EX-99.1 2 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON FEBRUARY 28, 2007 Press Release issued on February 28, 2007

Exhibit 99.1

LOGO

 

Contact: Investor Relations
  W. Douglass Harris
  William Lyon Homes
  (949) 833-3600

WILLIAM LYON HOMES REPORTS

FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2006 NET INCOME

Financial Highlights

2006 Fourth Quarter

 

   

Net new home orders of 504, up 10%

 

   

New home deliveries of 938, down 36%

 

   

Consolidated operating revenue of $465.3 million, down 44%

 

   

Homebuilding gross margins of $84.7 million, down 54%

 

   

Homebuilding gross margin percentage of 18.3%, down 520 basis points

 

   

Impairment loss on real estate assets of $25.9 million

 

   

Net income of $7.7 million, down 91%

2006 Full Year

 

   

Net new home orders of 2,202, down 34%

 

   

New home deliveries of 2,887, down 10%

 

   

Consolidated operating revenue of $1.492 billion, down 20%

 

   

Homebuilding gross margins of $318.1 million, down 27%

 

   

Homebuilding gross margin percentage of 21.5%, down 360 basis points

 

   

Impairment loss on real estate assets of $39.9 million

 

   

Net income of $74.8 million, down 61%

NEWPORT BEACH, CA—February 28, 2007—William Lyon Homes today reported that net income for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2006 decreased 91% to $7,681,000, as compared to net income of $87,955,000 for the comparable period a year ago. Consolidated operating revenue decreased 44% to $465,338,000 for the quarter ended December 31, 2006, as compared to $825,881,000 for the comparable period a year ago.


For the year ended December 31, 2006, the Company reported net income of $74,778,000, a decrease of 61% as compared to net income of $190,631,000 for the comparable period a year ago. Consolidated operating revenue decreased 20% to $1,492,221,000 for the year ended December 31, 2006, as compared with $1,856,383,000 for the comparable period a year ago.

Operating revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2006 and 2005 included $4,357,000 and $46,344,000, respectively, from the sales of land resulting in gross profit of approximately $1,833,000 and $35,462,000, respectively. Operating revenue for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005 included $13,527,000 and $111,316,000, respectively, from the sales of land resulting in gross profit of approximately $7,793,000 and $66,542,000, respectively. In accordance with the Company’s long established policy, and in the ordinary course of business, the Company continually evaluates land sales as market and business conditions warrant.

In addition, the Company incurred costs of approximately $5,370,000 and $10,790,000 during the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2006, respectively, related to the abandonment and write-off of project pre-acquisition costs and land option deposits for certain of the Company’s potential projects, which are included in cost of sales - lots, land and other in the consolidated statements of income.

During the last half of the fourth quarter of 2005, the Company began to experience slowing in new orders in many of its markets, increases in cancellation rates and increasing pricing pressures from several of its competitors who initiated aggressive incentive and discounting programs. This softening in the Company’s markets continued in 2006.

The Company incurred impairment losses on real estate assets of $25,870,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2006 and $39,895,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2006. The impairments were primarily attributable to slower than anticipated home sales and lower than anticipated net revenue due to softening market conditions. Accordingly, the real estate assets were written-down to their estimated fair value.

The Company’s combined results including joint ventures were as follows: The number of homes closed for the three months ended December 31, 2006 was 938, down 36% as compared to 1,468 for the three months ended December 31, 2005. The number of homes closed for the year ended December 31, 2006 was 2,887, a decrease of 10% as compared to 3,196 for the year ended December 31, 2005. The Company’s backlog of homes sold but not closed was 606 at December 31, 2006, down 53% from 1,291 at December 31, 2005. The Company’s dollar amount of

 

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backlog of homes sold but not closed at December 31, 2006, was $295,505,000, down 57% from $691,627,000 at December 31, 2005. The cancellation rate of buyers who contracted to buy a home but did not close escrow was approximately 33% during 2006 and 16% during 2005. However, the cancellation rate from January 1, 2007 through February 25, 2007 has decreased to approximately 21%.

Net new home orders for the three months ended December 31, 2006 were 504, an increase of 10% as compared to 460 for the three months ended December 31, 2005. Net new home orders for the year ended December 31, 2006 were 2,202, a decrease of 34% as compared to 3,321 for the year ended December 31, 2005. The average number of sales locations was 52 for the year ended December 31, 2006, an increase of 27% as compared to 41 for the year ended December 31, 2005.

During the fourth quarter of 2006, the average sales price of homes (including joint ventures) was $491,500, down 7% as compared to $531,000 for the comparable period a year ago. For the year ended December 31, 2006, the average sales price of homes (including joint ventures) was $512,200, down 6% as compared to $546,000 for the year ended December 31, 2005. The lower average sales price reflects a change in product mix and an increase in the use of sales incentives due to the slowing of new orders and competitive pressures.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2006, the Company’s homebuilding gross margin percentage decreased to 18.3% from 23.5% for the quarter ended December 31, 2005. For the year ended December 31, 2006, the Company’s homebuilding gross margin percentage decreased to 21.5% from 25.1% for the year ended December 31, 2005. These lower gross margin percentages were primarily due to the earlier close out of projects with higher gross margins, a shift in product mix, a decrease in average sales prices and increases in land costs which resulted in higher cost of sales when homes closed.

In 2006, the Company was focused on increasing the number of sales locations in each of its markets and at December 31, 2006, the Company ended the year with 53 active sales locations as compared to 44 active sales locations at December 31, 2005.

Selected financial and operating information for the Company, including joint ventures, is set forth in greater detail in a schedule attached to this release.

 

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The Company will hold a conference call on Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time to discuss the fourth quarter and year end 2006 earnings results. The dial-in number is (866) 510-0710 (enter passcode number 47830641). Participants may call in beginning at 10:45 a.m. Pacific Time. In addition, the call will be broadcast from William Lyon Homes’ website at www.lyonhomes.com in the “Investor Relations” section of the site. The call will be recorded and replayed beginning on March 1, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time through midnight on March 30, 2007. The dial-in number for the replay is (888) 286-8010 (enter passcode number 62240419). Replays of the call will also be available on the Company’s website approximately two hours after broadcast.

William Lyon Homes is primarily engaged in the design, construction and sales of new single-family detached and attached homes in California, Arizona and Nevada. The Company’s corporate headquarters are located in Newport Beach, California. For more information about the Company and its new home developments, please visit the Company’s web-site at www.lyonhomes.com.

Certain statements contained in this release that are not historical information contain forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions of future events which may not prove to be accurate. Factors that may impact such forward-looking statements include, among others, changes in general economic conditions and in the markets in which the Company competes, terrorism or hostilities involving the United States, changes in mortgage and other interest rates, changes in prices of homebuilding materials, weather conditions, the occurrence of events such as landslides, soil subsidence and earthquakes that are uninsurable, not economically insurable or not subject to effective indemnification agreements, the availability of labor and homebuilding materials, changes in governmental laws and regulations, the timing of receipt of regulatory approvals and the opening of projects, and the availability and cost of land for future development, as well as the other factors discussed in the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

4


WILLIAM LYON HOMES

SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION

(unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended December 31,  
     2006     2005  
     Wholly-
Owned
   

Joint

Ventures

    Consolidated
Total
    Wholly-
Owned
    Joint
Ventures
    Consolidated
Total
 

Selected Financial Information
(dollars in thousands)

            

Homes closed

     831       107       938       1,122       346       1,468  
                                                

Home sales revenue

   $ 417,523     $ 43,458     $ 460,981     $ 594,867     $ 184,670     $ 779,537  

Cost of sales

     (343,328 )     (32,951 )     (376,279 )     (463,106 )     (132,979 )     (596,085 )
                                                

Gross margin

   $ 74,195     $ 10,507     $ 84,702     $ 131,761     $ 51,691     $ 183,452  
                                                

Gross margin percentage

     17.8 %     24.2 %     18.3 %     22.1 %     28.0 %     23.5 %
                                                

Number of homes closed

            

California

     469       107       576       723       346       1,069  

Arizona

     217       —         217       191       —         191  

Nevada

     145       —         145       208       —         208  
                                                

Total

     831       107       938       1,122       346       1,468  
                                                

Average sales price

            

California

   $ 638,700     $ 406,100     $ 595,500     $ 625,800     $ 533,700     $ 596,000  

Arizona

     298,700       —         298,700       366,500       —         366,500  

Nevada

     366,500       —         366,500       348,100       —         348,100  
                                                

Total

   $ 502,400     $ 406,100     $ 491,500     $ 530,200     $ 533,700     $ 531,000  
                                                

Number of net new home orders

            

California

     264       71       335       229       61       290  

Arizona

     45       —         45       88       —         88  

Nevada

     124       —         124       82       —         82  
                                                

Total

     433       71       504       399       61       460  
                                                

Average number of sales locations during quarter

            

California

     32       7       39       23       7       30  

Arizona

     6       —         6       5       —         5  

Nevada

     11       —         11       9       —         9  
                                                

Total

     49       7       56       37       7       44  
                                                

 

5


WILLIAM LYON HOMES

SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION (Continued)

(unaudited)

 

     As of December 31,
     2006    2005
     Wholly-
Owned
   Joint
Ventures
   Consolidated
Total
   Wholly-
Owned
   Joint
Ventures
   Consolidated
Total

Backlog of homes sold but not closed at end of period

                 

California

     303      52      355      608      123      731

Arizona

     191      —        191      396      —        396

Nevada

     60      —        60      164      —        164
                                         

Total

     554      52      606      1,168      123      1,291
                                         

Dollar amount of homes sold but not closed at end of period (in thousands)

                 

California

   $ 197,123    $ 24,122    $ 221,245    $ 427,102    $ 64,355    $ 491,457

Arizona

     51,852      —        51,852      141,132      —        141,132

Nevada

     22,408      —        22,408      59,038      —        59,038
                                         

Total

   $ 271,383    $ 24,122    $ 295,505    $ 627,272    $ 64,355    $ 691,627
                                         

Lots controlled at end of period

                 

Owned lots

                 

California

     4,895      530      5,425      4,296      1,290      5,586

Arizona

     3,996      2,568      6,564      3,627      822      4,449

Nevada

     1,299      —        1,299      1,483      —        1,483
                                         

Total

     10,190      3,098      13,288      9,406      2,112      11,518
                                         

Optioned lots (1)

                 

California

           2,872            4,650

Arizona

           3,492            8,232

Nevada

           1,013            2,189
                         

Total

           7,377            15,071
                         

Total lots controlled

                 

California

           8,297            10,236

Arizona

           10,056            12,681

Nevada

           2,312            3,672
                         

Total

           20,665            26,589
                         

 

(1) Optioned lots may be purchased as wholly-owned projects or by newly formed joint ventures.

 

6


WILLIAM LYON HOMES

SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION

(unaudited)

 

     Twelve Months Ended December 31,  
     2006     2005  
     Wholly-
Owned
    Joint
Ventures
    Consolidated
Total
    Wholly-
Owned
    Joint
Ventures
    Consolidated
Total
 

Selected Financial Information
(dollars in thousands)

            

Homes closed

     2,540       347       2,887       2,508       688       3,196  
                                                

Home sales revenue

   $ 1,327,297     $ 151,397     $ 1,478,694     $ 1,338,208     $ 406,859     $ 1,745,067  

Cost of sales

     (1,052,657 )     (107,957 )     (1,160,614 )     (1,012,761 )     (294,266 )     (1,307,027 )
                                                

Gross margin

   $ 274,640     $ 43,440     $ 318,080     $ 325,447     $ 112,593     $ 438,040  
                                                

Gross margin percentage

     20.7 %     28.7 %     21.5 %     24.3 %     27.7 %     25.1 %
                                                

Number of homes closed

            

California

     1,431       347       1,778       1,315       688       2,003  

Arizona

     593       —         593       628       —         628  

Nevada

     516       —         516       565       —         565  
                                                

Total

     2,540       347       2,887       2,508       688       3,196  
                                                

Average sales price

            

California

   $ 646,900     $ 436,300     $ 605,800     $ 707,400     $ 591,400     $ 667,600  

Arizona

     346,800       —         346,800       321,500       —         321,500  

Nevada

     379,700       —         379,700       364,600       —         364,600  
                                                

Total

   $ 522,600     $ 436,300     $ 512,200     $ 533,600     $ 591,400     $ 546,000  
                                                

Number of net new home orders

            

California

     1,111       291       1,402       1,566       566       2,132  

Arizona

     388       —         388       542       —         542  

Nevada

     412       —         412       647       —         647  
                                                

Total

     1,911       291       2,202       2,755       566       3,321  
                                                

Average number of sales locations during year

            

California

     28       6       34       20       8       28  

Arizona

     6       —         6       5       —         5  

Nevada

     12       —         12       8       —         8  
                                                

Total

     46       6       52       33       8       41  
                                                

 

7


WILLIAM LYON HOMES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Twelve Months Ended
December 31,
 
     2006     2005     2006     2005  

Operating revenue

        

Home sales

   $ 460,981     $ 779,537     $ 1,478,694     $ 1,745,067  

Lots, land and other sales

     4,357       46,344       13,527       111,316  
                                
     465,338       825,881       1,492,221       1,856,383  
                                

Operating costs

        

Cost of sales - homes

     (376,279 )     (596,085 )     (1,160,614 )     (1,307,027 )

Cost of sales - lots, land and other

     (7,894 )     (10,882 )     (16,524 )     (44,774 )

Impairment loss on real estate assets

     (25,870 )     (4,600 )     (39,895 )     (4,600 )

Sales and marketing

     (24,513 )     (22,585 )     (72,349 )     (59,422 )

General and administrative

     (12,077 )     (27,165 )     (61,390 )     (90,045 )

Other

     (4,212 )     (668 )     (6,502 )     (2,450 )
                                
     (450,845 )     (661,985 )     (1,357,274 )     (1,508,318 )
                                

Equity in (loss) income of unconsolidated joint ventures

     (156 )     (212 )     3,242       4,301  
                                

Minority equity in income of consolidated entities

     (4,036 )     (20,539 )     (16,914 )     (37,571 )
                                

Operating income

     10,301       143,145       121,275       314,795  

Financial advisory expenses

     (23 )     —         (3,165 )     (2,191 )

Other income, net

     2,564       1,923       5,599       2,176  
                                

Income before provision for income taxes

     12,842       145,068       123,709       314,780  

Provision for income taxes

     (5,161 )     (57,113 )     (48,931 )     (124,149 )
                                

Net income

   $ 7,681     $ 87,955     $ 74,778     $ 190,631  
                                

 

8


WILLIAM LYON HOMES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands except number of shares and par value per share)

 

     December 31,
     2006    2005
     (unaudited)     
ASSETS      

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 38,732    $ 52,369

Receivables

     119,491      143,481

Real estate inventories

     

Owned

     1,431,753      1,303,476

Not owned

     200,667      115,772

Investments in and advances to unconsolidated joint ventures

     3,560      397

Property and equipment, less accumulated depreciation of $12,465 and $9,936 at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively

     16,828      18,553

Deferred loan costs

     11,258      12,323

Goodwill

     5,896      5,896

Other assets

     50,410      38,735
             
   $ 1,878,595    $ 1,691,002
             
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY      

Accounts payable

   $ 48,592    $ 67,326

Accrued expenses

     111,871      181,068

Liabilities from inventories not owned

     131,564      —  

Notes payable

     304,096      125,619

7 5/8 % Senior Notes due December 15, 2012

     150,000      150,000

10 3/4% Senior Notes due April 1, 2013

     247,218      246,917

7 1/2% Senior Notes due February 15, 2014

     150,000      150,000
             
     1,143,341      920,930
             

Minority interest in consolidated entities

     109,859      227,178
             

Stockholders’ equity

     

Common stock, par value $0.01 per share; 3,000 shares authorized; 1,000 shares outstanding at December 31, 2006; 30,000,000 shares authorized; 8,652,067 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2005; 1,275,000 shares issued and held in treasury at December 31, 2005

     —        86

Additional paid-in capital

     43,213      35,404

Retained earnings

     582,182      507,404
             
     625,395      542,894
             
   $ 1,878,595    $ 1,691,002
             

 

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WILLIAM LYON HOMES

SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA (dollars in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
   Last Twelve Months
Ended December 31,
 
     2006    2005    2006     2005  

Net income

   $ 7,681    $ 87,955    $ 74,778     $ 190,631  

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

   $ 63,215    $ 229,392    $ (22,190 )   $ (44,534 )

Interest incurred

   $ 19,091    $ 21,096    $ 80,173     $ 73,208  

Adjusted EBITDA (1)

   $ 58,557    $ 173,179    $ 219,846     $ 375,627  

Ratio of adjusted EBITDA to interest incurred

           2.74 x     5.13 x

Balance Sheet Data

 

     December 31,  
     2006     2005  

Stockholders’ equity

   $ 625,395     $ 542,894  

Total debt

     851,314       672,536  
                

Total book capitalization

   $ 1,476,709     $ 1,215,430  
                

Ratio of debt to total book capitalization

     57.6 %     55.3 %

Ratio of debt to total book capitalization (net of cash)

     56.5 %     53.3 %

Ratio of debt to LTM adjusted EBITDA

     3.87 x     1.79 x

Ratio of debt to LTM adjusted EBITDA (net of cash)

     3.70 x     1.65 x

 

(1)

Adjusted EBITDA means net income plus (i) provision for income taxes, (ii) interest expense, (iii) amortization of capitalized interest included in cost of sales, (iv) non-cash impairment charges, (v) depreciation and amortization and (vi) cash distributions of income from unconsolidated joint ventures less equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures. Other companies may calculate adjusted EBITDA differently. Adjusted EBITDA is not a financial measure prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Adjusted EBITDA is presented herein because it is a component of certain covenants in the indentures governing the Company’s 7 5/8% Senior Notes, 10 3/4% Senior Notes and 7 1/2% Senior Notes (“Indentures”). In addition, management believes the presentation of adjusted EBITDA provides useful information to the Company’s investors regarding the Company’s financial condition and results of operations because adjusted EBITDA is a widely utilized financial indicator of a company’s ability to service and/or incur debt. The calculations of adjusted EBITDA below are presented in accordance with the requirements of the Indentures.

 

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Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative for net income, cash flows from operating activities and other consolidated income or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States or as a measure of profitability or liquidity. A reconciliation of net income to adjusted EBITDA is provided as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Last Twelve Months
Ended December 31,
 
     2006     2005     2006     2005  

Net income

   $ 7,681     $ 87,955     $ 74,778     $ 190,631  

Provision for income taxes

     5,161       57,113       48,931       124,149  

Interest expense:

        

Interest incurred

     19,091       21,096       80,173       73,208  

Interest capitalized

     (19,091 )     (21,096 )     (80,173 )     (73,208 )

Amortization of capitalized interest in cost of sales

     19,017       22,832       54,356       55,748  

Non-cash impairment charge

     25,870       4,600       39,895       4,600  

Depreciation and amortization

     672       532       2,529       2,092  

Cash distributions of income from unconsolidated joint ventures

     —         (65 )     2,599       2,708  

Equity in loss (income) of unconsolidated joint ventures

     156       212       (3,242 )     (4,301 )
                                

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 58,557     $ 173,179     $ 219,846     $ 375,627  
                                

 

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A reconciliation of net cash provided by (used in) operating activities to adjusted EBITDA is provided as follows:

 

     Three Months Ended
December 31,
    Last Twelve Months
Ended December 31,
 
     2006     2005     2006     2005  

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

   $ 63,215     $ 229,392     $ (22,190 )   $ (44,534 )

Interest expense:

        

Interest incurred

     19,091       21,096       80,173       73,208  

Interest capitalized

     (19,091 )     (21,096 )     (80,173 )     (73,208 )

Amortization of capitalized interest in cost of sales

     19,017       22,832       54,356       55,748  

State income tax refund credited to additional paid-in capital

     —         (1,845 )     (10 )     (1,845 )

Federal income tax refund credited to additional paid-in capital

     —         —         (1,820 )     —    

Minority equity in (income) loss of consolidated entities

     (4,036 )     (20,539 )     (16,914 )     (37,571 )

Net changes in operating assets and liabilities:

        

Receivables

     80,464       107,742       (23,990 )     104,179  

Real estate inventories - owned

     (56,314 )     (167,133 )     147,790       232,240  

Real estate inventories - not owned

     (67,793 )     —         (67,793 )     —    

Deferred loan costs

     236       (696 )     (1,065 )     (1,659 )

Other assets

     9,970       936       20,079       6,173  

Accounts payable

     13,975       (1,912 )     18,734       (27,962 )

Accrued expenses

     (177 )     4,402       112,669       90,858  
                                

Adjusted EBITDA

   $ 58,557     $ 173,179     $ 219,846     $ 375,627  
                                

 

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