Note 7 - Inventories

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]

Inventory Disclosure [Text Block]

7. Inventories

The following table sets forth, by reportable segment, information relating to our homebuilding inventories:

	September 30,		December 31,
	2015		2014
	(Dollars in thousands)
Housing Completed or Under Construction:
West	$	417,403	$	343,134
Mountain		272,727		220,489
East		131,537		169,069
Subtotal		821,667		732,692
Land and Land Under Development:
West		511,000		507,252
Mountain		251,943		277,583
East		194,752		150,433
Subtotal		957,695		935,268
Total Inventories	$	1,779,362	$	1,667,960

Our inventories are primarily associated with communities where we intend to construct and sell homes, including models and speculative homes (defined as homes under construction without a sales contract and also referred to as “spec homes”). Costs capitalized to land and land under development primarily include: (1) land costs; (2) land development costs; (3) entitlement costs; (4) capitalized interest; (5) engineering fees; and (6) title insurance, real property taxes and closing costs directly related to the purchase of the land parcel. Components of housing completed or under construction primarily include: (1) land costs transferred from land and land under development; (2) direct construction costs associated with a house; (3) real property taxes, engineering fees, permits and other fees; (4) capitalized interest; and (5) indirect construction costs, which include field construction management salaries and benefits, utilities and other construction related costs. Land costs are transferred from land and land under development to housing completed or under construction at the point in time that construction of a home on an owned lot begins. Included in land and land under development at September 30, 2015 was $6.9 million of land held for sale. We did not have any land held for sale at December 31, 2014.

In accordance with ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment (“ASC 360”), homebuilding inventories, excluding those classified as held for sale, are carried at cost unless events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the underlying subdivision may not be recoverable.  We evaluate inventories for impairment at each quarter end on a subdivision level basis as each subdivision represents the lowest level of identifiable cash flows. In making this determination, we review, among other things, the following for each subdivision:

• actual and trending “Operating Margin” (which is defined as home sale revenues less home cost of sales and all direct incremental costs associated with the home closing, including sales commissions) for homes closed;

• estimated future undiscounted cash flows and Operating Margin;

• forecasted Operating Margin for homes in backlog;

• actual and trending net and gross home orders;

• base sales price and home sales incentive information for homes closed, homes in backlog and homes available for sale;

• market information for each sub-market, including competition levels, home foreclosure levels, the size and style of homes currently being offered for sale and lot size; and

• known or probable events indicating that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

If events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of our inventory may not be recoverable, assets are reviewed for impairment by comparing the undiscounted estimated future cash flows from an individual subdivision to its carrying value. If the undiscounted future cash flows are less than the subdivision’s carrying value, the carrying value of the subdivision is written down to its estimated fair value, which is determined using Level 3 inputs. We generally determine the estimated fair value of each subdivision by determining the present value of the estimated future cash flows at discount rates that are commensurate with the risk of the subdivision under evaluation. The primary unobservable input used in our discounted cash flow model is the discount rate.

If land is classified as held for sale, we measure it at the lower of the carrying value or fair value less estimated costs to sell, in accordance with ASC 360. In determining fair value, we primarily rely upon the most recent negotiated price which is a Level 2 input. If a negotiated price is not available, we will consider several factors including, but not limited to, current market conditions, recent comparable sales transactions and market analysis studies. If the fair value less estimated costs to sell is lower than the current carrying value, the land is impaired down to its estimated fair value less costs to sell.

Impairments of homebuilding inventory by segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 are shown in the table below. In addition to the impairments shown below, using Level 2 inputs, we recorded $1.1 million of impairments on our land held for sale during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015. No such impairments were recorded during the same periods in 2014.

	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
	(Dollars in thousands)
West	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	-
Mountain		250		-		250		-
East		2,975		-		3,325		850
Total Inventory Impairments	$	3,225	$	-	$	3,575	$	850

The table below provides quantitative data, for the periods presented, used in determining the fair value of the impaired inventory.

	Impairment Data								Quantitative Data
Three Months Ended	Total Subdivisions Tested		Inventory Impairments		Fair Value of Inventory After Impairments		Number of Subdivisions Impaired		Discount Rate
	(Dollars in thousands)
March 31, 2015		22	$	350	$	3,701		1		8.7	%
June 30, 2015		22		-		-		-		N/A
September 30, 2015		18		3,225		14,836		5		12.0 - 15.0	%
Total		62	$	3,575	$	18,537		6
March 31, 2014		16	$	-	$	-		-		N/A
June 30, 2014		16		850		4,285		2		11.0 - 13.8	%
September 30, 2014		23		-		-		-		N/A
Total		55	$	850	$	4,285		2