Here's What Key Metrics Tell Us About Meritage (MTH) Q1 Earnings

Core Viewpoint - Meritage Homes reported a decline in revenue and earnings for the quarter ended March 2025, with revenue at $1.36 billion, down 7.6% year-over-year, and EPS at $1.69, compared to $2.53 in the same quarter last year, indicating a mixed performance against analyst expectations [1]. Financial Performance - Revenue for the quarter was $1.36 billion, which was a surprise of +1.53% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.34 billion [1]. - EPS came in at $1.69, which was -1.17% below the consensus estimate of $1.71 [1]. - Total closing revenue from homebuilding was $1.36 billion, representing a year-over-year decline of -7.6% [4]. Key Metrics - Order Backlog: 2,004 homes, below the average estimate of 2,398 homes [4]. - Homes Closed: 3,416 homes, slightly above the average estimate of 3,368 homes [4]. - Homes Ordered: 3,876 homes, below the average estimate of 4,222 homes [4]. - Order Backlog Value: $812.36 million, significantly lower than the average estimate of $975.98 million [4]. - Active Communities: 290, below the average estimate of 300 [4]. - Homes Ordered Value: $1.56 billion, below the average estimate of $1.68 billion [4]. - Revenue from Land Closing: $15.42 million, significantly above the average estimate of $4.27 million, showing a year-over-year increase of +569% [4]. - Revenue from Financial Services: $7.08 million, above the average estimate of $6.42 million, with a year-over-year increase of +11.5% [4]. Stock Performance - Shares of Meritage have returned -6.5% over the past month, slightly outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -6.6% change [3]. - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), suggesting it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term [3].