Charles Jehl
Analyst · D.A. Davidson. Your line is open. Please go ahead
Okay, thank you, Phil. I would also like to welcome everyone joining us this morning. Third quarter 2015 financial results were negatively impacted by approximately $153.9 million in special items, including the differed tax asset valuation allowance and asset impairment charges related to our non-core oil and gas assets, both primarily driven by the continued decline in oil prices. As a result, the company report a net loss of approximately $164.2 million or $4.79 per share in third quarter 2015, compared with net income of $5.2 million or $0.12 per share in third quarter 2014. On an after-tax basis, third quarter 2015 special items with a $153.9 million or $4.48 per share include the differed tax asset valuation allowance I previously discussion to $98.9 million, $42.5 million improved property asset impairment primarily related to our assets in the Bakken/Three Forks in North Dakota and the Central Kansas uplift in Kansas in Nebraska. And $10.3 million of unproved lease hold interest impairments primarily associated with undeveloped lease hold in the Bakken/Three Forks and $2.2 million in severance related charges. Excluding special items, third quarter 2015 net loss was approximately $10.3 million or $0.31 per share compared with net income of $5.2 million or $0.12 per share in third quarter 2014. Before I turn to our segment financial results, I want to review some additional insight into the differed tax asset valuation allowance we recorded in the quarter. This allowance was principally resolved of impairment charges recorded in our oil and gas segment, primarily due to price – oil prices declining, with the additional impairments reported in third quarter 2015, the company is now accumulative three year pretax loss position, which is a technical matter under GAAP limits our ability to consider projected future taxable income in determining whether evaluation allowances required. To the extent we generate – sufficient future pretax income, we will be permitted to reverse a portion or all of the differed tax valuation allowance. It is important to note that the valuation allowance does not prohibit our ability to utilize these tax deductions against future taxable income. Now turning to our segments. To illustrate the impact of these special items, we have provided quarter-over-quarter segment results excluding special items. Real estate earnings were $5.2 million in third quarter 2015 compared with $16 million in third quarter 2014. The decline year-over-year is principally due to a $7.6 million gain in third quarter 2014 associated with the acquisition of our partner's interest in the Eleven multifamily venture, and decreased residential lot sales activity. We sold 301 lots in third quarter 2015, nearly 7% lower than prior year, principally due to construction and permitting delays driven by a normally wet weather condition during the second quarter 2015. Despite these delays, we continue to see relatively stable market demand for our communities in lower housing inventories. Now turning to oil and gas. Segment results in third quarter 2015 were approximately $86.2 million loss compared with $6 million in third quarter 2014. This decline was primarily driven by lower oil prices which resulted in approximately $81 million in pretax impairment charges. Excluding these charges, third quarter 2015 oil and gas segment results were a loss of approximately $5 million. The continued decline in oil and gas commodity prices, negatively impacted results that was partially offset by an 18% increase in total oil and liquids production volume, and a 36% reduction in segment operating expenses quarter-over-quarter. As a result of our initiatives in oil gas, the lower operating expenses and significantly reduced capital expenditures, the oil and gas segment generate approximately $18 million in positive net cash flow in third quarter 2015, including a $11 million from non-core asset sales as compared with negative $4 million in net cash flow in third quarter 2014. Going forward, we are well positioned to generate positive cash flow at third quarter and commodity pricing levels. Other natural resource was essentially breakeven in third quarter 2015, compared to $0.7 million in third quarter 2014. In recapping the segment results for the quarter, we lost approximately $81.2 million in oil and gas – primarily due to oil and gas impairment charges in the third quarter and the company reported segment loss of $81.1 million. Excluding these charges, third quarter 2015 total segment earnings were about $0.1 million compared to $22.7 million in third quarter 2014. Now let me provide some additional color on our community development and multifamily businesses. We continue to closely monitor the Texas economy and housing markets for science of slowdown given the decline in oil prices. As the charts on the left hand side of the slide illustrates, we believe new home inventories in Forestar's Texas markets remain below equilibrium at less than two months of supply and more importantly, demand as measured by job growth continues to outpace the national average in all Texas markets with the exception of Houston, which is still generating positive but slower job growth. The combination of low housing inventories and solid job growth should continue to drive steady demand in our communities. We have yet to see a significant impact on new home starts in sales in our Houston communities. Despite third quarter housing starts with the entire Houston market being down 10% compared to year ago levels, housing starts within Forestar's Houston projects were still up over 25% in third quarter 2015 compared with the prior year. We believe stand up demand in low housing inventories in Houston is evidenced by 3.2 months of resale, home inventory as of the end of the third quarter which is well below the equilibrium of six months, continued to support a return to normal fee rather than being the beginning of protracted decline in the housing market. During first nine months of this year, Houston developers have developed approximately 3,000 more finished lots than housing starts, thereby leading vacant developed lot inventory is 16.6 months supply with 24 supply of lots being considered a normal market. Notwithstanding the slow in job growth in Houston, the single family residential market remains in solid shape from an inventory standpoint. At third quarter end 2015, Forestar had approximately 250 finished developed lots in inventory in Houston, with over 65% currently under option contracts to various builders. In addition, we had over 350 additional lots under development in Houston with almost 85% of those lots under option contracts with builders that generally includes a 10% to 15% cash earnest money deposit, which reduces the risk that the builders walk away from the delivery requirement, under these option agreements. At the end of the third quarter, we had over 1,440 lots under option contracts with builders across our portfolio of communities. Based on these option agreements and current market demand, we expect lot sales in 2015 to be in the range of 1,400 to 1,600 lots. Now let me turn to our multifamily business. Multifamily conditions across our target markets remain steady with strong occupancy rate and moderate levels of new supply relative to projected demand, and solid but slower rent growth across most of our markets. We continue to closely monitor each local multifamily submarket for signs of a slowdown given potential supply issues and affordability issues driven by strong rent growth. In addition, we utilized guaranteed maximum price contracts with third-party general contractors to mitigate construction and labor cost increases. At the end of the third quarter, including ventures, we had eight multifamily projects in six markets totaling almost 2,600 units including two completed and stabilized projects and six projects currently under construction. Now let me provide an update on a few of our projects. Eleven, a wholly-owned multifamily project adjacent to Downtown, Austin, is almost 95% leased and generating approximately $3 million in annual net operating income. Midtown Cedar Hill also a wholly-owned multifamily project located near Dallas is now stabilized and nearly 95% leased. Midtown is currently under contract to be sold and should close by year end 2015. Our 360 project in Denver which is being developed in a joint venture with Guggenheim Real Estate is now substantially complete and nearly 70% leased. In addition, Acklen which is being developed in a venture with Nash mutual in Nashville is also nearing completion and is just under 50% leased. Both 360 and Acklen are located in strong multifamily markets and experiencing leasing and rent growth above our respective initial underwritings. HiLine, Elan 99, Music Row and Dillon are all currently under construction and are making good progress. To close, Michael Quinley and Tom Etheredge are both here and can answer any specific questions you have from them on our residential housing development business. Thank you for joining us this morning and for your interest in Forestar. Now I'd like to open the call up for a few questions.