Notes Payable

12 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2022

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Notes Payable

Notes Payable

Notes payable consisted of the following (in thousands):

	November 30,
	2022		2021
Unsecured revolving credit facility	$	150,000	$	—
Senior unsecured term loan	357,485		—
Mortgages and land contracts due to land sellers and other loans (at an interest rate of 4.5% at November 30, 2022 and 2021)	4,760		5,327
7.50% Senior notes due September 15, 2022	—		349,471
7.625% Senior notes due May 15, 2023	—		350,788
6.875% Senior notes due June 15, 2027	297,595		297,161
4.80% Senior notes due November 15, 2029	297,230		296,905
7.25% Senior notes due July 15, 2030	345,663		—
4.00% Senior notes due June 15, 2031	385,778		385,375
Total	$	1,838,511	$	1,685,027

The carrying amounts of the Term Loan and senior notes listed above are net of debt issuance costs and premiums, if applicable, which totaled $16.2 million at November 30, 2022 and $10.3 million at November 30, 2021.

Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility. On February 18, 2022, we entered into an amendment to our Credit Facility that increased its borrowing capacity from $800.0 million to $1.09 billion and extended its maturity from October 7, 2023 to February 18, 2027. The Credit Facility contains an uncommitted accordion feature under which its aggregate principal amount of available loans can be increased to a maximum of $1.29 billion under certain conditions, including obtaining additional bank commitments. The Credit Facility also contains a sublimit of $250.0 million for the issuance of letters of credit. Interest on amounts borrowed under the Credit Facility accrues at an adjusted term SOFR rate or a base rate, plus a spread that depends on our Leverage Ratio, as defined under the Credit Facility. Interest is payable quarterly (base rate) or each month or three months (adjusted term SOFR). The Credit Facility also requires the payment of a commitment fee at a per annum rate ranging from .15% to .35% of the unused commitment, based on our Leverage Ratio. Under the terms of the Credit Facility, we are required, among other things, to maintain compliance with various covenants, including financial covenants relating to our consolidated tangible net worth, Leverage Ratio, and either an Interest Coverage Ratio or a minimum level of liquidity, each as defined therein. Our obligations to pay borrowings under the Credit Facility are guaranteed on a joint and several basis by our Guarantor Subsidiaries. The amount of the Credit Facility available for cash borrowings and the issuance of letters of credit depends on the total cash borrowings and letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Facility and the maximum available amount under the terms of the Credit Facility. As of November 30, 2022, we had $150.0 million cash borrowings and $6.7 million of letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Facility. Therefore, as of November 30, 2022, we had $933.3 million available for cash borrowings under the Credit Facility, with up to $243.3 million of that amount available for the issuance of letters of credit. As of November 30, 2022, the weighted average annual interest rate on our outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility was 5.1%.

Senior Unsecured Term Loan. On August 25, 2022, we entered into the Term Loan with the lenders party thereto, and on October 3, 2022 obtained an additional lender commitment thereunder, pursuant to which the lenders committed up to $360.0 million. The Term Loan will mature on August 25, 2026, or earlier if we secure borrowings under the Credit Facility without similarly securing the Term Loan (subject to certain exceptions). Interest under the Term Loan generally will be based on either an adjusted term SOFR or a base rate, plus a spread that depends on our Leverage Ratio. The Term Loan contains various covenants that are substantially the same as those under the Credit Facility. Proceeds drawn under the Term Loan are guaranteed on a joint and several basis by our Guarantor Subsidiaries. As of November 30, 2022, the weighted average annual interest rate on our outstanding borrowings under the Term Loan was 5.6%.

On November 14, 2022, we borrowed $360.0 million under the Term Loan and, on November 15, 2022, we used the proceeds toward the redemption of our $350.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.625% Senior Notes due 2023 at par.

LOC Facility. We maintain an LOC Facility to obtain letters of credit from time to time in the ordinary course of operating our business. Under the LOC Facility, which expires on February 13, 2025, we may issue up to $75.0 million of letters of credit. As of November 30, 2022 and 2021, we had letters of credit outstanding under the LOC Facility of $36.4 million and $34.6 million, respectively.

Mortgages and Land Contracts Due to Land Sellers and Other Loans. As of November 30, 2022, inventories having a carrying value of $31.3 million were pledged to collateralize mortgages and land contracts due to land sellers and other loans.

Shelf Registration. Our 2020 Shelf Registration is filed with the SEC. The 2020 Shelf Registration registers the offering of securities that we may issue from time to time in amounts to be determined. Our ability to issue securities is subject to market conditions.

Senior Notes. All the senior notes outstanding at November 30, 2022 and 2021 represent senior unsecured obligations that are guaranteed by certain of our subsidiaries and rank equally in right of payment with all of our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. All of our senior notes were issued in underwritten public offerings. Interest on each of these senior notes is payable semi-annually.

The key terms of each of our senior notes outstanding as of November 30, 2022 were as follows (dollars in thousands):

					Redeemable Prior to Maturity	Effective Interest Rate
Notes Payable	Principal		Issuance Date	Maturity Date
6.875% Senior notes	$	300,000	February 20, 2019	June 15, 2027	Yes (a)	7.1	%
4.80% Senior notes	300,000		November 4, 2019	November 15, 2029	Yes (a)	5.0
7.25% Senior notes	350,000		June 22, 2022	July 15, 2030	Yes (b)	7.5
4.00% Senior notes	390,000		June 9, 2021	June 15, 2031	Yes (a)	4.2

(a)At our option, these notes may be redeemed, in whole at any time or from time to time in part, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the notes being redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the applicable redemption date), discounted to the redemption date at a defined rate, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest on the notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date, except that six months prior to the stated maturity date for these notes, the redemption price will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the notes being redeemed to, but excluding, the applicable redemption date.

(b)At our option, these notes may be redeemed, in whole at any time or in part from time to time prior to July 15, 2025, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed plus a “make whole” premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date. In addition, at any time or from time to time prior to July 15, 2025, an amount not to exceed the net proceeds of qualified equity offerings may be used at our option to redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of these notes, at a redemption price equal to 107.250% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding the redemption date. We may also elect to redeem the notes in whole at any time or in part from time to time, on or after July 15, 2025, at the applicable specified redemption price, including accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date.

If a change in control occurs as defined in the instruments governing our senior notes, we would be required to offer to purchase all of our outstanding senior notes at 101% of their principal amount, together with all accrued and unpaid interest, if any.

On June 22, 2022, we completed the underwritten public offering of $350.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.25% Senior Notes due 2030 at 100% of their aggregate principal amount. Net proceeds from this offering totaled $345.5 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and our expenses relating to the offering. Interest on the 7.25% Senior Notes due 2030 is payable semi-annually in arrears on January 15 and July 15, commencing on January 15, 2023. These notes will mature on July 15, 2030.

On July 7, 2022, we used the net proceeds from the issuance of the 7.25% Senior Notes due 2030, together with cash on hand, to retire our then-outstanding $350.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.50% Senior Notes due 2022 before their September 15, 2022 maturity date, by redemption pursuant to the optional redemption terms specified for such notes. We paid $353.6 million to redeem the notes and recorded a charge of $3.6 million for the early extinguishment of debt in the 2022 third quarter, primarily due to a make-whole premium paid to redeem these senior notes.

On June 9, 2021, we completed the underwritten public offering of $390.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.00% Senior Notes due 2031 at 100% of their aggregate principal amount. Net proceeds from this offering totaled $385.2 million, after deducting the underwriting discount and our expenses relating to the offering. Interest on the 4.00% Senior Notes due 2031 is payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15, commencing on December 15, 2021. These notes will mature on June 15, 2031.

On June 9, 2021, we used a portion of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 4.00% Senior Notes due 2031 to purchase, pursuant to a tender offer that expired the previous day, $269.8 million in aggregate principal amount of our then-outstanding $450.0 million of 7.00% Senior Notes due 2021. We paid $274.9 million to purchase the notes and recorded a charge of $5.1 million for the early extinguishment of debt in the 2021 third quarter due to a premium paid under the tender offer and the unamortized original issue discount associated with the notes.

On September 15, 2021, we redeemed the then-remaining $180.2 million in aggregate principal amount of the 7.00% Senior Notes due 2021 at par value pursuant to their terms.

The indenture governing our senior notes does not contain any financial covenants. Subject to specified exceptions, the indenture contains certain restrictive covenants that, among other things, limit our ability to incur secured indebtedness, or engage in sale-leaseback transactions involving property above a certain specified value. In addition, the indenture contains certain limitations related to mergers, consolidations, and sales of assets.

As of the date of this report, we were in compliance with the applicable terms of all our covenants and other requirements under the Credit Facility, the Term Loan, the senior notes, the indenture, and the mortgages and land contracts due to land sellers and other loans. Our ability to access the Credit Facility for cash borrowings and letters of credit and our ability to secure future debt financing depend, in part, on our ability to remain in such compliance. There are no agreements that restrict our payment of dividends other than the Credit Facility and the Term Loan, which would restrict our payment of certain dividends, such as cash dividends on our common stock, if a default under the Credit Facility or the Term Loan exists at the time of any such payment, or if any such payment would result in such a default (other than dividends paid within 60 days after declaration, if there was no default at the time of declaration).

Principal payments on our notes payable are due during each year ending November 30 as follows: 2023 — $3.2 million; 2024 — $1.0 million; 2025 — $.5 million; 2026 — $360.0 million; 2027 — $450.0 million; and thereafter — $1.04 billion. Borrowings under the Credit Facility are reflected as principal payments due in 2027, corresponding to the Credit Facility’s maturity date.