How did BZH's Q4 2024 EPS surprise investors?

Beazer Homes USA Inc. (BZH) reported a fourth-quarter fiscal 2024 EPS of $1.69, which reflected a decrease from the same period the previous year when EPS was $1.80. This decline might have been a surprise to some investors who expected a higher EPS, given the company's strong community growth and investment in land and land development, which increased by nearly 36% to over $750 million. However, the reported EPS still exceeded market expectations, as indicated by the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.36 per share. This positive surprise contributed to the company's shares gaining more than 2% in the trading session following the earnings release. In summary, while the EPS decline from the previous year might have been a surprise, the reported EPS exceeded investor expectations, leading to positive sentiment in the market. |code|Ticker|Name|Date|Diluted EPS YoY|Diluted EPS|market_code| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |BZH|BZH.N|Beazer Homes USA|2024 Q1|-12.50000000000001|0.7|169| |BZH|BZH.N|Beazer Homes USA|2024 Q2|11.504424778761074|1.26|169| |BZH|BZH.N|Beazer Homes USA|2024 Q3|-38.028169014084504|0.88|169| BZH EPS in Fiscal 2024 Q4>