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bzh-20240930

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

_____________________________________________________________

FORM 10-K

_____________________________________________________________

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024

Commission File Number 001-12822

_____________________________________________________________

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_____________________________________________________________

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(770) 829-3700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $0.001 par value BZH New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

Yes☒No ̈

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

Yes ̈ No☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to the filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes☒ No ̈

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒ No ̈

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company,” and ""emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act:

Large accelerated filer ☒ Accelerated filer ☐

Non-accelerated filer ☐ Smaller reporting company ☐

Emerging growth company ☐

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of March 31, 2024, based on the closing sale price per share as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on such date, was $979,468,319.

Class Outstanding at November 8, 2024

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the registrant’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K to the extent stated herein. The Proxy Statement will be filed within 120 days of the registrant’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2024.

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Forward-Looking Statements 1

PART I

Item 1. Business 3

Item 1A. Risk Factors 12

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 20

Item 1C. Cybersecurity 20

Item 2. Properties 22

Item 3. Legal Proceedings 22

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 22

PART II

Item 6. [Reserved] 24

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 42

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 43

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 76

Item 9B. Other Information 76

Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 76

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance 77

Item 11. Executive Compensation 77

Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 77

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 78

SIGNATURES 83

References to “we,” “us,” “our,” “Beazer,” “Beazer Homes” and the “Company” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K refer to Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (Form 10-K) contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent our expectations or beliefs concerning future events or results, and it is possible that such events or results described in this Form 10-K will not occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of statements that include words such as "outlook," "may," "will," "strategy," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan,"

"foresee," "likely," "goal," "target," "estimate," "project," "initial" or other similar words or phrases.

These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, among other things, the matters discussed in this Form 10-K in the section captioned “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” Additional information about factors that could lead to material changes is contained in Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors of this Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. These factors are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of risks and uncertainties that may affect the operations, performance, development and results of our business, but instead are the risks that we currently perceive as potentially being material. Such factors may include:

•the cyclical nature of the homebuilding industry and deterioration in homebuilding industry conditions;

•economic changes nationally and in local markets, including increases in the number of foreclosures and wage levels, both of which are outside our control and may impact consumer confidence and affect the affordability of, and demand for, the homes we sell;

•elevated mortgage interest rates for prolonged periods, as well as further increases to, and reduced availability of, mortgage financing due to, among other factors, additional actions by the Federal Reserve to address inflation;

•financial institution disruptions, such as the lingering effects of bank failures that spiked in 2023;

•supply chain challenges negatively impacting our homebuilding production, including shortages of raw materials and other critical components such as windows, doors, and appliances;

•our ability to meet or achieve our sustainability related goals, aspirations, initiatives, and our public statements and disclosures regarding them;

•inaccurate estimates related to homes to be delivered in the future (backlog), as they are subject to various cancellation risks that cannot be fully controlled;

•factors affecting margins, such as adjustments to home pricing, increased sales incentives and mortgage rate buy down programs in order to remain competitive;

•decreased revenues;

•decreased land values underlying land option agreements;

•increased land development costs in communities under development or delays or difficulties in implementing initiatives to reduce our cycle times and production and overhead cost structures;

•not being able to pass on cost increases (including cost increases due to increasing the energy efficiency of our homes) through pricing increases;

•the availability and cost of land and the risks associated with the future value of our inventory;

•our ability to raise debt and/or equity capital, due to factors such as limitations in the capital markets (including market volatility), adverse credit market conditions and financial institution disruptions, and our ability to otherwise meet our ongoing liquidity needs (which could cause us to fail to meet the terms of our covenants and other requirements under our various debt instruments and therefore trigger an acceleration of a significant portion or all of our outstanding debt obligations), including the impact of any downgrades of our credit ratings or reduction in our liquidity levels;

•market perceptions regarding any capital raising initiatives we may undertake (including future issuances of equity or debt capital);

•changes in tax laws or otherwise regarding the deductibility of mortgage interest expenses and real estate taxes, including those resulting from regulatory guidance and interpretations issued with respect thereto, such as the IRS's guidance regarding heightened qualification requirements for federal credits for building energy-efficient homes;

•increased competition or delays in reacting to changing consumer preferences in home design;

•natural disasters or other related events that could result in delays in land development or home construction, increase our costs or decrease demand in the impacted areas;

•shortages of or increased costs for labor used in housing production, including as a result of federal or state legislation, and the level of quality and craftsmanship provided by such labor;

•terrorist acts, protests and civil unrest, political uncertainty (including as a result of the 2024 election cycle), acts of war or other factors over which the Company has no control, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, and other conflicts in the Middle East;

•potential negative impacts of public health emergencies and lingering impacts of past pandemics;

•the potential recoverability of our deferred tax assets;

•increases in corporate tax rates;

•potential delays or increased costs in obtaining necessary permits as a result of changes to, or complying with, laws, regulations or governmental policies, and possible penalties for failure to comply with such laws, regulations or governmental policies, including those related to the environment;

•the results of litigation or government proceedings and fulfillment of any related obligations;

•the impact of construction defect and home warranty claims;

•the cost and availability of insurance and surety bonds, as well as the sufficiency of these instruments to cover potential losses incurred;

•the impact of information technology failures, cybersecurity issues or data security breaches, including cybersecurity incidents deploying evolving artificial intelligence tools and incidents impacting third-party service providers that we depend on to conduct our business;

•the impact of governmental regulations on homebuilding in key markets, such as regulations limiting the availability of water and electricity (including availability of electrical equipment such as transformers and meters); and

•the success of our ESG initiatives, including our ability to meet our goal that by the end of 2025 every home we start will be Zero Energy Ready, as well as the success of any other related partnerships or pilot programs we may enter into in order to increase the energy efficiency of our homes and prepare for a Zero Energy Ready future.

Any forward-looking statement, including any statement expressing confidence regarding future outcomes, speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all such factors.

PART I

Item 1. Business

We are a geographically diversified homebuilder with active operations in 13 states within three geographic regions in the United States: the West, East, and Southeast. Our homes are designed to appeal to homeowners at different price points across various demographic segments and are generally offered for sale in advance of their construction. Our objective is to provide our customers with homes that incorporate extraordinary value and quality, at affordable prices, while seeking to maximize our investment returns over the course of a housing cycle.

Beazer Homes USA, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in 1993. Our principal executive offices are located at 2002 Summit Blvd NE, 15th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30319, and our main telephone number is (770) 829-3700. We also provide information about our company, including active communities, through our Internet website located at www.beazer.com. Information on our website is not a part of this Form 10-K and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference.

Long-Term Business Strategy

We continue to execute against our long-term balanced growth strategy, which is characterized by growing profitability, improving balance sheet efficiency, and generating returns above our cost of capital. This strategy provides us with the flexibility to reduce leverage through debt reduction, increase return of capital to investors through stock repurchases, or increase investment in land and other operating assets in response to changing market conditions.

We remain committed to this balanced growth strategy, which is designed to increase shareholder value by improving our return on assets while reducing operational risk and financial leverage. For fiscal 2025, we continue to focus on our three multi-year strategic goals as part of our balanced growth strategy:

•reaching more than 200 active communities by the end of fiscal 2026,

•reducing our net debt to net capitalization ratio to below 30% by the end of fiscal 2026, and

•fulfilling our commitment that by the end of calendar year 2025, every home we start will be Zero Energy Ready, which is discussed further below.

Differentiating Beazer Homes

We know that our buyers have many choices when purchasing a home. Beazer Homes is a builder of choice for homebuyers who recognize the built-in value of a new home. Through our three strategic differentiators discussed below, we deliver quality homes with energy efficiency for real savings, improved indoor air quality for healthier living, and superior comfort that homebuyers will appreciate long after they move in. We take pride in offering customers unmatched value throughout the entire homebuilding experience.

Mortgage Choice – Most of our buyers need to arrange financing in order to purchase a new home. Unlike many of our major competitors, we have no ownership or other interest in a mortgage company, which allows us to partner with our customers to help them get the most competitive interest rates, fees and service levels available. For every Beazer community, we identify Choice Lenders, who are selected for their ability to provide a comprehensive array of products and programs, meet our high customer service standards, and willingness to compete to earn our customer’s business. We then provide our customers with an industry-leading online comparison tool that helps them easily compare multiple mortgage offers from Choice Lenders and other lenders side-by-side.

Choice Plans® – Every family lives in their home differently, which is why we created Choice Plans. Choice Plans provide our buyers with more floor plan flexibility at no additional cost. For example, buyers of to-be-built homes can typically choose between two different configurations in the kitchen and in the primary baths. Offering these pre-designed floor plan alternatives allows us to offer fewer plans, which improves efficiency and reduces cost while creating living areas that match an individual buyer's lifestyle.

Surprising Performance – We place an emphasis on building high-quality homes and delivering outstanding customer experience. Our team is hyper-focused on including premium materials and high-caliber construction processes designed to increase performance and efficiency. All Beazer homes are designed and built to provide Surprising Performance, which means giving our homeowners more quality and more comfort from the moment they move in and saving them money every month. We deliver these benefits through our people, materials, and process. Some examples of these benefits are as follows:

•We remain dedicated to continually enhancing the energy efficiency of our homes in support of our industry-first pledge that, by the end of calendar year 2025, every new home we start will be Zero Energy Ready, which means it will meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Zero Energy Ready HomeTM program and have a HERS® index score (before any benefit of renewable energy production) of 45 or less. During fiscal 2024, we accelerated our transition to Zero Energy Ready homes with 91% of our fiscal fourth quarter new home starts being built to Zero Energy Ready standards. Notably, Beazer Homes has now certified more Zero Energy Ready homes to the DOE's Single Family National Program requirements than any other home builder.

•All of our homes are also built to the latest ENERGY STAR® standards, and we provide buyers with an energy rating (HERS® index score) for their home, completed by a qualified third-party rating company. According to the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), the developer of the HERS® index, used homes typically have a HERS® index score (on a scale in which a lower score is better) of 130 and homes built to the same standard as the HERS® Reference Home (equivalent to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code) have a HERS® index score of 100. For the year ended September 30, 2024, new Beazer homes had an average HERS® index score of 42, a seven point improvement from 49 for the year ended September 30, 2023. We also consistently report our average HERS Index Scores as “gross” scores, setting a more rigorous standard by excluding any benefit of renewable energy technologies.

•We also build Indoor AirPlus qualified homes under the EPA Indoor AirPlus program, which include features to reduce contaminants that lead to poor indoor air quality such as mold, moisture, carbon monoxide, toxic chemicals and more.

Reportable Business Segments

Our active homebuilding operations consist of the design, sale, and construction of single-family and multi-family homes in the following geographic regions, which represent our reportable segments:

Segment/State Market(s)

West:

Arizona Phoenix

California Riverside-San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Diego

Nevada Las Vegas

Texas Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, San Antonio

East:

Indiana Indianapolis

Maryland/Delaware Baltimore, Salisbury, Washington D.C.

Tennessee Nashville

Virginia Washington D.C.

Southeast:

Florida Orlando

Georgia Atlanta

North Carolina Raleigh/Durham

South Carolina Charleston, Myrtle Beach

Markets and Product Description

We evaluate a number of factors in determining which geographic markets to enter and remain in as well as which consumer segments to target with our homebuilding activities. We compete in the above listed geographic markets across the United States in part to reduce our exposure to any particular regional economy. Within these markets, we build homes in a variety of new home communities. We continually review ourmarkets based on aggregate demographic information, land prices and availability, competitive dynamics, and our own operating results. We use the results of these reviews to re-allocate our investments generally to those markets where we believe we can maximize our profitability and return on capital.

We maintain the flexibility to alter our product mix within a given market, depending on market conditions. In determining our product mix, we consider demographic trends, demand for a particular type of product, product affordability, consumer preferences, land availability, margins, timing, and the economic strength of the market. Depending on the market, we attempt to address one or more of the following categories of home buyers: entry-level, move-up, or 55+. Within these buyer groups, we have developed detailed targeted buyer profiles based on demographic and psychographic data, including information about marital and family status, employment, age, affluence, special interests, media consumption, and distance moved. Although we offer a selection of amenities and home customization options, we generally do not build “custom homes.” In all of our home offerings, we attempt to increase customer satisfaction by incorporating quality and energy-efficient materials, distinctive design features, convenient locations, and competitive prices.

We cater to the 55+ home buyer category through our Gatherings® branded offerings by providing quality, lower-maintenance homes for those seeking to live in an active adult community. In 2016, Gatherings® by Beazer Homes was officially introduced across several markets within Beazer's geographic footprint through age restricted condominiums. In addition to condominiums, the Gatherings® brand also includes villas, duets, and single-family homes.

Marketing and Sales

We make extensive use of digital and traditional marketing vehicles and other promotional activities, including our website (www.beazer.com), real estate listing sites, digital advertising (including search engine marketing and display advertising), social media, video, brochures, direct marketing, and out-of-home advertising (including billboards and signage) located in the immediate areas of our developments, as well as additional activities. In connection with these marketing vehicles, we have registered or applied for registration of trademarks and Internet domain names, including Beazer Homes®, Gatherings®, and Choice Plans®,for use in our business.

In response to the changing needs of consumers, our sales operations continue to improve our virtual sales tools to connect with our customers online, including a 24/7 chatbot feature, self-guided tours to allow homebuyers to tour models privately and safely, outside of normal business hours, and self-service appointments to help customers schedule an appointment with ease and speed.

Our practice is to build, decorate, furnish, and landscape model homes for each community we build and maintain on-site sales offices. As of September 30, 2024, we maintained and owned 250 model homes. We believe that model homes play a particularly important role in our selling efforts, and we are continuously innovating within our model homes to provide a unique, memorable, and hands-on experience, including digital kiosks, interactive site maps/plans, interactive magnetic floor plan boards, interactive cutaway homes, interactive Surprising Performance rooms, signage, and more. The selection of interior features is also a principal component of our marketing and sales efforts.

Our homes are customarily sold through commissioned new home sales counselors (who work from sales offices located in the model homes used in the community) as well as through independent brokers. Our new home counselors are available to assist prospective homebuyers by providing them with floor plans, pricing information, tours of model homes, the community's unique selling proposition, detailed explanations of our differentiators as discussed above, and associated savings opportunities. Sales personnel are trained internally through a structured training program focused on sales techniques, product familiarity, competitive products in the area, construction schedules, and Company policies around compliance, resulting in a sales force with extensive knowledge of our operating policies and housing products. Sales personnel must be licensed real estate agents where required by law.

We sometimes use various sales incentives in order to attract homebuyers. The use of incentives depends largely on local economic and competitive market conditions.

Depending on market conditions, we also at times begin construction on a number of homes for which no signed sales contract exists, known as “speculative” or “spec” homes. This speculative inventory satisfies demand by providing near ready or move-in ready homes targeted at relocated personnel and others who require a completed home within a shorter timeframe.

Operational Overview

Corporate Operations

We perform the following functions at our corporate office to promote standardization and operational excellence:

•evaluate and select geographic markets;

•allocate capital resources for land acquisitions;

•maintain and develop relationships with lenders and capital markets to create and maintain access to financial resources;

•maintain and develop relationships with national product vendors;

•perform various centralized functions including accounting, finance, purchasing, legal, risk, planning/design, and marketing activities to support our field operations;

•operate and manage information systems and technology support operations; and

•monitor the operations of our divisions and trade partners.

We allocate capital resources in a manner consistent with our overall business strategy. We will vary our capital allocation based on market conditions, results of operations, and other factors. Capital commitments are determined through consultation among executive and operational personnel who play an important role in ensuring that new investments are consistent with our strategy. Financial controls are also maintained through the centralization and standardization of accounting and finance activities, policies, and procedures.

Field Operations

The development and construction of each of our communities is managed by our operating divisions, each of which is led by a regional market leader and/or an area president who reports to our Chief Executive Officer. Within our operating divisions, our field teams are equipped with the skills needed to complete the functions of land acquisition, land entitlement, land development, home construction, local marketing, sales, warranty service, and certain purchasing and planning/design functions. However, the accounting and accounts payable functions of our field operations are concentrated in our national accounting center, which we consider to be part of our corporate operations.

Land Acquisition and Development

Generally, the land we acquire is purchased only after necessary entitlements have been obtained so that we have the right to begin development or construction as market conditions dictate. The term “entitlements” refers to subdivision approvals, development agreements, tentative maps, or recorded plats, depending on the jurisdiction in which the land is located. Entitlements generally give a developer the right to obtain building permits upon compliance with conditions that are usually within the developer's control. Although entitlements are ordinarily obtained prior to the purchase of land, we are still required to obtain a variety of other governmental approvals and permits during the development process. In limited circumstances, we will purchase property without all necessary entitlements where we have identified an opportunity to build on such property in a manner consistent with our strategy.

We select land for purchase based upon a variety of factors, including but not limited to:

•internal and external demographic and marketing studies;

•suitability for development during the time period of generally one to five years from the beginning of the development process to the last closing;

•financial review as to the feasibility of the proposed project, including profit margins and returns on capital employed;

•the ability to secure governmental approvals and entitlements;

•environmental and legal due diligence;

•competition in the area;

•proximity to local traffic corridors, job centers, and other amenities; and

•management's judgment of the real estate market and economic trends and our experience in a particular market.

We generally purchase land or obtain an option to purchase land, which, in either case, requires certain site improvements prior to home construction. Where required, we then undertake, or the grantor of the option then undertakes in the case of land under option, the development activities (through contractual arrangements with local developers, general contractors, and/or subcontractors), which include site planning and engineering as well as constructing roads, water, sewer, and utility infrastructures, drainage and recreational facilities, and other amenities. In some transactions, land bankers take title to the land at closing subject to agreements which obligate us to perform all development activities (which may be reimbursed by the land bankers) with respect to the land and provide us with an option to purchase the finished lots. When available in certain markets, we also buy finished lots that are ready for home construction. During our fiscal 2024 and 2023, we continued to pursue land acquisition opportunities and develop our land positions, spending $507.8 million and $384.2 million, respectively, for land acquisition and $268.7 million and $188.8 million, respectively, for land development.

Option Agreements

We acquire certain lots by means of option agreements from various sellers and developers, including land banking entities. Option agreements generally require the payment of a cash deposit or issuance of a letter of credit or surety bond for the right to acquire lots during a specified period of time at a specified price.

Under option agreements, purchase of the underlying properties is contingent upon satisfaction of certain requirements by us and the sellers. Our liability under option agreements is generally limited to forfeiture of the non-refundable deposits, letters of credit or surety bonds, and other non-refundable amounts incurred, which totaled $227.8 million as of September 30, 2024. The total remaining purchase price, net of cash deposits, committed under all land option agreements was $1.46 billion as of September 30, 2024.

We expect to exercise, subject to market conditions and seller satisfaction of contract terms, substantially all of our option agreements. Various factors, some of which are beyond our control, such as market conditions, weather conditions, and the timing of the completion of development activities, will have a significant impact on the timing of option exercises or whether lot options will be exercised at all.

The following table summarizes land controlled by us by reportable segment as of September 30, 2024:

Lots Owned

West

East

Southeast

(a) This category represents lots upon which construction of a home has commenced, including model homes.

The following table summarizes the dollar value of our land under development, land held for future development, and land held for sale by reportable segment as of September 30, 2024:

Backlog

Backlog reflects the number of homes for which the Company has entered into a sales contract with a customer but has not yet delivered the home. Ending backlog represents the number of homes in backlog from the previous period plus the number of net new orders (new orders less cancellations) generated during the current period minus the number of homes closed during the current period.

The following table summarizes units and dollar value in backlog by reportable segment as of September 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022. Refer to “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition”in Item 7 of this Form 10-Kfor additional information.

As of September 30,

Average selling price (ASP) in backlog (in thousands) $ 537.9 $ 518.0 $ 547.5

Construction

We typically act as the general contractor for the construction of our new home communities. Our project development activities are controlled by our operating divisions whose employees supervise the construction of each new home community by coordinating the activities of independent subcontractors and suppliers, subjecting their work to quality and cost controls and ensuring compliance with zoning and building codes. We specify that quality and durable materials be used in the construction of our homes. Our subcontractors follow design plans prepared by architects and engineers who are retained or directly employed by us and whose designs are geared to the local market and staying current with changing home design trends as well as expanding our focus on engineering without sacrificing value for our customers.

Agreements with our subcontractors and materials suppliers are generally entered into after a competitive bidding process during which we obtain information from prospective subcontractors and vendors with respect to their financial condition and ability to perform their agreements with us in accordance with the specifications we provide. Subcontractors typically are retained on a project-by-project basis to complete construction at a fixed price. We do not maintain significant inventories of construction materials, except for materials being utilized for homes under construction. We have numerous suppliers of raw materials and services used in our business. While such materials and services generally have been, and continue to be available, from time to time, supply chain disruptions may occur due to material and labor shortages, such as the widespread supply chain disruptions we experienced throughout fiscal 2022. In addition, material prices may fluctuate due to various factors, including demand or supply shortages and the price of certain commodities, which may be beyond the control of us or our vendors. When it is economically advantageous, we enter into regional and national supply contracts with certain of our vendors. We believe that we maintain positive and productive relationships with our suppliers and subcontractors.

Warranty Program

We currently provide a limited warranty ranging from one to two years covering workmanship and materials per our defined standards. In addition, we provide a limited warranty for up to ten years covering certain defined structural element failures.

Our homebuilding work is performed by subcontractors who typically must agree to indemnify us with regard to their work and provide certificates of insurance demonstrating that they have met our insurance requirements and have named us as an additional insured under their policies. Therefore, many claims relating to workmanship and materials that result in warranty spending are the primary responsibility of these subcontractors.

In addition, we maintain third-party insurance, subject to applicable self-insured retentions, for most construction defects that we encounter in the normal course of business. We believe that our warranty and litigation accruals and third-party insurance are adequate to cover the ultimate resolution of our potential liabilities associated with known and anticipated warranty and construction-defect related claims and litigation. However, there can be no assurance that the terms and limitations of the limited warranty will be effective against claims made by homebuyers; that we will be able to renew our insurance coverage or renew it at reasonable rates; that we will not be liable for damages, the cost of repairs, and/or the expense of litigation surrounding possible construction defects, soil subsidence, or building related claims; or that claims will not arise out of events or circumstances not covered by insurance and/or not subject to effective indemnification agreements with our subcontractors. Please seeNote 8 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for additional information.

Customer Financing

As previously mentioned, we do not provide mortgage origination services. Unlike many of our peers, we have no ownership interest in any lender and are able to promote competition among lenders on behalf of our customers through our Mortgage Choice program. Approximately 85% of our fiscal 2024 customers elected to finance a portion of their home purchase.

Competition

The development and sale of residential properties is highly competitive and fragmented. We compete for residential sales on the basis of a number of interrelated factors, including location, reputation, amenities, design, quality, and price with numerous large and small homebuilders, including many homebuilders with nationwide operations and greater financial resources and/or lower costs than us. We also compete for residential sales with individual resales of existing homes and available rental housing.

We utilize our experience within our geographic markets and the breadth of our product line to vary regional product offerings in response to changing market conditions. We strive to respond to market conditions and to capitalize on the opportunities for advantageous land acquisitions in desirable locations. Through our three strategic differentiators discussed above, our product offerings strive to provide extraordinary value at an affordable price with intentional focus on Millennials and Baby Boomers because they are the two largest demographic groups of potential home buyers.

Seasonal and Quarterly Variability

Our homebuilding operating cycle historically has reflected escalating new order activity in the second and third fiscal quarters and increased closings in the third and fourth fiscal quarters. However, these seasonal patterns may be impacted by a variety of factors, including periods of market volatility and changes in mortgage interest rates, which may result in increased or decreased new orders and/or revenues and closings that are outside of the normal ranges typically realized on account of seasonality.

Government Regulation and Environmental Matters

We are subject to a variety of local, state and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning zoning, building, design, constructions, the availability of water, and matters concerning the protection of health, safety and the environment. These laws may result in delays, cause us to incur substantial compliance and other costs, and prohibit or severely restrict development in certain environmentally sensitive regions or areas. Any delay or refusal from government agencies to grant us necessary licenses, permits and approvals could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

As part of our due diligence process for land acquisitions, we often use third-party environmental consultants to investigate potential environmental risks, and we require disclosures, representations and warranties from land sellers regarding environmental risks. We also take steps prior to our acquisition of the land to gain reasonable assurance as to the precise scope of any remediation work required and the costs associated with removal, site restoration and/or monitoring. To the extent contamination or other environmental issues have occurred in the past, we will attempt to recover restoration costs from third parties, such as the generators of hazardous waste, land sellers or others in the prior chain of title and/or their insurers.

In order to provide homes to homebuyers qualifying for Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured or Veterans Affairs (VA)-guaranteed mortgages, we must construct homes in compliance with FHA and VA regulations. These laws and regulations include provisions regarding operating procedures, investments, lending, and privacy disclosures and premiums.

In some states, we are required to be registered as a licensed contractor and comply with applicable rules and regulations. Also, in various states, our new home counselors are required to be licensed real estate agents and to comply with the laws and regulations applicable to real estate agents.

Failure to comply with any of these laws or regulations, where applicable, could result in loss of licensing and a restriction of our business activities in the applicable jurisdiction.

Human Capital Resources

As of September 30, 2024, we employed 1,158 persons, of whom 344 were sales and marketing personnel and 254 were construction personnel. Although none of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, at times certain of the independent subcontractors engaged by us may be represented by labor unions or may be subject to collective bargaining arrangements.

A safe and healthy working environment for our employees at every level of our organization is our highest priority. This begins with our health and safety audit system, which is designed to assist our employees in locating resources tailored for their specific employment responsibilities. We also conduct various safety-related inspections and training programs, such as daily visual inspections of our job sites, weekly written safety inspections and bi-weekly “toolbox” talks with our trade partners. We have also increased our focus on employee wellness by expanding our program options to include a number of webinars, online classes, and virtual support groups.

We believe that our employees are critical to our continued growth and success, and competition for qualified personnel is intense across our footprint. To remain competitive, we continue to focus on attracting and retaining qualified employees and providing them with comprehensive training and continuous development. In addition, we center our employee experience on engagement and work-life balance by offering a broad range of company-paid benefits and compensation packages, such as a 12-week parental leave and an unlimited flexible time off program.

We are also deeply committed to fostering an inclusive culture where everyone feels welcome, respected, safe, and valued. As we continue to advance in this area, we are reaching across all functional and operational areas through our bi-annual Inclusion and Diversity Learning Program and our employee-driven storytelling platform, which empowers our teams to share and learn from one another’s lived experiences. Our skills-first approach remains instrumental in driving stronger representation of women, ethnic and racial minorities throughout our workforce. As of September 30, 2024, women made up approximately 43.6% of our workforce and 31.6% of our managerial employees, with ethnic and racial minorities making up approximately 28.0% of our workforce and 17.8% of our managerial employees.

Charitable Giving

Across our Company, our team members are committed to supporting causes that make a difference. From local service activities to Company-wide initiatives, giving back is a central element of our culture, championed by passionate employees and embraced by partners who share our commitment to have a positive impact on the communities we serve.

As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthen the communities we serve, we operate a wholly-owned title insurance agency, Charity Title Agency, which donates 100% of its net profits to charity. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, Charity Title Agency made charitable contributions totaling $2.1 million to Beazer Charity Foundation, our Company's philanthropic arm. Beazer Charity Foundation is a non-profit entity that provides donations to unrelated national and local non-profits and is managed by current employees of the Company.

Available Information

Our Internet website address is www.beazer.com. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act are available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file with or furnish them to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and are available in print to any stockholder who requests a printed copy. We also use our website as a means of disclosing additional information, including for complying with our disclosure obligations under the SEC's Regulation FD (Fair Disclosure). The SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements, information statements and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.

In addition, many of our corporate governance documents are available on our website at www.beazer.com. Specifically, our Audit, Finance and Development, Human Capital, and Governance Committee Charters, our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics are available. Each of these documents is also available in print to any stockholder who requests it.

The content on our website is available for information purposes only and is not a part of and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, as well as other information in this Form 10-K, before deciding whether to invest in shares of our common stock. The occurrence of any of the events described below could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations, and growth prospects. In such an event, the trading price of our common stock may decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.

Business and Market Risks

A number of conditions that affect demand for the homes we sell are outside of our control. Many of these conditions, such as interest rates, inflation, employment levels, wage levels and governmental actions also impact consumer confidence, upon which our business is highly dependent.

Negative changes in national and regional economic conditions, as well as local economic conditions where we conduct our operations, may result in more caution on the part of homebuyers and, consequently, fewer home purchases. Demand during the second half of fiscal 2023 remained relatively steady as homebuyers faced a higher rate environment and a lack of supply of existing homes. In fiscal 2024, the new home sales environment continued to be affordability-challenged, and demand is highly sensitive to fluctuations in mortgage rates. These economic conditions are out of our control and affect buyer sentiment and behavior and the demand for the homes we sell. These conditions also impact consumer confidence, upon which our business is highly dependent. Adverse changes in any of these conditions could decrease demand and pricing for our homes or result in customer cancellations of pending contracts, which could adversely affect the number of home sales we make or reduce home prices, either of which could result in a decrease in our revenues and earnings and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

During downturns in the homebuilding industry, housing markets across the United States may experience an oversupply of both new and resale home inventory, an increase in foreclosures, reduced levels of consumer demand for new homes, increased cancellation rates, aggressive price competition among homebuilders, and increased incentives for home sales. In the event of a downturn, we would likely experience a material reduction in revenues and margins and our financial condition as well as our results of operations could be adversely affected.

Because most of our customers require mortgage financing, elevated mortgage interest rates for prolonged periods and further increases in interest rates would likely negatively affect the affordability of the homes we sell. In addition, reductions in mortgage availability or increases in the effective costs of owning a home could prevent our customers from buying our homes and adversely affect our business and financial results.

Most of the purchasers of our homes finance their acquisition with mortgage financing. In the last few years, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates multiple times in response to concerns about inflation and economic uncertainties, and it may raise them again. Despite the September 2024 reduction in interest rates, future increases in interest rates could directly impact mortgage rates and increase the costs of owning a home, which could adversely affect the purchasing power of consumers. Elevated mortgage rates for prolonged periods could lower demand for the homes we sell, resulting in a decrease in our revenues and earnings and adversely affect our financial condition.

The availability of mortgage financing is significantly influenced by governmental entities such as the Federal Housing Administration, Veteran’s Administration, and Government National Mortgage Association and government-sponsored enterprises known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. If these or other lenders’ borrowing standards are tightened and/or the federal government were to reduce or eliminate these mortgage loan programs (including due to any failure of lawmakers to agree on a budget or appropriation legislation to fund relevant programs or operations), it would likely make it more difficult for our customers to obtain acceptable financing, which would, in turn, adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Mortgage interest expenses and real estate taxes represent significant costs of homeownership. Therefore, when there are changes in federal or state income tax laws that eliminate or substantially limit the income tax deductions relating to these expenses, the after-tax costs of owning a new home can increase significantly. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was enacted in December 2017, includes provisions that impose significant limitations with respect to these income tax deductions. Under this legislation, through the end of 2025, the annual deduction for real estate property taxes and state and local income or sales taxes has been limited to a combined amount of $10,000 ($5,000 in the case of a separate return filed by a married individual). In addition, through the end of 2025, the deduction for mortgage interest will generally only be available with respect to acquisition indebtedness that does not exceed $750,000 ($375,000 in the case of a separate return filed by a married individual).

Inflation may adversely affect us by increasing costs beyond what we can recover through price increases.

Inflation can adversely affect us by increasing costs of land, materials, and labor. In addition, inflation is often accompanied by higher interest rates. In an inflationary environment, depending on homebuilding industry and other economic conditions, we may be unable to raise home prices enough to keep up with the rate of inflation, which would reduce our profit margins.

If we are unsuccessful in competing against our competitors, our market share could decline or our growth could be impeded and, as a result, our financial condition and results of operations could suffer.

Competition in the homebuilding industry is intense, and there are relatively low barriers to entry into our business. Increased competition could hurt our business, as it could prevent us from acquiring attractive parcels of land on which to build homes or make such acquisitions more expensive, hinder our market share expansion and lead to pricing pressures on our homes that may adversely impact our margins and revenues. If we are unable to successfully compete, our financial results could suffer and our ability to service our debt could be adversely affected. Our competitors may independently develop land and construct housing units that are superior or substantially similar to our products. Furthermore, many of our competitors have substantially greater financial resources, less leverage, and lower costs of funds and operations than we do. Many of these competitors also have longstanding relationships with subcontractors and suppliers in the markets in which we operate. We currently build in several of the top markets in the nation and, therefore, we expect to continue to face additional competition from new entrants into our markets.

Operational, Legal and Regulatory Risks

An increase in cancellation rates will negatively impact our business and could lead to imprecise estimates related to homes to be delivered in the future (backlog).

Our backlog reflects the number and value of homes for which we have entered into a sales contract with a customer but have not yet delivered the home. Although these sales contracts typically require a cash deposit and generally do not make the sale contingent on the sale of the customer’s existing home, in some cases a customer may cancel the contract and receive a complete or partial refund of the deposit as a result of local laws or as a matter of our business practices. If industry or economic conditions deteriorate or if mortgage financing becomes less accessible, more homebuyers may have an incentive to cancel their contracts with us, even where they might be entitled to no refund or only a partial refund, rather than complete the purchase. While cancellation rates during fiscal 2024 have remained in line with our normal historical range, significant cancellations have had, and could again in the future have, a material adverse effect on our business as a result of lost sales revenue and the accumulation of unsold housing inventory. It is important to note that both backlog and cancellation metrics are operational, rather than accounting data, and should be used only as a general gauge to evaluate our performance. There is an inherent imprecision in these metrics based on an evaluation of qualitative factors during the transaction cycle.

Our long-term success depends on our ability to acquire finished lots and undeveloped land suitable for residential homebuilding at reasonable prices, in accordance with our land investment criteria.

The homebuilding industry is highly competitive for suitable land and the risk inherent in purchasing and developing land increases as consumer demand for housing increases. The availability of finished and partially finished developed lots and undeveloped land for purchase that meet our investment criteria depends on a number of factors outside our control, including land availability in general, competition with other homebuilders and land buyers, inflation in land prices, zoning, allowable housing density, the ability to obtain building permits, and other regulatory requirements. Should suitable lots or land become less available, the number of homes we may be able to build and sell could be reduced, and the cost of land could increase, perhaps substantially, which could adversely impact our financial condition and results of operations.

As competition for suitable land increases, the cost of acquiring both finished and undeveloped lots and the cost of developing owned land could rise, and the availability of suitable land at acceptable prices may decline, which could adversely impact our financial results. The availability of suitable land assets could also affect the success of our land acquisition strategy and ultimately our long-term strategic goals by impacting our ability to increase the number of actively selling communities, grow our revenues and margins and achieve or maintain profitability.

Reduced numbers of home sales extend the time it takes us to recover land purchase and property development costs, negatively impacting profitability and our results of operations.

We incur many costs even before we begin to build homes in a community. Depending on the stage of development a land parcel is in when we acquire it, these may include costs of preparing land, finishing and entitling lots, installing roads, sewers, water systems, and other utilities, taxes, and other costs related to ownership of the land on which we plan to build homes. If the rate at which we sell and deliver homes slows, or if we delay the opening of new home communities, we may incur additional pre-construction costs, and it may take longer for us to recover our costs, which could adversely affect our profitability and results of operations.

Natural disasters and other related events could result in delays in land development or home construction, increase our costs or decrease demand in the impacted areas.

The climates and geology of many of the states in which we operate present increased risks of natural disasters. To the extent that hurricanes, tornadoes, severe storms, heavy or prolonged precipitation, earthquakes, droughts, floods, wildfires or other natural disasters or similar events occur, our homes under construction or our building lots in such states could be damaged or destroyed, which may result in losses exceeding our insurance coverage. Natural disasters can also lead to increased competition for subcontractors, which can delay our progress even after the event has concluded. Additionally, and as discussed above, increased competition for skilled labor can lead to cost overruns, as we may have to incentivize the impacted region’s limited trade base to work on our homes. Finally, natural disasters and other related events may also temporarily impact demand, as buyers are not as willing to shop for new homes during or after the event. These risks could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Supply shortages and other risks related to the demand for skilled labor and building materials could increase costs, delay deliveries and could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

The residential construction industry experiences price fluctuations and shortages in labor and materials from time to time. Shortages in labor can be due to shortages in qualified trades people, changes in immigration laws and trends in labor migration, lack of availability of adequate utility infrastructure and services, or our need to rely on local subcontractors who may not be adequately capitalized or insured. Shortages of materials can be due to certain disruptions, such as natural disasters, civil or political unrest and conflicts, trade disputes, difficulties in production or delivery or health issues like a pandemic. Labor and material shortages can be more severe during periods of strong demand for housing or during periods in which the markets where we operate experience natural disasters such as hurricanes or flooding as discussed more fully above. Pricing for labor and materials can be affected by the factors discussed above, changes in energy prices, and various other national, regional, and local economic and political factors. For example, government imposed tariffs and trade regulations on imported building supplies have, and in the future could have, significant impacts on the cost to construct our homes. Additionally, in 2023, Florida enacted legislation that will impose more stringent immigrant eligibility requirements. This legislation or similar legislation if adopted in other jurisdictions in which we operate, could result in labor shortages that could materially affect our operations. Such measures limit our ability to control costs, which if we are not able to successfully offset such increased costs through higher sales prices, could adversely affect our margins on the homes we build.

We may incur additional operating expenses or longer construction cycle times due to compliance programs or fines, penalties and remediation costs pertaining to environmental regulations within our markets. Additionally, any violations of such regulations could harm our reputation, thereby negatively impacting our financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to a variety of local, state and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning the protection of health and the environment. The particular environmental laws that apply to any given community vary greatly according to the location of the community site, the site’s environmental conditions and the present and former use of the site. Environmental laws may result in delays, may cause us to implement time consuming and expensive compliance programs and may prohibit or severely restrict development in certain environmentally sensitive regions or areas. From time to time, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and similar federal or state agencies review homebuilders’ compliance with environmental laws and may levy fines and penalties for failure to strictly comply with applicable environmental laws or impose additional requirements for future compliance as a result of past failures. Any such actions taken with respect to us may increase our costs or harm our reputation. Further, we expect that increasingly stringent requirements will be imposed on homebuilders in the future. In particular, our communities in California and Phoenix are especially susceptible to restrictive government regulations and environmental laws, particularly surrounding water usage.

We are subject to extensive government regulation, which could cause us to incur significant liabilities or restrict our business activities.

Regulatory requirements could cause us to incur significant liabilities and operating expenses and could restrict our business activities. We are subject to local, state and federal statutes and rules regulating, among other things, certain developmental matters, building and site design, the availability of water and matters concerning the protection of health, safety and the environment. Our operating costs may be increased by governmental regulations, such as building permit allocation ordinances and impact and other fees and taxes, which may be imposed to defray the cost of providing certain governmental services and improvements. Other governmental regulations, such as building moratoriums and “no growth” or “slow growth” initiatives may be adopted in communities that have developed rapidly, which may cause delays in new home communities or otherwise restrict our business activities, resulting in reductions in our revenues. Any delay or refusal from government agencies to grant us necessary licenses, permits and approvals could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Our activities and disclosures related to sustainability expose us to risks.

In recent years, we, along with many other companies, have been subject to increased focus and scrutiny from regulators, investors, employees and customers and other stakeholders regarding sustainability efforts, including compliance with evolving disclosure requirements. For example, the SEC has issued final rules that would require expanded disclosures related to climate change. Although these rules are currently stayed pending judicial review, if implemented as proposed, these rules would significantly increase our climate-related disclosure obligations. The State of California has also enacted legislation that will require large U.S. companies doing business in California to make broad-based climate-related disclosures, and other states are also considering similar measures. We are assessing our obligations under these proposed and enacted rules and expect that compliance could require substantial effort in the future. Standards for tracking and reporting on sustainability matters, including climate-related matters, have also not been harmonized. Changes to these standards could require adjustments to our accounting or operational policies, as well as updates to our existing systems to meet these reporting obligations. We will therefore likely need to be prepared to contend with overlapping, yet distinct, climate-related disclosure approaches, frameworks and requirements.

Our 2023 Sustainability Report is available on our website. If our sustainability practices or disclosures do not meet, or are perceived not to meet, evolving regulatory, investor and other stakeholder expectations and standards, our reputation, our ability to attract or retain employees, and our attractiveness as an investment or business partner could be negatively affected. Similarly, our failure, or perceived failure, to pursue or fulfill any sustainability-focused goals, targets, or objectives, to comply with ethical, environmental, or other standards, regulations, or expectations, or to satisfy various reporting standards with respect to these matters, within the timelines we announce, or at all, could adversely affect our business or reputation, as well as expose us to government enforcement actions and private litigation. While we monitor a broad range of sustainability matters, we cannot be certain that we will manage such matters successfully, or that we will successfully meet the expectations of regulators, investors, employees, customers and other stakeholders.

We may be subject to significant potential liabilities as a result of construction defect, product liability and warranty claims made against us.

As a homebuilder, we have been, and continue to be, subject to construction defect, product liability and home warranty claims, including moisture intrusion and related claims, arising in the ordinary course of business. These claims are common to the homebuilding industry and can be costly.

With respect to certain general liability exposures, including construction defect claims, product liability claims and related claims, assessment of claims and the related liability and reserve estimation process is highly judgmental due to the complex nature of these exposures and unique circumstances of each claim. Furthermore, once claims are asserted for construction defects, it can be difficult to determine the extent to which the assertion of these claims will expand geographically. Although we have obtained insurance for construction defect claims, such policies may not be available or adequate to cover liability for damages, the cost of repairs and/or the expense of litigation. Current and future claims may arise out of events or circumstances not covered by insurance and not subject to effective indemnification agreements with our subcontractors.

At any given time, we may be the subject of civil litigation that could require us to pay substantial damages or could otherwise have a material adverse effect on us.

We may be subject to civil litigation regarding claims made by homebuyers. We cannot predict or determine the timing or final outcome of such lawsuits, or the effect that any adverse determinations the lawsuits may have on us. An unfavorable determination in any of the lawsuits could result in the payment by us of substantial monetary damages that may not be covered by insurance. Further, the legal costs associated with the lawsuits and the amount of time required to be spent by management and the Board of Directors on these matters, even if we are ultimately successful, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition to expenses incurred to defend the Company in these matters, under Delaware law and our bylaws, we may have an obligation to indemnify our current and former officers and directors in relation to these matters. We have obligations to advance legal fees and expenses to directors and certain officers.

Our insurance carriers may seek to rescind or deny coverage with respect to such lawsuits, or we may not have sufficient coverage under our insurance policies. If the insurance companies are successful in rescinding or denying coverage, or if we do not have sufficient coverage under our policies, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Our operating expenses could increase if we are required to pay higher insurance premiums or litigation costs for various claims, which could negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, our insurance policies may not offset our entire expense due to limitation in coverages, amounts payable under the policies or other related restrictions.

The costs of insuring against construction defect, product liability and director and officer claims are substantial. Increasingly in recent years, lawsuits (including class action lawsuits) have been filed against builders, asserting claims of personal injury and property damage. Our insurance may not cover all of the claims, including personal injury claims, or such coverage may become prohibitively expensive. If we are not able to obtain adequate insurance against these claims, we may experience losses that could negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations, as well as our cash flows.

Historically, builders have recovered from subcontractors and their insurance carriers a significant portion of the construction defect liabilities and costs of defense that the builders have incurred. However, insurance coverage available to subcontractors for construction defects is becoming increasingly expensive and the scope of coverage is restricted. If we cannot effectively recover from our subcontractors or their carriers, we may suffer even greater losses.

A builder’s ability to recover against any available insurance policy depends upon the continued solvency and financial strength of the insurance carrier that issued the policy. Many of the states in which we build homes have lengthy statutes of limitations and/or repose applicable to claims for construction defects. To the extent that any carrier providing insurance coverage to us, or our subcontractors becomes insolvent or experiences financial difficulty in the future, we may be unable to recover on those policies, thereby negatively impacting our financial condition and results of operations.

We are dependent on the services of certain key employees and the loss of their services could hurt our business.

Our future success depends upon our ability to attract, train and retain skilled personnel, including officers and directors. If we are unable to retain our key employees or attract, train or retain other skilled personnel in the future, it could hinder our business strategy and impose additional costs of identifying and training new individuals. Competition for qualified personnel in all of our operating markets, as well as within our corporate operations, is intense.

Information technology failures, cybersecurity breaches or data security breaches could harm our business.

We use information technology and other computer resources to perform important operational and marketing activities and to maintain our business records. Certain of these resources are provided to us and/or maintained by third-party service providers pursuant to agreements that specify certain security and service level standards. Presently, we employ a limited array of both traditional and generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) solutions for certain functions for our operations. It is conceivable that we might integrate further AI solutions into our information systems in the future, potentially assuming a more critical role in our operations over time. AI programs can incur significant costs and demand substantial expertise for development, pose challenges in setup and management, and necessitate periodic updates. Competitors or other entities may integrate AI into their information systems and business operations more swiftly or effectively than us, potentially impairing our competitive edge and negatively impacting our financial performance.

Our computer systems, including our back-up systems and portable electronic devices, and those of our third-party providers, are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer and telecommunication failures, computer viruses, security breaches including malware and phishing, cyberattacks, natural disasters, usage errors by our employees or contractors, and other related risks. As part of our normal business activities, we collect and store certain confidential information, including information about employees, homebuyers, customers, vendors and suppliers. This information is entitled to protection under a number of regulatory regimes. We share some of this information with third parties who assist us with certain aspects of our business. A significant and extended disruption of, or breach of, security related to our computer systems and back-up systems may result in business disruption, damage our reputation and cause us to lose customers, sales and revenue, result in the unintended misappropriation of proprietary, personal and confidential information, and require us to incur significant expense to remediate or otherwise resolve these issues including financial obligations to third parties, fines, penalties, regulatory proceedings and private litigation with potentially large costs and other competitive disadvantages. Additionally, the techniques and sophistication used to conduct cyber-attacks and breaches of information systems frequently change. For example, the deployment of evolving AI tools used to identify vulnerabilities and create more deceptive phishing attempts have the potential to not be recognized until such attacks are launched or have been in place for a period of time. A significant cybersecurity breach or attack could have a material impact on our business or results of operations, there can be no assurance that our efforts to maintain the security and integrity of these types of IT networks and related systems will be effective or that attempted security breaches or disruptions would not be successful or damaging.

Global economic and political instability and conflicts could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our business could be adversely affected by unstable economic and political conditions within the United States, including the 2024 election cycle, and foreign jurisdictions and geopolitical conflicts, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza and other conflicts in the Middle East. While we do not have any customer or direct supplier relationships in Russia, Ukraine, or the Middle East, the current military conflicts, and related sanctions, as well as export controls or actions that may be initiated by nations (e.g., potential cyberattacks, disruption of energy flows, etc.) and other potential uncertainties could adversely affect our supply chain by causing shortages or increases in costs for materials necessary to construct homes and/or increases to the price of gasoline and other fuels. In addition, such events could cause higher interest rates, inflation or general economic uncertainty, which could negatively impact our business partners, employees or customers, or otherwise adversely impact our business.

Terrorist attacks or acts of war against the United States or increased domestic or international instability could have an adverse effect on our operations.

Adverse developments such as terrorist attacks against the United States or any outbreak or escalation of hostilities between the United States and/or any foreign power may cause disruption to the economy, our Company, our employees and our customers, which could negatively impact our financial condition and results of operations.

Our business could be materially and adversely disrupted by an epidemic or pandemic, or similar public threat, or fear of such an event, and the measures that international, federal, state and local governments, agencies, law enforcement and/or health authorities implement to address it.

An epidemic, pandemic, or similar serious public health issue, and the measures undertaken by governmental authorities to address it, could significantly disrupt or prevent us from operating our business in the ordinary course for an extended period, and thereby, and/or along with any associated economic and/or social instability or distress, have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

If a public health emergency were to emerge, we could experience material disruptions in our operating environment, impairing our ability to sell and build homes in a typical manner, or at all, due to, among other things, increased costs or decreased supply of building materials, reduced availability of subcontractors, employees, and other talent, as a result of infections or recommended self-quarantining, or governmental mandates to direct production activities to support public health efforts. This could result in our recognizing charges in future periods, which may be material, for inventory impairments or land option agreement abandonments, or both, related to our inventory assets.

Should the adverse impacts described above (or others that are currently unknown) occur, whether individually or collectively, we would expect to experience, among other things, decreases in our net new orders, home closings, average selling prices, revenues, and profitability, and such impacts could be material to our financial condition and results of operations. Along with an increase in cancellations of home purchase contracts, if there are prolonged government restrictions on our business and our customers, and/or an extended economic recession, we could be unable to produce revenues and cash flows sufficient to conduct our business; or meet the terms of our covenants and other requirements under our various debt obligations including but not limited to the Senior Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, indentures for our senior and junior notes, land contracts due to land sellers and other loans. Such a circumstance could, among other things, exhaust our available liquidity (and ability to access liquidity sources) and/or trigger an acceleration to pay a significant portion or all of our then-outstanding debt obligations, which we may be unable to do.

Financial and Liquidity Risks

Our access to capital and our ability to obtain additional financing could be affected by any downgrade of our credit ratings, as well as limitations in the capital markets or adverse credit market conditions.

The Company’s credit rating and ratings on our senior notes and our current credit condition affect, among other things, our ability to access new capital, especially debt. Negative changes in these ratings may result in more stringent covenants and higher interest rates under the terms of our indentures or of any new debt. If our credit ratings are lowered or rating agencies issue adverse commentaries in the future, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. In particular, a weakening of our financial condition, including a significant increase in our leverage or decrease in our profitability or cash flows, could adversely affect our ability to obtain necessary funds, result in a credit rating downgrade or change in outlook, or otherwise increase our cost of borrowing.

Our Senior Notes, Senior Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, letter of credit facilities and certain other debt impose significant restrictions and obligations on us. Restrictions on our ability to borrow could adversely affect our liquidity. In addition, our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition, limit our growth and make it more difficult for us to satisfy our debt obligations.

Our Senior Notes, Senior Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility, letter of credit facilities and certain other debt impose certain restrictions and obligations on us. Under certain of these instruments, we must comply with defined covenants that limit our ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, engage in certain asset sales, make certain types of restricted payments, engage in transactions with affiliates and create liens on our assets. Failure to comply with certain of these covenants could result in an event of default under the applicable instrument. Any such event of default could negatively impact other covenants or lead to cross defaults under certain of our other debt agreements. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain any waivers or amendments that may become necessary in the event of a future default situation without significant additional cost or at all.

Our indebtedness could have important consequences to us and the holders of our securities, including, among other things:

•causing us to be unable to satisfy our obligations under our debt agreements;

•causing us to pay higher interest rates upon refinancing indebtedness if interest rates rise;

•making us more vulnerable to adverse general economic and industry conditions;

•making it difficult to fund future working capital, land purchases, acquisitions, capital expenditures, share repurchases, general corporate or other activities; and

•causing us to be limited in our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business.

In addition, subject to the restrictions of our existing debt instruments, we may incur additional indebtedness. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could intensify. Our growth plans and our ability to make payments of principal or interest on, or to refinance, our indebtedness will depend on our future operating performance and our ability to enter into additional debt and/or equity financings. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows in the future to service our debt, we may be required to refinance all or a portion of our existing debt, to sell assets or to obtain additional financing. We may not be able to do any of the foregoing on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

The tax benefits of our pre-ownership change net operating loss carryforwards and built-in losses were substantially limited since we experienced an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, and portions of our deferred income tax asset have been written off since they were not fully realizable. Any subsequent ownership change, should it occur, could have a further impact on these tax attributes.

Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code contains rules that limit the ability of a company that undergoes an “ownership change,” which is generally defined as any change in ownership of more than 50% of its common stock over a three-year period, to utilize its net operating loss carryforwards, tax credits and certain built-in losses or deductions, as of the ownership change date, that are recognized during the five-year period after the ownership change. These rules generally operate by focusing on changes in the ownership among shareholders owning, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of the Company’s common stock (including changes involving a shareholder becoming a 5% shareholder) or any change in ownership arising from a new issuance of stock or share repurchases by the Company.

We currently have an immaterial amount of “built-in losses” in our assets, i.e., an excess tax basis over current fair market value, which may result in tax losses as such assets are sold. Those “built-in losses” could become significant in the future if market conditions worsen, and our inventory is impaired. Net operating losses and tax credits generally may be carried forward for a 20-year period to offset future earnings and reduce our federal income tax liability. Any net operating losses created during or after our fiscal 2019 may be carried forward indefinitely; however, the loss can only be utilized to offset 80% of taxable income generated in a tax year. Built-in losses, if and when recognized, generally will result in tax losses that may then be deducted or carried forward. However, we experienced an “ownership change” under Section 382 as of January 12, 2010. As a result of this previous “ownership change” for purposes of Section 382, our ability to use certain net operating loss carryforwards, tax credits and built-in losses or deductions in existence prior to the ownership change was limited by Section 382. We cannot predict or control the occurrence or timing of another ownership change in the future. If another ownership change were to occur, the limitations imposed by Section 382 could result in a material amount of our net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits expiring unused and, therefore, significantly impair the future value of our deferred tax assets.

Our certificate of incorporation currently prohibits certain transfers of our common stock that could result in an ownership change. In addition, we are currently party to a rights agreement intended to act as a deterrent to any person desiring to acquire 4.95% or more of our common stock. In February 2022, our stockholders approved an extension of these protective provisions in our certificate of incorporation and the rights agreement, which as a result are scheduled to expire in November 2025. Neither the protective provisions nor the rights agreement offers a complete solution, and an ownership change may still occur. Additionally, the protective provisions of our certificate of incorporation may not be enforceable against all stockholders and may not prevent all stock transfers that have the potential to cause a Section 382 ownership shift, and the rights agreement may deter, but ultimately may not block all transfers of our common stock that might result in an ownership change.

The realization of all or a portion of our deferred income tax assets (including net operating loss carryforwards and tax credits) is dependent upon the generation of future income during the statutory carryforward periods. Our inability to utilize our limited pre-ownership change net operating loss carryforwards, tax credits and recognized built-in losses or deductions, or the occurrence of a future ownership change and resulting additional limitations to these tax attributes, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We could experience a reduction in home sales and revenues due to our inability to acquire and develop land for our communities if we are unable to obtain reasonably priced financing.

The homebuilding industry is capital intensive, and homebuilding requires significant up-front expenditures to acquire land and to begin development. Accordingly, we incur substantial indebtedness to finance our homebuilding activities. If internally generated funds are not sufficient, we would seek additional capital in the form of equity or debt financing from a variety of potential sources, including additional bank financing and/or securities offerings. The amount and types of indebtedness that we may incur are limited by the terms of our existing debt. In addition, the availability of borrowed funds, especially for land acquisition and construction financing, may be greatly reduced nationally, and the lending community may require increased amounts of equity to be invested in a project by borrowers in connection with both new loans and the extension of existing loans. The credit and capital markets have continued to experience significant volatility. If we are required to seek additional financing to fund our operations, the volatility in these markets may restrict our flexibility to access such financing. If we are not successful in obtaining sufficient capital to fund our planned capital and other expenditures, we may be unable to acquire land for our housing developments, thereby limiting our anticipated growth and community count. Additionally, if we cannot obtain additional financing to fund the purchase of land under our option agreements, we may incur contractual penalties and fees.

Inefficient or ineffective allocation of capital could adversely affect our operating results and/or stockholder value.

Our goal is to allocate capital to maximize our overall long-term returns. This includes growing profitability, improving balance sheet efficiency and generating returns above our cost of capital. In addition, from time to time we may engage in bond repurchases to reduce our indebtedness and return value to our stockholders through share repurchases. If we do not properly allocate our capital, we may fail to produce optimal financial results and we may experience a reduction in stockholder value, including increased volatility in our stock price.

Risk Relating to an Investment in our Common Stock

We experience fluctuations and variability in our operating results on a quarterly basis and, as a result, our historical performance may not be a meaningful indicator of future results.

We historically have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, variability in home sales and earnings on a quarterly basis. As a result of such variability, our historical performance may not be a meaningful indicator of future results. Our quarterly results of operations may continue to fluctuate in the future as a result of a variety of both national and local factors, including, among others:

•the timing of home closings and land sales;

•our ability to continue to acquire additional land or secure option agreements to acquire land on acceptable terms;

•conditions of the real estate market in areas where we operate and of the general economy;

•inventory impairments or other material write-downs;

•raw material and labor shortages;

•seasonal home buying patterns; and

•other changes in operating expenses, including the cost of labor and raw materials, personnel and general economic conditions.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

We maintain a cybersecurity program designed to detect, identify, classify and mitigate cybersecurity and other data security threats as part of our efforts to protect and maintain the confidentiality and security of homebuyer, customer, employee, vendor and supplier information, and non-public information about the Company, which has been strategically integrated into our enterprise risk management program to promote a company-wide culture of cyber risk awareness. The foundation of our cybersecurity program is based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) Cybersecurity Framework, which includes a set of controls to prevent, detect, and respond to cybersecurity and other data security threats and incidents.

Additionally, in furtherance of detecting, identifying, and managing material cybersecurity and other data security threats, we also:

•maintain robust information security and privacy policies that are reviewed and updated on an annual basis;

•engage with a range of third-party service providers, including cybersecurity consultants, to evaluate, monitor, and test our cyber management systems and related risks;

•conduct audits, penetration tests, threat and vulnerability assessments, cybersecurity risk monitoring, and security enhancement consultations, using both internal and external resources;

•maintain and continue to evolve our Cybersecurity Incident Management program, which includes regular incident response tabletop exercises, cybersecurity-related disaster recovery and business resiliency plans, and related communications and business continuity procedures;

•conduct security assessments of third-party software products and hosting providers prior to engagement;

•implement ongoing monitoring procedures for third-party service providers’ hosted applications to ensure continued alignment with our cybersecurity standards and compliance requirements;

•provide mandatory annual security and privacy awareness training, along with monthly phishing simulations, to all of our employees. These trainings and simulations are designed to ensure employees are well-versed in the behaviors and requirements necessary to safeguard the Company's information resources; and

•maintain cyber liability insurance to protect against the financial impact of a cyber incident.

We have a dedicated team of employees managing our cybersecurity program and initiatives, led by the Company’s Chief Information Security Officer, who reports to our Chief Information Officer and brings over 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles leading information security and technology teams across private and public companies. The team works directly in consultation with internal and external advisors to execute our cybersecurity strategies.

Pursuant to our cybersecurity program, potential cybersecurity threats are classified by risk levels and threat mitigation efforts are typically prioritized based on those risk classifications, while focus also remains on maintaining the resiliency of our information systems. In the event we identify a potential cybersecurity issue, we have defined procedures for responding to such issues, including procedures that address when and how to engage with Company management, the Board of Directors, other stakeholders and law enforcement.

Our Board of Directors has ultimate oversight responsibility for risks relating to our cybersecurity program. In addition, the Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in monitoring our cybersecurity and data security risk exposures and compliance with the Company’s cybersecurity program, and regularly makes inquiries of the Company’s management team, internal auditors and independent auditors regarding these risk exposures and compliance matters. We have also established an IT Committee, which is an ad hoc committee comprised of at least two members of the Board of Directors. The IT Committee is responsible for advising and assisting the Board of Directors in overseeing the Company’s customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning software and technology and regularly meets with the Company’s management team with respect to these initiatives.

Conducting our businesses involves the collection, storage, use, disclosure, processing, transfer, and other handling of a wide variety of information, including personally identifiable information, for various purposes. Like other companies that process a wide variety of information, our information technology systems, networks and infrastructure and technology have been, and may in the future be, vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks and other data security threats. These types of attacks are constantly evolving, may be difficult to detect quickly, and often are not recognized until after they have been launched against a target. While, to date, we have not had a significant cybersecurity breach or attack that has had a material impact on our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition, there can be no assurance that our efforts to maintain the security and integrity of these types of IT networks and related systems will be effective or that attempted security breaches or disruptions would not be successful or damaging. For more information about these and other cybersecurity risks faced by us, see Part 1. Item 1A. “Risk Factors.”

Item 2. Properties

As of September 30, 2024, we had under lease approximately 23,600 square feet of office space in Atlanta, Georgia to house our corporate headquarters. We also lease and own an aggregate of approximately 171,200 and 4,500 square feet of office space, respectively, for our divisional operations at various locations. All facilities are in good condition, adequately utilized, and sufficient to meet our present operating needs.

Due to the nature of our business, significant amounts of property are held by us as inventory in the ordinary course of our homebuilding operations. See Note 4 of notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for a further discussion of our inventory.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Litigation

In the normal course of business, we and certain of our subsidiaries are subject to various lawsuits. We cannot predict or determine the timing or final outcome of these lawsuits or the effect that any adverse findings or determinations in pending lawsuits may have on us. In addition, an estimate of possible loss or range of loss, if any, cannot presently be made with respect to certain of these pending matters. An unfavorable determination in pending lawsuits could result in the payment by us of substantial monetary damages that may not be fully covered by insurance. Further, the legal costs associated with the lawsuits and the amount of time required to be spent by management and our Board of Directors on these matters, even if we are ultimately successful, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

For a discussion of our legal proceedings, see Note 8 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information

The Company lists its common stock on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol “BZH.” On November 8, 2024, the last reported sales price of the Company's common stock on the NYSE was $33.48, and we had approximately 187 stockholders of record and 31,050,227 shares of common stock outstanding.

Dividends

The indentures under which our senior notes were issued contain certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on the payment of dividends. There were no dividends paid during our fiscal 2024, 2023 or 2022. The Board of Directors will periodically reconsider the declaration of dividends, assuming payment of dividends is not limited under our indentures. The reinstatement of quarterly dividends, the amount of such dividends and the form in which the dividends are paid (cash or stock) will depend upon our financial condition, results of operations, and other factors that the Board of Directors deems relevant.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

The following table provides information about the Company's shares of common stock that may be issued under our existing equity compensation plans as of September 30, 2024, all of which have been approved by our stockholders:

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

We did not repurchase any shares of our common stock in the fourth quarter ended September 30, 2024.

Performance Graph

The following graph illustrates the cumulative total stockholder return on Beazer Homes' common stock for the last five fiscal years through September 30, 2024 as compared to the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Homebuilding Index. The graph assumes an investment of $100 at September 30, 2019 in Beazer Homes' common stock and in each of the benchmark indices specified, assumes that all dividends were reinvested, and accounts for the impact of any stock splits, where applicable. Stockholder returns over the indicated period are based on historical data and should not be considered indicative of future stockholder returns.

Comparison of Five Year Cumulative Total Return Assuming $100 Investment as of September 30, 2019

September 30,

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is intended to help the reader understand our Company, business, operations and present business environment and is provided as a supplement to, and should be read together with the sections entitled “Risk Factors,” and the financial statements and the accompanying notes included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

In addition, the statements in this discussion and analysis regarding industry outlook, our expectations regarding the performance of our business, anticipated financial results, liquidity and the other non-historical statements are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described in “Forward-Looking Statements” and in “Risk Factors” above. Our actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by any forward-looking statements.

Executive Overview and Outlook

Market Conditions

At the outset of fiscal 2024, mortgage rates fluctuated at high levels with a notable peak in October 2023, which led to subdued housing market activity. As the first fiscal quarter progressed, mortgage rates began to decline gradually, influenced by the expectations of future interest rate reductions by the Federal Reserve. Entering the second fiscal quarter, we began to see the benefit of the mortgage rate reductions as homebuyer traffic and demand improved. We observed healthy demand and sales pace during the spring selling season, even as mortgage rates continued to modestly fluctuate. However, as we progressed through the second half of fiscal 2024, despite the downward trend in mortgage rates, many potential buyers remained hesitant amid uncertainty surrounding future interest rate cuts and economic expectations.

Home affordability remains a concern and a central risk to our industry's outcomes. We continue to adjust prices and features to align with the current market, including offering incentives. We also continue to refine our product offerings by adjusting home sizes and specification levels to address pricing and affordability concerns across each of our markets.

Although we expect uncertainty around mortgage interest rates in near-term market conditions to persist, we are optimistic in

the long-term outlook of the housing market, anchored by supply and demand factors at a macroeconomic level. The shortfalls in new home production over the past decade have contributed to an underproduction of housing in the country, and demand for housing remains resilient characterized by low unemployment and wage growth, although still limited by affordability and mortgage rate volatility.

Balanced Growth Strategy

Fiscal 2024 represented continued progress towards the execution of our balanced growth strategy, which is characterized by growing profitability, improving balance sheet efficiency, and generating returns above our cost of capital. This strategy provides us with the flexibility to reduce leverage through debt reduction, increase return of capital to investors through stock repurchases, or increase investment in land and other operating assets in response to changing market conditions.

In line with our balanced growth strategy, during fiscal 2023 we established a set of multi-year strategic goals that would allow us to create significant value for our shareholders. Specifically, our three multi-year strategic goals include the following:

•increasing active communities to more than 200 by the end of fiscal 2026,

•reducing our net debt to net capitalization ratio to below 30% by the end of fiscal 2026, and

•reaching our target of 100% Zero Energy Ready home starts by the end of calendar year 2025.

During fiscal 2024, as we laid the groundwork to meet our multi-year active community count goal, we achieved significant growth, with our year-end active community count increasing by more than 20% compared to the prior year.

In March 2024, we successfully refinanced our remaining outstanding 2025 Notes of $197.9 million through the issuance of $250.0 million of Senior Notes due 2031 and extended the maturity of our Senior Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility. With a strong balance sheet and ample liquidity, we believe we are well-equipped to navigate the evolving market dynamics as we continue to make strides in reducing our net debt to net capitalization ratio.

During fiscal 2024, we also made steady progress towards our goal of reaching 100% Zero Energy Ready home starts by the end of calendar year 2025. We are substantially ahead of schedule with 91% of our home starts being built to Zero Energy Ready standards during the quarter ended September 30, 2024. Notably, Beazer Homes has now certified more Zero Energy Ready homes to the DOE's Single Family National Program requirements than any other home builder. We believe these homes should command a premium compared to our previous series, driven by their innovative designs, superior quality, and durable construction.

As we look to fiscal 2025, we expect to take further steps to achieve our multi-year strategic goals by continuing to position our business for durable long-term growth, while focusing on the appropriate balance between pursuing growth opportunities, controlling risk, and maintaining a strong liquidity position. We believe our balanced growth strategy has created and will continue to create significant value for our shareholders.

Overview of Results for Our Fiscal 2024

The following is a summary of our performance against certain key operating and financial metrics during fiscal 2024, as compared to fiscal 2023.

•As of September 30, 2024, our land position included 28,538 controlled lots, up 9.0% from 26,189 as of September 30, 2023. Our fiscal 2024 marks the fourth consecutive year of year-over-year growth in land position as we build a strong foundation to meet our active community count growth. Excluding land held for future development and land held for sale lots, we controlled 27,904 active lots, up 9.1% from the prior year. The majority of the growth in controlled lots was through the usage of lot option agreements, which allow us to position for future growth while providing the flexibility to respond to market conditions. As of September 30, 2024, we had 16,125 lots, or 57.8% of our total active lots, under option agreements as compared to 14,490 lots, or 56.7% of our total active lots, under option agreements as of September 30, 2023.

•During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, our average active community count of 144 was up15.7% from 125 in the prior year. As of September 30, 2024, our ending active community count was 162, up 20.9% from 134 in the prior year. Our fiscal fourth quarter marks the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in community count as we work towards our goal of reaching more than 200 active communities by the end of fiscal 2026. We invested $776.5 million in land acquisition and land development during the year ended September 30, 2024, representing an increase of 35.5% compared to $573.1 million in land spend during the year ended September 30, 2023.

•During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, sales per community per month was 2.4 compared to 2.6 in the prior year, and our net new orders were 4,221, up 9.2% from 3,866 in the prior year. The expanded average active community count allowed us to deliver higher net new orders year-over-year despite a decline in sales pace to 2.4 orders per community per month during the year ended September 30, 2024 due to elevated mortgage rates and affordability challenges.

•During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, we closed 4,450 homes, up 4.8%, from 4,246 in the prior year, leading to an increase in homebuilding revenue to $2.29 billion, up 4.3%, from $2.20 billion in the prior year.The increase in closings was primarily due to due to higher community count, higher volume of spec homes that sold and closed within the current year, and improved construction cycle times.

•ASP for homes closed during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 was $515.3 thousand, down 0.5% from $517.8 thousand in the prior year. Backlog ASP as of September 30, 2024was $537.9 thousand, up 3.8% from$518.0 thousand in the prior year. The increase in backlog ASP compared to the prior year was primarily due to changes in product and community mix as well as price appreciation in certain communities.

•Homebuilding gross margin for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 was 18.0%, down from 19.9% in the prior year. Homebuilding gross margin excluding impairments, abandonments, and interest for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 was 21.1%, down from 23.1% in the prior year. The year-over-year decrease in gross margin for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 was primarily driven by changes in product and community mix and an increase in closing cost incentives. If market conditions deteriorate due to unfavorable mortgage rate movements, gross margin may be compressed in the future.

•SG&A for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 was 11.4% of total revenue compared with 11.5% a year earlier. SG&A expense was $266.4 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, up 5.2% compared to prior year primarily due to higher commissions expense and higher sales and marketing costs as we continue to grow community count. We remain focused on prudently managing overhead costs.

Seasonal and Quarterly Variability: Our homebuilding operating cycle historically has reflected escalating new order activity in the second and third fiscal quarters and increased closings in the third and fourth fiscal quarters. However, these seasonal patterns may be impacted by a variety of factors, including periods of market volatility and changes in mortgage interest rates, which may result in increased or decreased new orders and/or revenues and closings that are outside of the normal ranges typically realized on account of seasonality.

The following tables present new order and closings data for the periods presented:

New Orders (Net of Cancellations)

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Total

Closings

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Total

RESULTS OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS

The following table summarizes certain key income statement metrics for the periods presented:

Fiscal Year Ended September 30,

Revenue:

Gross profit:

Gross margin:

G&A as a percentage of total revenue 8.0 % 8.1 % 7.7 %

Operating income as a percentage of total revenue 6.1 % 8.0 % 11.8 %

Inventory impairments and abandonments $ 1,996 $ 641 $ 2,963

(Loss) gain on extinguishment of debt, net $ (437) $ (546) $ 309

(a) Excluding impairments, abandonments, and interest amortized to cost of sales, homebuilding gross margin was 21.1%, 23.1% and 26.3% for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Please see the "Homebuilding Gross Profit and Gross Margin" section below for a reconciliation of homebuilding gross profit and the related gross margin excluding impairments and abandonments and interest amortized to cost of sales (non-GAAP measures) to homebuilding gross profit and gross margin, the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

(b) Calculated as land sales and other gross profit divided by land sales and other revenue.

(c) Calculated as tax expense for the period divided by income from continuing operations. Our income tax expenses are not always directly correlated to the amount of pre-tax income for the associated period due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the impact of tax credits and permanent differences. Our tax credits are predominantly due to the energy efficiency of our homes and, historically, were valued at $2,000 per single family home. The Inflation Reduction Act increased these credits to $2,500 or $5,000 per single family home meeting Energy Star or Zero Energy Ready qualifications, respectively. As we work towards our goal of building 100% Zero Energy Ready homes, we expect our energy efficiency tax credits to shift increasingly towards $5,000 per single family home in the current and future years.

Reconciliation of Net Income (GAAP) to Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)

Reconciliation of Net Income (GAAP measure) to Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP measure) is provided for each period discussed below. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA assists investors in understanding and comparing core operating results and underlying business trends by eliminating many of the differences in companies' respective capitalization, tax position, level of impairments, and other non-recurring items. This non-GAAP financial measure may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

The following table reconciles our net income (GAAP) to Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) for the periods presented:

Fiscal Year Ended September 30,

Interest expense not qualified for capitalization — — — 2,781 8,468

Gain on sale of investment(b) (8,591) — — — —

Litigation settlement in discontinued operations — — — 120 1,260

Restructuring and severance expenses — 335 — (10) 1,317

(a) In periods during which we impaired certain of our inventory assets, capitalized interest that is impaired is included in the line above titled "Interest amortized to home construction and land sales expenses and capitalized interest impaired."

(b) We previously held a minority interest in a technology company specializing in digital marketing for new home communities, which was sold during the quarter ended March 31, 2024. In exchange for the previously held investment, we received cash in escrow along with a minority partnership interest in the acquiring company, which was recorded within other assets in our consolidated balance sheets. The resulting gain of $8.6 million from this transaction was recognized in other income, net on our consolidated statement of operations. The Company believes excluding this one-time gain from Adjusted EBITDA provides a better reflection of the Company's performance as this item is not representative of our core operations.

Reconciliation of Total Debt to Total Capitalization Ratio (GAAP) to Net Debt to Net Capitalization Ratio (Non-GAAP)

Reconciliation of total debt to total capitalization ratio (GAAP measure) to net debt to net capitalization ratio (non-GAAP measure) is provided for each period below. Management believes that net debt to net capitalization ratio is useful in understanding the leverage employed in our operations and as an indicator of our ability to obtain financing. This non-GAAP financial measure may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Fiscal Year Ended September 30,

Total debt to total capitalization ratio (GAAP) 45.4 % 47.0 %

Net debt to net capitalization ratio (Non-GAAP) 40.0 % 36.4 %

Homebuilding Operations Data

The following table summarizes new orders and cancellation rates by reportable segment for the periods presented:

New Orders, net Cancellation Rates

Net new orders for the year ended September 30, 2024 increased to 4,221, up 9.2% from the year ended September 30, 2023. The increase in net new orders was driven primarily by an increase in average active community count from 125 in the prior year to 144, partially offset by a decrease in sales pace from 2.6 orders per community per month in the prior year to 2.4.

West Segment: Net new orders for the year ended September 30, 2024 was 2,753, up 22.7% from the year ended September 30, 2023. The increase in net new orders compared to the prior year was driven by a 24.0% increase in average active community count from 75 in the prior year to 93, while sales pace remained flat year-over-year at 2.5 orders per community.

East Segment: Net new orders for the year ended September 30, 2024 was 912, up 6.2% from the year ended September 30, 2023. The increase in net new orders compared to the prior year was driven by a 25.0% increase in average active community count from 24 in the prior year to 30, partially offset by a 16.7% decrease in sales pace from 3.0 orders per community per month in the prior year to 2.5. The decrease in sales pace was due to a softening in demand in various sub-markets due to affordability challenges.

Southeast Segment: Net new orders for the year ended September 30, 2024 was 556, down 27.1% from the year ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in net new orders compared to the prior year was driven by a 16.0% decrease in average active community count from 25 in the prior year to 21, and a 12.0% decrease in sales pace from 2.5 orders per community per month in the prior year to 2.2. The decrease in sales pace was due to a softening in demand in various sub-markets due to affordability challenges.

The table below summarizes backlog units by reportable segment as well as the aggregate dollar value and ASP of homes in backlog as of September 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022:

As of September 30,

Backlog Units:

Backlog reflects the number of homes for which the Company has entered into a sales contract with a customer but has not yet delivered the home. The aggregate dollar value of homes in backlog as of September 30, 2024 decreased 10.1% compared to the prior year due to a 13.4% decrease in backlog units, partially offset by a 3.8% increase in the ASP of homes in backlog. The decrease in backlog units was due to closings exceeding net new orders for the year ended September 30, 2024. The increase in backlog ASP was primarily due to changes in product and community mix as well as price appreciation in certain communities.

Homebuilding Revenue, Average Selling Price, and Closings

The table below summarizes homebuilding revenue, ASP of our homes closed, and closings by reportable segment for the periods presented:

Homebuilding Revenue Average Selling Price

Closings

West Segment: Homebuilding revenue increased by 12.1% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 compared to the prior fiscal year due to a 14.3% increase in closings, partially offset by a 1.9% decrease in ASP. The year-over-year increase in closings in the West segment was primarily due to higher community count, higher volume of spec homes that sold and closed within the current year, and improved construction cycle times for fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023.

East Segment: Homebuilding revenue decreased by 3.9% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 compared to the prior fiscal year due to a 2.7% decrease in closings as well as a 1.2% decrease in ASP. The year-over-year decrease in closings in the East segment was primarily due to lower beginning backlog, partially offset by improved construction cycle times for fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023.

Southeast Segment: Homebuilding revenue decreased by 10.4% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 compared to the prior fiscal year due to a 14.8% decrease in closings, partially offset by a 5.1% increase in ASP. The year-over-year decrease in closings in the Southeast segment is primarily due to lower beginning backlog, partially offset by improved construction cycle times for fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2023.

Homebuilding Gross Profit and Gross Margin

The following tables present our homebuilding (HB) gross profit and gross margin by reportable segment and in total. In addition, such amounts are presented excluding inventory impairments and abandonments and interest amortized to cost of sales (COS). Homebuilding gross profit is defined as homebuilding revenue less home cost of sales (which includes land and land development costs, home construction costs, capitalized interest, indirect costs of construction, estimated warranty costs, closing costs, and inventory impairments and abandonment charges).

Reconciliation of homebuilding gross profit and homebuilding gross margin (GAAP measures) to homebuilding gross profit and the related gross margin excluding impairments and abandonments and interest amortized to cost of sales (non-GAAP measures) is provided for each period discussed below. Management believes that this information assists investors in comparing the operating characteristics of homebuilding activities by eliminating many of the differences in companies' respective level of impairments and level of debt. These non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

$ in thousands Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2024

$ in thousands Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2023

$ in thousands Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2022

(a) Corporate and unallocated includes amortization of capitalized interest, capitalization and amortization of indirect costs related to homebuilding activities, as well as capitalized interest and capitalized indirect costs impaired in order to reflect projects in progress assets at fair value, when applicable.

Our homebuilding gross profit decreased by $24.5 million to $413.6 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, compared to $438.1 million in the prior year. The decrease in homebuilding gross profit was primarily driven by a decrease in gross margin of 190 basis points to 18.0%, partially offset by an increase in homebuilding revenue of $94.6 million. However, as shown in the tables above, the comparability of our gross profit and gross margin was modestly impacted by impairments and abandonment charges which increased by $1.4 million and interest amortized to homebuilding cost of sales which decreased by $0.8 million year-over-year (refer to Note 4 and Note 5 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for additional details). When excluding the impact of impairments and abandonment charges and interest amortized to homebuilding cost of sales, homebuilding gross profit decreased by $24.0 million compared to the prior year while homebuilding gross margin decreased by 200 basis points to 21.1%. The year-over-year decrease in gross margin for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 was primarily driven by changes in product and community mix and an increase in closing cost incentives.

West Segment: Compared to the prior fiscal year, homebuilding gross profit decreased by $0.9 million due to lower gross margin, partially offset by an increase in homebuilding revenue. Homebuilding gross margin, excluding impairments and abandonments, decreased to 21.3%, down from 23.8% in the prior year. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by changes in product and community mix and an increase in closing cost incentives.

East Segment: Compared to the prior fiscal year, homebuilding gross profit decreased by $15.6 million due to a decrease in homebuilding revenue and lower gross margin. Homebuilding gross margin, excluding impairments and abandonments, decreased to 18.1%, down from 20.5% in the prior year. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by changes in product and community mix, an increase in price concessions, and an increase in closing cost incentives.

Southeast Segment: Compared to the prior fiscal year, homebuilding gross profit decreased by $13.0 million due to a decrease in homebuilding revenue and lower gross margin. Homebuilding gross margin, excluding impairments and abandonments, decreased to 22.0%, down from 22.9% in the prior year. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by changes in product and community mix and an increase in closing cost incentives.

Measures of homebuilding gross profit and gross margin after excluding inventory impairments and abandonments, interest amortized to cost of sales, and other non-recurring items are non-GAAP financial measures. These measures should not be considered alternatives to homebuilding gross profit and gross margin determined in accordance with GAAP as an indicator of operating performance.

In particular, the magnitude and volatility of non-cash inventory impairments and abandonment charges for the Company and other homebuilders have been significant historically and, as such, have made financial analysis of our industry more difficult. Homebuilding metrics excluding these charges, as well as interest amortized to cost of sales and other similar presentations by analysts and other companies, are frequently used to assist investors in understanding and comparing the operating characteristics of homebuilding activities by eliminating many of the differences in companies' respective level of impairments and levels of debt. Management believes these non-GAAP measures enable holders of our securities to better understand the cash implications of our operating performance and our ability to service our debt obligations as they currently exist, and as additional indebtedness is incurred in the future. These measures are also useful internally, helping management to compare operating results and to measure cash available for discretionary spending.

In a given period, our reported gross profit is generated from both communities previously impaired and communities not previously impaired. In addition, as indicated above, certain gross profit amounts arise from recoveries of prior period costs, including warranty items that are not directly tied to communities generating revenue in the period. Home closings from communities previously impaired would, in most instances, generate very low or negative gross margins prior to the impact of the previously recognized impairment. Gross margin for each home closing is higher for a particular community after an impairment because the carrying value of the underlying land was previously reduced to the present value of future cash flows as a result of the impairment, leading to lower cost of sales at the home closing. This improvement in gross margin resulting from one or more prior impairments is frequently referred to in the aggregate as the “impairment turn” or “flow-back” of impairments within the reporting period. The amount of this impairment turn may exceed the gross margin for an individual impaired asset if the gross margin for that asset prior to the impairment would have been negative. The extent to which this impairment turn is greater than the reported gross margin for the individual asset is related to the specific historical cost basis of that individual asset.

The asset valuations that result from our impairment calculations are based on discounted cash flow analyses and are not derived by simply applying prospective gross margins to individual communities. As such, impaired communities may have gross margins that are somewhat higher or lower than the gross margins for unimpaired communities. The mix of home closings in any particular quarter varies to such an extent that comparisons between previously impaired and never impaired communities would not be a reliable way to ascertain profitability trends or to assess the accuracy of previous valuation estimates. In addition, since any amount of impairment turn is tied to individual lots in specific communities, it will vary considerably from period to period. As a result of these factors, we review the impairment turn impact on gross margin on a trailing 12-month basis rather than a quarterly basis as a way of considering whether our impairment calculations are resulting in gross margins for impaired communities that are comparable to our unimpaired communities. For fiscal 2024, our homebuilding gross margin was 18.0% and excluding interest and inventory impairments and abandonments, it was 21.1%. For the same period, homebuilding gross margin was as follows in those communities that have previously been impaired, which represented 88 homes and 2.0% of total closings during fiscal 2024:

Homebuilding Gross Margin from previously impaired communities:

Pre-impairment turn gross margin (2.2) %

Impact of interest amortized to COS related to these communities 2.5 %

Pre-impairment turn gross margin, excluding interest amortization 0.3 %

Impact of impairment turns 21.2 %

Gross margin (post impairment turns), excluding interest amortization 21.4 %

For further discussion of our impairment policies, refer to Note 2 and Note 4 of the notes to consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

Land Sales and Other Revenue and Gross Profit

Land sales relate to land and lots sold that do not fit within our homebuilding programs or strategic plans. We also have other revenue related to title examinations provided for our homebuyers in certain markets. The following tables summarize our land sales and other revenue and related gross profit by reportable segment for the periods presented:

$ in thousands Land Sales and Other Revenue

$ in thousands Land Sales and Other Gross Profit (Loss)

Corporate and unallocated(a) (834) — (566) n/m(b) 100.0 %

(a) Includes capitalized interest and capitalized indirect costs expensed to land cost of sale related to land sold, as well as capitalized interest and capitalized indirect costs impaired in order to reflect land held for sale assets at net realizable value.

(b) n/m - indicates the percentage is "not meaningful."

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, land sales and other revenue increased by 343.8% to $37.2 million, and land sales and other gross profit increased by 133.5% to $10.7 million compared to the prior year. Year-over-year fluctuations on land sales and other revenue are primarily driven by the timing and volume of land and lot sales closings. Land sales and other gross profit are primarily impacted by the profitability of individual land and lot sale transactions as well as the volume of our title examinations operations. Future land and lot sales will depend on a variety of factors, including local market conditions, individual community performance, and changing strategic plans.

Operating Income

The table below summarizes operating income by reportable segment for the periods presented:

Fiscal Year Ended September 30,

(a) Includes amortization of capitalized interest, capitalization and amortization of indirect costs, impairment of capitalized interest and capitalized indirect costs, when applicable, expenses related to numerous shared services functions that benefit all segments but are not allocated to the operating segments reported above, including information technology, treasury, corporate finance, legal, branding and national marketing, and certain other amounts that are not allocated to our operating segments.

Our operating income decreased by $34.2 million to $143.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2024, compared to operating income of $177.3 million for year ended September 30, 2023, primarily driven by the previously discussed decrease in gross profit, higher commissions expense on higher homebuilding revenue, and higher sales and marketing costs, partially offset by lower other G&A expenses.

West Segment: The $16.1 million decrease in operating income compared to the prior year was primarily due to higher commissions on higher homebuilding revenue, higher sales and marketing expenses, and higher other G&A expenses, partially offset by an increase in gross profit in the segment.

East Segment: The $12.1 million decrease in operating income compared to the prior year was primarily due to the decrease in gross profit previously discussed and higher sales and marketing expenses in the segment.

Southeast Segment: The $11.7 million decrease in operating income compared to the prior year was primarily due to the decrease in gross profit previously discussed, partially offset by lower other G&A expenses in the segment.

Corporate and Unallocated: Our corporate and unallocated results include amortization of capitalized interest, capitalization and amortization of indirect costs, impairment of capitalized interest and capitalized indirect costs, expenses for various shared services functions that benefit all segments but are not allocated, including information technology, treasury, corporate finance, legal, branding and national marketing, and certain other amounts that are not allocated to our operating segments. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, corporate and unallocated net expenses decreased by $5.7 million from the prior fiscal year, primarily due to lower amortization of capitalized indirect costs to cost of sales.

Below operating income, we had the following noteworthy year-over-year fluctuations for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 compared to the prior year. Specifically, within other income, net, (1) we recognized a gain on sale of investment of $8.6 million during the year ended September 30, 2024 compared to no such transaction in the prior year period (See the "Reconciliation of Net Income (GAAP) to Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)" section above for further discussion on this transaction), and (2) we recognized higher investment income year-over year due to changes in fair value of our deferred compensation plan assets and higher distributions of income from unconsolidated entities during the year-ended September 30, 2024 compared to the prior year.

Income Taxes

We recognized income tax expense from continuing operations of $18.9 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, compared to income tax expense from continuing operations of $24.0 million and $53.3 million for our fiscal years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Income tax expense in our fiscal 2024, 2023 and 2022 primarily resulted from income generated in the fiscal year and permanent book/tax differences, partially offset by the generation of additional federal tax credits. Refer to Note 12 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for a further discussion of our income taxes.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our sources of liquidity include, but are not limited to, cash from operations, proceeds from Senior Notes, our Senior Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility (the Unsecured Facility), and other bank borrowings, the issuance of equity and equity-linked securities, and other external sources of funds. Our short-term and long-term liquidity depends primarily upon our level of net income, working capital management (cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other liabilities), and available credit facilities.

Net changes in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash are as follows for the periods presented:

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 23,878 (13,926) (88,680)

Operating Activities

Net cash used in operating activities was $137.5 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. The primary drivers of operating cash flows are typically cash earnings and changes in inventory levels, including land acquisition and development spending. Net cash used in operating activities during the period was primarily driven by an increase in inventory of $282.1 million resulting from land acquisition, land development, and house construction spending to support continued growth and a net increase in non-inventory working capital of $30.2 million, partially offset by income before income taxes of $159.1 million, which included $15.7 million of non-cash charges.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $178.1 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023. Net cash provided by operating activities during the period was primarily driven by income before income taxes of $182.5 million, which included $21.8 million of non-cash charges, partially offset by a net increase in non-inventory working capital of $11.5 million and an increase in inventory of $14.7 million resulting from land acquisition, land development, and house construction spending to support continued growth.

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 was $30.0 million, primarily driven by capital expenditures for model homes and information systems infrastructure, and investments in securities.

Net cash used in investing activities for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023 was $29.7 million, primarily driven by capital expenditures for model homes and information systems infrastructure, and investments in securities.

Financing Activities

Net cash provided by financing activities was $23.9 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, primarily driven by inflows from the issuance of the 2031 Notes, partially offset by outflows from redemption of our 2025 Notes, debt issuance costs related to the 2031 Notes and extension of the term of our Unsecured Facility (see Note 7), repurchases of common stock, and tax payments for stock-based compensation awards vesting.

Net cash used in financing activities was $13.9 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, primarily driven by the repurchases of a portion of our 2025 Notes, debt issuance costs for the Unsecured Facility, and tax payments for stock-based compensation awards vesting.

Financial Position

As of September 30, 2024, our liquidity position consisted of $203.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and $300.0 million of remaining capacity under the Unsecured Facility, compared to $345.6 million in cash and cash equivalents and $265.0 million of remaining capacity under the Unsecured Facility as of September 30, 2023. Meanwhile, we invested $776.5 million and $573.1 million in land acquisition and land development during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, respectively.

While we believe we possess sufficient liquidity, we are mindful of potential short-term or seasonal requirements for enhanced liquidity that may arise to operate and grow our business. As of the date of this report, we believe we have adequate capital resources and sufficient access to external financing sources to satisfy our current and long-term liquidity needs for funds to conduct our operations and meet other needs in the ordinary course of our business, however, we are continually reviewing our capital resources to determine whether we can meet our short- and long-term goals, and we may require additional capital to do so.

At times, we may also engage in capital markets, bank loans, project debt or other financial transactions, including the repurchase of debt or potential new issuances of debt or equity securities to support our business needs. The amounts involved in these transactions, if any, may be material. In addition, as necessary or desirable, we may adjust or amend the terms of and/or expand the capacity of the Unsecured Facility, or enter into additional letter of credit facilities, or other similar facility arrangements, in each case with the same or other financial institutions, or allow any such facilities to mature or expire.

Debt

We generally fulfill our short-term cash requirements with cash generated from our operations and available borrowings. Additionally, our Unsecured Facility provides working capital and letter of credit capacity of $300.0 million, which includes a letter of credit capacity of $100.0 million. As of September 30, 2024, no borrowings and no letters of credit were outstanding under the Unsecured Facility, resulting in a remaining borrowing capacity of $300.0 million. See Note 7 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for further discussion.

We have also entered into a number of stand-alone letter of credit agreements with banks, secured with cash or certificates of deposit. These combined facilities provide for letter of credit needs collateralized by either cash or assets of the Company. We currently have $36.4 million of outstanding letters of credit under these facilities.

In the future, we may from time to time seek to continue to retire or purchase our outstanding debt through cash repurchases or in exchange for other debt securities, in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise. In addition, any material variance from our projected operating results could require us to obtain additional equity or debt financing. There can be no assurance that we will be able to complete any of these transactions in the future on favorable terms or at all. See Note 7 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for additional details related to our borrowings.

Supplemental Guarantor Information

As discussed in Note 7 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K, the Company's obligations to pay principal and interest under certain debt agreements are guaranteed on a joint and several basis by substantially all of the Company's subsidiaries. Some of the immaterial subsidiaries do not guarantee the Senior Notes. The guarantees are full and unconditional. Summarized financial information is not presented for Beazer Homes USA, Inc. and the guarantor subsidiaries on a combined basis as the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the combined issuer and guarantors of the guaranteed security are not materially different than corresponding amounts presented in the consolidated financial statements of the parent company.

Credit Ratings

Our credit ratings are periodically reviewed by rating agencies. In June 2024, S&P reaffirmed the Company’s corporate credit rating of B+ and reaffirmed the Company's outlook of stable. In October 2024, Moody's reaffirmed the Company's issuer corporate family rating of B1 and reaffirmed the Company's outlook of stable. In addition, our Senior Notes have a rating of B+ and B1 per S&P and Moody's, respectively. These ratings and our current credit condition affect, among other things, our ability to access new capital. These ratings are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold debt securities. Negative changes to these ratings may result in more stringent covenants and higher interest rates under the terms of any new debt. Our credit ratings could be lowered, or rating agencies could issue adverse commentaries in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and liquidity. In particular, a weakening of our financial condition, including any further increase in our leverage or decrease in our profitability or cash flows, could adversely affect our ability to obtain necessary funds, could result in a credit rating downgrade or change in outlook, or could otherwise increase our cost of borrowing.

Stock Repurchases and Dividends Paid

In May 2022, the Company's Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program that authorizes the Company to repurchase up to $50.0 million of its outstanding common stock. The repurchase program has no expiration date. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024, the Company repurchased 455 thousand shares of its common stock for $12.9 million at an average price per share of $28.41 through open market transactions. All shares have been retired upon repurchase. As of September 30, 2024, the remaining availability of the share repurchase program was $28.9 million.

No share repurchases were made during fiscal year 2023. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, the Company repurchased 570 thousand shares of its common stock for $8.2 million at an average price per share of $14.33 through open market transactions.

The indentures under which our Senior Notes were issued contain certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on our payment of dividends. There were no dividends paid during our fiscal years ended September 30, 2024, 2023 or 2022.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Aggregate Contractual Commitments

Lot Option Agreements

In addition to purchasing land directly, we control a portion of our land supply through lot option agreements with land developers and land bankers, which generally require the payment of cash or issuance of an irrevocable letter of credit or surety bond for the right to acquire lots during a specified period of time at a specified price. In recent years, we have focused on increasing our lot option agreement usage to minimize risk as we grow our land position. As of September 30, 2024, we controlled 28,538 lots, which includes 272 lots of land held for future development and 362 lots of land held for sale. Of the 27,904 total active lots, we controlled 16,125 of these lots, or 57.8%, through option agreements, as compared to 14,490 active lots controlled, or 56.7% of our total active lots, through option agreements as of September 30, 2023. Lot option agreements allow us to position for future growth while providing the flexibility to respond to market conditions by renegotiating the terms of the options prior to exercise or terminating the agreement.

Under option agreements, purchase of the properties is contingent upon satisfaction of certain requirements by us and the sellers, and our liability is generally limited to forfeiture of the non-refundable deposits, letters of credit or surety bonds, and other non-refundable amounts incurred, which totaled $227.8 million as of September 30, 2024. The total remaining purchase price, net of cash deposits, committed under all options was $1.46 billion as of September 30, 2024. Subject to market conditions and our liquidity, we may further expand our use of option agreements to supplement our owned inventory supply.

We expect to exercise, subject to market conditions and seller satisfaction of contract terms, most of our option agreements. Various factors, some of which are beyond our control, such as market conditions, weather conditions, and the timing of the completion of development activities, will have a significant impact on the timing of option exercises or whether lot options will be exercised at all.

We have historically funded the exercise of lot options with operating cash flows. We expect these sources to continue to be adequate to fund anticipated future option exercises. Therefore, we do not anticipate that the exercise of our lot options will have a material adverse effect on our liquidity.

Letters of Credit and Surety Bonds

In connection with the development of our communities, we are frequently required to provide performance, maintenance, and other bonds and letters of credit in support of our related obligations with respect to such developments. The amount of such obligations outstanding at any time varies in accordance with our pending development activities. In the event any such bonds or letters of credit are drawn upon, we would be obligated to reimburse the issuer of such bonds or letters of credit. We had outstanding letters of credit and surety bonds of $36.4 million and $332.2 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2024, primarily related to our obligations to local governments to construct roads and other improvements in various developments.

Contractual Commitments

The following table summarizes our aggregate contractual commitments as of September 30, 2024:

Payments Due by Period

in thousands Total Less than 1 Year 1-3 Years 3-5 Years More than 5 Years

Uncertain tax positions(c) — — — — —

(a) For a listing of our borrowings, refer to Note 7 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

(b) Interest on variable rate obligations is based on rates effective as of September 30, 2024.

(c) Based on its current inventory of uncertain tax positions and tax carryforward attributes, the Company does not expect a cash settlement of unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions in future years. See Note 12 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for additional information regarding the Company's unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions as of September 30, 2024.

We had outstanding letters of credit and surety bonds of $36.4 million and $332.2 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2024, primarily related to our obligations to local governments to construct roads and other improvements in various developments.

Critical Accounting Estimates

Our critical accounting policies require the use of judgment in their application and in certain cases require estimates of inherently uncertain matters. Although our accounting policies are in compliance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), a change in the facts and circumstances of the underlying transactions could significantly change the application of the accounting policies and the resulting financial statement impact. Listed below are those policies that we believe are critical and require the use of complex judgment in their application.

Inventory Valuation - Projects in Progress

Projects in progress inventory includes homes under construction and land under development grouped together as communities. Generally, upon the commencement of land development activities, it may take three to five years (depending on, among other things, the size of the community and its sales pace) to fully develop, sell, construct and close all the homes in a typical community. Projects in progress are stated at cost unless facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable.

We assess our projects in progress inventory for indicators of impairment at the community level on a quarterly basis. We evaluate, among other things, the average sales price and margins on recent home closings, homes in backlog and expected future home sales for each community. If indicators of impairment are present for a community with more than ten homes remaining to close, we perform a recoverability test by comparing the expected undiscounted cash flows for the community to its carrying value. For those communities whose carrying values exceed the aggregate undiscounted cash flows, we perform a discounted cash flow analysis to determine the fair value of the community, and impairment charges are recorded if the fair value of the community's inventory is less than its carrying value.

There is uncertainty associated with preparing the undiscounted cash flow analyses because future market conditions will almost certainly be different, either better or worse, than current conditions. Significant valuation assumptions include expected pace of closings, average sales price, expected costs for land development, direct construction, overhead, and interest. The risk of over or under-stating any of the important cash flow variables is greater with longer-lived communities and within markets that have historically experienced greater home price volatility. To address these risks, we consider home price and construction cost appreciation in future years for certain communities that are expected to be selling for more than a year and/or if the market has typically exhibited high levels of price volatility. Absent these assumptions on cost and sales price appreciation, we believe the long-term cash flow analysis would be unrealistic. Finally, we also ensure that the pace of sales and closings used in our undiscounted cash flow analyses are reasonable by considering seasonal variations in sales and closings, our development schedules and what we have achieved historically, and by comparing to those achieved by our competitors for comparable communities.

BZH US Equity

BZH · 10-K · period ended 2024-09-30

Item 1. Business

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Item 2. Properties

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

BZH US Equity☆

BZH · 10-K · period ended 2024-09-30

Item 1. Business

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Item 2. Properties

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

BZH US Equity