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KB Home: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 23 June 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 lowered, 8 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and deliveries fell year over year: Quarterly revenues fell 27% to $1.11 billion and homes delivered fell 23% to 2,395. Six-month revenues were $2.19 billion against $2.92 billion. Source
  • Homebuilding operating margin fell to 2.5%: Homebuilding operating income was $28.2 million against $131.5 million, a 2.5% operating margin against 8.6%, reflecting lower housing gross margin and a higher SG&A ratio. Source
  • Built to Order share reached 73%: Built to Order homes were 73% of net orders in the quarter. Management said this progressed the return to a predominantly Built to Order business model. Source
  • Housing gross margin fell to 15.2%: Housing gross margin was 15.2% against 19.3%. Excluding $5.6 million of inventory-related charges, it was 15.7% against 19.7%. Source
  • Net orders and backlog both declined: Net orders were 3,317, down 4%. Ending backlog was 4,526 homes, down 5%, and backlog value was $2.14 billion, down 7%. Source
  • Repurchased $75.0 million of stock: Repurchased 1.4 million shares for $75.0 million in the quarter, and 2.2 million shares for $125.0 million in the first half. Source
  • Openings at high end, build times cut: Management said 35 new community openings were at the high end of its projection, and build times fell by more than a full week sequentially. Source
  • Higher deliveries and margins expected: Management said sequentially higher delivery volumes and gross margins are projected for each of the final two quarters of fiscal 2026. Source

“We produced solid second-quarter results that met or exceeded the mid-point of our key guidance ranges,”

Jeffrey Mezger, Executive Chairman

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Deliveries Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 20262,600 to 2,800 homesNew
Housing revenues Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2026$1.20 billion to $1.35 billionNew
Housing gross profit margin, excluding inventory-related charges Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202616.0% to 16.6%New
SG&A as a percentage of revenues Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202611.3% to 11.9%New
Effective tax rate Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 202619% to 21%New
Ending community count Sourcethird quarter of fiscal 2026270 to 280New
Deliveries Sourcefull fiscal 202610,500 to 11,000 homes
Housing revenues Sourcefull fiscal 2026$4.90 billion to $5.30 billion
Housing gross profit margin, excluding inventory-related charges Sourcefull fiscal 202616.1% to 16.5%New
SG&A as a percentage of revenues Sourcefull fiscal 202611.4% to 11.8%New
Effective tax rate Sourcefull fiscal 202622% to 24%Lowered from 23% to 25%

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Third-quarter guidance first appears in this release; the March release gave second-quarter ranges only. Source
  • Guidance lowered: Full-year effective tax rate range moved from 23% to 25% to 22% to 24%. Source
  • New guidance: Full-year housing gross margin range and SG&A ratio range were given; the March release had neither. Source
  • New: Company operates in 50 markets; the March release said 49 markets. Source
  • Ended: Second-quarter ranges from the March release covered the quarter reported here.

Second-quarter results and drivers

  • Revenue and deliveries fell year over year: Quarterly revenues fell 27% to $1.11 billion and homes delivered fell 23% to 2,395. Six-month revenues were $2.19 billion against $2.92 billion. Source
  • Homebuilding operating margin fell to 2.5%: Homebuilding operating income was $28.2 million against $131.5 million, a 2.5% operating margin against 8.6%, reflecting lower housing gross margin and a higher SG&A ratio. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS declined: Net income was $27.3 million against $107.9 million. Diluted EPS was $.43 against $1.50, with share repurchases partly offsetting the lower net income. Source
  • Financial services pretax income declined: Financial services pretax income was $6.7 million against $8.2 million, mainly from lower equity income from the mortgage banking joint venture on fewer loan originations. Source
  • Six-month EPS and income versus prior year: Six-month diluted EPS was $.96 against $3.00 and six-month net income was $60.8 million against $217.4 million. Average selling price was $457,000, down 8%. Source

Segments and regions

  • West Coast deliveries fell year over year: West Coast homes delivered were 818 against 968 in the year-earlier quarter; six-month deliveries were 1,528 against 1,817. Source
  • Southwest and Central deliveries declined: Southwest homes delivered were 375 against 661 and Central 596 against 811. Southwest backlog was 751 homes against 897, and Central 1,064 against 1,321. Source
  • Southeast orders rose, deliveries fell: Southeast homes delivered were 606 against 680 in the quarter. Southeast net orders were 788 against 769, and its ending backlog was 1,093 homes against 1,162. Source
  • Average selling price fell in every region: Southwest average selling price was $444,300 against $475,200 and Central $345,400 against $348,900. West Coast and Southeast were also lower year over year. Source

“At the same time, we remained disciplined as we continued to successfully navigate a difficult and fluid market environment, balancing pace and price while tightly managing costs.”

Robert McGibney, President and Chief Executive Officer

Products and pricing

  • Built to Order share reached 73%: Built to Order homes were 73% of net orders in the quarter. Management said this progressed the return to a predominantly Built to Order business model. Source
  • Average selling price fell to $461,900: Average selling price was $461,900 against $488,700 a year earlier. The six-month average was $457,000 against $494,400. Source
  • Net order value declined in the quarter: Net order value was $1.55 billion against $1.61 billion; six-month net order value was $2.91 billion against $2.96 billion. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Housing gross margin fell to 15.2%: Housing gross margin was 15.2% against 19.3%. Excluding $5.6 million of inventory-related charges, it was 15.7% against 19.7%. Source
  • Price cuts and land costs cited: Management attributed the adjusted margin decline to price reductions, higher relative land costs and reduced operating leverage. Source
  • SG&A ratio rose to 12.7%: SG&A was 12.7% of housing revenues against 10.7%. Homebuilding SG&A dollars were $140.5 million against $163.2 million. Source
  • Six-month gross margin fell to 15.3%: Six-month housing gross margin was 15.3% against 19.7%. Adjusted six-month housing gross margin was 15.6% against 20.0%. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose to 26.6%: Effective tax rate was 26.6% against 24.2%. The release gives no reason for the change. Source

“We remain committed to increasing shareholder value through improved performance”

Jeffrey Mezger, Executive Chairman

Demand and order book

  • Net orders and backlog both declined: Net orders were 3,317, down 4%. Ending backlog was 4,526 homes, down 5%, and backlog value was $2.14 billion, down 7%. Source
  • Orders per community fell to 4.0: Monthly net orders per community were 4.0 against 4.5 a year earlier. Source
  • Cancellation rate fell to 12%: Cancellations were 12% of gross orders against 16% a year earlier. Source

Capital, cash and shareholder returns

  • Liquidity stood at $1.12 billion: Total liquidity was $1.12 billion, including $199.8 million of cash and $923.4 million of available Credit Facility capacity. Cash borrowings outstanding were $275.0 million. Source
  • Notes payable rose to $1.97 billion: Notes payable were $1.97 billion against $1.69 billion, reflecting Credit Facility cash borrowings; the debt to capital ratio was 34.1% against 30.3%. Source
  • Repurchased $75.0 million of stock: Repurchased 1.4 million shares for $75.0 million in the quarter, and 2.2 million shares for $125.0 million in the first half. Source
  • $775.0 million authorization remains: Remaining capacity under the current common stock repurchase authorization was $775.0 million at May 31, 2026. Source
  • Book value per share rose 6%: Book value per share was $61.93, up 6% year over year on about 61.3 million shares. Stockholders’ equity was $3.80 billion against $3.90 billion at November 30, 2025. Source

Land and communities

  • Openings at high end, build times cut: Management said 35 new community openings were at the high end of its projection, and build times fell by more than a full week sequentially. Source
  • Quarterly land investment fell 4%: Investments in land and land development were $495.8 million, down 4% from $513.9 million a year earlier. Source
  • Six-month land investment fell 26%: Six-month land-related investments were $1.06 billion against $1.43 billion, a decrease of 26%. Source
  • Lots owned or under contract fell 9%: Lots owned or under contract were 59,106, down 9%, with about 62% owned and 38% under contract. Source
  • Ending community count reached 280: Ending community count was 280 against a second-quarter guidance range of 265 to 275; the average count for the quarter was 278. Source

Second-half guidance and expectations

  • Higher deliveries and margins expected: Management said sequentially higher delivery volumes and gross margins are projected for each of the final two quarters of fiscal 2026. Source
  • Full-year delivery range narrowed: Full-year deliveries are now 10,500 to 11,000 homes against 10,000 to 11,500 in March; housing revenues are $4.90 billion to $5.30 billion against $4.80 billion to $5.50 billion. Source
  • Third-quarter guidance first given: Third-quarter ranges were given for the first time, including housing gross margin of 16.0% to 16.6%, assuming no inventory-related charges. Source

Coming up, as management said on 23 June 2026

  • Higher deliveries and margins expected: Management said sequentially higher delivery volumes and gross margins are projected for the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Homes delivered Source2,395
Net orders Source3,317
Backlog (homes) Source4,526
Backlog value Source$2.14 billion
Monthly net orders per community Source4.0
Ending community count Source280
Lots owned or under contract Source59,106

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management described the market as difficult and fluid and said the company was balancing pace and price. Source
  • Operational: Management cited price reductions, higher relative land costs and reduced operating leverage as pressures on housing gross margin. Source
  • Financial: The mortgage banking joint venture's loan originations fell with fewer homes delivered, reducing financial services income. Source
  • Operational: Inventory-related charges of $5.6 million were recorded in both quarters; excluding them, homebuilding operating margin was 3.0% against 9.0%. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The March release expected the peak community count within the second quarter; the June release reports an ending count of 280.
  • Met: The March release said the company was achieving its targeted Built to Order mix of net orders; the June release reports 73% of net orders.
  • Met: Management reported build times reduced by more than a full week sequentially in the second quarter. Source
  • Not stated: The March release expected these factors to contribute to second-half results; the June release does not report on that status.

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.