By the Numbers: D.R. Horton, Fourth Quarter 2011

Behind the Numbers:

D.R. Horton executives are so sure that Horton is the largest home builder in the U.S. that they pronounced the company so on Friday when it released its year-end total of 17,176 homes closed in the 2011 calendar year. Pulte, it’s most likely closest rival for the title, doesn’t report sales totals until Feb. 2. Horton is only one quarter into its fiscal year, which started October 1, but it bothered to total up the calendar year’s total closings for the report. Horton also logged a profit for its first quarter, something Donald R. Horton, its chairman of the board, says the company plans to focus on for the other three quarters of its fiscal year. It’s off to a good start with both home deliveries and sales up by more than 13%. The company remains well positioned to continue to prosper and grow with $721 million in cash in its vault and a debt to total capital rate of a measly 17.5%. “Simply put, our business feels more positive," said Dom Tomnitz, Horton's CEO, on a call regarding the quarterly release. "We're entering fiscal year '12 feeling better than we have in six years, and it's been a long six years. We've started the year with $28 million of net income and double-digit percentage increases in our sales, closings, and backlog in the first quarter."

D.R. Horton’s fiscal year ends September 30.

Learn more about markets featured in this article: Dallas, TX.