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Investing.com -- On Tuesday, PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM) reported third-quarter earnings that exceeded analyst expectations, with revenue slightly outperforming estimates despite a challenging housing market environment.
The company’s shares edged up 0.19% in pre-market trading following the announcement.
The homebuilder posted earnings of $2.96 per share, beating the analyst consensus of $2.90, while revenue came in at $4.4 billion versus the expected $4.31 billion. However, net income fell to $586 million from $698 million in the same period last year, reflecting ongoing challenges in the housing market.
Home sale revenues decreased 2% to $4.2 billion compared to the prior year, as closings declined 5% to 7,529 homes. This was partially offset by a 3% increase in average sales price to $564,000, driven by a shift in geographic mix of homes closed.
"We remain disciplined in running our business consistent with PulteGroup’s long-term operating and financial strategies as we manage production volumes and capital allocation, while executing our operating model to drive high returns over the housing cycle," said Ryan Marshall, PulteGroup President and CEO.
Gross margin contracted to 26.2% from 28.8% in the third quarter of 2024, while SG&A expenses remained steady at 9.4% of home sale revenues. Net new orders decreased 6% to 6,638 homes, with a value of $3.6 billion compared to $3.9 billion in the prior year.
The company maintained a strong financial position, ending the quarter with $1.5 billion in cash and a debt-to-capital ratio of 11.2%. During the quarter, PulteGroup repurchased 2.4 million shares for $300 million, bringing the total for the first nine months of 2025 to 8.2 million shares for $900 million.
"We are encouraged to see that interest rates have moved lower, but continue to monitor buyer demand that has been impacted by weaker consumer confidence and ongoing affordability challenges," Marshall added.