Hovnanian Enterprises Announces Credit Rating Upgrade From S&P Global Ratings
Hovnanian Enterprises (NYSE: HOV), a major national homebuilder, announced that S&P Global Ratings has upgraded its issuer credit rating to 'B' from 'B-'. This upgrade reflects improved debt leverage, consistent community count growth, strong home sales demand, and effective cash flow management. S&P's outlook for Hovnanian is stable, acknowledging the company's $741 million debt reduction over recent years and its focus on revenue-driven profitability. CFO Brad G. O'Connor emphasized the commitment to balance sheet enhancement and achieving higher profitability through revenue growth.
- S&P Global Ratings upgraded Hovnanian's credit rating to 'B' from 'B-'.
- Improved debt leverage cited as a key factor.
- Sustained growth in community counts.
- Steady demand in home sales.
- Focus on cash flow management facilitating business growth.
- The company achieved a $741 million debt reduction over the past several years.
- Stable outlook from S&P Global Ratings.
- Dependent on future revenue growth to achieve further improvements.
- No specific mention of immediate financial gains or dividend increases for shareholders.
Insights
The upgrade in Hovnanian Enterprises’ credit rating from ‘B-’ to ‘B’ by S&P Global Ratings reflects an improvement in the company’s financial health. A key point to note is the company’s reduction of
Moreover, the sustained growth in community count and steady demand in home sales, as mentioned by S&P, indicate a resilient business model in a cyclic industry. The focus on cash flow management highlights that the company is generating enough cash internally to fund its operations and growth, reducing reliance on external financing, which is particularly advantageous in a rising interest rate environment.
For investors, this rating upgrade could mean a lower cost of borrowing for Hovnanian, potentially enhancing profitability. However, it's essential to consider the broader economic environment, including interest rate trends and housing market conditions, which could impact future performance. The rating improvement also suggests increased market confidence, which might positively impact Hovnanian’s stock price in the short term.
The homebuilding industry has been experiencing a period of strong demand driven by factors like low interest rates and demographic trends favoring homeownership. Hovnanian’s improved credit rating aligns with these favorable market conditions. The company's ability to sustain community count growth amidst these trends is a positive indicator of strategic positioning and market demand.
Additionally, the rating upgrade to ‘B’ with a stable outlook suggests that Hovnanian has managed to navigate supply chain challenges and rising material costs effectively, which have been significant headwinds for the industry. This resilience can reassure investors about the company's operational capabilities.
However, investors should remain cautious about potential market fluctuations and economic downturns that could affect housing demand. The company's strong performance amidst current positive trends is noteworthy, but staying informed about changes in market conditions is important for long-term investment decisions.
MATAWAN, N.J., June 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: HOV), a leading national homebuilder, today announced that S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) has upgraded Hovnanian’s issuer credit rating to ‘B’ from ‘B-’ citing better than expected debt leverage, sustained community count growth, steady demand in home sales and a focus on cash flow management, which will allow the company to grow the business through internally generated cash flows as contributing factors in a press release issued on June 11, 2024. S&P’s outlook for Hovnanian is stable.
“The ratings upgrade from S&P is a testament to our strong operating results and our commitment to repairing our balance sheet through a combination of solid equity growth and a
ABOUT HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES, INC.:
Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., founded in 1959 by Kevork S. Hovnanian, is headquartered in Matawan, New Jersey and, through its subsidiaries, is one of the nation’s largest homebuilders with operations in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. The Company’s homes are marketed and sold under the trade name K. Hovnanian® Homes. Additionally, the Company’s subsidiaries, as developers of K. Hovnanian’s® Four Seasons communities, make the Company one of the nation’s largest builders of active lifestyle communities.
Additional information on Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. can be accessed through the “Investor Relations” section of the Hovnanian Enterprises’ website at http://www.khov.com. To be added to Hovnanian's investor e-mail list, please send an e-mail to IR@khov.com or sign up at http://www.khov.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
All statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered as “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the “Safe Harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements related to the Company’s goals and expectations with respect to its financial results for future financial periods and statements regarding demand for homes, mortgage rates, inflation, supply chain issues, customer incentives and underlying factors. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in, or suggested by, such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. By their nature, forward-looking statements: (i) speak only as of the date they are made, (ii) are not guarantees of future performance or results and (iii) are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict or quantify. Therefore, actual results could differ materially and adversely from those forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, (1) changes in general and local economic, industry and business conditions and impacts of a significant homebuilding downturn; (2) shortages in, and price fluctuations of, raw materials and labor, including due to geopolitical events, changes in trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs and duties on homebuilding materials and products and related trade disputes with and retaliatory measures taken by other countries; (3) fluctuations in interest rates and the availability of mortgage financing, including as a result of instability in the banking sector; (4) adverse weather and other environmental conditions and natural disasters; (5) the seasonality of the Company’s business; (6) the availability and cost of suitable land and improved lots and sufficient liquidity to invest in such land and lots; (7) reliance on, and the performance of, subcontractors; (8) regional and local economic factors, including dependency on certain sectors of the economy, and employment levels affecting home prices and sales activity in the markets where the Company builds homes; (9) increases in cancellations of agreements of sale; (10) increases in inflation; (11) changes in tax laws affecting the after-tax costs of owning a home; (12) legal claims brought against us and not resolved in our favor, such as product liability litigation, warranty claims and claims made by mortgage investors; (13) levels of competition; (14) utility shortages and outages or rate fluctuations; (15) information technology failures and data security breaches; (16) negative publicity; (17) high leverage and restrictions on the Company’s operations and activities imposed by the agreements governing the Company’s outstanding indebtedness; (18) availability and terms of financing to the Company; (19) the Company’s sources of liquidity; (20) changes in credit ratings; (21) government regulation, including regulations concerning development of land, the home building, sales and customer financing processes, tax laws and the environment; (22) operations through unconsolidated joint ventures with third parties; (23) significant influence of the Company’s controlling stockholders; (24) availability of net operating loss carryforwards; (25) loss of key management personnel or failure to attract qualified personnel; (26) public health issues such as major epidemic or pandemic; and (27) certain risks, uncertainties and other factors described in detail in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023 and the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarterly periods during fiscal 2024 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or any other reason.
| Contact: | Brad G. O’Connor | Jeffrey T. O’Keefe |
| Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer | Vice President, Investor Relations | |
| 732-747-7800 | 732-747-7800 | |
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