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KB Home: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 24 March 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 lowered, 7 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and deliveries declined: Revenues fell 23% to $1.08 billion and homes delivered fell 14% to 2,370 compared with the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Diluted EPS fell with lower income: Diluted EPS was $.52 against $1.49. The company reported that repurchases partly offset the lower net income in the per-share figure. Source
  • Housing gross margin fell to 15.3%: Housing gross profit margin was 15.3% against 20.2%. Excluding inventory-related charges it was 15.5% against 20.3%, reflecting price reductions, land costs, mix and operating leverage. Source
  • Repurchased $50.0 million of stock: About 0.8 million shares were repurchased at a cost of $50.0 million, leaving $850.0 million under the current authorization. Source
  • Built to Order focus renewed: Management described a renewed focus on the core Built to Order strategy, combined with regional mix and operating leverage it expects to help results. Source

“With solid traffic in our communities, we generated year-over-year net order growth in our first quarter,”

Jeffrey Mezger, Executive Chairman

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Deliveries Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 20262,250 to 2,450 homesNew
Housing revenues Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$1.05 billion to $1.15 billionNew
Housing gross profit margin Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 202615.0% to 15.6%, assuming no inventory-related chargesNew
SG&A as percentage of revenues Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 202612.4% to 13.0%New
Effective tax rate Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026approximately 19%New
Ending community count Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026265 to 275New
Common stock repurchases Sourcesecond quarter of fiscal 2026$50.0 million to $100.0 millionNew
Deliveries Sourcefull fiscal year 202610,000 to 11,500 homesLowered from 11,000 to 12,500
Housing revenues Sourcefull fiscal year 2026$4.80 billion to $5.50 billionLowered from $5.10 billion to $6.10 billion
Effective tax rate Sourcefull fiscal year 202623% to 25%Lowered from 24.0% to 26.0%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year deliveries and housing revenue ranges were lowered from the prior release. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year effective tax rate range was lowered from 24.0% to 26.0% to 23% to 25%. Source
  • New guidance: Quarterly guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2026 was given for the first time in this release. Source
  • New: Robert McGibney is named President and Chief Executive Officer. Source
  • Ended: Jeffrey Mezger's title changed from Chairman and Chief Executive Officer to Executive Chairman. Source

Results and profit

  • Revenue and deliveries declined: Revenues fell 23% to $1.08 billion and homes delivered fell 14% to 2,370 compared with the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Diluted EPS fell with lower income: Diluted EPS was $.52 against $1.49. The company reported that repurchases partly offset the lower net income in the per-share figure. Source
  • Homebuilding operating income declined: Homebuilding operating income was $33.0 million against $127.3 million, a homebuilding operating margin of 3.1% against 9.2%. Source

Orders, backlog and communities

  • Backlog lower in homes and value: Ending backlog was 3,604 homes against 4,436, and backlog value was $1.70 billion against $2.20 billion a year earlier. Source
  • Cancellation rate fell to 12%: The cancellation rate as a percentage of gross orders was 12%, against 16% a year earlier. Source
  • Average and ending communities grew: Average community count grew 7% to 274 and ending community count rose 8% to 276. Source

“Our teams continued to execute well, particularly in the critical areas of new community openings and build times.”

Robert McGibney, President and Chief Executive Officer

Segments and regions

  • Deliveries fell in three regions: Deliveries were 710 in West Coast from 849, 378 in Southwest from 678, and 675 in Central from 751. Southeast rose to 607 from 492. Source
  • Average selling prices diverged by region: Average selling price was $632,700 in West Coast against $708,700, $476,800 in Southwest against $461,500, $331,300 in Central against $367,000, and $359,800 in Southeast against $400,200. Source
  • Net orders rose in two regions: West Coast net orders were 1,002 against 898 and Southeast 670 against 609. Southwest (514 from 545) and Central (660 from 720) were lower. Source

Margins and costs

  • Housing gross margin fell to 15.3%: Housing gross profit margin was 15.3% against 20.2%. Excluding inventory-related charges it was 15.5% against 20.3%, reflecting price reductions, land costs, mix and operating leverage. Source
  • SG&A ratio rose on lower leverage: SG&A was 12.2% of housing revenues against 11.0%, including $8.0 million of insurance recoveries that partly offset the increase. Source
  • Inventory-related charges rose slightly: Inventory-related charges were $2.2 million in the current quarter against $1.5 million a year earlier. Source

“Still, we believe we are well positioned to navigate the current environment, with the distinct personalized homebuilding experience we offer,”

Jeffrey Mezger, Executive Chairman

Financial services and tax

  • Financial services pretax income lower: Financial services pretax income was $5.5 million against $7.5 million, mainly from lower equity income from the mortgage joint venture on fewer loan originations. Source
  • Effective tax rate lower this quarter: Effective tax rate was 17.1% against 21.4%, mainly from a higher relative impact of excess stock-based compensation tax benefits on lower pretax income. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Liquidity about $1.20 billion: Total liquidity was about $1.20 billion, including $200.5 million of cash and nearly $1.00 billion of available revolver capacity. Source
  • Repurchased $50.0 million of stock: About 0.8 million shares were repurchased at a cost of $50.0 million, leaving $850.0 million under the current authorization. Source
  • Notes payable rose to $1.89 billion: Notes payable were $1.89 billion against $1.69 billion, reflecting cash borrowings under the Credit Facility. Source
  • Land spending down 38%: Land and development investment was $567.2 million against $920.3 million, which included two Southwest parcels. Lots owned or under contract were 63,257, down 2%. Source
  • Book value per share up 8%: Stockholders’ equity was $3.86 billion against $3.90 billion. Book value per share was $61.53, up 8% year over year. Source

Demand, strategy and execution

  • Built to Order focus renewed: Management described a renewed focus on the core Built to Order strategy, combined with regional mix and operating leverage it expects to help results. Source
  • Faster backlog conversion from shorter build times: Management said ongoing reductions in build times let the company convert backlog to deliveries more quickly than in many years. Source
  • Middle East conflict adds consumer uncertainty: Management said the conflict in the Middle East adds uncertainty for consumers already facing numerous challenges. Source

Coming up, as management said on 24 March 2026

  • Peak community count in second quarter: Management expects the year's peak community count within the second quarter, at the height of the Spring selling season. Source
  • Stronger second-half results expected: Management expects a favorable regional mix of homes delivered and operating leverage from higher delivery volumes to contribute to second-half results. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Homes delivered Source2,370
Net orders Source2,846
Ending backlog (homes) Source3,604
Ending backlog value Source$1.70 billion
Average community count Source274
Ending community count Source276
Monthly net orders per community Source3.5
Cancellation rate (percent of gross orders) Source12%
Average selling price Source$452,100

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited the Middle East conflict as adding uncertainty for consumers already working through challenges. Source
  • Operational: The SG&A ratio rose mainly from lower operating leverage, partly offset by insurance recoveries. Source
  • Financial: The debt to capital ratio rose to 32.9% from 30.3%. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the company is now achieving its targeted mix of Built to Order net orders. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.