Hovnanian Enterprises HOV continued to demonstrate strong operational and financial performances in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. The company reported significant year-over-year improvements, showcasing a strategic focus that resulted in increased profitability and robust growth metrics.
There was a noticeable increase in revenues from the sale of homes, reflecting higher volumes of homes sold. Total interest expenses, as a percentage of total revenues, decreased year over year, which reflects effective debt management and possibly favorable financing terms.
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Q2 Results
Hovnanian reported second-quarter fiscal 2024 earnings per diluted common share of $6.66, which increased from the year-ago quarter’s $4.47. The bottom line increased approximately 49% from the year-ago quarter.
The company reported a slight 0.7% increase in total revenues from $703.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 to $708.4 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024.
The strong quarterly results were primarily driven by higher homebuilding gross margins and a reduction in total interest expenses as a percentage of total revenues.
Sales Performance
The sale of homes revenues saw a more noticeable increase from $670.7 million in the previous-year quarter to $686.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024, largely attributed to the sale of more homes (from 1,225 to 1,283 homes sold, marking a 4.7% year-over-year increase).
Homebuilding Gross Margin
The company’s gross margin on homebuilding improved significantly. The metric increased to $133.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 from $119.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Before interest and land charges, the same rose year over year from 20.9% to 22.6%. After accounting for these costs, the margin showed an improvement from 17.8% to 19.5%. The improvement of 170 basis points is attributed to more efficient cost management and favorable pricing strategies that boosted profitability.
SG&A & Interest Expenses
While total revenues grew modestly, selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased from $75.5 million to $79 million in the reported quarter, representing 11.2% of the total revenues compared with 10.7% in the prior-year quarter. However, total interest expenses, as a percentage of total revenues, decreased year over year, marking an improvement from 5.1% to 4.3% for the second quarter of fiscal 2024.
Profitability
Net income saw a substantial year-over-year increase of 48.9% to $50.8 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024. This improvement in profitability was primarily driven by higher revenues and improved gross margins.
EBITDA rose 17.7% to $101.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 from $86.6 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2023.
Liquidity & Debt Management
The company’s liquidity was notably robust, with total liquidity standing at $310.7 million as of Apr 30, 2024, significantly higher than the target of $170-$245 million. This strong liquidity position supports its strategic growth initiatives.
Hovnanian executed a strategic debt reduction, paying down $31.5 million in cash and further restructuring debts, which resulted in a reduction of $8.5 million in annual interest expenses.
Outlook
For the third quarter of fiscal 2024, the company expects total revenues between $675 million and $775 million. The adjusted homebuilding gross margin is projected between 21.5% and 23.5% for the third quarter, indicating an optimistic outlook on profitability.
Adjusted income before income taxes for the fiscal third quarter is forecast between $65 million and $75 million, with the adjusted EBITDA between $97 million and $107 million.
For fiscal 2024, revenues are forecast between $2.75 billion and $3 billion, with significant improvements in the adjusted EBITDA and earnings per share.
Other Developments
The company highlighted a shift in its strategy from debt reduction to pursuing growth opportunities, given the current stable economic environment and ongoing housing supply shortages. It also noted an increase in lots and land development spending, reflecting its focus on expansion and capitalizing on market demand.
Hovnanian significantly increased its land and land development spending, indicating a strategic shift toward growth and expansion. Hovnanian reduced its debt by engaging in strategic financial maneuvers, improving its interest expense profile and reducing principal debt by $75 million.
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