PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM) announced today financial results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2017.  For the quarter, the Company’s reported net income was $77 million, or $0.26 per share.  Adjusted net income for the period was $253 million, or $0.85 per share, after excluding a $66 million pre-tax benefit associated with insurance related adjustments, a $57 million pre-tax charge relating to land adjustments, and $181 million of income tax charges primarily relating to the revaluation of the Company’s deferred tax assets following newly enacted federal tax legislation.

Reported net income for the prior year fourth quarter was $273 million, or $0.83 per share.  Adjusted net income for the prior year fourth quarter was $223 million, or $0.67 per share, after excluding $0.16 per share of insurance and income tax benefits.

“Reflecting the continued strength of housing demand, the value of new orders in the quarter increased 22% over the prior year, helping to grow our year-end backlog to a 12-year high of $4.0 billion,” said Ryan Marshall, President and CEO of PulteGroup.  “Consistent with our strategic objectives, we leveraged a 12% increase in quarterly revenues into a 27% increase in adjusted earnings per share.”

“Ongoing gains in profitability and cash flow generation, which allowed us to reinvest in our business while repurchasing 11% of our outstanding common shares in 2017, also gave our Board the confidence to announce today a $500 million increase to our share repurchase plan,” added Marshall.  “Given expectations for further expansion in the economy, along with ongoing gains in employment and buyer demand, we remain highly constructive on the industry.  With our large backlog and robust land pipeline, we are well positioned to continue growing our business and building even greater value for our shareholders.”

Fourth Quarter Results

Home sale revenues for the fourth quarter increased 12% over the prior year to $2.7 billion.  Higher revenues for the period were driven by a 7% increase in closings to 6,632 homes, combined with a 5%, or $19,000, increase in average sales price to $410,000.

The Company’s fourth quarter adjusted home sale gross margin, which excludes the $57 million land charge, was 23.8%.  Inclusive of this charge, the Company’s reported gross margin for the fourth quarter was 21.6%.  Prior year adjusted and reported gross margins were 24.9% and 24.8%, respectively.

The Company’s fourth quarter adjusted homebuilding SG&A expense, which excludes the $66 million insurance-related benefit, was $268 million, or 9.8% of home sale revenues.  The comparable prior year adjusted SG&A expense of $263 million, or 10.8% of home sale revenues, excludes a $55 million benefit associated with an insurance-related adjustment recorded in that quarter.  Reported SG&A expense in the current quarter was $202 million, or 7.4% of home sale revenues, compared with fourth quarter 2016 reported SG&A expense of $208 million, or 8.6% of home sale revenues.

The value of fourth quarter net new orders increased 22% over the prior year to $2.0 billion, while the number of orders increased 14% to 4,805 homes.  For the fourth quarter, the Company operated out of 790 communities, which is up 9% over the fourth quarter of 2016.

Backlog value at the end of the fourth quarter was $4.0 billion, which is up 35% over the prior year and is the Company’s highest year-end backlog in over a decade.  On a unit basis, backlog for the quarter was up 21% over last year to 8,996 homes.  The average price of homes in backlog increased 12% over the prior year to $442,000.

The Company's financial services operations reported fourth quarter pre-tax income of $23 million compared with $25 million in the prior year.  The decrease in pre-tax income was primarily the result of a more competitive operating environment which impacted pricing during the period.  Mortgage capture rate for the quarter was 81%, compared with 82% in the prior year.

For the quarter, the Company’s adjusted income tax expense, which excludes the $181 million income tax charge relating primarily to the revaluation of its deferred tax assets resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in December 2017, was $147 million.  The Company’s adjusted effective tax rate for the fourth quarter was 36.8%.

During the quarter, the Company repurchased 7.6 million common shares for $251 million, or an average price of $33.09 per share.  For the year, the Company repurchased a total of 35.4 million common shares, or 11% of its outstanding shares, for $910 million, or an average price of $25.70 per share.  The Company also used available cash to retire $123 million of notes that matured in the fourth quarter.

Share Repurchase Plan Increased by $500 Million

In a separate press release issued today, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved an increase to its existing share repurchase plan of $500 million.  As of December 31, 2017, the Company had $94 million of authorization remaining in its share repurchase plan.  The Company expects that share repurchases will be made from time to time in the open market, through privately negotiated transactions or otherwise subject to market conditions, applicable legal requirements, and other relevant factors.

A conference call discussing PulteGroup's fourth quarter 2017 results is scheduled for Tuesday, January 30, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.  Interested investors can access the live webcast via PulteGroup's corporate website at www.pultegroupinc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements." These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities, as well as those of the markets we serve or intend to serve, to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate to matters of a strictly factual or historical nature and generally discuss or relate to forecasts, estimates or other expectations regarding future events. Generally, the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “project,” “may,” “can,” “could,” “might,” "should", “will” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, including statements related to the impairment charge with respect to certain land parcels and the impacts or effects thereof, expected operating and performing results, planned transactions, planned objectives of management, future developments or conditions in the industries in which we participate and other trends, developments and uncertainties that may affect our business in the future.

Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among other things: interest rate changes and the availability of mortgage financing; competition within the industries in which we operate; the availability and cost of land and other raw materials used by us in our homebuilding operations; the impact of any changes to our strategy in responding to the cyclical nature of the industry, including any changes regarding our land positions and the levels of our land spend; the availability and cost of insurance covering risks associated with our businesses; shortages and the cost of labor; weather related slowdowns; slow growth initiatives and/or local building moratoria; governmental regulation directed at or affecting the housing market, the homebuilding industry or construction activities; uncertainty in the mortgage lending industry, including revisions to underwriting standards and repurchase requirements associated with the sale of mortgage loans; the interpretation of or changes to tax, labor and environmental laws, including, but not limited to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which could have a greater impact on our effective tax rate or the value of our deferred tax assets than we anticipate; economic changes nationally or in our local markets, including inflation, deflation, changes in consumer confidence and preferences and the state of the market for homes in general; legal or regulatory proceedings or claims; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow in order to successfully implement our capital allocation priorities; required accounting changes; terrorist acts and other acts of war; and other factors of national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business and competitive nature. See PulteGroup's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, and other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for a further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties applicable to our businesses. PulteGroup undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or changes in PulteGroup's expectations.

About PulteGroup

PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of America's largest homebuilding companies with operations in approximately 50 markets throughout the country. Through its brand portfolio that includes Centex, Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, the Company is one of the industry's most versatile homebuilders able to meet the needs of multiple buyer groups and respond to changing consumer demand. PulteGroup conducts extensive research to provide homebuyers with innovative solutions and consumer inspired homes and communities to make lives better.

For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, go to www.pultegroupinc.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com; www.divosta.com and www.jwhomes.com.

Company ContactInvestors: Jim Zeumer(404) 978-6434Email: jim.zeumer@pultegroup.com

PulteGroup, Inc.Consolidated Results of Operations($000's omitted, except per share data)(Unaudited)
               
  Three Months Ended   Year Ended
  December 31,   December 31,
  2017   2016   2017   2016
Revenues:
Homebuilding              
Home sale revenues $ 2,717,031     $ 2,423,472     $ 8,323,984     $ 7,451,315  
Land sale revenues 20,360     15,431     57,106     36,035  
  2,737,391     2,438,903     8,381,090     7,487,350  
Financial Services 56,166     54,175     192,160     181,126  
Total revenues 2,793,557     2,493,078     8,573,250     7,668,476  
               
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:              
Home sale cost of revenues (2,128,931 )   (1,821,672 )   (6,461,152 )   (5,587,974 )
Land sale cost of revenues (18,500 )   (14,256 )   (134,449 )   (32,115 )
  (2,147,431 )   (1,835,928 )   (6,595,601 )   (5,620,089 )
               
Financial Services expenses (33,139 )   (29,370 )   (119,289 )   (108,573 )
Selling, general, and administrative expenses (201,607 )   (207,647 )   (891,581 )   (957,150 )
Other expense, net (2,613 )   (6,412 )   (27,951 )   (48,814 )
Income before income taxes 408,767     413,721     938,828     933,850  
Income tax expense (331,352 )   (140,549 )   (491,607 )   (331,147 )
Net income $ 77,415     $ 273,172     $ 447,221     $ 602,703  
               
Net income per share:              
Basic $ 0.26     $ 0.83     $ 1.45     $ 1.76  
Diluted $ 0.26     $ 0.83     $ 1.44     $ 1.75  
Cash dividends declared $ 0.09     $ 0.09     $ 0.36     $ 0.36  
               
Number of shares used in calculation:              
Basic 292,174     325,975     305,089     339,747  
Effect of dilutive securities 1,318     1,834     1,725     2,376  
Diluted 293,492     327,809     306,814     342,123  
 
PulteGroup, Inc.Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets($000's omitted)(Unaudited)
  December 31,  2017   December 31,  2016
 
ASSETS      
       
Cash and equivalents $ 272,683     $ 698,882  
Restricted cash 33,485     24,366  
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 306,168     723,248  
House and land inventory 7,147,130     6,770,655  
Land held for sale 68,384     31,728  
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale 570,600     539,496  
Investments in unconsolidated entities 62,957     51,447  
Other assets 745,123     857,426  
Intangible assets 140,992     154,792  
Deferred tax assets, net 645,295     1,049,408  
  $ 9,686,649     $ 10,178,200  
       
       
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
       
Liabilities:      
Accounts payable $ 393,815     $ 405,455  
Customer deposits 250,779     187,891  
Accrued and other liabilities 1,356,333     1,429,712  
Income tax liabilities 86,925     34,860  
Financial Services debt 437,804     331,621  
Notes payable 3,006,967     3,129,298  
Total liabilities 5,532,623     5,518,837  
Shareholders' equity 4,154,026     4,659,363  
  $ 9,686,649     $ 10,178,200  
 
PulteGroup, Inc.Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows($000's omitted)(Unaudited)
  Year Ended
  December 31,
  2017   2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income $ 447,221     $ 602,703  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities:      
Deferred income tax expense 422,307     334,787  
Land-related charges 191,913     19,357  
Depreciation and amortization 50,998     54,007  
Share-based compensation expense 33,683     22,228  
Loss on debt retirements     657  
Other, net (1,789 )   1,614  
Increase (decrease) in cash due to:      
Inventories (569,030 )   (897,092 )
Residential mortgage loans available-for-sale (33,009 )   (99,527 )
Other assets 55,099     (45,721 )
Accounts payable, accrued and other liabilities 65,684     75,257  
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 663,077     68,270  
Cash flows from investing activities:      
Capital expenditures (32,051 )   (39,295 )
Investment in unconsolidated subsidiaries (23,037 )   (14,539 )
Cash used for business acquisition     (430,458 )
Other investing activities, net 4,846     13,100  
Net cash used in investing activities (50,242 )   (471,192 )
Cash flows from financing activities:      
Proceeds from debt issuance     1,995,937  
Repayments of debt (134,747 )   (986,919 )
Borrowings under revolving credit facility 2,720,000     619,000  
Repayments under revolving credit facility (2,720,000 )   (619,000 )
Financial Services borrowings, net 106,183     63,744  
Stock option exercises 27,720     5,845  
Share repurchases (916,323 )   (603,206 )
Dividends paid (112,748 )   (124,666 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (1,029,915 )   350,735  
Net increase (decrease) (417,080 )   (52,187 )
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 723,248     775,435  
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 306,168     $ 723,248  
       
Supplemental Cash Flow Information:      
Interest paid (capitalized), net $ (942 )   $ (26,538 )
Income taxes paid (refunded), net $ 14,875     $ 2,743  
 
PulteGroup, Inc.Segment Data($000's omitted)(Unaudited)
               
  Three Months Ended   Year Ended
  December 31,   December 31,
                                2017   2016   2017     2016
HOMEBUILDING:
Home sale revenues $ 2,717,031     $ 2,423,472     $ 8,323,984     $ 7,451,315  
Land sale revenues 20,360     15,431     57,106     36,035  
Total Homebuilding revenues 2,737,391     2,438,903     8,381,090     7,487,350  
               
Home sale cost of revenues (2,128,931 )   (1,821,672 )   (6,461,152 )   (5,587,974 )
Land sale cost of revenues (18,500 )   (14,256 )   (134,449 )   (32,115 )
Selling, general, and administrative expenses (201,607 )   (207,647 )   (891,581 )   (957,150 )
Other income (expense), net (2,845 )   (6,604 )   (28,576 )   (49,345 )
Income before income taxes $ 385,508     $ 388,724     $ 865,332     $ 860,766  
               
FINANCIAL SERVICES:              
Income before income taxes $ 23,259     $ 24,997     $ 73,496     $ 73,084  
               
CONSOLIDATED:              
Income before income taxes $ 408,767     $ 413,721     $ 938,828     $ 933,850  
PulteGroup, Inc.Segment Data, continued($000's omitted)(Unaudited)
               
  Three Months Ended   Year Ended
  December 31,   December 31,
  2017   2016   2017   2016
             
Home sale revenues $ 2,717,031     $ 2,423,472     $ 8,323,984     $ 7,451,315  
               
Closings - units              
Northeast 489     529     1,335     1,418  
Southeast 1,137     1,102     3,888     3,901  
Florida 1,222     1,093     3,861     3,441  
Midwest 1,120     1,142     3,696     3,418  
Texas 1,298     1,080     4,107     3,726  
West 1,366     1,251     4,165     4,047  
  6,632     6,197     21,052     19,951  
Average selling price $ 410     $ 391     $ 395     $ 373  
               
Net new orders - units              
Northeast 357     306     1,460     1,361  
Southeast 919     804     4,233     3,810  
Florida 1,000     705     4,121     3,585  
Midwest 757     766     3,876     3,636  
Texas 840     784     4,121     3,793  
West 932     837     4,815     4,141  
  4,805     4,202     22,626     20,326  
Net new orders - dollars $ 2,030,223     $ 1,666,066     $ 9,361,534     $ 7,753,399  
               
          December 31,
          2017   2016
Unit backlog
Northeast         512     387  
Southeast         1,716     1,371  
Florida         1,678     1,418  
Midwest         1,487     1,307  
Texas         1,426     1,412  
West         2,177     1,527  
          8,996     7,422  
Dollars in backlog         $ 3,979,064     $ 2,941,512  
               
PulteGroup, Inc.Segment Data, continued($000's omitted)(Unaudited)
               
  Three Months Ended   Year Ended
  December 31,   December 31,
  2017   2016   2017   2016
MORTGAGE ORIGINATIONS:
Origination volume 4,521     4,250     14,152     13,373  
Origination principal $ 1,348,933     $ 1,225,568     $ 4,127,084     $ 3,706,745  
Capture rate 80.6 %   81.8 %   79.9 %   81.2 %
Supplemental Data($000's omitted)(Unaudited)
               
  Three Months Ended   Year Ended
  December 31,   December 31,
  2017   2016   2017   2016
               
Interest in inventory, beginning of period $ 222,545     $ 176,661     $ 186,097     $ 149,498  
Interest capitalized 45,771     44,961     181,719     160,506  
Interest expensed (41,705 )   (35,525 )   (141,205 )   (123,907 )
Interest in inventory, end of period $ 226,611     $ 186,097     $ 226,611     $ 186,097  

PulteGroup, Inc.Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures(Unaudited)

This report contains information about our operating results reflecting certain adjustments, including adjustments to cost of revenues, selling general, and administrative expenses, income before income taxes, income tax expense, net income, diluted earnings per share, and operating margin. These measures are considered non-GAAP financial measures under the SEC's rules and should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, the comparable GAAP financial measures as measures of our profitability. We believe that reflecting these adjustments provides investors relevant and useful information for evaluating the comparability of financial information presented and comparing our profitability to other companies in the homebuilding industry. Although other companies in the homebuilding industry report similar information, the methods used may differ. We urge investors to understand the methods used by other companies in the homebuilding industry to calculate these measures and any adjustments thereto before comparing our measures to those of such other companies.

The following tables set forth a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to the GAAP financial measures that management believes to be most directly comparable ($000's omitted):

  Three Months Ended   Three Months Ended
  December 31, 2017   December 31, 2016
  As Reported   Adjustments (a)   Adjusted   As Reported   Adjustments (b)   Adjusted
Revenues:
Homebuilding                      
Home sale revenues $ 2,717,031     $     $ 2,717,031     $ 2,423,472     $     $ 2,423,472  
Land sale revenues 20,360         20,360     15,431         15,431  
  2,737,391         2,737,391     2,438,903         2,438,903  
Financial Services 56,166         56,166     54,175         54,175  
Total revenues 2,793,557         2,793,557     2,493,078         2,493,078  
                       
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:                      
Home sale cost of revenues (2,128,931 )   57,466     (2,071,465 )   (1,821,672 )   1,074     (1,820,598 )
Land sale cost of revenues (18,500 )       (18,500 )   (14,256 )       (14,256 )
  (2,147,431 )   57,466     (2,089,965 )   (1,835,928 )   1,074     (1,834,854 )
                       
Financial Services expenses (33,139 )       (33,139 )   (29,370 )       (29,370 )
Selling, general, and administrative expenses (SG&A) (201,607 )   (66,009 )   (267,616 )   (207,647 )   (55,243 )   (262,890 )
Other expense, net (2,613 )       (2,613 )   (6,412 )       (6,412 )
Income before income taxes 408,767     (8,543 )   400,224     413,721     (54,169 )   359,552  
Income tax expense (331,352 )   183,871     (147,481 )   (140,549 )   3,865     (136,684 )
Net income $ 77,415     $ 175,328     $ 252,743     $ 273,172     $ (50,304 )   $ 222,868  
                       
Earnings per share (diluted) $ 0.26         $ 0.85     $ 0.83         $ 0.67  
                       
Home sale gross margin 21.6 %       23.8 %   24.8 %       24.9 %
SG&A as a percentage of sales 7.4 %       9.8 %   8.6 %       10.8 %
Operating margin 14.2 %       13.9 %   16.3 %       14.0 %
                       
Effective tax rate 81.1 %       36.8 %   34.0 %       38.0 %

(a)  Includes land inventory impairments, an insurance-related benefit, and income tax charges primarily related to the revaluation of deferred tax assets resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in December 2017(b)  Includes land inventory impairments, an insurance-related benefit, and net income tax benefits primarily related to energy efficient home credits and a deferred tax benefit related to a legal entity restructuring

  Twelve Months Ended   Twelve Months Ended
  December 31, 2017   December 31, 2016
  As Reported   Adjustments (a)   Adjusted   As Reported   Adjustments (b)   Adjusted
Revenues:
Homebuilding                      
Home sale revenues $ 8,323,984     $     $ 8,323,984     $ 7,451,315     $     $ 7,451,315  
Land sale revenues 57,106         57,106     36,035         36,035  
  8,381,090         8,381,090     7,487,350         7,487,350  
Financial Services 192,160         192,160     181,126         181,126  
Total revenues 8,573,250         8,573,250     7,668,476         7,668,476  
                       
Homebuilding Cost of Revenues:                      
Home sale cost of revenues (6,461,152 )   101,058     (6,360,094 )   (5,587,974 )   1,074     (5,586,900 )
Land sale cost of revenues (134,449 )   81,006     (53,443 )   (32,115 )       (32,115 )
  (6,595,601 )   182,064     (6,413,537 )   (5,620,089 )   1,074     (5,619,015 )
                       
Financial Services expenses (119,289 )       (119,289 )   (108,573 )       (108,573 )
Selling, general, and administrative expenses (SG&A) (891,581 )   (65,496 )   (957,077 )   (957,150 )   (45,213 )   (1,002,363 )
Other expense, net (27,951 )   8,017     (19,934 )   (48,814 )   26,643     (22,171 )
Income before income taxes 938,828     124,585     1,063,413     933,850     (17,496 )   916,354  
Income tax expense (491,607 )   107,661     (383,946 )   (331,147 )   (17,596 )   (348,743 )
Net income $ 447,221     $ 232,246     $ 679,467     $ 602,703     $ (35,092 )   $ 567,611  
                       
Earnings per share (diluted) $ 1.44         $ 2.19     $ 1.75         $ 1.66  
                       
Home sale gross margin 22.4 %       23.6 %   25.0 %       25.0 %
SG&A as a percentage of sales 10.7 %       11.5 %   12.8 %       13.5 %
Operating margin 11.7 %       12.1 %   12.2 %       11.6 %
Effective tax rate 52.4 %       36.1 %   35.5 %       38.1 %

(a)  Includes land inventory impairments, net realizable value adjustments on land held for sale, net insurance-related benefits, an impairment of an investment in an unconsolidated subsidiary, and income tax charges primarily related to the revaluation of deferred tax assets resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted in December 2017(b)  Includes land inventory impairments, net insurance-related benefits, restructuring costs associated with a plan to reduce overhead expenses, costs relating to shareholder activities, a charge resulting from the settlement of a disputed land transaction, and net income tax benefits primarily related to energy efficient home credits and a deferred tax benefit related to a legal entity restructuring

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