(Updates with Moody's comment, stock price.)
By Dawn Wotapka and Angela Pruitt
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- Shares of Lennar Corp. (LEN) soared more than 13% Friday, following a late Thursday announcement that it sold $400 million in senior notes due in 2017, a surprising move that helps ease liquidity concerns.
The news also signals hope for home builders, further showing frozen credit markets are thawing for the battered industry that's struggling to survive a prolonged downturn.
"This placement has huge implications for the rest of the home builder space," wrote Pali Research's Stephen East. "Bluntly, the debt markets are open for the builders and one should expect other offerings in rapid succession."
Possibilities he lists include industry giant DR Horton (DHI), Meritage (MTH) and NVR Inc.(NVR). Horton and NVR weren't immediately available for comment. Meritage declined to comment.
Lennar's offering comes just after luxury builder Toll Brothers (TOL) sold $400 million senior notes due in 2017 with coupon at 8.91%. Before Toll, no builder had issued senior debt after 2006, though Meritage sold senior sub-debt in 2007, according to Moody's Investors Service.
Lennar's rate, however, was 12.25%. But the offering was scaled up from $250 million, indicating strong demand. This, in addition to the recent $275 million equity shelf filing, should bolster the builder.
Even without the potential offering, cash raised on the debt offering will service nearly two-thirds of debt maturities coming due in 2009 and 2010, East said.
Joe Snider, a vice president and senior credit officer with Moody's, said the news erases a "cloud of uncertainty overhanging the company" with regard to near-term maturities. Its debt rating was lowered further into junk territory recently, in part, because the builder had more debt coming due in the next three years than it had cash available, he said.
Now,"when one works through all the expected cash needs from debt maturities, JV cash outlays and land spend, we believe LEN is now in excellent shape to not only survive, but thrive," East said.
The Miami-based company, one of the nation's largest builders, said it will use the proceeds for general corporate purposes, possibly including repayment or repurchase of near-term debt maturities or of debt of its joint ventures that it has guaranteed.
The deal was priced at 98.123, and the yield at 12.625%.
Shares of Lennar spiked more than 15% in early trading, before retreating slightly to a 13.38% gain, though it continued to easily lead the sector. The Dow Jones US Home Construction Index recently traded up 3.54%.
-By Dawn Wotapka; Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5248; dawn.wotapka@dowjones.com