordinary item              19,925    10,574      51,764      26,917
    Extraordinary item-loss on
     early extinguishment of
      debt (net of taxes of $469)       733       ---         733         ---
    Net income                      $19,192   $10,574     $51,031     $26,917


    Basic:
      Net income per share before
       extraordinary item             $2.43     $1.31       $6.35       $3.24
      Extraordinary item              (0.09)      ---       (0.09)        ---
      Net income per common share     $2.34     $1.31       $6.26       $3.24

    Diluted:
      Net income per share before
       extraordinary item             $2.15     $1.26       $5.67       $3.12
      Extraordinary item              (0.08)      ---       (0.08)        ---
      Net income per common share     $2.07     $1.26       $5.59       $3.12

    Weighted average shares
     outstanding, in thousands:
      Basic                           8,195     8,088       8,149       8,310
      Diluted                         9,250     8,412       9,124       8,622

    Interest incurred               $10,306    $8,316     $26,578     $22,606
    Depreciation and amortization    $2,043    $1,666      $6,171      $5,159

    SELECTED BALANCE SHEET DATA         June 30,
                                       2001    2000
    Inventory                      $785,234  $669,787
    Total assets                    872,362   725,969
    Total debt                      386,809   325,000
    Shareholders' equity            323,070   253,414



                              BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.
              CONSOLIDATED OPERATING AND FINANCIAL DATA (Continued)
                             (Dollars in thousands)

    OPERATING DATA

                                     Quarter Ended       Nine Months Ended
                                        June 30,              June 30,
    SELECTED OPERATING DATA            2001      2000        2001        2000
    Closings:
      Southeast region                  951       763       2,231       1,978
      Southwest region                  806       752       2,323       2,143
      Central region                    253       153         561         404
      Mid-Atlantic region               266       311         877         814
    Total closings                    2,276     1,979       5,992       5,339
    New orders, net of
     cancellations:
      Southeast region                1,006       705       2,914       2,232
      Southwest region                1,204       939       2,943       2,540
      Central region                    288       241         737         529
      Mid-Atlantic region               375       305       1,105         933
    Total new orders                  2,873     2,190       7,699       6,234
    Backlog at end of period          4,636     3,453
    Dollar value of backlog at end
     of period                     $891,898  $678,836
    Active subdivisions:
      Southeast region                  130       115
      Southwest region                   73        74
      Central region                     32        24
      Mid-Atlantic region                41        39
    Total active subdivisions           276       252

                                     Quarter Ended       Nine Months Ended
                                        June 30,              June 30,
    SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL DATA:       2001      2000        2001        2000

    Revenues
      Home sales                   $440,866  $379,624  $1,161,042  $1,008,820
      Land and lot sales              3,528     7,146      15,476      15,602
      Mortgage origination revenue    6,522     4,551      17,300      11,285
      Intercompany elimination -
       mortgage                      (2,091)   (1,764)     (5,646)     (4,444)
    Total revenues                 $448,825  $389,557  $1,188,172  $1,031,263
    Cost of home construction and
     land sales
      Home sales                   $355,861  $315,642    $942,320    $842,829
      Land and lot sales              3,301     5,034      12,090      12,000
      Intercompany elimination -
       mortgage                      (2,091)   (1,764)     (5,646)     (4,444)
    Total costs of home
     construction and land sales   $357,071  $318,912    $948,764    $850,385
    Selling, general and
     administrative
      Homebuilding operations       $47,636   $39,760    $123,082    $105,936
      Mortgage origination
       operations                     3,582     2,690       9,660       6,975
    Total selling, general and
     administrative                 $51,218   $42,450    $132,742    $112,911


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SOURCE Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

CONTACT:
David S. Weiss, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Beazer Homes USA, Inc.
+1-404-250-3420, or dweiss@beazer.com