Beazer Homes 10-K 9-30-2005

10-K 1 body.htm BEAZER HOMES 10-K 9-30-2005 Beazer Homes 10-K 9-30-2005

FORM 10-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

(Mark One)

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2005

o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission file number: 001-12822

Beazer Homes USA, Inc.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

	Delaware		58-2086934
	(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1000 Abernathy Road, Suite 1200, Atlanta, Georgia 30328

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(Registrant's telephone number including area code) (770) 829-3700

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

	Title of Securities		Exchanges on which Registered
	Common Stock, $.001 par value per share		New York Stock Exchange
	Preferred Share Purchase Rights		New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Act). Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the

Act). Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the

Act). Yes o No x

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant

(40,415,652 shares) as of March 31, 2005, based on the closing sale price per share as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on such date, was $2,015,124,409.

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s Common Stock as of November 30, 2005 was 41,192,244.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

		Part of 10-K where incorporated
Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2006 Annual Meeting of Stockholders		III

Website Access to Company Reports

Beazer Homes’ Internet website address is www.beazer.com. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act are available free of charge through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file with or furnish them to the Securities and Exchange Commission and are available in print to any stockholder who requests a printed copy.

BEAZER HOMES USA, INC.

FORM 10-K

INDEX

		Page Number
PART I.
Item 1.	Business	2
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	10
Item 2.	Properties	13
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings	13
Item 4.	Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders	14

PART II.
Item 5.	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	16
Item 6.	Selected Financial Data	18
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	20
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	34
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	35
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	66
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	66
Item 9B.	Other Information	67

PART III.
Item 10.	Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant	67
Item 11.	Executive Compensation	67
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	67
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions	67
Item 14.	Principal Accounting Fees and Services	67

PART IV.
Item 15.	Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules	68

SIGNATURES

Index

PART I

Item 1. Business

Our principal executive offices are located at 1000 Abernathy Road, Suite 1200, Atlanta, Georgia 30328, telephone (770) 829-3700. We also provide information about our active communities and mortgage financing through our Internet website located at http://www.beazer.com. Information on our website is not a part of and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in this report.

We design, sell and build primarily single-family homes in the following locations within the United States:

Region/State		Market(s) / Year Entered

Southeast Region:
Florida		Jacksonville (1993), Fort Myers/Naples (1996), Tampa/St. Petersburg (1996), Orlando (1997), Sarasota (2005)
Georgia		Atlanta (1985), Savannah (2005)
North Carolina		Charlotte (1987), Raleigh/Durham (1992), Greensboro (1999)
South Carolina		Charleston (1987), Columbia (1993), Myrtle Beach (2002)
Tennessee/Mississippi		Nashville (1987), Memphis (2002), Northern Mississippi (2002)

West Region:
Arizona		Phoenix (1993)
California		Los Angeles County (1993), Orange County (1993), Riverside and San Bernardino Counties (1993), San Diego County (1992), Ventura County (1993), Sacramento (1993), Fresno (2005)
Colorado		Denver (2001), Colorado Springs (2003)
New Mexico		Albuquerque (2005)
Nevada		Las Vegas (1993)

Central Region:
Texas		Dallas/Ft. Worth (1995), Houston (1995)

Mid-Atlantic Region:
Maryland/Delaware		Baltimore (1998), Metro-Washington, D.C. (1998), Delaware (2003)
New Jersey/New York/Pennsylvania		Central and Southern New Jersey (1998), Bucks County, PA (1998), Orange County, NY (2005)
Virginia/West Virginia		Fairfax County (1998), Loudoun County (1998), Prince William County (1998), West Virginia (2004)

Midwest Region:
Indiana		Indianapolis (2002), Ft. Wayne (2002)
Kentucky		Lexington (2002)
Ohio		Columbus (2002), Cincinnati/Dayton (2002)

We design our homes at various price points to appeal to homebuyers across various demographic segments. Our objective is to provide our customers at each price point with homes that incorporate exceptional value and quality while seeking to maximize our return on invested capital. To achieve this objective, we have developed a business strategy which focuses on the following elements:

Geographic Diversity and Growth Markets. We compete in a large number of geographically diverse markets in an attempt to reduce our exposure to any particular regional economy. Within these markets, we build homes in a variety of projects. Our business strategy entails further increasing our market penetration and investing in our most profitable markets.

Index

Leverage of National Brand. Our national branding strategy presents us as one company with one name, one logo, one message and one purpose. We feel that this strengthened national brand identity better positions us to consistently address the needs of our customers across all of our markets.

Leverage Size, Scale and Capabilities to Achieve Optimal Efficiencies. We have implemented specific profitability initiatives which focus on leveraging our size, scale and capabilities in order to achieve enhanced gross profit and operating profit margins. These initiatives include:

leveraging our size to create economies of scale in purchasing and construction;

standardizing best practices and product designs;

using branding and increased market penetration to maximize efficiency of land use; and

leveraging our fixed cost infrastructure by increasing depth and breadth in markets where we have an established presence.

Quality Homes at Various Price Points to Meet the Needs of Increasingly Diverse Homebuyers. We seek to maximize customer satisfaction by offering homes which incorporate quality materials, distinctive design features, convenient locations and competitive prices. During fiscal year 2005, the average sales price of our homes closed was approximately $271,300. Our product strategy entails addressing the needs of an increasingly diverse profile of buyers as evidenced by demographic trends including, among others, increased immigration, changing profiles of households, the aging of the baby-boomers, and the rise of the echo-boomers (children of the baby-boomers) into the ranks of homeownership. Our product offering is broken down into the following product categories:

Economy. These homes are targeted primarily at entry-level buyers, are generally 1,500 square feet or less in size, and are intended to meet the needs of those buyers for whom price is the most important factor in the buying decision.

Value. These homes are targeted at entry-level and move-up buyers, generally range from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet in size, and are intended to appeal to buyers who are more interested in style and features, but are still somewhat price-focused.

Style. These homes are targeted at more affluent move-up buyers, are generally greater than 2,500 square feet in size, and are intended to appeal to buyers in the more luxurious segment of the market, who place greater emphasis on style and features.

In addition, we also offer homes to the ‘active adult’ segment which is targeted to buyers over 55 years of age, in communities with special amenities. We offer these homes within the Economy, Value and Style categories described above.

Additional Products and Services for Homebuyers. In order to maximize our profitability and provide our customers with the additional products and services that they desire, we have incorporated design studios and mortgage origination operations into our business. Recognizing that our customers want to choose certain components of their new home, we offer limited customization through the use of design studios in most of our markets. These design studios allow the customer to select certain non-structural customizations for their homes such as cabinetry, flooring, fixtures, appliances and wall coverings. Additionally, recognizing the homebuyer's desire to simplify the financing process, we originate mortgages on behalf of our customers through our subsidiary Beazer Mortgage Corporation, or Beazer Mortgage. Beazer Mortgage originates, processes and brokers mortgages to third-party investors. Beazer Mortgage generally does not retain or service the mortgages that it brokers. Beginning in the second or third quarter of fiscal year 2006, Beazer Mortgage will finance our mortgage lending activities with borrowings under a new warehouse line of credit or from general corporate funds prior to selling the loans and their servicing rights shortly after origination to third-party investors. We also provide title services to our customers in many of our markets.

Conservative Land Policies. We seek to maximize our return on capital by judiciously managing our investment in land. To reduce the risks associated with investments in land, we often use options to control land. We generally do not speculate in land which is not subject to entitlements providing basic development rights to the owner.

Index

Company History

In March 1994, we completed a concurrent initial public offering of common stock and issuance of senior notes (the “IPO”). Prior to our IPO, we were an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Hanson PLC (“Hanson”), a company registered in the United Kingdom. Hanson currently does not hold any investment, or ongoing interest, in us.

Markets and Product Description

We evaluate a number of factors in determining which geographic markets to enter or in which markets to concentrate our homebuilding activities. We attempt to anticipate swings in economic and real estate conditions by evaluating such statistical information as:

the historical and projected growth of the population;

the number of new jobs created or projected to be created;

the number of housing starts in previous periods;

building lot availability and price;

housing inventory;

level of competition; and

home sale absorption rates.

We generally seek to differentiate ourselves from our competition in a particular market with respect to customer service and product type. We maintain the flexibility to alter our product mix within a given market, depending on market conditions. In determining our product mix, we consider demographic trends, demand for a particular type of product, margins, timing and the economic strength of the market. Although some of our Value and Style homes are priced at the upper end of the market, and we offer a selection of amenities, we generally do not build "custom homes." We attempt to maximize efficiency by using standardized design plans whenever possible.

The following table summarizes certain operating information regarding our markets as of and for the year ended September 30, 2005 (dollars in thousands):

State	Number of Active Subdivisions		Number of Homes Closed		Average Closing Price		Units in Backlog at Year End		Dollar Value of Backlog at Year End
Arizona/New Mexico		30		1,662	$	234.1		1,348	$	385,513
California		40		2,572		420.8		917		393,464
Colorado		22		544		336.3		123		43,462
Florida		34		2,236		267.6		1,259		401,309
Georgia		22		780		235.2		180		51,844
Indiana		85		1,395		142.0		951		149,990
Kentucky		6		154		158.0		94		16,823
Maryland/Delaware		24		606		372.2		480		169,788
Nevada		14		1,452		327.4		729		269,918
New Jersey/NewYork/ Pennsylvania		13		477		372.7		215		87,150
North and South Carolina		79		2,536		167.5		1,359		246,313
Ohio		45		704		184.3		289		54,548
Tennessee/Mississippi		25		814		199.7		276		68,910
Texas		51		1,427		161.8		515		82,537
Virginia/West Virginia		28		787		555.7		498		300,175
Total Company		518		18,146	$	271.3		9,233	$	2,721,744

Our homebuilding and marketing activities are conducted under the name of Beazer Homes in each of our markets.

Index

Corporate Operations

We perform the following functions at a centralized level:

evaluate and select geographic markets;

allocate capital resources to particular markets for land acquisitions;

maintain and develop relationships with lenders and capital markets to regulate the flow of financial resources;

maintain centralized information systems; and

monitor the operations of our subsidiaries and divisions.

We allocate capital resources necessary for new projects in a manner consistent with our overall operating strategy. We will vary the capital allocation based on market conditions, results of operations and other factors. Capital commitments are determined through consultation among selected executive and operational personnel, who play an important role in ensuring that new projects are consistent with our strategy. Centralized financial controls are also maintained through the standardization of accounting and financial policies and procedures.

Structurally, we operate through separate divisions, which are generally located within the areas in which they operate. In addition, each division is equipped with the skills to complete the functions of land acquisition, land entitlement, land development, construction, marketing, sales and product service.

Land Acquisition and Development

Generally, the land we acquire is purchased only after necessary entitlements have been obtained so that we have the right to begin development or construction as market conditions dictate. In certain situations, we will purchase property without all necessary entitlements where we perceive an opportunity to build on such property in a manner consistent with our strategy. The term "entitlements" refers to subdivision approvals, development agreements, tentative maps or recorded plats, depending on the jurisdiction within which the land is located. Entitlements generally give a developer the right to obtain building permits upon compliance with conditions that are usually within the developer's control. Although entitlements are ordinarily obtained prior to the purchase of land, we are still required to obtain a variety of other governmental approvals and permits during the development process.

We select our land for development based upon a variety of factors, including:

internal and external demographic and marketing studies;

suitability for development during the time period of one to five years from the beginning of the development process to the last closing;

centralized corporate-level management review of all decisions;

financial review as to the feasibility of the proposed project, including profit margins and returns on capital employed;

the ability to secure governmental approvals and entitlements;

environmental and legal due diligence;

competition in the area;

proximity to local traffic corridors and amenities; and

management's judgment as to the real estate market and economic trends and our experience in a particular market.

We generally purchase land or obtain an option to purchase land, which, in either case, requires certain site improvements prior to construction. Where required, we then undertake or, in the case of land under option, the grantor of the option then undertakes, the development activities (through contractual arrangements with local developers), which include site planning and engineering, as well as constructing road, sewer, water, utilities, drainage and recreational facilities and other amenities. When available in certain markets, we also buy finished lots that are ready for construction.

Index

We strive to develop a design and marketing concept for each of our projects, which includes determination of size, style and price range of the homes, layout of streets, layout of individual lots and overall community design. The product line offered in a particular project depends upon many factors, including the housing generally available in the area, the needs of a particular market and our cost of lots in the project. We are, however, often able to use standardized design plans.

The development and construction of each project is managed by our operating divisions, each of which is generally led by a president who, in turn, reports directly or indirectly to our Chief Operating Officer. At the development stage, a manager (who may be assigned to several projects and reports to the president of the division) supervises development of buildable lots. In addition, a builder is responsible for each project site to supervise actual construction, and each division has one or more customer care and marketing representatives assigned to projects operated by that division.

The following table sets forth, by state, land controlled by us as of September 30, 2005:

	Lots Owned
	Undeveloped Lots(1)		Lots Under Development		Finished Lots		Homes Under Construction(2)		Total Lots Owned		Total Lots Under Contract		Total Lots Controlled
Southeast Region:
Georgia		-		498		267		235		1,000		1,784		2,784
Florida		353		2,929		1,283		1,159		5,724		5,611		11,335
North and South Carolina		60		2,565		1,146		1,136		4,907		8,721		13,628
Tennessee/Mississippi		-		1,073		132		427		1,632		2,010		3,642
West Region:
Arizona/New Mexico		-		1,187		913		816		2,916		8,315		11,231
California		-		4,454		159		869		5,482		7,319		12,801
Colorado		-		541		117		246		904		1,834		2,738
Nevada		-		1,847		504		615		2,966		1,468		4,434
Central Region:
Texas		670		2,983		1,840		640		6,133		1,837		7,970
Mid-Atlantic Region:
Maryland/Delaware		-		1,138		294		344		1,776		4,620		6,396
New Jersey/New York/ Pennsylvania		-		167		384		245		796		4,880		5,676
Virginia/West Virginia		41		735		208		261		1,245		3,405		4,650
Midwest Region:												-
Indiana		1,020		4,046		2,215		725		8,006		4,246		12,252
Kentucky		-		471		37		107		615		452		1,067
Ohio		1,628		1,073		921		340		3,962		1,828		5,790
Total		3,772		25,707		10,420		8,165		48,064		58,330		106,394

(1)

“Undeveloped Lots” consists of raw land that is expected to be developed into the respective number of lots reflected in this table.

(2)

The category “Homes Under Construction” represents lots on which construction of a home has commenced.

Option Contracts. We acquire certain lots by means of option contracts. Option contracts generally require the payment of a cash deposit or issuance of a letter of credit for the right to acquire lots during a specified period of time at a certain price. Our option contracts generally have expiration periods ranging from one to 60 months.

Under option contracts, both with and without specific performance, purchase of the properties is contingent upon satisfaction of certain requirements by us and the sellers. Our obligation with respect to options with specific performance is included on our consolidated balance sheet in other liabilities at September 30, 2005. At September 30, 2005, we are committed to future amounts under option contracts with specific performance obligations that aggregated $10.4 million, net of cash deposits. Under option contracts without specific performance obligations, our liability is generally limited to forfeiture of the non-refundable deposits, letters of credit and other non-refundable amounts incurred, which aggregated approximately $332.4 million at September 30, 2005. This amount includes non-refundable letters of credit of approximately $35.0 million. At September 30, 2005, future amounts under option contracts without specific performance obligations aggregated approximately $2.8 billion, net of cash deposits.

Index

Construction

We act as the general contractor for the construction of our projects. Our project development operations are controlled by our subsidiaries and divisions, whose employees supervise the construction of each project, coordinate the activities of subcontractors and suppliers, subject their work to quality and cost controls and assure compliance with zoning and building codes. We specify that quality, durable materials be used in the construction of our homes. Our subcontractors follow design plans prepared by architects and engineers who are retained by us and whose designs are geared to the local market. Subcontractors typically are retained on a project-by-project basis to complete construction at a fixed price. Agreements with our subcontractors and materials suppliers are generally entered into after competitive bidding. In connection with this competitive bid process, we obtain information from prospective subcontractors and vendors with respect to their financial condition and ability to perform their agreements with us. We do not maintain significant inventories of construction materials, except for materials being utilized for homes under construction. We have numerous suppliers of raw materials and services used in our business, and such materials and services have been, and continue to be, available. Material prices may fluctuate, however, due to various factors, including demand or supply shortages, which may be beyond the control of our vendors. From time to time we enter into regional and national supply contracts with certain of our vendors. We believe that our relationships with our suppliers and subcontractors are good.

Construction time for our homes depends on the availability of labor, materials and supplies, product type and location. Homes are designed to promote efficient use of space and materials, and to minimize construction costs and time. In all of our markets, construction of a home is typically completed within three to six months following commencement of construction. At September 30, 2005, we had 1,112 finished homes (excluding models), of which 698 were sold and included in backlog at such date.

Warranty Program

For homes sold through March 31, 2004 (and in certain markets through July 31, 2004), we self-insured our structural warranty obligations through our wholly owned risk retention group. Beginning with homes sold April 1, 2004 (August 1, 2004 in certain markets), our warranties are issued, administered, and insured by independent third parties. Under the current program, we provide a variety of construction defect warranties for our homes, ranging from a minimum of ten years up to the period covered by the applicable statute of repose, whichever is greater.

We provide a one to two year limited warranty of workmanship and materials with each of our homes, which generally includes home visits with the customer during the first year following the purchase of a home. We subcontract our homebuilding work to subcontractors who generally provide us with an indemnity and a certificate of insurance prior to receiving payments for their work and, therefore, claims relating to workmanship and materials are generally the primary responsibility of our subcontractors. In addition, the first year of our warranty covers defects in plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling and ventilation systems, and construction defects; the second year of such warranty covers construction defects and certain defects in plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling and ventilation systems of the home (exclusive of defects in appliances, fixtures and equipment); and the remaining years of protection cover only construction defects.

In addition, we maintain third-party insurance for most construction defects that we encounter in the normal course of business. We believe that our accruals and third-party insurance are adequate to cover the ultimate resolution of our potential liabilities associated with known and anticipated warranty and construction defect related claims and litigation.

There can be no assurance, however, that the terms and limitations of the limited warranty will be effective against claims made by the homebuyers, that we will be able to renew our insurance coverage or renew it at reasonable rates, that we will not be liable for damages, the cost of repairs, and/or the expense of litigation surrounding possible construction defects, soil subsidence or building related claims or that claims will not arise out of uninsurable events or circumstances not covered by insurance and not subject to effective indemnification agreements with our subcontractors.

Index

Marketing and Sales

We make extensive use of advertising and other promotional activities, including our website (http://www.beazer.com), mass-media advertisements, brochures, direct mail and the placement of strategically located signboards in the immediate areas of our developments.

We normally build, decorate, furnish and landscape between one and five model homes for each project and maintain on-site sales offices. At September 30, 2005, we maintained 683 model homes, of which 490 were owned and 193 were leased from third parties pursuant to sale and leaseback agreements. We believe that model homes play a particularly important role in our marketing efforts.

We generally sell our homes through commissioned employees (who typically work from the sales offices located at the model homes used in the subdivision) as well as through independent brokers. Our personnel are available to assist prospective homebuyers by providing them with floor plans, price information and tours of model homes, and in connection with the selection of options. The selection of interior features is a principal component of our marketing and sales efforts. Sales personnel are trained by us and attend periodic meetings to be updated on sales techniques, competitive products in the area, the availability of financing, construction schedules and marketing and advertising plans, which management believes results in a sales force with extensive knowledge of our operating policies and housing products. Our policy also provides that sales personnel be licensed real estate agents where required by law. We also build a number of homes for which no signed sales contract exists at the time of commencement of construction. The use of an inventory of such homes is necessary to satisfy the requirements of relocated personnel and of independent brokers, who often represent customers who require a completed home within 60 days. At September 30, 2005, excluding models, we had 2,046 homes at various stages of completion (of which 414 were completed) for which we had not received a sales contract.

We sometimes use various sales incentives in order to attract homebuyers. The use of incentives depends largely on local economic and competitive market conditions.

Customer Financing

We provide customer financing through Beazer Mortgage. Beazer Mortgage provides mortgage origination services only, and generally does not retain or service the mortgages that it originates. Through September 30, 2005, these mortgages were generally funded by one of a network of mortgage lenders. Beginning in the second or third quarter of fiscal year 2006, Beazer Mortgage will finance our mortgage lending activities with borrowings under a new warehouse line of credit or from general corporate funds prior to selling the loans and their servicing rights shortly after origination to third-party investors. Beazer Mortgage can provide qualified homebuyers numerous financing options, including a wide variety of conventional, FHA and VA financing programs. In certain situations, we will seek to assist our homebuyers in obtaining financing from outside mortgage lenders and, in certain limited circumstances, we may attempt to minimize potential risks relating to the availability of customer financing by purchasing mortgage financing commitments that lock in the availability of funds and interest rates at specified levels for a certain period of time. Because substantially all homebuyers utilize long-term mortgage financing to purchase a home, adverse economic conditions, increases in unemployment and high mortgage interest rates may deter and eliminate a substantial number of potential homebuyers from our markets in the future. In addition, we provide title services to our homebuyers in many of our markets.

Competition and Market Factors

The development and sale of residential properties is highly competitive and fragmented. We compete for residential sales on the basis of a number of interrelated factors, including location, reputation, amenities, design, quality and price, with numerous large and small homebuilders, including some homebuilders with nationwide operations and greater financial resources and/or lower costs than us. We also compete for residential sales with individual resales of existing homes, available rental housing and, to a lesser extent, resales of condominiums. We believe that we compare favorably to other builders in the markets in which we operate, due primarily to:

Index

our experience within our geographic markets and breadth of product line, which allows us to vary our regional product offerings to reflect changing market conditions;

our responsiveness to market conditions, enabling us to capitalize on the opportunities for advantageous land acquisitions in desirable locations;

our reputation for quality design, construction and service; and

our focus on providing customers with a product they enjoy.

The housing industry is cyclical and is affected by consumer confidence levels and prevailing economic conditions generally, including interest rate levels. A variety of other factors affect the housing industry and demand for new homes, including the availability of labor and materials and increases in the costs thereof, changes in costs associated with homeownership such as increases in property taxes and energy costs, changes in consumer preferences, demographic trends and the availability of and changes in mortgage financing programs.

Government Regulation and Environmental Matters

Generally, our land is purchased with entitlements, giving us the right to obtain building permits upon compliance with specified conditions, which generally are within our control. Upon compliance with such conditions, we must obtain building permits. The length of time necessary to obtain such permits and approvals affects the carrying costs of unimproved property acquired for the purpose of development and construction. In addition, the continued effectiveness of permits already granted is subject to factors such as changes in policies, rules and regulations and their interpretation and application. Several governmental authorities have imposed impact fees as a means of defraying the cost of providing certain governmental services to developing areas. To date, the governmental approval processes discussed above have not had a material adverse effect on our development activities, and indeed all homebuilders in a given market face the same fees and restrictions. There can be no assurance, however, that these and other restrictions will not adversely affect us in the future.

We may also be subject to periodic delays or may be precluded entirely from developing communities due to building moratoriums or "slow-growth" or "no-growth" initiatives or building permit allocation ordinances which could be implemented in the future in the states and markets in which we operate. Substantially all of our land is entitled and, therefore, the moratoriums generally would only adversely affect us if they arose from health, safety and welfare issues such as insufficient water or sewage facilities. Local and state governments also have broad discretion regarding the imposition of development fees for projects in their jurisdictions. These fees are normally established, however, when we receive recorded final maps and building permits. We are also subject to a variety of local, state and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning the protection of health and the environment. These laws may result in delays, cause us to incur substantial compliance and other costs, and prohibit or severely restrict development in certain environmentally sensitive regions or areas.

Bonds and Other Obligations

We are frequently required, in connection with the development of our projects, to obtain letters of credit and performance, maintenance and other bonds in support of our related obligations with respect to such developments. The amount of such obligations outstanding at any time varies in accordance with our pending development activities. In the event any such bonds or letters of credit are drawn upon, we would be obligated to reimburse the issuer of such bonds or letters of credit. At September 30, 2005 we had approximately $47.9 million and $470.1 million of outstanding letters of credit and performance bonds, respectively, related to our obligations to local governments to construct roads and other improvements in various developments, in addition to outstanding letters of credit of approximately $44.9 million related to our land option contracts. We do not believe that we will be required to draw upon any such bonds or letters of credit.

Employees and Subcontractors

At September 30, 2005, we employed 4,578 persons, of whom 968 were sales and marketing personnel, 1,522 were executive, management and administrative personnel, 1,756 were involved in construction and 332 were personnel of Beazer Mortgage. Although none of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements, certain of the subcontractors engaged by us are represented by labor unions or are subject to collective bargaining arrangements. We believe that our relations with our employees and subcontractors are good.

Index

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Our home sales and operating revenues could decline due to macro-economic and other factors outside of our control, such as changes in consumer confidence and declines in employment levels.

Changes in national and regional economic conditions, as well as local economic conditions where we conduct our operations and where prospective purchasers of our homes live, may result in more caution on the part of homebuyers and, consequently, fewer home purchases. These economic uncertainties involve, among other things, conditions of supply and demand in local markets and changes in consumer confidence and income, employment levels, and government regulations. These risks and uncertainties could periodically have an adverse effect on consumer demand for and the pricing of our homes, which could cause our operating revenues to decline. A reduction in our revenues could, in turn, negatively affect the market price of our securities.

A substantial increase in mortgage interest rates or unavailability of mortgage financing may reduce consumer demand for our homes.

Virtually all purchasers of our homes finance their acquisitions through lenders providing mortgage financing. A substantial increase in mortgage interest rates or unavailability of mortgage financing would adversely affect the ability of prospective first-time and move-up homebuyers to obtain financing for our homes, as well as adversely affect the ability of prospective move-up homebuyers to sell their current homes. As a result, our margins, revenues and cash flows may also be adversely affected.

If we are unsuccessful in competing against our homebuilding competitors, our market share could decline or our growth could be impaired and, as a result, our financial results could suffer.

Competition in the homebuilding industry is intense, and there are relatively low barriers to entry into our business. Increased competition could hurt our business, as it could prevent us from acquiring attractive parcels of land on which to build homes or make such acquisitions more expensive, hinder our market share expansion, and lead to pricing pressures on our homes that may adversely impact our margins and revenues. If we are unable to successfully compete, our financial results could suffer and the value of, or our ability to service, our debt could be adversely affected. Our competitors may independently develop land and construct housing units that are superior or substantially similar to our products. Furthermore, some of our competitors have substantially greater financial resources and lower costs of funds than we do. Many of these competitors also have longstanding relationships with subcontractors and suppliers in the markets in which we operate. We currently build in several of the top markets in the nation and, therefore, we expect to continue to face additional competition from new entrants into our markets.

We could experience a reduction in home sales and revenues or reduced cash flows due to our inability to acquire land for our housing developments if we are unable to obtain reasonably priced financing to support our homebuilding activities.

The homebuilding industry is capital intensive, and homebuilding requires significant up-front expenditures to acquire land and begin development. Accordingly, we incur substantial indebtedness to finance our homebuilding activities. Although we believe that internally generated funds and available borrowings under our revolving credit facility will be available to fund our capital and other expenditures (including land purchases in connection with ordinary development activities), the amounts available from such sources may not be sufficient. If such sources are not sufficient, we would seek additional capital in the form of equity or debt financing from a variety of potential sources, including additional bank financing and/or securities offerings. The amount and types of indebtedness which we may incur are limited by the terms of the indentures governing our existing debt. In addition, the availability of borrowed funds, especially for land acquisition and construction financing, may be greatly reduced nationally, and the lending community may require increased amounts of equity to be invested in a project by borrowers in connection with both new loans and the extension of existing loans. If we are not successful in obtaining sufficient capital to fund our planned capital and other expenditures, we may be unable to acquire land for our housing developments. Additionally, if we cannot obtain additional financing to fund the purchase of land under our option contracts, we may incur contractual penalties and fees.

Index

Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition, limit our growth and make it more difficult for us to satisfy our debt obligations.

As of September 30, 2005, we had approximately $1.3 billion, net of unamortized discount of approximately $4.1 million, of outstanding indebtedness. Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to us and the holders of our securities, including, among other things:

causing us to be unable to satisfy our obligations under our debt agreements;

making us more vulnerable to adverse general economic and industry conditions;

making it difficult to fund future working capital, land purchases, acquisitions, share repurchases, general corporate purposes or other purposes; and

causing us to be limited in our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business.

In addition, subject to restrictions in our existing debt instruments, we may incur additional indebtedness. In particular, as of September 30, 2005, we had available borrowings of approximately $530.1 million under our revolving credit facility. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could intensify. Our growth plans and our ability to make payments of principal or interest on, or to refinance, our indebtedness, will depend on our future operating performance and our ability to enter into additional debt and/or equity financings. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows in the future to service our debt, we may be required to refinance all or a portion of our existing debt, to sell assets or to obtain additional financing. We may not be able to do any of the foregoing on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

We are subject to extensive government regulation which could cause us to incur significant liabilities or restrict our business activities.

Regulatory requirements could cause us to incur significant liabilities and operating expenses and could restrict our business activities. We are subject to local, state and federal statutes and rules regulating, among other things, certain developmental matters, building and site design, and matters concerning the protection of health and the environment. Our operating expenses may be increased by governmental regulations such as building permit allocation ordinances and impact and other fees and taxes, which may be imposed to defray the cost of providing certain governmental services and improvements. Other governmental regulations, such as building moratoriums and "no growth" or "slow growth" initiatives, which may be adopted in communities which have developed rapidly, may cause delays in home projects or otherwise restrict our business activities resulting in reductions in our revenues. Any delay or refusal from government agencies to grant us necessary licenses, permits and approvals could have an adverse effect on our operations.

We may incur additional operating expenses due to compliance programs or fines, penalties and remediation costs pertaining to environmental regulations within our markets.

We are subject to a variety of local, state and federal statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations concerning the protection of health and the environment. The particular environmental laws which apply to any given community vary greatly according to the community site, the site's environmental conditions and the present and former use of the site. Environmental laws may result in delays, may cause us to implement time consuming and expensive compliance programs and may prohibit or severely restrict development in certain environmentally sensitive regions or areas. From time to time, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and similar federal or state agencies review homebuilders' compliance with environmental laws and may levy fines and penalties for failure to strictly comply with applicable environmental laws or impose additional requirements for future compliance as a result of past failures. Any such actions taken with respect to us may increase our costs. Further, we expect that increasingly stringent requirements will be imposed on homebuilders in the future. Environmental regulations can also have an adverse impact on the availability and price of certain raw materials such as lumber. Our projects in California are especially susceptible to restrictive government regulations and environmental laws.

We may be subject to significant potential liabilities as a result of construction defect, product liability and warranty claims made against us.

As a homebuilder, we have been, and continue to be, subject to construction defect, product liability and home warranty claims, including moisture intrusion and related mold claims, arising in the ordinary course of business. These claims are common to the homebuilding industry and can be costly.

We and certain of our subsidiaries have been, and continue to be, named as defendants in various construction defect claims, product liability claims, complaints and other legal actions that include claims related to moisture intrusion and mold. Furthermore, plaintiffs may in certain of these legal proceedings seek class action status with potential class sizes that vary from case to case. Class action lawsuits can be costly to defend, and if we were to lose any certified class action suit, it could result in substantial potential liability for us. We record reserves for such matters in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Index

With respect to certain general liability exposures, including construction defect, moisture intrusion and related mold claims and product liability, interpretation of underlying current and future trends, assessment of claims and the related liability and reserve estimation process is highly judgmental due to the complex nature of these exposures, with each exposure exhibiting unique circumstances. Furthermore, once claims are asserted for construction defects, it is difficult to determine the extent to which the assertion of these claims will expand geographically. Although we have obtained insurance for construction defect claims, such policies may not be available or adequate to cover any liability for damages, the cost of repairs, and/or the expense of litigation surrounding current claims, and future claims may arise out of uninsurable events or circumstances not covered by insurance and not subject to effective indemnification agreements with our subcontractors.

Our operating expenses could increase if we are required to pay higher insurance premiums or litigation costs for claims involving construction defect and product liability claims, which could cause our net income to decline.

The costs of insuring against construction defect and product liability claims are high, and the amount and scope of coverage offered by insurance companies is currently limited. This coverage may be further restricted and may become more costly.

Increasingly in recent years, lawsuits (including class action lawsuits) have been filed against builders, asserting claims of personal injury and property damage caused by the presence of mold in residential dwellings. Our insurance may not cover all of the claims, including personal injury claims, arising from the presence of mold, or such coverage may become prohibitively expensive. If we are not able to obtain adequate insurance against these claims, we may experience losses that could reduce our net income and restrict our cash flow available to service debt.

Historically, builders have recovered from subcontractors and their insurance carriers a significant portion of the construction defect liabilities and costs of defense that the builders have incurred. Insurance coverage available to subcontractors for construction defects is becoming increasingly expensive, and the scope of coverage is restricted. If we cannot effectively recover from our subcontractors or their carriers, we may suffer greater losses which could decrease our net income.

Builders' ability to recover against any available insurance policy depends upon the continued solvency and financial strength of the insurance carrier that issued the policy. Many of the states in which we build homes have lengthy statutes of limitations applicable to claims for construction defects. To the extent that any carrier providing insurance coverage to us or our subcontractors becomes insolvent or experiences financial difficulty in the future, we may be unable to recover on those policies, and our net income may decline.

We are dependent on the services of certain key employees, and the loss of their services could hurt our business.

Our future success depends upon our ability to attract, train, assimilate and retain skilled personnel. If we are unable to retain our key employees or attract, train, assimilate or retain other skilled personnel in the future, it could hinder our business strategy and impose additional costs of identifying and training new individuals. Competition for qualified personnel in all of our operating markets is intense. A significant increase in the number of our active projects would necessitate the hiring of a significant number of additional construction managers, who are in short supply in our markets.

We are dependent on the continued availability and satisfactory performance of our subcontractors, which, if unavailable, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We conduct our construction operations only as a general contractor. Virtually all construction work is performed by unaffiliated third-party subcontractors. As a consequence, we depend on the continued availability of and satisfactory performance by these subcontractors for the construction of our homes. There may not be sufficient availability of and satisfactory performance by these unaffiliated third-party subcontractors in the markets in which we operate. In addition, inadequate subcontractor resources could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Index

We experience fluctuations and variability in our operating results on a quarterly basis and, as a result, our historical performance may not be a meaningful indicator of future results.

Our operating results in a future quarter or quarters may fall below expectations of securities analysts or investors and, as a result, the market value of our common stock will fluctuate. While we have reported positive annual net income for each of the past five fiscal years, we historically have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, variability in home sales and net earnings on a quarterly basis. As a result of such variability, our historical performance may not be a meaningful indicator of future results. Our quarterly results of operations may continue to fluctuate in the future as a result of a variety of both national and local factors, including, among others:

the timing of home closings and land sales;

our ability to continue to acquire additional land or secure option contracts to acquire land on acceptable terms;

conditions of the real estate market in areas where we operate and of the general economy;

raw material and labor shortages;

seasonal homebuying patterns; and

other changes in operating expenses, including the cost of labor and raw materials, personnel and general economic conditions.

The occurrence of natural disasters could increase our operating expenses and reduce our revenues and cash flows.

The climates and geology of many of the states in which we operate, including California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, present increased risks of natural disasters. To the extent that hurricanes, severe storms, earthquakes, droughts, floods, wildfires or other natural disasters or similar events occur, our homes under construction or our building lots in such states could be damaged or destroyed, which may result in losses exceeding our insurance coverage. Any of these events could increase our operating expenses, impair our cash flows and reduce our revenues, which could, in turn, negatively affect the market price of our securities.

Future terrorist attacks against the United States or increased domestic or international instability could have an adverse effect on our operations.

Adverse developments in the war on terrorism, future terrorist attacks against the United States, or any outbreak or escalation of hostilities between the United States and any foreign power, including the armed conflict with Iraq, may cause disruption to the economy, our Company, our employees and our customers, which could adversely affect our revenues, operating expenses, and financial condition.

Item 2. Properties

We lease approximately 86,000 square feet of office space in Atlanta, Georgia to house our corporate headquarters. We also lease an aggregate of approximately 590,000 square feet of office space for our subsidiaries’ operations at various locations. We own approximately 18,500 square feet of warehouse space and an aggregate of 57,872 square feet of office space in Nashville, Tennessee and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

In November 2003, Beazer Homes received a request for information from the EPA pursuant to Section 308 of the Clean Water Act seeking information concerning the nature and extent of storm water discharge practices relating to certain of our projects completed or under construction. The EPA has since requested information on additional projects and has conducted site inspections at a number of locations. In certain instances, the EPA or the equivalent state agency has issued Administrative Orders identifying alleged instances of noncompliance and requiring corrective action to address the alleged deficiencies in storm water management practices. As of September 30, 2005, no monetary penalties have been imposed in connection with such Administrative Orders. The EPA has reserved the right to impose monetary penalties at a later date, the amount of which, if any, cannot currently be estimated. Beazer Homes has taken action to comply with the requirements of each of the Administrative Orders and is working to otherwise maintain compliance with the requirements of the Clean Water Act.

Index

The Company and certain of its subsidiaries have been named as defendants in various claims, complaints and other legal actions, most relating to moisture intrusion and related mold claims, construction defects and product liability. Certain of the liabilities resulting from these actions are covered by insurance. With respect to certain general liability exposures, including construction defect, moisture intrusion and related mold claims and product liability, interpretation of underlying current and future trends, assessment of claims and the related liability and reserve estimation process is highly judgmental due to the complex nature of these exposures, with each exposure exhibiting unique circumstances. In particular, for construction defect liability there is a high degree of uncertainty relating to whether insurance coverage exists, when losses occur, the size of each loss, expectations for future interpretive rulings concerning contract provisions and the extent to which the assertion of these claims will expand geographically. In the Company’s opinion, based on its current assessment, the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on Beazer Homes’ financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

No matters were submitted during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year covered by this report to a vote of security holders, through the solicitation of proxies or otherwise.

SEPARATE ITEM: EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Name	Age	Position
Executive Officers
Ian J. McCarthy	52	President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Michael H. Furlow	55	Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
James O’Leary	42	Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Kenneth J. Gary	47	Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary
C. Lowell Ball	48	Senior Vice President, General Counsel - Real Estate
Cory J. Boydston	46	Senior Vice President, Treasurer
Fred Fratto	51	Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Michael T. Rand	43	Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer
John Skelton	56	Senior Vice President, Forward Planning
Jonathan P. Smoke	36	Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Innovation

Business Experience

IAN J. MCCARTHY. Mr. McCarthy is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Beazer Homes and has served as a director of Beazer Homes since the IPO. Mr. McCarthy has served as President of predecessors of Beazer Homes since January 1991 and was responsible for all United States residential homebuilding operations in that capacity. During the period May 1981 to January 1991, Mr. McCarthy was employed in Hong Kong and Thailand, becoming a director of Beazer Far East and from January 1980 to May 1981 was employed by Kier, Ltd., a company engaged in the United Kingdom construction industry which became an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Beazer PLC. Mr. McCarthy is a Chartered Civil Engineer with a Bachelor of Science degree from The City University, London. Mr. McCarthy currently serves as a member of the Board of HomeAid America. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Builder Homesite, Inc. and the Board of Directors of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He was inducted into the California Building Industry Hall of Fame in 2004, the first non-California resident to receive this honor.

MICHAEL H. FURLOW. Mr. Furlow joined us in October 1997 as the Executive Vice President for Operations and was named Chief Operating Officer in 1998. In this capacity, the Division Presidents report, directly or indirectly, to Mr. Furlow, and he is responsible for the performance of those operating divisions. During the 12 years prior to joining Beazer Homes, Mr. Furlow was with Pulte Home Corporation in various field and corporate roles, most recently as a Regional President. Mr. Furlow received a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Accounting from the University of West Florida and initially worked as a Certified Public Accountant for Arthur Young & Company.

Index

JAMES O’LEARY. Mr. O’Leary joined us in June 2002 as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development. In August 2003 he was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. O’Leary was previously with U.S. Industries, Inc. from 1995 to 2002. From 2000 to 2002, Mr. O’Leary was Chairman and CEO of LCA Group, Inc., U.S. Industries’ global lighting subsidiary. He also served as Executive Vice President of U.S. Industries from 1999 to 2002, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1998 to 1999 and Vice President and Corporate Controller from 1995 to 1998. Mr. O’Leary held various financial and operational positions at Hanson PLC., U.S. Industries’ former parent company, from 1993 to 1995, at which time U.S. Industries was spun off to Hanson’s shareholders. Mr. O’Leary was with Deloitte & Touche from 1985 to 1993. Mr. O’Leary holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Pace University. Mr. O’Leary is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Mr. O’Leary currently serves on the Board of Directors of Kaydon Corporation.

KENNETH J. GARY. Mr. Gary joined us in March 2005 as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. From 1990 to March 2005, Mr. Gary served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Toll Brothers, Inc. He also served as Chief Executive Officer of that company’s mortgage and title insurance subsidiaries. Prior to 1990, Mr. Gary served as Counsel of Bell Atlantic Properties, the real estate subsidiary of Bell Atlantic Corporation (now known as Verizon Communications) and practiced real estate and corporate law with two major law firms for several years. Mr. Gary is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was an editor of the Law Review.

C. LOWELL BALL. Mr. Ball joined us in August 2000 as Senior Vice President and currently serves as General Counsel - Real Estate. From 1992 to August 2000, Mr. Ball held senior positions with commercial real estate investment, development-operating companies, including Regent Partners, Inc., Compass Management and Leasing, Inc. and Dutch Institutional Holding Company. Prior to 1992, Mr. Ball practiced law for ten years with two major law firms. Mr. Ball graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina where he was a Morehead Scholar.

CORY J. BOYDSTON. Mrs. Boydston joined us in January 1998 as Vice President and Treasurer, and was promoted to Senior Vice President in October 2004. Mrs. Boydston is currently responsible for the Treasury functions of the Company. She also oversees the Company’s Title and Homeowner Insurance operations. Prior to joining Beazer, Mrs. Boydston was with Lennar Corporation from 1987 to 1997, serving in various capacities, including Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Controller, and Chief Financial Officer, Investment Division. Before joining Lennar, Mrs. Boydston was with Hayes Microcomputer Products and Arthur Andersen & Co. Mrs. Boydston received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Florida State University in 1981 and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

FRED FRATTO. Mr. Fratto joined us in October, 2002 as Vice President, Human Resources and was promoted to Senior Vice President in October 2004. Prior to joining Beazer Homes, Mr. Fratto served as Vice President, Human Resources and Administration for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation from 1999 to 2002. Previously, Mr. Fratto was with the Newell Rubbermaid Company from 1995 to 1999 and Westinghouse Electric Corporation from 1980 to 1995. He holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from West Virginia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairmont State College.

MICHAEL T. RAND. Mr. Rand joined us in November 1996 as Vice President, Operational and Accounting Controls and was promoted to Vice President, Corporate Controller in June of 1998. Mr. Rand was promoted to Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller in October 2002, and to Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer in August 2004. Prior to joining Beazer Homes, Mr. Rand was with the firm KPMG Peat Marwick from 1984 to 1996, at which time he served as a Senior Audit Manager. Mr. Rand holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

JOHN SKELTON. Mr. Skelton served as Senior Vice President, Operations from the IPO through fiscal 1998, was appointed Senior Vice President, Financial Planning in fiscal 1999 and appointed Senior Vice President, Forward Planning in fiscal 2003. Mr. Skelton served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Beazer Homes, Inc., a subsidiary of Beazer Homes, since 1985 and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Beazer Homes Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Beazer Homes, since April 1993. During the period 1977 to 1985, Mr. Skelton served as Finance Director of Leech Homes, a subsidiary of Leech PLC which was acquired by Beazer PLC in 1985. After graduating with a bachelor's degree from Durham University in the United Kingdom, he was employed by Deloitte & Touche and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Index

JONATHAN P. SMOKE. Mr. Smoke joined us in March 2001 as Vice President, eBusiness, was appointed Chief Information Officer in April 2002, was promoted to Senior Vice President in September 2003 and appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Innovation in October 2005. Mr. Smoke was previously with Lend Lease Corporation from 1999 to 2001 where he was responsible for eBusiness strategy and initiatives. Mr. Smoke was a management consultant with Deloitte & Touche from 1993 to 1999. Mr. Smoke holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rhodes College.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market Information

The Company lists its common shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol “BZH.” On November 30, 2005, the last reported sales price of the Company’s common stock on the NYSE was $ 69.97. On November 30, 2005, Beazer Homes USA, Inc. had approximately 180 shareholders of record and 41,192,244 shares of common stock outstanding. The following table sets forth, for the quarters indicated, the range of high and low trading for the Company’s common stock during fiscal 2005 and 2004, as adjusted for the effect of the Company’s March 2005 three-for-one stock split.

	1st Quarter		2nd Quarter		3rd Quarter		4th Quarter

Fiscal Year 2005:
High	$	49.46	$	58.83	$	60.71	$	67.50
Low	$	32.55	$	44.67	$	43.99	$	55.05

Fiscal Year 2004:
High	$	36.53	$	37.66	$	35.70	$	36.62
Low	$	27.80	$	29.42	$	29.72	$	28.81

Dividends

For fiscal 2005, the Company paid quarterly cash dividends aggregating $0.33 per common share or a total of approximately $13.9 million. For fiscal 2004, adjusted for the stock split, we paid quarterly cash dividends aggregating $0.13 per common share, or a total of approximately $5.5 million. We expect to continue paying regular cash dividends on a quarterly basis. However, the Board of Directors will periodically reconsider the declaration of dividends, and we will pay dividends at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The continuation of payments, the amount of such dividends, and the form in which the dividends are paid (cash or stock) depends upon the results of operations, the financial condition of the Company and other factors which the Board of Directors deems relevant. The indentures under which our senior notes were issued contain certain restrictive covenants, including limitations on payment of dividends. At September 30, 2005, under the most restrictive covenants of each indenture, approximately $359 million of our retained earnings was available for cash dividends and for share repurchases.

Index

The following table provides information as of September 30, 2005 with respect to our shares of common stock that may be issued under our existing equity compensation plans, all of which have been approved by our stockholders:

Plan Category	Number of Common Shares to be Issued Upon Exercise of Outstanding Options	Weighted Average Exercise Price of Outstanding Options	Number of Common Shares Remaining Available for Future Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans (Excluding Common Shares Reflected in Column (a))
	(a)	(b)	(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by stockholders	1,654,751	$23.91	2,617,212

Issuer Purchases of Equity Secutities

Period	Total Number of Shares Purchased (1)	Average Price Paid Per Share	Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans	Maximum Number of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans

9/1/05 - 9/30/05	142,459	$56.80	--	--

(1) We did not repurchase any shares in the open market during fiscal 2005; however, 142,459 shares were surrendered to us by employees in payment of minimum tax obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock under our stock incentive plans. We valued the stock at the market price on the date of surrender, for an aggregate value of $8.1 million, or approximately $57 per share.

Index

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

(in thousands, except per share amounts)

	Year Ended September 30,
	2005			2004			2003			2002			2001
Statement of Operations Data:
Total revenue	$	4,995,353		$	3,907,109		$	3,177,408		$	2,641,173		$	1,805,177
Operating income before goodwill impairment (i)		617,153			377,935			279,155			193,174			121,027
Goodwill impairment (i)		130,235			-			-			-			-
Operating income (i)		486,918			377,935			279,155			193,174			121,027
Net income (i)		262,524			235,811			172,745			122,634			74,876
Net income per common share:
Basic (i), (ii)		6.49			5.91			4.47			3.88			3.06
Diluted (i), (ii)		5.87			5.59			4.26			3.58			2.73
Dividends paid per common share		0.33			0.13			-			-			-
Balance Sheet Data (end of year):
Cash	$	297,098		$	320,880		$	73,372		$	124,989		$	41,678
Inventory		2,901,165			2,344,095			1,723,483			1,364,133			844,737
Total assets (i)		3,770,516			3,163,030			2,219,407			1,902,319			998,456
Total debt		1,321,936			1,150,972			748,738			748,572			398,405
Stockholders' equity		1,504,688			1,232,121			993,695			799,515			351,195
Supplemental Financial Data:
Cash (used in)/provided by:
Operating activities	$	(84,263	)	$	(73,719	)	$	(41,049	)	$	59,464		$	(25,578	)
Investing activities		(48,470	)		(30,476	)		(6,552	)		(314,633	)		(72,835	)
Financing activities		108,951			351,703			(4,016	)		338,480			140,091
EBIT (iii)		581,722			452,774			340,980			245,060			155,983
EBITDA (iii)		602,896			468,529			354,200			254,513			165,236
Interest incurred (iv)		89,678			76,035			65,295			51,171			35,825
EBIT/interest incurred		6.49x			5.95x			5.22x			4.79x			4.35x
EBITDA/interest incurred		6.72x			6.16x			5.42x			4.97x			4.61x
Financial Statistics (v):