SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

 

                   

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

Date of Report: July 8, 2004

 

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

1000 Abernathy Road, Suite 1200

Atlanta Georgia 30328

(Address of Principal

Executive Offices)

 

 

(770) 829-3700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

None

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(c)  Exhibits

 

99.1                           Press release issued July 7, 2004.

 

 

 

Item 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

 

On July 7, 2004, Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (the “Company”) reported home orders, closings and backlog for the quarter and nine months ended June 30, 2004.  A copy of this press release is attached hereto as exhibit 99.1.  For additional information, please see the press release.

 

2

 

SIGNATURES

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

	BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.
Date: July 8, 2004		By:	/s/  JAMES O’LEARY
		James O’Leary
		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

3

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

 

	Press Release
	For Immediate Release

 

 

Beazer Homes USA, Inc. Reports Preliminary Home Orders, Closings and Backlog for the Quarter and Nine Months Ended June 30, 2004

 

•                  Q3 New Home Orders of 4,869, up 3% year-over-year

•                  Q3 Closings of 4,061, up 12% year-over-year

•                  All-time Record Backlog at 6/30/04:  9,278 homes (up 8%), $2.3 billion sales value (up 30%)

 

Atlanta, Ga., July 7, 2004-Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (NYSE:BZH) (www.beazer.com) today released preliminary unit net orders, closings and backlog for the quarter and nine months ended June 30, 2004.

 

 

		New Orders  (Units)
		For the Quarter Ended June 30,						For the Nine Months Ended June 30,
		2004		2003		% Change		2004		2003		% Change
Southeast		1,657		1,673		-1.0	%	4,336		4,316		0.5	%
West		1,823		1,474		23.7	%	5,162		3,690		39.9	%
Central		297		332		-10.5	%	833		860		-3.1	%
Mid-Atlantic		427		434		-1.6	%	1,146		1,382		-17.1	%
Midwest		665		821		-19.0	%	1,728		2,206		-21.7	%
Total		4,869		4,734		2.9	%	13,205		12,454		6.0	%

 

 

		Closings (Units)
		For the Quarter Ended June 30,						For the Nine Months Ended June 30,
		2004		2003		% Change		2004		2003		% Change
Southeast		1,340		1,204		11.3	%	3,794		3,390		11.9	%
West		1,562		1,174		33.0	%	4,180		3,309		26.3	%
Central		216		296		-27.0	%	664		834		-20.4	%
Mid-Atlantic		409		261		56.7	%	1,094		789		38.7	%
Midwest		534		681		-21.6	%	1,621		2,073		-21.8	%
Total		4,061		3,616		12.3	%	11,353		10,395		9.2	%

 

 

 

Preliminary backlog sales value as of June 30, 2004 totals $2.32 billion, up 30% from the backlog sales value of $1.78 billion as of June 30, 2003.

 

The increase in new home orders for the quarter resulted from strong order growth in the Company’s West region, notably California, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado, and in certain Southeast markets, notably Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.  This was partially offset mainly by lower orders in the Midwest and in parts of the Carolinas.  The increase in new orders from those markets with higher average sales prices resulted in all-time record backlog in terms of both units and sales value.

 

Closings of 4,061 homes represents a third quarter record and resulted from strong closings in both the Company’s West and Mid-Atlantic regions, with year-over-year increases of 33% and 57%, respectively.  The increase in closings in the Southeast resulted from strong closings in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, partially offset by declines in parts of the Carolinas.

 

Beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004, the Company will announce its quarterly new orders, closings and backlog units at the time of its quarterly earnings release, as the Company believes this data is more meaningful within the context of comprehensive quarterly financial results.

 

 

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

 

Contact:	Leslie H. Kratcoski
	Director, Investor Relations
	(770) 829-3700
	lkratcos@beazer.com