Basis of Presentation (Policy) |
3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2017 | |
Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
Consolidation policy | The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal, recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. |
Business acquisition | We acquired substantially all of the assets of JW Homes ("Wieland") in January 2016 for $430.5 million in cash and the assumption of certain payables related to such assets. The acquired net assets were located in Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Nashville, and Raleigh, and included approximately 7,000 lots, including 375 homes in inventory, and control of approximately 1,300 lots through land option contracts. We also assumed a sales order backlog of 317 homes. The acquired net assets were recorded at their estimated fair values and resulted in goodwill of $40.4 million and separately identifiable intangible assets of $18.0 million comprised of the John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods tradename, which is being amortized over a 20-year life. The acquisition of these assets was not material to our results of operations or financial condition. |
Use of estimates | The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. |
Reclassifications | Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation |
Subsequent events | We evaluated subsequent events up until the time the financial statements were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("the SEC"). |
Earnings per share | Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders (the “Numerator”) by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding, adjusted for unvested shares (the “Denominator”) for the period. Computing diluted earnings per share is similar to computing basic earnings per share, except that the Denominator is increased to include the dilutive effects of stock options, unvested restricted shares, unvested restricted share units, and other potentially dilutive instruments. Any stock options that have an exercise price greater than the average market price are considered to be anti-dilutive and are excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation. Our diluted earnings per share calculation excluded 0.1 million and 2.3 million potentially dilutive instruments, including stock options, unvested restricted shares, and unvested restricted share units, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. In accordance with ASC 260 "Earnings Per Share", the two-class method determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating securities according to an earnings allocation formula that adjusts the Numerator for dividends or dividend equivalents and participation rights in undistributed earnings. Unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents are participating securities and, therefore, are included in computing earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method. Our outstanding restricted share awards, restricted share units, and deferred shares are considered participating securities. |
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale | Substantially all of the loans originated by us are sold in the secondary mortgage market within a short period of time after origination, generally within 30 days. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, residential mortgage loans available-for-sale had an aggregate fair value of $345.4 million and $539.5 million, respectively, and an aggregate outstanding principal balance of $332.9 million and $529.7 million, respectively. The net gain (loss) resulting from changes in fair value of these loans totaled $(2.0) million and $1.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. These changes in fair value were substantially offset by changes in the fair value of corresponding hedging instruments. Net gains from the sale of mortgages were $25.3 million and $21.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and have been included in Financial Services revenues. |
Derivative instruments and hedging activities | We are party to interest rate lock commitments ("IRLCs") with customers resulting from our mortgage origination operations. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we had aggregate IRLCs of $354.7 million and $273.9 million, respectively, which were originated at interest rates prevailing at the date of commitment. Since we can terminate a loan commitment if the borrower does not comply with the terms of the contract, and some loan commitments may expire without being drawn upon, these commitments do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. We evaluate the creditworthiness of these transactions through our normal credit policies. We hedge our exposure to interest rate market risk relating to residential mortgage loans available-for-sale and IRLCs using forward contracts on mortgage-backed securities, which are commitments to either purchase or sell a specified financial instrument at a specified future date for a specified price, and whole loan investor commitments, which are obligations of an investor to buy loans at a specified price within a specified time period. Forward contracts on mortgage-backed securities are the predominant derivative financial instruments we use to minimize market risk during the period from the time we extend an interest rate lock to a loan applicant until the time the loan is sold to an investor. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we had unexpired forward contracts of $555.0 million and $610.0 million, respectively, and whole loan investor commitments of $102.2 million and $157.6 million, respectively. Changes in the fair value of IRLCs and other derivative financial instruments are recognized in Financial Services revenues, and the fair values are reflected in other assets or other liabilities, as applicable. There are no credit-risk-related contingent features within our derivative agreements, and counterparty risk is considered minimal. Gains and losses on IRLCs and residential mortgage loans available-for-sale are substantially offset by corresponding gains or losses on forward contracts on mortgage-backed securities and whole loan investor commitments. We are generally not exposed to variability in cash flows of derivative instruments for more than approximately 90 days. |
New accounting pronouncements | In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" ("ASU 2014-09"). The standard is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that requires revenue to be recognized in a manner to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration expected to be received in exchange for those goods or services. The FASB has also issued a number of updates to this standard. The standard is effective for us for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018, and, at that time, we expect to apply the modified retrospective method of adoption. We continue to evaluate the impact that the standard will have on our financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)" ("ASU 2016-02"), which amends the existing accounting standards for lease accounting, including requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets. ASU 2016-02 is effective for us for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. The standard requires a modified retrospective transition approach for all leases existing at, or entered into after, the date of initial application, with an option to use certain transition relief. We are currently evaluating the impact that the standard will have on our financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, "Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" ("ASU 2016-09"), which includes multiple amendments intended to simplify aspects of share-based payment accounting, and was effective for us at January 1, 2017. Excess tax benefits or deficiencies for stock-based compensation are now reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as a component of income tax expense, whereas previously they were recognized in equity. We have also elected to account for forfeitures as they occur, rather than estimate expected forfeitures. As a result of adopting ASU 2016-09, we applied the modified retrospective approach and recorded a cumulative-effect adjustment that increased our retained earnings and deferred tax assets as of January 1, 2017 by $18.6 million, respectively, as a result of previously unrecognized excess tax benefits (see Note 6). Additionally, the impact of recognizing excess tax benefits in the income statement resulted in a $2.8 million reduction in our income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The remaining aspects of adopting ASU 2016-09 did not have a material impact on our financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments" ("ASU 2016-13"), which changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments from an "incurred loss" approach to a new "expected credit loss" methodology and also requires that credit losses from available-for-sale debt securities be presented as an allowance instead of a write-down. ASU 2016-13 is effective for us for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted, and requires full retrospective application on adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact the standard will have on our financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, "Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments" ("ASU 2016-15"), which addresses several specific cash flow issues. ASU 2016-15 is effective for us for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted, and requires full retrospective application on adoption. We do not expect ASU 2016-15 to have a material impact on our financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Accounting for Goodwill Impairment" ("ASU 2017-04"), which removes the requirement to perform a hypothetical purchase price allocation to measure goodwill impairment. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. ASU 2017-04 is effective for us for annual and interim periods beginning January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted, and applied prospectively. We do not expect ASU 2017-04 to have a material impact on our financial statements. In February 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-05, "Other Income - Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20)" ("ASU 2017-05"). ASU 2017-05 updates the definition of an "in substance nonfinancial asset" and clarifies the derecognition guidance for nonfinancial assets to conform with the new revenue recognition standard. The effective date and transition methods of ASU 2017-05 are aligned with ASU 2014-09 described above. We are currently evaluating the impact that the standard will have on our financial statements. |
Inventory interest capitalization | We capitalize interest cost into inventory during the active development and construction of our communities. In all periods presented, we capitalized all Homebuilding interest costs into inventory because the level of our active inventory exceeded our debt levels. |
Fair value of financial instruments | Fair values for agency residential mortgage loans available-for-sale are determined based on quoted market prices for comparable instruments. Fair values for non-agency residential mortgage loans available-for-sale are determined based on purchase commitments from whole loan investors and other relevant market information available to management. Fair values for interest rate lock commitments, including the value of servicing rights, are based on market prices for similar instruments. Forward contracts on mortgage-backed securities are valued based on market prices for similar instruments. Fair values for whole loan commitments are based on market prices for similar instruments from the specific whole loan investor. Certain assets are required to be recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis when events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. The non-recurring fair values included in the above table represent only those assets whose carrying values were adjusted to fair value as of the respective balance sheet dates. The carrying amounts of cash and equivalents, Financial Services debt, and the Revolving Credit Facility approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature and floating interest rate terms. The fair values of senior notes are based on quoted market prices, when available. If quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on quoted market prices of similar issues. |
Legal reserves | We establish liabilities for legal claims and regulatory matters when such matters are both probable of occurring and any potential loss is reasonably estimable. We accrue for such matters based on the facts and circumstances specific to each matter and revise these estimates as the matters evolve. In such cases, there may exist an exposure to loss in excess of any amounts currently accrued. In view of the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of these legal and regulatory matters, we generally cannot predict the ultimate resolution of the pending matters, the related timing, or the eventual loss. While the outcome of such contingencies cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not believe that the resolution of such matters will have a material adverse impact on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. However, to the extent the liability arising from the ultimate resolution of any matter exceeds the estimates reflected in the recorded reserves relating to such matter, we could incur additional charges that could be significant. |
Allowance for warranties | Allowance for warranties Home purchasers are provided with a limited warranty against certain building defects, including a one-year comprehensive limited warranty and coverage for certain other aspects of the home’s construction and operating systems for periods of up to and in limited instances exceeding 10 years. We estimate the costs to be incurred under these warranties and record liabilities in the amount of such costs at the time product revenue is recognized. Factors that affect our warranty liabilities include the number of homes sold, historical and anticipated rates of warranty claims, and the cost per claim. We periodically assess the adequacy of the warranty liabilities for each geographic market in which we operate and adjust the amounts as necessary. Actual warranty costs in the future could differ from the current estimates. |