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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Operations. KB Home is a builder of attached and detached single-family residential homes, townhomes and condominiums. As of November 30, 2014, we conducted ongoing operations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Through our financial services subsidiary, we also offer property and casualty insurance and, in certain instances, earthquake, flood and personal property insurance to our homebuyers in the same markets where we build homes, and provide title services in the majority of our markets located within our Central and Southeast homebuilding reporting segments. In addition, since July 2014, we have offered mortgage banking services, including mortgage loan originations, to our homebuyers indirectly through HCM, a joint venture of a subsidiary of ours and a subsidiary of Nationstar. HCM is accounted for as an unconsolidated joint venture within our financial services reporting segment.
Basis of Presentation. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and include our accounts and those of the consolidated subsidiaries in which we have a controlling financial interest. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures in which we have less than a controlling interest are accounted for using the equity method.
Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make informed estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash. We consider all highly liquid short-term investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Our cash equivalents totaled $197.7 million at November 30, 2014 and $436.2 million at November 30, 2013. The majority of our cash and cash equivalents were invested in money market funds and interest-bearing bank deposit accounts.
Restricted cash of $27.2 million at November 30, 2014 and $41.9 million at November 30, 2013 consisted of cash deposited with various financial institutions that was required as collateral for the LOC Facilities.
Property and Equipment and Depreciation. Property and equipment are recorded at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful lives, which generally range from two to 10 years, using the straight-line method. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Property and equipment totaled $11.8 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $15.0 million, at November 30, 2014 and $8.5 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $14.4 million, at November 30, 2013. Depreciation expense totaled $2.4 million in 2014, $1.9 million in 2013 and $1.6 million in 2012.
Homebuilding Operations. Revenues from housing and other real estate sales are recognized in accordance with ASC 360 when sales are closed and title passes to the buyer. Sales are closed when all of the following conditions are met: a sale is consummated, a sufficient down payment is received, the earnings process is complete and the collection of any remaining receivables is reasonably assured. Concurrent with the recognition of revenues in our consolidated statements of operations, sales incentives in the form of price concessions on the selling price of a home are recorded as a reduction of revenues, while the cost of sales incentives in the form of free products or services to homebuyers, including option upgrades and closing cost allowances used to cover a portion of the fees and costs charged to a homebuyer, is reflected as construction and land costs.
Construction and land costs are comprised of direct and allocated costs, including estimated future costs for the limited warranty on our homes and certain amenities within a community. Land acquisition, land development and other common costs are generally allocated on a relative fair value basis to the homes or lots within a community or land parcel. Land acquisition and land development costs include related interest and real estate taxes.
Housing and land inventories are stated at cost, unless the carrying value is determined not to be recoverable, in which case the affected inventories are written down to fair value or fair value less costs to sell in accordance with ASC 360. ASC 360 requires that real estate assets, such as our housing and land inventories, be tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparing the carrying value of an asset to the undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. These impairment evaluations are significantly impacted by estimates for the amounts and timing of future revenues, costs and expenses, and other factors. If the carrying value of real estate assets is determined not to be recoverable, the impairment charge to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying value of the affected asset exceeds its estimated fair value. For land held for sale, if the fair value less costs to sell exceeds the asset’s carrying value, no impairment charge is required.
Capitalized Interest. Interest is capitalized to inventories while the related communities are being actively developed and until homes are completed. Capitalized interest is amortized to construction and land costs as the related inventories are delivered to homebuyers. For land held for future development, applicable interest is expensed as incurred.
Fair Value Measurements. Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”) provides a framework for measuring the fair value of assets and liabilities under GAAP and establishes a fair value hierarchy that requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.
Fair value measurements are used for inventories on a nonrecurring basis when events and circumstances indicate that their carrying value is not recoverable. Fair value is determined based on estimated future net cash flows discounted for inherent risks associated with the real estate assets, or other valuation techniques.
Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, senior notes, the 1.375% Convertible Senior Notes due 2019, and mortgages and land contracts due to land sellers and other loans. Fair value measurements of financial instruments are determined by various market data and other valuation techniques as appropriate. When available, we use quoted market prices in active markets to determine fair value.
Financial Services Operations. Our financial services reporting segment generates revenues primarily from insurance commissions and title services. These operations also earned marketing services fees, pursuant to a marketing services agreement with a preferred lender, until July 21, 2014. Insurance commissions are recognized when policies are issued. Title services revenues are recorded when closing services are rendered and title insurance policies are issued, both of which generally occur at the time each applicable home is closed. Marketing services fees were recognized when earned.
Warranty Costs. We provide a limited warranty on all of our homes. We estimate the costs that may be incurred under each limited warranty and record a liability in the amount of such costs at the time the revenue associated with the sale of each home is recognized. Our primary assumption in estimating the amounts we accrue for warranty costs is that historical claims experience is a strong indicator of future claims experience. Factors that affect our warranty liability include the number of homes delivered, historical and anticipated rates of warranty claims, and cost per claim. We periodically assess the adequacy of our accrued warranty liability and adjust the amount as necessary based on our assessment.
Self-Insurance. We self-insure a portion of our overall risk through the use of a captive insurance subsidiary. We also maintain certain other insurance policies. We record expenses and liabilities based on the estimated costs required to cover our self-insured retention and deductible amounts under our insurance policies, and the estimated costs of potential claims and claim adjustment expenses that are above our coverage limits or that are not covered by our insurance policies. These estimated costs are based on an analysis of our historical claims and industry data, and include an estimate of construction defect claims incurred but not yet reported.
We engage a third-party actuary that uses our historical claim and expense data, as well as industry data, to estimate our liabilities related to unpaid claims, claim adjustment expenses, third-party recoveries and incurred but not yet reported claims for the risks that we are assuming under our self-insurance. The projection of losses related to these liabilities requires actuarial assumptions that are subject to variability due to uncertainties regarding construction defect claims relative to differences in our markets and the types of product we build, insurance industry practices and legal or regulatory interpretations, among other factors. Key assumptions used in these estimates include claim frequencies, severities and settlement patterns, which can occur over an extended period of time. Due to the degree of judgment involved and the potential for variability in these underlying assumptions, our actual future costs could differ from those estimated.
Advertising Costs. We expense advertising costs as incurred. We incurred advertising costs of $30.2 million in 2014, $25.3 million in 2013 and $24.6 million in 2012.
Legal Fees. Legal fees associated with litigation and similar proceedings that are not expected to provide a benefit in future periods are generally expensed as incurred. Legal fees associated with land acquisition and development and other activities that are expected to provide a benefit in future periods are capitalized as incurred in our consolidated balance sheets. We expensed legal fees of $10.9 million in 2014, $10.1 million in 2013 and $12.6 million in 2012.
Stock-Based Compensation. With the approval of the management development and compensation committee, consisting entirely of independent members of our board of directors, we have provided compensation benefits to certain of our employees in the form of stock options, restricted stock, PSUs and SARs.
We measure and recognize compensation expense associated with our grant of equity-based awards in accordance with ASC 718, which requires that companies measure and recognize compensation expense at an amount equal to the fair value of share-based payments granted under compensation arrangements over the vesting period. We estimate the fair value of stock options and SARs granted using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with assumptions based primarily on historical data. We report the tax benefit resulting from tax deductions in excess of the compensation expense recognized for stock options and SARs in our consolidated statements of cash flows as an operating cash outflow and a financing cash inflow. Compensation expense related to equity-based awards is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statements of operations.
Income Taxes. Income taxes are accounted for in accordance with ASC 740. The provision for, or benefit from, income taxes is calculated using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded based on the difference between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets are evaluated on a quarterly basis to determine if adjustments to the valuation allowance are required. In accordance with ASC 740, we assess whether a valuation allowance should be established based on the consideration of all available evidence using a “more likely than not” standard with respect to whether deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets depends primarily on the generation of future taxable income. The value of our deferred tax assets will depend on applicable income tax rates. Judgment is required in determining the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in our consolidated financial statements and/or tax returns. Differences between anticipated and actual outcomes of these future tax consequences could have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss. The accumulated balances of other comprehensive loss in the consolidated balance sheets as of November 30, 2014 and 2013 were comprised solely of adjustments recorded directly to accumulated other comprehensive loss in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 715, “Compensation — Retirement Benefits” (“ASC 715”). Such adjustments are made annually as of November 30, when our benefit plan obligations are remeasured. ASC 715 requires an employer to recognize the funded status of defined postretirement benefit plans as an asset or liability on the balance sheet and requires any unrecognized prior service costs and actuarial gains/losses to be recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
Earnings (Loss) Per Share. We compute earnings (loss) per share using the two-class method in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 260, “Earnings Per Share.” The two-class method is an allocation of earnings between the holders of common stock and a company’s participating security holders. Our outstanding nonvested shares of restricted stock contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends and, therefore, are considered participating securities for purposes of computing earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method. We had no other participating securities at November 30, 2014, 2013 or 2012.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements. In July 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)” (“ASU 2013-11”), which states that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, except as follows. To the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. ASU 2013-11 applies to all entities that have unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists at the reporting date. The amendments in ASU 2013-11 are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date. Retrospective application is permitted. We believe the adoption of this guidance will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In April 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-08, “Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity” (“ASU 2014-08”), which raises the threshold for a disposal to qualify as a discontinued operation and requires new disclosures of both discontinued operations and certain other disposals that do not meet the new definition of a discontinued operation. It also allows an entity to present a discontinued operation even when it has continuing cash flows and significant continuing involvement with the disposed component. The amendments in ASU 2014-08 are effective prospectively for disposals (or classifications as held for sale) of components of an entity that occur within annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted but only for disposals (or classifications as held for sale) that have not been reported in financial statements previously issued or available for issuance. We believe the adoption of this guidance will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the following steps: identify the contract(s) with a customer; identify the performance obligations in the contract; determine the transaction price; allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 605, “Revenue Recognition,” most industry-specific guidance throughout the industry topics of the accounting standards codification, and some cost guidance related to construction-type and production-type contracts. ASU 2014-09 is effective for public entities for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is not permitted. Companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adopt ASU 2014-09. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-11, “Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860): Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures” (“ASU 2014-11”), which requires repurchase-to-maturity transactions to be accounted for as secured borrowings, eliminates existing accounting guidance for repurchase financing arrangements, and expands disclosure requirements related to certain transfers of financial assets. ASU 2014-11 is effective for public entities for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2014. Early adoption is not permitted. We believe the adoption of this guidance will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In June 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-12, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period” (“ASU 2014-12”). The amendments in ASU 2014-12 require that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. A reporting entity should apply existing guidance in ASC 718, as it relates to awards with performance conditions that affect vesting to account for such awards. The amendments in ASU 2014-12 are effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. Entities may apply the amendments in ASU 2014-12 either: (a) prospectively to all awards granted or modified after the effective date; or (b) retrospectively to all awards with performance targets that are outstanding as of the beginning of the earliest annual period presented in the financial statements and to all new or modified awards thereafter. We believe the adoption of this guidance will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In August 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements — Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern” (“ASU 2014-15”), which requires management to evaluate, in connection with preparing financial statements for each annual and interim reporting period, whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or within one year after the date that the financial statements are available to be issued when applicable) and provide related disclosures. ASU 2014-15 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual and interim periods thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. We believe the adoption of this guidance will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
Reclassifications. Certain amounts in the consolidated financial statements of prior years have been reclassified to conform to the 2014 presentation.