Topic: How To Invest

Dear Pat: Could I please have your opinion on D.R. Horton? Thank you.

Article Excerpt

D.R. Horton, $21.57, symbol DHI on New York (Shares outstanding: 322.3 million; Market cap: $7.0 billion; www.drhorton.com), builds and sells single-family homes that range from 1,000 to 4,000 square feet and cost $90,000 to $600,000. The company operates in 73 markets in 25 states, including the northeastern, southeastern, midwestern, south-central, southwestern and western regions of the U.S. It also provides mortgage financing and title services. The pace of the U.S. housing recovery is uncertain, but the trend appears to be upward. Mortgage rates are still near record lows, and the backlog of foreclosures is shrinking. As well, banks are foreclosing on fewer properties, and hiring is slowly picking up. These are all pluses for housing markets. A drop in listings of both new and existing homes is also helping prices. In the three months ended March 31, 2013, D.R. Horton’s revenue rose 48.6%, to $1.4 billion from $935.6 million a year earlier. Earnings per share jumped to $0.35 from $0.13. The…