Investor_NICK
Biotech & Technology Investor
Lennar appears to be propping up earnings by selling homes to Millrose, the REIT it spun off last year, while building poor-quality homes. Per a quoted report, Lennar sold 700+ homes, about $200M, to Millrose in roughly a month as it struggles to sell houses. It is unclear whether Berkshire Hathaway, which has been accumulating shares, is aware of the practice. x.comÂ
Lennar is a bad bet, because housing will not rise while a record affordability crisis is already here, and homebuilders should do poorly in coming quarters. The stock is fighting around $117, its 2021 peak and where its monthly 50-period moving average sits, and a drop below its 2005 level would be a big problem. x.comÂ
US homebuilders remain a place to avoid as Fed Chair Warsh's rate hike lands on an already weak housing market. Lennar reported orders down 9%, incentives running at 12% of the sale price and mortgage rates near 6.8%. x.comÂ
Lennar's shift toward an NVR-style asset-light model could let free cash flow and buybacks compound value even without a rerating. Having spun out Millrose and moved much of its land off the balance sheet, Lennar needs far less capital to grow, so when housing normalizes similar economics could return on a much smaller base. The market still prices it like the old land-heavy builder. NVR created value by shrinking its share count, not via a premium multiple. Ted Weschler is buying heavily. x.comÂ
US homebuilders look attractive because America remains structurally undersupplied with housing, and Berkshire Hathaway is buying quality builders while Wall Street focuses on near-term affordability pressure. Berkshire added about 2.74 million Lennar shares as elevated mortgage rates weigh on builder valuations, after acquiring Taylor Morrison and investing in D.R. Horton and NVR. Follow the smart money, but always mind the price. x.com x.comÂ
Ugly housing conditions provide the contrarian sentiment for a major homebuilder bull run over the next 12 months. Bears investing through the rearview mirror are going to be proven wrong. x.comÂ
Real estate stocks suffer badly as interest rates rise, and the sector needs help or its 50-day moving average will be taken out. Welltower, the sector's largest name, is starting to struggle to sustain its parabolic move. x.comÂ
The housing market is about to tank, which hurts homebuilders such as PulteGroup and KB Home. Recent results show net income down 75%, gross margins down 25% and operating margins down 75%, with major discounts needed to clear inventory. Builders citing higher land costs while still buying land at inflated values to build zero-margin homes is bankruptcy writing on the wall. x.comÂ
As the AI infrastructure crash takes form, its recessionary effect suppresses bond issuance and powerfully caps yields, giving battered housing, mortgage and related stocks a lift. Starwood Property Trust, Rocket Companies and Builders FirstSource should get a powerful boost as yields fall, with huge short covering and fundamental improvement; many in the group trade well below book value. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Lowe's is a high-quality long-term hold to buy while housing is out of favor. Its five-year chart looks flat because of post-Covid sentiment, but its share count has fallen substantially over the past decade, and it has beaten the S&P 500 over 10 and 20 years. Q1 was a double beat with sales up 10%, though guidance spooked investors. The $210 level was the target for adding, and the timing of a housing recovery is unknown. x.comÂ
Sherwin-Williams can earn much more as housing turnover normalizes, because its pricing power holds even while its biggest end market is broken. Paint Stores comps rose 4.2% in Q2 with existing home sales at a 4.06M pace, and FY26 EPS guidance rose to $11.80-12.20. A normal 5.3M year could add about $1.50-2 of EPS, or roughly $14 of earnings power, 24x at $330, with upside past $17 if input costs help. PPG's exit and Kelly Moore's liquidation leave it gaining pro share. x.com x.com x.com x.com … Show more