PulteGroup mortgage veteran Debra Still to retire after 42-year career

ATLANTA - Debra W. Still, Vice Chair of Pulte Financial Services, will retire at the end of 2025, concluding a 42-year career with PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM), a $21.8 billion market cap homebuilder that has achieved a "GREAT" financial health rating according to InvestingPro analysis, the company announced Wednesday.

Still began her career with the homebuilder in 1983 as a Branch Manager and rose through the ranks to become President of Pulte Mortgage in 2004 and CEO of Pulte Financial Services from 2010 to 2023 before transitioning to her current role.

During her tenure, Still expanded Pulte Financial Services to include Pulte Mortgage LLC, PGP Title, and Pulte Insurance Agency, which now employs over 1,100 people nationwide.

"Deb Still is one of the most respected leaders in our company and the broader housing-finance industry," said Ryan Marshall, PulteGroup President and CEO, in a press release statement.

Still made history in 2013 as the second woman in over 100 years to serve as Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association and has testified before Congress on housing finance issues. She currently serves as Chairman of MBA’s Opens Doors Foundation.

Following her retirement from PulteGroup, Still will continue her board service with Chimera Investment Corporation and Enact Holdings, Inc., while maintaining involvement in various housing industry organizations.

Eric Hart, who was named President and CEO of Pulte Financial Services in 2023, will continue to lead the organization after Still’s departure.

PulteGroup is one of America’s largest homebuilders with operations in more than 45 markets throughout the country. Trading at an attractive P/E ratio of 7.6 and currently showing signs of being undervalued according to InvestingPro Fair Value analysis, the company has demonstrated its commitment to shareholder returns through aggressive share buybacks and maintaining dividend payments for 13 consecutive years. For deeper insights into PulteGroup’s valuation and growth prospects, investors can access the comprehensive Pro Research Report, available exclusively on InvestingPro.

In other recent news, PulteGroup reported strong financial results for the first quarter of 2025, with earnings per share (EPS) of $2.57, surpassing the expected $2.47. Revenue also exceeded expectations, reaching $3.89 billion, $40 million over forecasts. Despite a challenging housing market, PulteGroup maintained robust gross margins at 27.5% and a strong return on equity of 25.4%. Fitch Ratings revised PulteGroup’s outlook to positive, affirming its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating at ’BBB+’ due to successful execution of its land-light strategy and consistent cash flow. Raymond James and UBS both adjusted their price targets for PulteGroup, with Raymond James lowering it to $115 while maintaining an Outperform rating, and UBS reducing it to $141, continuing with a Buy rating. Meanwhile, Barclays adjusted its price target to $98, maintaining an Equalweight rating, citing PulteGroup’s gross margin outperformance and revised full-year guidance. Despite these adjustments, analysts from Raymond James and UBS highlighted PulteGroup’s strategic management, diverse customer base, and industry-leading margins as strengths in navigating the current economic landscape.

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