Meritage Homes Increases Quarterly Cash Dividend and Renews Programmatic Share Repurchase Strategy

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meritage Homes Corporation (NYSE:MTH, "Meritage" or the "Company")), the fifth-largest public homebuilder in the U.S., today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.43 per share. This quarterly cash dividend is payable on March 31, 2025 to shareholders of record as of the close of trading on March 17, 2025. This compares to a quarterly cash dividend of $0.375 per share in 2024, which reflects the two-for-one stock split that was completed on January 2, 2025.

Additionally, Meritage has renewed its programmatic share repurchase of $15 million during each quarter of 2025 while continuing to be opportunistic under the right market conditions. This repurchase plan is intended to be an evergreen plan unless explicitly changed by the Company.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information included in this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include the Company's intention to treat its share repurchase commitment as an evergreen plan.

Such statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of Company management and current market conditions, which are subject to significant uncertainties and fluctuations. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The Company makes no commitment, and disclaims any duty, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or changes in these expectations. Meritage's business is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. As a result of those risks and uncertainties, the Company's stock and note prices may fluctuate dramatically. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: increases in interest rates or decreases in mortgage availability, and the cost and use of rate locks and buy-downs; the cost of materials used to develop communities and construct homes; cancellation rates; supply chain and labor constraints; shortages in the availability and cost of subcontract labor; the ability of our potential buyers to sell their existing homes; our ability to acquire and develop lots may be negatively impacted if we are unable to obtain performance and surety bonds; the adverse effect of slow absorption rates; legislation related to tariffs; impairments of our real estate inventory; competition; home warranty and construction defect claims; failures in health and safety performance; fluctuations in quarterly operating results; our level of indebtedness; our exposure to counterparty risk with respect to our capped calls; our ability to obtain financing if our credit ratings are downgraded; our exposure to and impacts from natural disasters or severe weather conditions; the availability and cost of finished lots and undeveloped land; the success of our strategy to offer and market entry-level and first move-up homes; a change to the feasibility of projects under option or contract that could result in the write-down or write-off of earnest money or option deposits; our limited geographic diversification; our exposure to information technology failures and security breaches and the impact thereof; the loss of key personnel; changes in tax laws that adversely impact us or our homebuyers; our inability to prevail on contested tax positions; failure of our employees and representatives to comply with laws and regulations; our compliance with government regulations; liabilities or restrictions resulting from regulations applicable to our financial services operations; negative publicity that affects our reputation; potential disruptions to our business by an epidemic or pandemic, and measures that federal, state and local governments and/or health authorities implement to address it; and other factors identified in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those set forth in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the caption "Risk Factors," which can be found on our website at https://investors.meritagehomes.com.

About Meritage Homes Corporation

Meritage is the fifth-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2023. The Company offers energy-efficient and affordable entry-level and first move-up homes. Operations span across Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Meritage has delivered almost 200,000 homes in its 39-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and award-winning customer experience. The Company is an industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding, an eleven-time recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award and Residential New Construction Market Leader Award, as well as a four-time recipient of the EPA's Indoor airPLUS Leader Award.

For more information, visit www.meritagehomes.com.