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Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
9 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2015
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures
We have investments in unconsolidated joint ventures that conduct land acquisition, land development and/or other homebuilding activities in various markets where our homebuilding operations are located. We and our unconsolidated joint venture partners make initial and/or ongoing capital contributions to these unconsolidated joint ventures, typically on a pro rata basis, according to our respective equity interests. The obligations to make capital contributions are governed by each such unconsolidated joint venture’s respective operating agreement and related governing documents.
We typically have obtained rights to acquire portions of the land held by the unconsolidated joint ventures in which we currently participate. When an unconsolidated joint venture sells land to our homebuilding operations, we defer recognition of our share of such unconsolidated joint venture’s earnings (losses) until a home sale is closed and title passes to a homebuyer, at which time we account for those earnings (losses) as a reduction (increase) to the cost of purchasing the land from the unconsolidated joint venture. We defer recognition of our share of such unconsolidated joint venture losses only to the extent profits are to be generated from the sale of the home to a homebuyer.
We share in the profits and losses of these unconsolidated joint ventures generally in accordance with our respective equity interests. In some instances, we recognize profits and losses related to our investment in an unconsolidated joint venture that differ from our equity interest in the unconsolidated joint venture. This typically arises from our deferral of the unconsolidated joint venture’s profits or losses from land sales to us, or other items.
The following table presents combined condensed information from the statements of operations of our unconsolidated joint ventures (in thousands):

 
Nine Months Ended August 31,
 
Three Months Ended August 31,
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014
Revenues
$
9,758

 
$
6,118

 
$
3,338

 
$

Construction and land costs
(17,373
)
 
(3,523
)
 
(3,381
)
 

Other expense, net
(2,164
)
 
(3,088
)
 
(753
)
 
(1,050
)
Loss
$
(9,779
)
 
$
(493
)
 
$
(796
)
 
$
(1,050
)

The following table presents combined condensed balance sheet information for our unconsolidated joint ventures (in thousands):
 
August 31,
2015
 
November 30,
2014
Assets
 
 
 
Cash
$
23,454

 
$
23,699

Receivables
7,631

 
5,106

Inventories
169,471

 
153,427

Other assets
658

 

Total assets
$
201,214

 
$
182,232

Liabilities and equity
 
 
 
Accounts payable and other liabilities
$
16,832

 
$
10,824

Notes payable (a)
31,963

 

Equity
152,419

 
171,408

Total liabilities and equity
$
201,214

 
$
182,232


(a)
On August 28, 2015, one of our unconsolidated joint ventures entered into a construction loan agreement with a third-party lender to finance its land development activities that is secured by the underlying property and related project assets. The unconsolidated joint venture’s outstanding secured debt is non-recourse to us and is scheduled to mature in August 2018. None of our other unconsolidated joint ventures had outstanding debt at August 31, 2015. None of our unconsolidated joint ventures had outstanding debt at November 30, 2014.
The following table presents information relating to our investments in unconsolidated joint ventures (dollars in thousands):
 
August 31,
2015
 
November 30,
2014
Number of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures
7

 
6

Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures
$
72,800

 
$
79,441

Number of unconsolidated joint venture lots controlled under land option contracts and other similar contracts
538

 
618


In the first quarter of 2014, we sold our interest in an unconsolidated joint venture in Maryland for $10.1 million, which resulted in a gain of $3.2 million that was included in equity in income of unconsolidated joint ventures in our consolidated statement of operations for the nine months ended August 31, 2014.
We and our partner in the unconsolidated joint venture that entered into the construction loan agreement described above provided certain guarantees and indemnities to the lender, including a guaranty to complete the construction of improvements for the project; a guaranty against losses the lender suffers due to certain bad acts or failures to act by the unconsolidated joint venture or its partners; a guaranty of interest payments on the outstanding balance of the secured debt under the construction loan agreement; and an indemnity of the lender from environmental issues. In each case, our actual responsibility under the foregoing guaranty and indemnity obligations is limited to our pro rata interest in the unconsolidated joint venture. We do not have a guaranty or any other obligation to repay or to support the value of the collateral underlying the unconsolidated joint venture’s outstanding secured debt under the construction loan agreement. However, various financial and non-financial covenants apply with respect to the outstanding secured debt under the construction loan agreement and the related guaranty and indemnity obligations, and a failure to comply with such covenants could result in a default and cause the lender to seek to enforce such guaranty and indemnity obligations, if and as may be applicable. As of August 31, 2015, we were in compliance with the applicable terms of our relevant covenants with respect to the construction loan agreement. We do not believe that our existing exposure under our guaranty and indemnity obligations related to the unconsolidated joint venture’s outstanding secured debt under the construction loan agreement is material to our consolidated financial statements.