Toll Brothers looking for light at end of the tunnel

06 02 2008

Toll Brothers looking for light at end of the tunnel

Posted by: in Companies Competitive Strategy

Filed under: Before the bell, Forecasts, Bad news, Products and services, Consumer experience, Competitive strategy, Toll Brothers (TOL), Housing

Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) said that it was still looking for the light at the end of the tunnel when it reported preliminary first quarter earnings, which marked the seventh straight quarter of declining revenues.

During the quarter, the company had a 22% drop in revenues from the same period last year. The company is getting hit from a couple of different angles including falling home prices. On top of that, the average number of canceled home orders has also been on the rise. Finally, the company reported that the number of signed contracts dropped 46% from the same period last year.

Across the nation, Toll is seeing weak conditions in most areas, and expects the current challenges to continue for some time. The company compared the current situation to that of the Titanic, “things don’t turn on a dime”. Interesting comparison for the company. When companies start to compare their industry to the fate of the Titanic, you really have to begin to wonder just how bad things have gotten, or are about to get. It definitely doesn’t paint a pretty picture if you ask me.

Shares of the stock are down about 1% this morning in the premarket. The company is due to report complete first quarter numbers on February 27.

Michael Fowlkes has worked as a stock trader for seven years and spent the last four years working as an analyst for the online investment advisory service Investor’s Observer.