Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN and LEN.B), Miami on Wednesday reported a net profit of $453.2 million, or $1.37 per diluted share, for its third quarter ended August 31, 2018. The gain compared to third quarter net earnings attributable to Lennar in 2017 of $249.2 million, or $1.04 per diluted share.results. Wall Street was expecting a gain of $1.18.
Earnings in the third quarter of 2018 were reduced by $84.2 million ($0.21 per diluted share) of pretax backlog/construction in progress write-up related to purchase accounting and $12.0 million ($0.03 per diluted share) of pretax acquisition and integration costs related to CalAtlantic Group, Inc ("CalAtlantic"). This was partially offset by $34.1 million ($0.10 per diluted share) of tax benefits related to tax accounting method changes and energy credits.
Revenues from home sales increased 83% in the third quarter of 2018 to $5.2 billion from $2.8 billion in the third quarter of 2017. Revenues were higher primarily due to a 66% increase in the number of home deliveries, excluding unconsolidated entities, and a 10% increase in the average sales price of homes delivered. New home deliveries, excluding unconsolidated entities, increased to 12,600 homes in the third quarter of 2018 from 7,588 homes in the third quarter of 2017, primarily as a result of the significant increase in volume resulting from the CalAtlantic acquisition.
New orders came in at 12,319 homes, a 62% increase from the same period a year earlier. The dollar value of new orders dollar rose 73% to $5.1 billion. Backlog at quarter's end was 19,220 homes, up 88%; backlog dollar value of $8.4 billion was up 105%.
The average sales price of homes delivered was $415,000 in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $375,000 in the third quarter of 2017. The increase in average sales price was primarily resulting from the CalAtlantic acquisition. Sales incentives offered to home buyers were $22,900 per home delivered in the third quarter of 2018, or 5.2% as a percentage of home sales revenue, compared to $21,800 per home delivered in the third quarter of 2017, or 5.5% as a percentage of home sales revenue, and $23,000 per home delivered in the second quarter of 2018, or 5.3% as a percentage of home sales revenue.
Gross margins on home sales were $1.1 billion, or 20.3%, in the third quarter of 2018. Excluding the backlog/construction in progress write-up of $84.2 million related to purchase accounting adjustments on CalAtlantic homes that were delivered in the third quarter of 2018, gross margins on home sales were $1.1 billion or 21.9%. This compared to gross margins on home sales of $650.4 million, or 22.8%, in the third quarter of 2017, which included insurance recoveries of $10.3 million that positively impacted gross margin percentage by 30 basis points. Gross margin percentage on home sales decreased compared to the third quarter of 2017 primarily due to higher construction and land costs, partially offset by an increase in the average sales price of homes delivered.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were $446.7 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $262.5 million in the third quarter of 2017. As a percentage of revenues from home sales, selling, general and administrative expenses improved to 8.6% in the third quarter of 2018, from 9.2% in the third quarter of 2017, due to improved operating leverage as a result of an increase in home deliveries and continued benefit from technology initiatives. WCI Communities, Inc. ("WCI") transaction-related expenses had a negative 20 basis point impact to selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenues from home sales in the third quarter of 2017.
Gross profits on land sales were $3.3 million in the three months ended August 31, 2018, compared to $5.2 million in the three months ended August 31, 2017. Lennar Homebuilding equity in loss from unconsolidated entities was $15.4 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $9.7 million in the third quarter of 2017. In the third quarter of 2018, Lennar Homebuilding equity in loss from unconsolidated entities was primarily attributable to the company's share of valuation adjustments related to assets of a Lennar Homebuilding unconsolidated entity, partially offset by the company's share of net operating earnings from its other unconsolidated entities. In the third quarter of 2017, Lennar Homebuilding equity in loss from unconsolidated entities was primarily attributable to the Company's share of net operating losses from its unconsolidated entities, which was primarily driven by general and administrative expenses, as there were no significant land sale transactions for which the Company recognized its share of earnings during the third quarter of 2017. Lennar Homebuilding other income, net, was $12.9 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $2.8 million in the third quarter of 2017.
Lennar Homebuilding interest expense was $86.9 million in the third quarter of 2018 ($83.0 million was included in costs of homes sold, $0.8 million in costs of land sold and $3.1 million in other income, net), compared to $71.8 million in the third quarter of 2017 ($68.6 million was included in costs of homes sold, $0.9 million in costs of land sold and $2.3 million in other income, net). Interest expense included in costs of homes sold increased primarily due to an increase in home deliveries.
Operating earnings for the Lennar Financial Services segment were $56.6 million in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $49.1 million in the third quarter of 2017. Operating earnings were impacted by an increase in the segment's title and mortgage operations due to the acquisition of CalAtlantic's Financial Services operations, partially offset by a decrease in refinance transactions and lower mortgage profit per loan originated.
Operating earnings for the Rialto segment were $10.7 million in the third quarter of 2018 (which included $9.4 million of operating earnings and an add back of $1.2 million of net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests). Operating earnings in the third quarter of 2017 were $3.2 million (which included a $3.2 million operating loss and an add back of $6.4 million of net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests). The increase in operating earnings was primarily due to a decrease in real estate owned impairments due to the liquidation of the FDIC and bank portfolios earlier in the year as well as decreases in general and administrative expenses and interest expense. The increase in operating earnings was partially offset by decreases in incentive and interest income, as well as a decrease in Rialto Mortgage Finance ("RMF") securitization earnings due to lower average net margin.
Operating loss for the Lennar Multifamily segment was $3.9 million in the third quarter of 2018, primarily driven by selling, general and administrative expenses of the segment and equity in loss related to Lennar Multifamily Venture Fund I ("LMV Fund I") and other Multifamily joint ventures as a result of incurring expenses that exceeded revenues while rental operations were reaching stabilization. This was partially offset by $1.7 million of our share of gains from the sale of one operating property by a Lennar Multifamily unconsolidated entity as well as $5.1 million of promote revenue related to two properties in LMV Fund I. In the third quarter of 2017, the Lennar Multifamily segment had operating earnings of $9.1 million primarily due to the segment's $15.4 million share of gains as a result of the sale of two operating properties by Lennar Multifamily's unconsolidated entities and management fee income, partially offset by general and administrative expenses.
Corporate general and administrative expenses were $96.3 million, or 1.7% as a percentage of total revenues, in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $72.9 million, or 2.2% as a percentage of total revenues, in the third quarter of 2017. The decrease in corporate general and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues was due to improved operating leverage as a result of an increase in revenues.
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests were $14.4 million and ($5.6) million in the third quarter of 2018 and 2017, respectively. Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests during the third quarter of 2018 were primarily attributable to net earnings related to the Lennar Homebuilding consolidated joint ventures. Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in the third quarter of 2017 was primarily attributable to a net loss related to the FDIC's interest in the portfolio of real estate loans that the company acquired in partnership with the FDIC.
Stuart Miller, executive chairman of Lennar, said, "While national economic data has pointed to higher prices and rising interest rates causing slower overall sales, the basic underlying fundamentals of the housing industry of low unemployment, higher wages and low inventory levels remain favorable and are likely to support longer-term strength in the housing market."
Rick Beckwitt, CEO of Lennar, said, "Our home building business had a strong third quarter with new orders and deliveries both up 11% over last year, on a pro forma basis for the acquisition of CalAtlantic. Our homebuilding gross margin was 21.9% when adjusted to eliminate the effects of the write-up of CalAtlantic backlog and construction in progress in purchase accounting. Our SG&A of 8.6% marked an all-time, third-quarter low which shows our continued focus on leveraging our size and scale as well as utilizing our enhanced technologies to reduce costs."
Jon Jaffe, president and COO of Lennar, said, "With the CalAtlantic integration substantially completed, we are keenly focused on direct construction cost savings. The strategy of achieving material scale in local markets is playing out as planned and fits right into our focus of being the 'Builder of Choice' for national manufacturers, suppliers and local trades."
