Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

May 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

We consider all highly liquid short-term investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Our cash equivalents totaled $109.5 million at May 31, 2016 and $342.3 million at November 30, 2015. The majority of our cash and cash equivalents were invested in money market funds and interest-bearing bank deposit accounts.

Restricted Cash. Restricted cash at May 31, 2016 and November 30, 2015 consisted of cash deposited with various financial institutions that was required as collateral for our cash-collateralized letter of credit facilities (“LOC Facilities”).

Presentation of Comprehensive Income

Our comprehensive income was $15.6 million for the three months ended May 31, 2016 and $9.6 million for the three months ended May 31, 2015. For the six months ended May 31, 2016 and 2015, our comprehensive income was $28.7 million and $17.4 million, respectively. Our comprehensive income for each of the three-month and six-month periods ended May 31, 2016 and 2015 was equal to our net income for the respective periods.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adopt ASU 2014-09. In August 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-14, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date,” which delayed the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year. In 2016, the FASB issued accounting standards updates that amended several aspects of ASU 2014-09. For public entities, ASU 2014-09, as amended, is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03, “Interest — Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs” (“ASU 2015-03”). ASU 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. ASU 2015-03 is to be applied on a retrospective basis and represents a change in accounting principle. In August 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-15, “Interest — Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements — Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting” (“ASU 2015-15”), which clarifies the treatment of debt issuance costs from line-of-credit arrangements after the adoption of ASU 2015-03. In particular, ASU 2015-15 clarifies that the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit arrangement as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of such arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. For public entities, ASU 2015-03 and ASU 2015-15 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. We believe adopting ASU 2015-03 and ASU 2015-15 will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 will require organizations that lease assets — referred to as “lessees” — to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases. Under ASU 2016-02, a lessee will be required to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Lessor accounting remains substantially similar to current GAAP. In addition, disclosures of leasing activities are to be expanded to include qualitative along with specific quantitative information. For public entities, ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. ASU 2016-02 mandates a modified retrospective transition method. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-09, “Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. For public entities, ASU 2016-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting this guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in our consolidated financial statements for prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

Accounting Standards Codification Topic No.280, Segment Reporting

As of May 31, 2016, we had identified five operating reporting segments, comprised of four homebuilding reporting segments and one financial services reporting segment. As of May 31, 2016, our homebuilding reporting segments conducted operations in the following states:

West Coast: California

Southwest: Arizona and Nevada

Central: Colorado and Texas

Southeast: Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia

Our homebuilding reporting segments are engaged in the acquisition and development of land primarily for residential purposes and offer a wide variety of homes that are designed to appeal to first-time, move-up and active adult homebuyers. Our homebuilding operations generate most of their revenues from the delivery of completed homes to homebuyers. They also earn revenues from the sale of land.

Our homebuilding reporting segments were identified based primarily on similarities in economic and geographic characteristics, product types, regulatory environments, methods used to sell and construct homes and land acquisition characteristics. We evaluate segment performance primarily based on segment pretax results.

In the second quarter of 2016, we announced that we had begun a transition out of the Metro Washington, D.C. market that is expected to be completed over the next 12 months. Our operations in the Metro Washington, D.C. market consisted of communities in Maryland and Virginia, which are included in our Southeast homebuilding reporting segment, and represented 2% of our consolidated homebuilding revenues for the three months ended May 31, 2016. We plan to continue constructing and delivering homes in our active communities remaining in this market. We also have other land interests in this market that we intend to build out or sell. As described in Note 6 – Inventory Impairments and Land Option Contract Abandonments, we recorded inventory impairment and land option contract abandonment charges related to this transition during the three months ended May 31, 2016.

Our financial services reporting segment offers property and casualty insurance and, in certain instances, earthquake, flood and personal property insurance to our homebuyers in the same markets as our homebuilding reporting segments, and provides title services in the majority of our markets located within our Central and Southeast homebuilding reporting segments. This segment earns revenues primarily from insurance commissions and from the provision of title services. We currently offer mortgage banking services, including residential mortgage loan (“mortgage loan”) originations, to our homebuyers indirectly through Home Community Mortgage, LLC (“HCM”), a joint venture of a subsidiary of ours and a subsidiary of Nationstar Mortgage LLC (“Nationstar”). Through these respective subsidiaries, we have a 49.9% ownership interest and Nationstar has a 50.1% ownership interest in HCM, with Nationstar providing management oversight of HCM’s operations. Our homebuyers may select any lender of their choice to obtain mortgage financing for the purchase of their home.

Corporate and other is a non-operating segment that develops and oversees the implementation of company-wide strategic initiatives and provides support to our reporting segments by centralizing certain administrative functions. Corporate and other includes general and administrative expenses related to operating our corporate headquarters. A portion of the expenses incurred by Corporate and other is allocated to our homebuilding reporting segments.

Our segments follow the same accounting policies used for our consolidated financial statements. The results of each segment are not necessarily indicative of the results that would have occurred had the segment been an independent, stand-alone entity during the periods presented, nor are they indicative of the results to be expected in future periods.

Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 260, Earnings Per Share

We compute earnings per share using the two-class method, which is an allocation of earnings between the holders of common stock and a company’s participating security holders. Our outstanding nonvested shares of restricted stock contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends and, therefore, are considered participating securities for purposes of computing earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method. We had no other participating securities at May 31, 2016 or 2015.

Property, Plant and Equipment (ASC 360)

Each community or land parcel in our owned inventory is assessed on a quarterly basis to determine if indicators of potential impairment exist. We record an inventory impairment charge when indicators of potential impairment exist and the carrying value of a real estate asset is greater than the undiscounted future net cash flows the asset is expected to generate. These real estate assets are written down to fair value, which is primarily based on the estimated future net cash flows discounted for inherent risk associated with each such asset.

Accounting Standards Codification Topic No.810, Consolidation (ASC 810)

We participate in joint ventures from time to time that conduct land acquisition, land development and/or other homebuilding activities in various markets where our homebuilding operations are located. Our investments in these joint ventures may create a variable interest in a variable interest entity (“VIE”), depending on the contractual terms of the arrangement. We analyze our joint ventures under the variable interest model to determine whether they are VIEs and, if so, whether we are the primary beneficiary. Based on our analysis, we determined that one of our joint ventures at May 31, 2016 was a VIE, but we were not the primary beneficiary of this VIE. At November 30, 2015, we determined that none of our joint ventures were VIEs. All of our joint ventures at May 31, 2016 and November 30, 2015 were unconsolidated and accounted for under the equity method because we did not have a controlling financial interest.

In the ordinary course of our business, we enter into land option contracts and other similar contracts with third parties and unconsolidated entities to acquire rights to land for the construction of homes. Under these contracts, we typically pay a specified option or earnest money deposit in consideration for the right to purchase land in the future, usually at a predetermined price. We analyze each of our land option contracts and other similar contracts under the variable interest model to determine whether the land seller is a VIE and, if so, whether we are the primary beneficiary. Although we do not have legal title to the underlying land, we are required to consolidate a VIE if we are the primary beneficiary. As a result of our analyses, we determined that as of May 31, 2016 and November 30, 2015 we were not the primary beneficiary of any VIEs from which we have acquired rights to land under land option contracts and other similar contracts.

Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 470, Debt (ASC 470)

For land option contracts and other similar contracts where the land seller entity is not required to be consolidated under the variable interest model, we consider whether such contracts should be accounted for as financing arrangements. Land option contracts and other similar contracts that may be considered financing arrangements include those we enter into with third-party land financiers or developers in conjunction with such third parties acquiring a specific land parcel(s) on our behalf, at our direction, and those with other landowners where we or our designee make improvements to the optioned land parcel(s) during the applicable option period. For these land option contracts and other similar contracts, we record the remaining purchase price of the associated land parcel(s) in inventories in our consolidated balance sheets with a corresponding financing obligation if we determine that we are effectively compelled to exercise the option under the land option contract or other similar contract and purchase the optioned land parcel(s). In making this determination with respect to a land option contract or other similar contract, we consider the non-refundable deposit(s) we have made and any non-reimbursable expenditures we have incurred for land improvement activities or other items up to the assessment date; additional costs associated with abandoning the contract; and our commitments, if any, to incur non-reimbursable costs associated with the contract. As a result of our evaluations of land option contracts and other similar contracts for financing arrangements, we recorded inventories in our consolidated balance sheets, with a corresponding increase to accrued expenses and other liabilities, of $77.6 million at May 31, 2016 and $110.0 million at November 30, 2015.

Income Taxes (ASC 740)

We evaluate our deferred tax assets quarterly to determine if adjustments to our valuation allowance are required based on the consideration of all available positive and negative evidence using a “more likely than not” standard with respect to whether our deferred tax assets will be realized. Our evaluation considers, among other factors, our historical operating results, our expectation of future profitability, the duration of the applicable statutory carryforward periods, and conditions in the housing market and the broader economy. The ultimate realization of our deferred tax assets depends primarily on our ability to generate future taxable income during the periods in which the related temporary differences in the financial basis and the tax basis of the assets become deductible. The value of our deferred tax assets depends on applicable income tax rates

Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures

Fair value measurements of assets and liabilities are categorized based on the following hierarchy:



Level 1		Fair value determined based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2		Fair value determined using significant observable inputs, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities or quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data, by correlation or other means.
Level 3		Fair value determined using significant unobservable inputs, such as pricing models, discounted cash flows, or similar techniques.

Accounting Standards Codification Topic No. 460, Guarantees

Guarantees. In the normal course of our business, we issue certain representations, warranties and guarantees related to our home sales and land sales. Based on historical experience, we do not believe any potential liability with respect to these representations, warranties or guarantees would be material to our consolidated financial statements.

Self-Insurance

Self-Insurance. We maintain, and require the majority of our subcontractors to maintain, general liability insurance (including construction defect and bodily injury coverage) and workers’ compensation insurance. These insurance policies protect us against a portion of our risk of loss from claims related to our homebuilding activities, including claims made under our limited warranty program, subject to certain self-insured retentions, deductibles and other coverage limits. We also maintain certain other insurance policies. In Arizona, California, Colorado and Nevada, our subcontractors’ general liability insurance primarily takes the form of a wrap-up policy under a program where eligible subcontractors are enrolled as insureds on each project. Enrolled subcontractors contribute toward the cost of the insurance and agree to pay a contractual amount in the future in the event of a claim related to their work. To the extent provided under the wrap-up program, we absorb the enrolled subcontractors’ general liability associated with the work performed on our homes within the applicable projects as part of our overall general liability insurance coverage and self-insurance.

We self-insure a portion of our overall risk through the use of a captive insurance subsidiary, which provides coverage for our exposure to construction defect, bodily injury and property damage claims and related litigation or regulatory actions, up to certain limits. Our self-insurance liability generally covers our costs of settlements and/or repairs, if any, as well as our costs to defend and resolve the following types of claims:

•

Construction defect: Construction defect claims, which represent the largest component of our self-insurance liability, typically originate through a legal or regulatory process rather than directly by a homeowner and involve the alleged occurrence of a condition affecting two or more homes within the same community, or they involve a common area or homeowners’ association property within a community. These claims typically involve higher costs to resolve than individual homeowner warranty claims, and the rate of claims is highly variable.


•	Bodily injury: Bodily injury claims typically involve individuals (other than our employees) who claim they were injured while on our property or as a result of our operations.


•	Property damage: Property damage claims generally involve claims by third parties for alleged damage to real or personal property as a result of our operations. Such claims may occasionally include those made against us by owners of property located near our communities.

We record expenses and liabilities based on the estimated costs required to cover our self-insured retention and deductible amounts under our insurance policies, and the estimated costs of potential claims and claim adjustment expenses that are above our coverage limits or that are not covered by our insurance policies. The amount of our self-insurance liability is determined through an analysis performed by a third-party actuary that uses our historical claim and expense data, including data related to contributions from third parties, as well as industry data to estimate our overall costs for unpaid claims, incurred but not reported claims and claim adjustment expenses that are associated with the risks we are assuming with respect to our self-insurance and insurance policy deductibles. Key assumptions used in developing these estimates include claim frequencies, severities and resolution patterns, which can occur over an extended period of time. These estimates are subject to variability due to the length of time between the delivery of a home to a homebuyer and when a construction defect claim is made, and the ultimate resolution of such claim; uncertainties regarding such claims relative to our markets and the types of product we build; insurance industry practices; and legal or regulatory actions and/or interpretations, among other factors. Due to the degree of judgment involved and the potential for variability in these underlying assumptions, our actual future costs could differ from those estimated. In addition, changes in the frequency and severity of reported claims and the estimates to resolve claims can impact the trends and assumptions used in the actuarial analysis, which could be material to our consolidated financial statements. Though state regulations vary, construction defect claims are reported and resolved over a long period of time, which can extend for 10 years or more. As a result, the majority of the estimated self-insurance liability determined through the actuarial analysis relates to incurred but not reported claims and, therefore, adjustments related to individual existing claims generally do not significantly impact the overall estimated liability. Adjustments to our liabilities related to homes delivered in prior years are recorded in the period in which a change in our estimate occurs.

Warranty

Warranty. We provide a limited warranty on all of our homes. The specific terms and conditions of our limited warranty program vary depending upon the markets in which we do business. We generally provide a structural warranty of 10 years, a warranty on electrical, heating, cooling, plumbing and certain other building systems each varying from two to five years based on geographic market and state law, and a warranty of one year for other components of the home. Our limited warranty program is ordinarily how we respond to and account for homeowners’ requests to local division offices seeking repairs, including claims where we could have liability under applicable state statutes or tort law for a defective condition in or damages to a home. Our warranty liability covers our costs of repairs associated with homeowner claims made under our limited warranty program. These claims are generally made directly by a homeowner and involve their individual home.

We estimate the costs that may be incurred under each limited warranty and record a liability in the amount of such costs at the time the revenue associated with the sale of each home is recognized. Our primary assumption in estimating the amounts we accrue for warranty costs is that historical claims experience is a strong indicator of future claims experience. Factors that affect our warranty liability include the number of homes delivered, historical and anticipated rates of warranty claims, and cost per claim. We periodically assess the adequacy of our accrued warranty liability, which is included in accrued expenses and other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets, and adjust the amount as necessary based on our assessment. Our assessment includes the review of our actual warranty costs incurred to identify trends and changes in our warranty claims experience, and considers our home construction quality and customer service initiatives and outside events. While we believe the warranty liability currently reflected in our consolidated balance sheets to be adequate, unanticipated changes or developments in the legal environment, local weather, land or environmental conditions, quality of materials or methods used in the construction of homes or customer service practices and/or our warranty claims experience could have a significant impact on our actual warranty costs in future periods and such amounts could differ significantly from our current estimates.

Stock-Based Compensation (ASC 718)

We estimate the grant-date fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.