Lynn Norusis

Lynn Norusis's Posts

• Economists at NAHB Confab See Positive Signs

  by Lynn Norusis

  The consensus among economists at the NAHB's Spring Construction Conference was that the nation is at, or very close to, the bottom of the "Great Recession," as some were calling it. Many of the economists said they see an upward move by the second half of 2009 but noted it will be a long recovery. A key indicator all of the speakers are watching is housing starts, which Mark Zandi of Moody's Economy.com said hit bottom in the first quarter of 2009.

• Meritage Buys 80 Arizona Lots

  by Lynn Norusis

  Meritage Homes Corp. (NYSE: MTH) became the proud owner of 80 finished lots in Chandler, Ariz. after it closed a recent note-purchase deal. Michael IlesCremieux, vice president of land acquisition for Meritage's Phoenix division, spoke with

• Pulte/Centex: A Corporate Who's Who

  by Lynn Norusis

  With the shock of Pulte's acquisition of Centex beginning to wear off, the clock has started to tick on putting the pro forma to plan. Pulte CEO Richard Dugas and Centex's former chief Tim Eller, who will serve as the new Pulte vice chairman for the next two years, will have to come up with a strategic plan to make the newly merged company work from a balance-sheet perspective. That means reducing redundancies, improving efficiencies, and ultimately putting the right people in the right place to ensure the company isn't just bigger but better than its competition.

• Analysts Surprised by Pulte-Centex Deal

  by Lynn Norusis

  But many appear to think the merger makes sense.

• Analysts Surprised by Deal, but Say It Makes Sense

  by Lynn Norusis

  After taking in the potential implications of the announcement, overall, analysts said they think Centex needs the deal.