Beazer posts wider first and second quarter losses

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Beazer Homes USA (BZH.N: Quote, Profile, Research), operating under federal investigations and amid a downturn in the U.S. housing market, on Thursday released its last remaining financial statements of past quarters, posting widening losses.

The most recent financial statements come on the heels of Beazer's restatements of past years' financial reports as well as its fiscal 2007 report, which was delayed because of accounting irregularities the company discovered while investigating its past mortgage lending practices.

"Completing the restatement of our prior years' financial results and filing all outstanding periodic financial reports is an important step for Beazer Homes," Ian McCarthy, Beazer's chief executive, said in a statement.

The company is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

For the fiscal second quarter, ended March 31, 2008, Beazer posted a loss of $228.7 million, or $5.93 per share. The results included land, impairment charges of $187.9 million. $31.7 million related to joint ventures and $48.1 million for impairments to goodwill. The prior year the company posted a loss of $58.1 million, or $1.51 per share, for that period.

Revenue fell 51 percent to $405.4 million, and the number of homes sold fell 43 percent to 1,568. The average sales price was down 9 percent to $255,500. New orders were off 52 percent to 1,956.

For the fiscal first quarter, ended Dec. 31, 2007, Beazer posted a loss of $138.2 million, or $3.59 per share. The results included land and impairment charges of $168.5 million and $12.8 million related to joint ventures. The company posted a loss of $79.9 million, or $2.09 per share, in the year-ago period.

Revenue fell 37 percent to $503.1 million, and the number of homes sold fell 25 percent to 2,006. The average sales price was down 13 percent to $244,700. New orders were off 30 percent to 1,252.

"Market conditions remained weak for the home-building industry in the first half of fiscal 2008, and we maintain a disciplined and cautious operating approach as we believe the remainder of this fiscal year will be very challenging," McCarthy said.