Hedgeye Cartoon of the Day: Against the Tides
It is 2.1.23, and Active Short MPW is overvalued by approximately... whatever the current share price is. Do you really want to play here? Lot's of smoke, and pretty spooky... everyone has been sufficiently warned at this point.
Tickers: AMH, INVH, TCN
Company Names: Active Shorts Invitation Homes, Tricon and AMH
Subsectors: Single-Family Rentals (SFR)
Headline: If builders continue to cut prices, does the SFR "pricing power" narrative hold?
Investors will be very familiar with the SFR narrative of "people cannot afford a home yet want to live in a single family dwelling, therefore SFR is the only option and affords the SFRs pricing power." What is clear from publicly-traded homebuilder commentary is that, while demand remains depressed amidst high absolute inflation and mortgage rates, home sales volume is improving on the margin driven by builder price reductions and other concessions. So if homes are becoming MORE affordable on the margin, is the SFR pricing power narrative still valid heading into a deeper Quad 4? We question their ability to push rents as aggressively as seen over 2021-3Q22, especially with Active Short INVH, for example, commanding a +25-30% average rate premium today in certain cases vs. an MAA. Of course it remains to be seen as to whether the housing downturn will be of a "short duration" as LEN commented below. Typically homebuilders perform well in a proper Quad 4 as the Fed is cutting rates.
- PulteGroup (PHM) 4Q22 Earnings Call:
- While 2021 orders were down ~27% y/y in 2022 due to consumers being priced out of the market, PHM "saw buyer demand improve as the fourth quarter progressed and can confirm this strength continued through the month of January."
- Net sign-ups (absolute number and absorption pace) increased in each month of 4Q and into January.
- "Buyers have been responding to the decline in mortgage rates."
- "... we continue to implement programs that enable consumers to buy homes in today's higher rate environment. The cost of these programs, which might include rate buy-downs, lower lot premiums, or even price reductions can be seen in our higher Q4 incentives. In the fourth quarter, incentives increased to 4.3% of sales price."
- D.R. Horton (DHI) 4Q22 Earnings Call:
- "Beginning in June 2022 and continuing through today, we have seen a moderation in housing demand due to affordability challenges caused by the significant rise in mortgage rates, coupled with high inflation and general economic uncertainty."
- "We have seen increased sales activity in the first few weeks of January."
- "We are continuing to offer mortgage interest rate locks and buy downs and other incentives to drive traffic to our communities, and we are reducing home prices where necessary to optimize the returns on our inventory investments."
- Lennar Corporation (LEN) 4Q22 Earnings Call:
- "The very sudden movement in interest rates experienced over the past six months have very quickly affected both affordability and consumer confidence, resulting in a very rapid change in market conditions and demand. Sales and sales prices are down materially across both the new and existing home markets. And given commercial underwriting and lending criteria, new for rent properties are being curtailed as well."
- "On a positive note, very limited new home inventory exists, limited existing home supply exists... And very limited multifamily production combines with the chronic housing production shortfall over the past decade and leaves the industry in the middle of what we believe will be a fairly short duration correction without an inventory overhang to resolve."
- "The result of this program is that margin, as opposed to volume, becomes the so called, shock absorber and fluctuates up and down like an accordion as market conditions, especially interest rates change. Accordingly, interest rate changes, especially downward, potentially improve lagging margins."
- "In the fourth quarter, we saw our margins adjust rather quickly, down some 270 basis points to 25.3% before impairment as we used price reductions plus incentives in the form of both closing cost payments and interest rate buy downs to offset volatile interest rate and market shifts."
- KB Home (KBH) 4Q22 Earnings Call:
- "And after peaking in November, cancellations declined in December, and we anticipate a further moderation in January and February."
- "That said, the current housing market continues to be weak in the face of higher mortgage rates, persisting inflationary pressures, and an uncertain economic outlook, which have made buyers more cautious since the middle of last year."
- "While we continue to emphasize delivering our still large backlog, we are also selectively getting more aggressive on pricing reductions and other concessions on a community-by-community basis ahead of the spring selling season. By the end of the first quarter, we expect to be taking steps in most of our communities, as we will have delivered more of our existing backlog."
- "Concurrent with the pricing and concession moves, we are pursuing significant reduction in our construction cost and cycle times."
- "While we recognize that price is the most effective sales lever to generate new orders, we also know that if we lower the base price in a community on new sales, many buyers in backlog will expect to receive a similar reduction, regardless of the rate at which they may have locked their loan. As a result, it is typically not advantageous for us to lower the base price to a market clearing point in our high backlog communities, as the impact to the prices of homes already sold could be significant, particularly in what is traditionally a slower time of year for sales. That said, we have adjusted pricing in communities with smaller backlogs, where only a small percentage of that backlog would be impacted."
Figure 1: Hedgeye REITs Position Monitor
Source: Company Reports, FactSet, Hedgeye
Prior Notes:
1.31.23 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | INVH CFO DEPARTURE + ADDING AMH TO ACTIVE SHORT LIST | 1.31.23 (AMH, INVH)
1.29.23 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | "RENTER BILL OF RIGHTS" + STEWARD WTF | 1.29.23 | (APARTMENTS, SFR, MPW)
1.27.23 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 1.27.23
1.27.23 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOL. XLI | REBUTTING THE SHASTA REBUTTAL | 1.27.23 (MPW)
1.26.23 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | RADI SALE PROCESS CONCLUDING NEXT MONTH? | 1.26.23 (EPR/AMC, RADI, SLG)
1.22.23 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | POTENTIAL FY23 BEATS & MISSES | 1.22.23 (AMH, CUBE, INVH, IRM, MPW, STAG)
1.20.23 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 1.20.23
1.20.23 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | OUR NOTES FROM THE PLD CALL | 1.20.23 (PLD)
1.20.23 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOL. XXXX | PROSPECT CROZER MIGHT BE A TOTAL LOSS | 1.20.23 (MPW)
1.16.23 - MONDAY NIGHT REIT READ | MULTIFAMILY UNDERWRITING + EPR + PIPELINE | 1.16.23 (EPR, APARTMENTS, MPW)
1.13.23 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOL. XXXIX | PIPELINE HEALTH IS SIMPLY INCREDIBLE | 1.13.23 (MPW)
1.13.23 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 1.13.23
1.13.23 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | UPDATING SFR #s FOR HIGHER NC PROPERTY TAXES | 1.13.23 (AMH, INVH)
1.12.23 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | POSITION MONITOR UPDATES | 1.12.23 (AMT, HIW, MAA, NSA, SBAC, VTR)
1.10.23 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | ADDING/REMOVING CUBE/SBAC TO ACTIVE SHORT LIST | 1.10.23 (CUBE, EXR, SBAC, WPC)
1.8.23 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | SD WHISTLEBLOWER CASE ACTIVITY + EPR FEEDBACK | 1.8.23 (INVH, EPR, MPW)
1.7.23 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOL. XXXVIII | ADD'L STEWARD VENDOR COMPLAINTS | 1.7.23 (MPW)
1.6.23 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 1.6.23
1.6.23 - EVENT REPLAY | NEW ACTIVE SHORT EPR PROPERTIES BLACK BOOK | 1.6.23 (EPR)
1.4.23 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXXVII | ARTICLE ON "PONZI HOSPITALS" | 1.4.23 (MPW)
1.4.23 - FLASH | JUDGE DENIES INVH'S MTD | 1.4.23 (INVH)
1.3.23 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | INITIAL THOUGHTS ON EPR | 1.3.23 (EPR)
1.1.23 - EVENT INVITE UPDATE | EPR PROPERTIES (EPR) BLACK BOOK | THURSDAY, 1/5 @ 12:30 PM ET
12.30.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 12.30.22
12.26.22 - MONDAY NIGHT REIT READ | MPW "CHEAT SHEET" | 12.26.22 (EPR, MPW)
12.23.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 12.23.22
12.22.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXXVI | STEWARD ABL EXTENSION + OUR QUESTIONS | 12.22.22 (MPW)
12.22.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | POSITION MONITOR UPDATE | 12.22.22 (EPR)
12.20.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 12.20.22 (CUBE, EXR, LSI, NSA, PSA, MPW)
12.18.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | TAKING AN "L" ON HR | 12.18.22 (HR, DOC)
12.16.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXXV | GOAL POSTS TORN DOWN? | 12.16.22 (MPW)
12.16.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 12.16.22
12.15.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | FLORIDA REINSURANCE BILL + MPW/STEWARD WTF? | 12.15.22 (AMH, INVH, TCN, MPW)
12.14.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | RENT CONTROL MEASURES + CEO CHANGE AT DLR | 12.14.22 (APARTMENTS, DLR)
12.14.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXXIV | GOALPOSTS CONSTANTLY MOVING... | 12.14.22 (MPW)
12.12.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXXIII | PIPELINE AUCTION CALLED OFF | 12.12.22 (MPW)
12.11.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | APARTMENT ITEMS + BREIT/SREIT + MPW MUSINGS | 12.11.22 (APARTMENTS, MPW)
12.9.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 12.9.22
12.9.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | INVH TAKES OUT 2018-1 SECURITIZATION | 12.9.22 (INVH)
12.6.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXXII | CIRCULATING THE CBS REPORT ON PROSPECT | 12.6.22 (MPW)
12.2.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 12.2.22
12.1.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | EQT "IN DISCUSSIONS" TO ACQUIRE RADI? | 12.1.22 (RADI)
11.29.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | HEALTHSCOPE PUSHED BACK + INDT BID | 11.29.22 (MPW, INDT)
11.28.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXX | PIPELINE BK UPDATE + STOCK IS NOT "CHEAP" | 11.28.22 (MPW)
11.27.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | POSITION MONITOR + VAL HANDBOOK | 11.27.22 (DLR, EQIX, HR, DOC, SBAC, MPW)
11.22.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | RESI NEWS ITEMS | 11.22.22
11.20.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | UHAL NUMBERS + POSITION MONITOR UPDATE | 11.20.22 (UHAL)
11.19.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXIX | UPON FURTHER REVIEW... | 11.19.22 (MPW)
11.18.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 11.18.22
11.16.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | NOTES FROM NAREIT DAY #1 | 11.16.22
11.15.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXVIII | IMPORTANT UPDATES FROM CMAX | 11.15.22 (MPW)
11.14.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXVII | HEALTHSCOPE PORTFOLIO SALE UPDATE | 11.14.22 (MPW)
11.13.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | POSITION MONITOR UPDATE | 11.13.22 (IRM, PGRE)
11.11.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 11.11.22
11.9.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | 3Q22 10-Q REVIEW | 11.9.22 (MPW)
11.9.22 - RADI 3Q22 RESULTS | 11.9.22
11.7.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | HEADING BACK TO CHERNOBYL... | 11.7.22 (MPW)
11.6.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | POSITION MONITOR UPDATE + SBAC REVIEW | 11.6.22 (ADC, O, NTST, SBAC)
11.5.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXIV | OPERATIONS SUSPENDED AT DCMH | 11.5.22 (MPW)
11.4.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | SOME FOLLOW UP ITEMS, INCLUDING ON INVH | 11.4.22
11.4.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 11.4.22
11.3.22 - AMH 3Q22 RESULTS | MORE PROPERTY TAX MEDICINE | 11.3.22
11.3.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | POSITION MONITOR UPDATE | 11.3.22
11.2.22 - LSI 3Q22 RESULTS | LSI TO THE RESCUE? | 11.2.22 (LSI)
11.2.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | OCTOBER APARTMENT RENT TRACKER | 11.2.22
11.2.22 - EXR 3Q22 RESULTS | OOF | 11.2.22 (EXR)
11.2.22 - PSA 3Q22 RESULTS | 11.2.22 (PSA)
11.1.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXIII | REAL-TIME LOOK AT TEXARKANA | 11.1.22 (MPW)
11.1.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXII | PIPELINE UNSECURED CREDITOR OBJECTION | 11.1.22 (MPW)
10.31.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | WE MADE A MISTAKE - ADJUSTING INVH NUMBERS | 10.31.22 (INVH)
10.31.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XXI | PIPELINE BK UPDATE | 10.31.22 (MPW)
10.30.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | UPDATED INVH MODEL ASSUMPTIONS | 10.30.22 (INVH, MPW)
10.28.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XX | BACK TO THAT DRY HOLE IN TX... | 10.28.22 (MPW)
10.28.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 10.28.22
10.28.22 - STAG 3Q22 RESULTS | 10.28.22 (STAG)
10.27.22 - INVH POST-3Q22 CALL THOUGHTS | 10.27.22 (INVH)
10.26.22 - MAA 3Q22 RESULTS | 10.27.22 (MAA)
10.26.22 - INVH 3Q22 RESULTS | PERHAPS THE WORST QTR IN RECENT MEMORY FOR A "BLUE CHIP" | 10.26.22 (INVH)
10.26.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XIX | 3Q22 PREVIEW | 10.26.22 (MPW)
10.26.22 - EQR 3Q22 RESULTS | ANOTHER DECEL IN LEASING SPREADS | 10.26.22 (EQR)
10.25.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | THOUGHTS ON NXRT'S 3Q22 | 10.25.22 (NXRT)
10.25.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XVIII | I'M THE CAPTAIN NOW... | (MPW)
10.25.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XVII | THAT'S SOME EXPENSIVE GRASS! | (MPW)
10.23.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | LOT'S TO READ ON SFR | 10.23.22 (VRE, AMH, INVH, TCN, MPW, SBAC)
10.21.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 10.21.22
10.21.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | THC NEGATIVE READ ACROSS FOR STEWARD ET AL | 10.21.22 (MPW)
10.20.22 - REITS CLIENT ALERT | 10.20.22 (MPW)
10.20.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 3Q22 EARNINGS NOTES | 10.20.22 (REXR, CCI)
10.19.22 - CLARIFICATION ON MAA PORTION OF PRIOR NOTE | 10.19.22 (MAA)
10.19.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | NOTES FROM PLD'S 3Q + SUDDEN MAA CHANGE | 10.19.22 (PLD, MAA, MPW)
10.17.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | ELS MISS + SFR CONSIDERATIONS AROUND QUARTERRA | 10.18.22 (ELS, AMH, INVH, TCN)
10.16.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | ADDING STAG TO ACTIVE LONG LIST | 10.16.22 (STAG, MPW)
10.15.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XV | RESPONDING TO CEO INTERVIEW | (MPW)
10.14.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 10.14.22
10.11.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 10.11.22 (CPT, INVH, MPW)
10.10.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XIV | WE CALL YOUR BLUFF | (MPW)
10.10.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XIII | HEALTHSCOPE SALE WOULD LIKELY BE DILUTIVE | (MPW)
10.9.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | 10.9.22 (RE FUND FLOWS, MPW, VNO)
10.7.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 10.7.22
10.7.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XII | WHAT EXACTLY IS "CREF?" | (MPW)
10.6.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME XI | PROSPECT BUYING BACK CT HOSPITALS FROM MPW | (MPW)
10.5.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | FACEBOOK TERMINATING 225 PARK AVE LEASE | 10.5.22 (GATEWAY OFFICE, MAA)
10.4.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | WHERE ARE INVH'S + SUI'S IAN UPDATES? | 10.4.22 (INVH, SUI, MPW)
10.3.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME X | TAKEAWAYS FROM INITIAL PIPELINE FILINGS | (MPW)
10.3.22 - FLASH | THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME IX | MPW's ~#12 TENANT FILES IN BK COURT | (MPW)
10.3.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ (ON MONDAY MORNING) | 10.3.22 (SBAC, WY)
10.1.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 10.1.22
9.30.22 - FLASH | (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME VIII - DID STEWARD JUST BLOW UP? | (MPW)
9.30.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME VII - NOTHING TO SAY? | (MPW)
9.29.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | DIVVY HOMES LAYOFFS / GENERAL EXTERNAL GROWTH SLOWDOW | 9.29.22 (AMH, INVH, TCN)
9.28.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | WEN STEWARD CREDIT FACILITY? | 9.28.22 (MPW, APARTMENTS)
9.28.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME VI - A FAMILY AFFAIR (MPW)
9.26.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | IAN MUCH MORE THREATENING | 9.26.22 (ELS, SUI, AMH, INVH)
9.25.22 - SUNDAY NIGHT REIT READ | TS IAN SWINGING WEST | 9.25.22 (RESIDENTIAL)
9.23.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME V - THE CURIOUS CASE OF DISAPPEARING WORK EXPERIENCE | 9.23.22
9.23.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 9.23.22
9.20.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME IV - SO... ABOUT THAT ~$335 MILLION LOAN | 9.20.22 (MPW)
9.18.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME III - I'M ON A BOAT! | 9.18.22 (MPW)
9.16.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK & POSITION MONITOR UPDATE | 9.16.22 (STOR)
9.15.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME 2 - WHATS A WHISTLEBLOWER TO DO? | 9.15.22 (MPW)
9.15.22 - THE (DIS)TRUST SERIES | VOLUME 1 - SEMC NLRB COMPLAINT | 9.15.22 (MPW)
9.14.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | 9.14.22 (CPT, MAA, NXRT)
9.13.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | RESIDENTIAL UPDATES FLOODING IN | 9.13.22 (AMH, INVH)
9.9.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 9.9.22
9.7.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF PART II | WHAT REALLY HAPPENED W/ WATSONVILLE? | 9.7.22 (MPW)
9.7.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | LOOK AT RENT CONTROL MEASURES ON THE NOV BALLOT | 9.7.22 (RESIDENTIAL)
9.5.22 - MONDAY NIGHT REIT READ | INVH ADDED TO S&P 500 + MORE MPW THOUGHTS | 9.5.22 (INVH, MPW)
9.2.22 - REITS WEEKLY VALUATION HANDBOOK | 9.2.22
9.1.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF PART II | PROBABILITY UP THAT COMPLAINT GOES MULTI-STATE | 9.1.22 (INVH)
9.1.22 - REITS DAILY BRIEF | POSITION MONITOR UPDATES | 9.1.22 (EQR, PGRE)
Please e-mail with any questions.
Rob Simone, CFA
Managing Director
Twitter: @HedgeyeREITs
