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Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Lennar Corporation and all subsidiaries, partnerships and other entities in which Lennar Corporation has a controlling interest and VIEs (see Note 8) in which Lennar Corporation is deemed the primary beneficiary (the "Company"). The Company’s investments in both unconsolidated entities in which a significant, but less than controlling, interest is held and in VIEs in which the Company is not deemed to be the primary beneficiary are accounted for by the equity method. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Revenue Recognition
Homebuilding revenues and related profits from sales of homes are recognized at the time of the closing of a sale, when title to and possession of the property are transferred to the homebuyer. The Company’s performance obligation, to deliver the agreed-upon home, is generally satisfied in less than one year from the original contract date. Cash proceeds from home closings held in escrow for the Company’s benefit, typically for approximately three to four days, are included in Homebuilding cash and cash equivalents in the Company's consolidated balance sheets. Contract liabilities include customer deposits liabilities related to sold but undelivered homes that are included in other liabilities in the Company's consolidated balance sheets. The Company periodically elects to sell parcels of land to third parties. Cash consideration from land sales is typically due on the closing date, which is generally when performance obligations are satisfied and revenue is recognized as title to and possession of the property are transferred to the buyer.
Advertising Costs
The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred. Advertising costs were $74.2 million, $72.6 million and $84.3 million for the years ended November 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Share-Based Payments
The Company has share-based awards outstanding under the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), which provides for the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted common stock ("nonvested shares") and other share based awards to officers, associates and directors. The exercise prices of stock options may not be less than the market value of the common stock on the date of the grant. Exercises are permitted in installments determined when options are granted. Each stock option will expire on a date determined at the time of the grant, but not more than 10 years after the date of the grant. The Company accounts for stock option awards and nonvested share awards granted under the Plan based on the estimated grant date fair value.
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Due to the short maturity period of cash equivalents, the carrying amounts of these instruments approximate their fair values. Homebuilding restricted cash consists of customer deposits on home sales held in restricted accounts until title transfers to the homebuyer, as required by the state and local governments in which the homes were sold, as well as funds on deposit to secure and support performance obligations. Financial Services restricted cash consists of upfront deposits and application fees LMF Commercial receives before originating loans and is recognized as income once the loan has been originated, as well as cash held in escrow by the Company’s loan service provider on behalf of customers and lenders and is disbursed in accordance with agreements between the transacting parties.
Homebuilding cash and cash equivalents as of November 30, 2021 and 2020 included $940.4 million and $314.3 million, respectively, of cash held in escrow for approximately three days.
Receivables
At November 30, 2021 and 2020, Homebuilding accounts receivable related primarily to other receivables and rebates. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral for accounts receivable. Mortgages and notes receivable arising from the sale of homes and land are generally collateralized by the property sold to the buyer. Allowances are maintained for potential credit losses based on historical experience, present economic
conditions and other factors considered relevant by the Company. Balances for the years ended November 30, 2021 and 2020 are noted below:
November 30,
(In thousands)20212020
Accounts receivable$245,004 133,560 
Mortgages and notes receivable247,805 167,909 
492,809 301,469 
Allowance for credit losses(2,531)(2,798)
Receivables, net (1)$490,278 298,671 
(1)At November 30, 2021, receivables, net included an $85 million short-term loan due from Upward America that was repaid subsequent to November 30, 2021.
Inventories
Finished homes and construction in progress are included within inventories. Inventories are stated at cost unless the inventory within a community is determined to be impaired, in which case the impaired inventory is written down to fair value. Inventory costs include land, land development and home construction costs, real estate taxes, deposits on land purchase contracts and interest related to development and construction. Construction overhead and selling expenses are expensed as incurred. Homes held-for-sale are classified as inventories until delivered. Land, land development, amenities and other costs are accumulated by specific area and allocated to homes within the respective areas.
The Company reviews its inventory for indicators of impairment by evaluating each community during each reporting period. The inventory within each community is categorized as finished homes and construction in progress or land under development based on the development state of the community. There were 1,259 and 1,173 active communities, excluding unconsolidated entities, as of November 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. If the undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by a community are less than its carrying amount, an impairment charge is recorded to write down the carrying amount of such community to its estimated fair value.
In conducting its review for indicators of impairment on a community level, the Company evaluates, among other things, the margins on homes that have been delivered, margins on homes under sales contracts in backlog, projected margins with regard to future home sales over the life of the community, projected margins with regard to future land sales and the estimated fair value of the land itself. The Company pays particular attention to communities in which inventory is moving at a slower than anticipated absorption pace and communities whose average sales price and/or margins are trending downward and are anticipated to continue to trend downward. From this review, the Company identifies communities in which to assess if the carrying values exceed their undiscounted projected cash flows.
The Company estimates the fair value of its communities using a discounted cash flow model. The projected cash flows for each community are significantly impacted by estimates related to market supply and demand, product type by community, homesite sizes, sales pace, sales prices, sales incentives, construction costs, sales and marketing expenses, the local economy, competitive conditions, labor costs, costs of materials and other factors for that particular community. Every division evaluates the historical performance of each of its communities as well as current trends in the market and economy impacting the community and its surrounding areas. These trends are analyzed for each of the estimates listed above.
Each of the homebuilding markets in which the Company operates is unique, as homebuilding has historically been a local business driven by local market conditions and demographics. Each of the Company’s homebuilding markets has specific supply and demand relationships reflective of local economic conditions. The Company’s projected cash flows are impacted by many assumptions. Some of the most critical assumptions in the Company’s cash flow model are projected absorption pace for home sales, sales prices and costs to build and deliver homes on a community by community basis.
In order to arrive at the assumed absorption pace for home sales and the assumed sales prices included in the Company’s cash flow model, the Company analyzes its historical absorption pace and historical sales prices in the community and in other comparable communities in the geographical area. In addition, the Company considers internal and external market studies and places greater emphasis on more current metrics and trends, which generally include, but are not limited to, statistics and forecasts on population demographics and on sales prices in neighboring communities, unemployment rates and availability and sales prices of competing product in the geographical area where the community is located as well as the absorption pace realized in its most recent quarters and the sales prices included in the Company's current backlog for such communities.
Generally, if the Company notices a variation from historical results over a span of two fiscal quarters, the Company considers such variation to be the establishment of a trend and adjusts its historical information accordingly in order to develop assumptions on the projected absorption pace and sales prices in the cash flow model for a community.
In order to arrive at the Company’s assumed costs to build and deliver homes, the Company generally assumes a cost structure reflecting contracts currently in place with its vendors adjusted for any anticipated cost reduction initiatives or increases in cost structure. Those costs assumed are used in the cash flow model for the Company’s communities.
Since the estimates and assumptions included in the Company’s cash flow models are based upon historical results and projected trends, they do not anticipate unexpected changes in market conditions or strategies that may lead the Company to incur additional impairment charges in the future.
The determination of fair value requires discounting the estimated cash flows at a rate the Company believes a market participant would determine to be commensurate with the inherent risks associated with the assets and related estimated cash flow streams. The discount rate used in determining each asset’s fair value depends on the community’s projected life and development stage.
The Company estimates the fair value of inventory evaluated for impairment based on market conditions and assumptions made by management at the time the inventory is evaluated, which may differ materially from actual results if market conditions or assumptions change. For example, changes in market conditions and other specific developments or changes in assumptions may cause the Company to re-evaluate its strategy regarding previously impaired inventory, as well as inventory not currently impaired but for which indicators of impairment may arise if market deterioration occurs, and certain other assets that could result in further valuation adjustments and/or additional write-offs of option deposits and pre-acquisition costs due to abandonment of those options contracts.
The table below summarizes communities reviewed for indicators of impairment and communities with valuation adjustments recorded:
At November 30,Communities with valuation adjustments
for the years ended November 30,
# of communities with potential indicator of impairment# of communitiesFair Value
(in thousands)
Valuation Adjustments
(in thousands)
202141 $5,267 $11,849 
20201016 79,734 44,811 
The table below summarizes the most significant unobservable inputs used in the Company's discounted cash flow model to determine the fair value of its communities for which the Company recorded valuation adjustments during the years ended November 30, 2021 and 2020:
Years Ended November 30,
20212020
Unobservable inputsRange
Average selling price$635,000$201,000 -$970,000
Absorption rate per quarter (homes)11-15
Discount rate20%20%
The Company also has access to land inventory through option contracts, which generally enables the Company to defer acquiring portions of properties owned by third parties (including land funds) and unconsolidated entities until it has determined whether to exercise its option.
A majority of the Company’s option contracts require a non-refundable cash deposit or irrevocable letter of credit based on a percentage of the purchase price of the land. The Company’s option contracts sometimes include price adjustment provisions, which adjust the purchase price of the land to its approximate fair value at the time of acquisition or are based on the fair value at the time of takedown.
In determining whether to walk away from an option contract, the Company evaluates the option primarily based upon its expected cash flows from the property under option. If the Company intends to walk away from an option contract, it records a charge to earnings in the period such decision is made for the deposit amount and any related pre-acquisition costs associated with the option contract.
Some option contracts contain a predetermined take-down schedule for the optioned land parcels. However, in almost all instances, the Company is not required to purchase land in accordance with those take-down schedules. In substantially all instances, the Company has the right and ability to not exercise its option and forfeit its deposit without further penalty, other than termination of the option and loss of any unapplied portion of its deposit and pre-acquisition costs. Therefore, in substantially all instances, the Company does not consider the take-down price to be a firm contractual obligation. When the Company does not intend to exercise an option, it writes off any unapplied deposit and pre-acquisition costs associated with the option contract.
Investments in Unconsolidated Entities
The Company evaluates the long-lived assets in unconsolidated entities for indicators of impairment during each reporting period. If a valuation adjustment is recorded by an unconsolidated entity related to its assets, the Company generally uses a discount rate between 10% and 20%, subject to the perceived risks associated with the community’s cash flow streams relative to its inventory or operating assets. The Company’s proportionate share of a valuation adjustment is reflected in the Company's Homebuilding, Multifamily or Lennar Other equity in earnings (loss) from unconsolidated entities with a corresponding decrease to its Homebuilding, Multifamily or Lennar Other investment in unconsolidated entities.
Additionally, the Company evaluates if a decrease in the value of an investment below its carrying value is other-than-temporary. This evaluation includes certain critical assumptions made by management: (1) projected future distributions from the unconsolidated entities, (2) discount rates applied to the future distributions and (3) various other factors, which include age of the venture, relationships with the other partners and banks, general economic market conditions, land status and liquidity needs of the unconsolidated entity. If the decline in the fair value of the investment is other-than-temporary, then these losses are included in Homebuilding other income, net, Multifamily other gain (loss) or Lennar Other other gain (loss).
The Company tracks its share of cumulative earnings and distributions of its joint ventures ("JVs"). For purposes of classifying distributions received from JVs in the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows, cumulative distributions are treated as returns on capital to the extent of cumulative earnings and included in the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows as operating activities. Cumulative distributions in excess of the Company’s share of cumulative earnings are treated as returns of capital and included in the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows as cash from investing activities.
Variable Interest Entities
GAAP requires the assessment of whether an entity is a VIE and, if so, if the Company is the primary beneficiary at the inception of the entity or at a reconsideration event. Additionally, GAAP requires the consolidation of VIEs in which an enterprise has a controlling financial interest. A controlling financial interest will have both of the following characteristics: (a) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and (b) the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.
The Company’s variable interest in VIEs may be in the form of (1) equity ownership, (2) contracts to purchase assets, (3) management and development agreements between the Company and a VIE, (4) loans provided by the Company to a VIE or other partner and/or (5) guarantees provided by members to banks and other third parties. The Company examines specific criteria and uses its judgment when determining if it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE. Factors considered in determining whether the Company is the primary beneficiary include risk and reward sharing, experience and financial condition of other partner(s), voting rights, involvement in day-to-day capital and operating decisions, representation on a VIE’s executive committee, existence of unilateral kick-out rights or voting rights, level of economic disproportionality, if any, between the Company and the other partner(s) and contracts to purchase assets from VIEs. The determination whether an entity is a VIE and, if so, whether the Company is the primary beneficiary may require it to exercise significant judgment.
Generally, all major decision making in the Company’s joint ventures is shared among all partners. In particular, business plans and budgets are generally required to be unanimously approved by all partners. Usually, management and other fees earned by the Company are nominal and believed to be at market and there is no significant economic disproportionality between the Company and other partners. Generally, the Company purchases less than a majority of the JV’s assets and the purchase prices under its option contracts are believed to be at market.
Generally, Homebuilding and Multifamily unconsolidated entities become VIEs and consolidate when the other partner(s) lack the intent and financial wherewithal to remain in the entity. As a result, the Company continues to fund operations and debt paydowns through partner loans or substituted capital contributions.
Goodwill
Goodwill is recorded with acquisitions of businesses when the purchase price of the business exceeds the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable assets acquired. In accordance with ASC Topic 350, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other ("ASC 350"), the Company evaluates goodwill for potential impairment on at least an annual basis. The Company has the option to perform a qualitative or quantitative assessment to determine whether the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying value. Qualitative factors may include, but are not limited to economic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors, overall financial performance of the reporting units and other entity and reporting unit specific events. The fair value estimate is derived through various valuation methods, including the use of discounted expected future cash flows of each reporting unit. The expected future cash flows for each segment are significantly impacted by current market conditions. If these market conditions and resulting expected future cash flows for each reporting unit decline significantly, the actual results for each segment could differ from the Company's estimate, which would cause goodwill to be impaired. The annual goodwill impairment analysis was performed as of September 30, 2021 and no impairment was recorded.
Operating Properties and Equipment
Operating properties and equipment are recorded at cost and are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. The assets are depreciated over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. At the time operating properties and equipment are disposed of, the asset and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is credited or charged to earnings. The estimated useful life for operating properties is 30 years, for furniture, fixtures and equipment is two to 10 years and for leasehold improvements is five years or the life of the lease, whichever is shorter. Operating properties are reviewed for possible impairment if there are indicators that their carrying amounts are not recoverable.
Operating properties and equipment are included in Homebuilding other assets in the consolidated balance sheets and were as follows:
November 30,
(In thousands)20212020
Operating properties (1)$309,367 386,646 
Leasehold improvements56,620 57,084 
Furniture, fixtures and equipment172,774 145,307 
538,761 589,037 
Accumulated depreciation and amortization(198,855)(177,519)
$339,906 411,518 
(1)Operating properties primarily include solar systems, rental operations and commercial properties.
Investment Securities
The Company holds investment securities classified as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity. Available-for-sale securities are recorded at fair value. Any unrealized holding gains or losses on available-for-sale securities are reported as accumulated other comprehensive gain or loss, which is a separate component of stockholders’ equity, net of tax, until realized. Securities classified as held-to-maturity are carried at amortized cost because they are purchased with the intent and ability to hold to maturity.
At November 30, 2021 and 2020, the Financial Services segment had investment securities classified as held-to-maturity totaling $157.8 million and $164.2 million, respectively, which consist mainly of commercial mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS"), corporate debt obligations, U.S. government agency obligations, certificates of deposit and U.S. treasury securities that mature at various dates, mainly within three years.
At November 30, 2021 and 2020, the Lennar Other segment had investment securities classified as held-for-sale totaling $41.7 million and $53.5 million, respectively. Additionally, the Lennar Other segment had investments in equity securities with a readily determinable fair value (publicly traded common stock), not accounted for under the equity method, that are recorded at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings. For equity securities without a readily determinable fair value, the investment is recorded at cost, less any impairment, plus or minus adjustments related to observable transactions for the same or similar securities, with unrealized gains and losses included in earnings. The Lennar Other segment had investments in equity securities of $1.0 billion and $68.8 million, as of November 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
For equity method investments in the Lennar Other segment, the Company records the investment as Lennar Other investments in unconsolidated entities. The Company regularly reviews its investments in unconsolidated entities to determine whether there is a decline in fair value below book value. If there is a decline that is other-than-temporary, the investment is written down to fair value. There was no impairment recorded during the years ended November 30, 2021 and 2020.
Interest and Real Estate Taxes
Interest and real estate taxes attributable to land and homes are capitalized as inventory costs while they are being actively developed. Interest related to homebuilding and land, including interest costs relieved from inventories, is included in costs of homes sold and costs of land sold. Interest expense related to the Financial Services and Multifamily operations is included in its costs and expenses.
During the years ended November 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, interest incurred by the Company’s homebuilding operations related to homebuilding debt was $275.1 million, $353.4 million and $422.7 million, respectively; interest capitalized into inventories was $254.9 million, $331.0 million and $405.1 million, respectively.
Interest expense was included in costs of homes sold, costs of land sold and other interest expense as follows:
Years Ended November 30,
(In thousands)202120202019
Interest expense in costs of homes sold$342,756 349,109 371,821 
Interest expense in costs of land sold2,475 2,594 5,554 
Other interest expense (1)20,142 22,401 17,620 
Total interest expense$365,373 374,104 394,995 
(1)Included in Homebuilding other income (expense), net.
Income Taxes
The Company records income taxes under the asset and liability method, whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on the future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and attributable to operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply in the years in which the temporary differences are expected to be recovered or paid. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in earnings in the period when the changes are enacted. Interest related to unrecognized tax benefits is recognized in the financial statements as a component of income tax expense.
A reduction of the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance is required if, based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the need to establish valuation allowances for deferred tax assets is assessed each reporting period by the Company based on the consideration of all available positive and negative evidence using a "more-likely-than-not" standard with respect to whether deferred tax assets will be realized. This assessment considers, among other matters, the nature, frequency and severity of current and cumulative losses, actual earnings, forecasts of future profitability, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, the Company’s experience with loss carryforwards not expiring unused and tax planning alternatives.
Based on the analysis of positive and negative evidence, the Company believed that there was enough positive evidence for the Company to conclude that it was more likely than not that the Company would realize the majority of its deferred tax assets. As of November 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company's net deferred tax assets included a valuation allowance of $2.7 million and $4.4 million, respectively. See Note 5 for additional information.
Other Liabilities
    Reflected within the consolidated balance sheets, the other liabilities balance as of November 30, 2021 and 2020, included accrued interest payable, product warranty (as noted below), accrued bonuses, accrued wages and benefits, lease liabilities, deferred income, customer deposits, income taxes payable, and other accrued liabilities.
Product Warranty
Warranty and similar reserves for homes are established at an amount estimated to be adequate to cover potential costs for materials and labor with regard to warranty-type claims expected to be incurred subsequent to the delivery of a home. Reserves are determined based on historical data and trends with respect to similar product types and geographical areas. The Company regularly monitors the warranty reserve and makes adjustments to its pre-existing warranties in order to reflect changes in trends and historical data as information becomes available. Warranty reserves are included in Homebuilding other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. The activity in the Company’s warranty reserve was as follows:
Years Ended November 30,
(In thousands)20212020
Warranty reserve, beginning of year$341,765 294,138 
Warranties issued217,641 191,311 
Adjustments to pre-existing warranties from changes in estimates (1)29,436 29,461 
Payments(211,821)(173,145)
Warranty reserve, end of year$377,021 341,765 
(1)The adjustments to pre-existing warranties from changes in estimates during the years ended November 30, 2021 and 2020 primarily related to specific claims in certain of the Company's homebuilding communities and other adjustments.
Self-Insurance
Certain insurable risks such as construction defects, general liability, medical and workers’ compensation are self-insured by the Company up to certain limits. Undiscounted accruals for claims under the Company’s self-insurance program are based on claims filed and estimates for claims incurred but not yet reported. The Company’s self-insurance reserve, net of
expected recoveries, as of November 30, 2021 and 2020 was $169.1 million and $125.4 million which is included in Homebuilding other liabilities. Amounts incurred in excess of the Company's self-insurance occurrence or aggregate retention limits are covered by insurance up to the Company's purchased coverage levels. The Company's insurance policies are maintained with highly-rated underwriters for whom the Company believes counterparty default risk is not significant.
Earnings per Share
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in earnings of the Company.
All outstanding nonvested shares that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents that participate in undistributed earnings with common stock are considered participating securities and are included in computing earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating securities according to dividends or dividend equivalents and participation rights in undistributed earnings. The Company’s restricted common stock ("nonvested shares") are considered participating securities.
Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 500,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $10 per share and 100 million shares of participating preferred stock with a par value of $0.10 per share. No shares of preferred stock or participating preferred stock have been issued as of November 30, 2021 and 2020.
Common Stock
During the year ended November 30, 2021, the Company’s Class A and Class B common stockholders received a per share annual dividend of $1.00. During the years ended 2020 and 2019, the Company’s Class A and Class B common stockholders received a per share annual dividend of $0.625 and $0.16, respectively. The only significant difference between the Class A common stock and Class B common stock is that Class A common stock entitles holders to one vote per share and the Class B common stock entitles holders to ten votes per share.
As of November 30, 2021, Stuart Miller, the Company’s Executive Chairman, directly owned, or controlled through family-owned entities, shares of Class A and Class B common stock, which represented approximately 35% voting power of the Company’s stock.
In January 2021, the Company's Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program, which replaced a January 2019 stock repurchase program, under which the Company was authorized to purchase up to the lesser of $1 billion in value, or 25 million in shares, of the Company’s outstanding Class A or Class B common stock. The repurchase authority has no expiration date. In October 2021, the Board of Directors authorized an increase to the stock repurchase program to enable the Company to repurchase up to the lesser of an additional $1 billion in value, or 25 million in shares, of the Company's outstanding Class A or Class B common stock. The repurchase authority has no expiration date. Shortly after the new authorization, the January 2021 stock repurchase program was completed as the Company had purchased the $1 billion in value authorized under that stock repurchase program. The following table provides information about the Company’s repurchases of Class A and Class B common stock for the years ended November 30, 2021 and 2020:
Years Ended
November 30, 2021November 30, 2020
(Dollars in thousands, except price per share)Class AClass BClass AClass B
Shares repurchased13,910,000 100,000 4,250,000 115,000 
Principal$1,357,081 $8,197 $282,274 $6,155 
Average price per share$97.56 $81.97 $66.42 $53.52 
Restrictions on Payment of Dividends
There are no restrictions on the payment of dividends on common stock by the Company. There are no agreements which restrict the payment of dividends by subsidiaries of the Company other than the need to maintain the financial ratios and net worth requirements under the Financial Services segment’s warehouse lines of credit, which restrict the payment of dividends from the Company’s mortgage subsidiaries following the occurrence and during the continuance of an event of default thereunder and limit dividends to 50% of net income in the absence of an event of default.
401(k) Plan
Under the Company’s 401(k) Plan (the "Plan"), contributions made by associates can be invested in a variety of mutual funds or proprietary funds provided by the Plan trustee. The Company may also make contributions for the benefit of associates. The Company records as compensation expense its contribution to the Plan. For the years ended November 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, this amount was $29.4 million, $27.3 million and $24.5 million, respectively.
Share-Based Payments
Compensation expense related to the Company’s share-based awards was as follows:
Years Ended November 30,
(In thousands)202120202019
Total compensation expense for nonvested share-based awards$135,090 107,131 86,940 

The fair value of nonvested shares is determined based on the trading price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The weighted average fair value of nonvested shares granted during the years ended November 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019 was $80.95, $60.10 and $48.26, respectively. A summary of the Company’s nonvested shares activity for the year ended November 30, 2021 was as follows:
SharesWeighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested shares at November 30, 2020
3,546,576 $55.01 
Grants1,562,138 $80.95 
Vested(1,829,016)$57.56 
Forfeited(115,908)$62.49 
Nonvested shares at November 30, 2021
3,163,790 $66.07 
At November 30, 2021, there was $118.5 million of unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested share-based awards granted under the Company’s share-based payment plan, all of which relates to nonvested shares with a weighted average remaining contractual life of 1.7 years. For the years ended November 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, 1.8 million, 1.4 million and 1.4 million nonvested shares, respectively, vested each year.
Financial Services
Revenue Recognition
Title premiums on policies issued directly by the Company are recognized as revenue on the effective date of the title policies. Escrow fees and loan origination revenues are recognized at the time the related real estate transactions are completed, usually upon the close of escrow. Revenues from title policies issued by independent agents are recognized as revenue when notice of issuance is received from the agent, which is generally when cash payment is received by the Company. Expected gains and losses from the sale of loans and their related servicing rights are included in the measurement of all written loan commitments that are accounted for at fair value through earnings at the time of commitment. Interest income on loans held-for-sale and loans held-for-investment is recognized as earned over the terms of the mortgage loans based on the contractual interest rates.
Loans Held-for-Sale
Loans held-for-sale by the Financial Services segment, including the rights to service the mortgage loans, are carried at fair value and changes in fair value are reflected in earnings. Premiums and discounts recorded on these loans are presented as an adjustment to the carrying amount of the loans and are not amortized. Management believes carrying loans held-for-sale at fair value improves financial reporting by mitigating volatility in reported earnings caused by measuring the fair value of the loans and the derivative instruments used to economically hedge them without having to apply complex hedge accounting provisions.
In addition, the Financial Services segment recognizes the fair value of its rights to service a mortgage loan as revenue upon entering into an interest rate lock loan commitment with a borrower. The fair value of these servicing rights is included in Financial Services' other assets as of November 30, 2021 and 2020. Fair value of the servicing rights is determined based on values in the Company’s servicing sales contracts.
Provision for Losses
The Company establishes reserves for possible losses associated with mortgage loans previously originated and sold to investors based upon, among other things, an analysis of repurchase requests received, an estimate of potential repurchase claims not yet received and actual past repurchases and losses through the disposition of affected loans, as well as previous settlements. Loan origination liabilities are included in Financial Services’ liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. The activity in the Company’s loan origination liabilities was as follows:
Years Ended November 30,
(In thousands)20212020
Loan origination liabilities, beginning of year$7,569 9,364 
Provision for losses4,639 11,924 
Payments/settlements(538)(13,719)
Loan origination liabilities, end of year$11,670 7,569 
Loans Held-for-Investment, Net
Loans for which the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity consist of mortgage loans carried at the principal amount outstanding, net of unamortized discounts and allowance for loan losses. Discounts are amortized over the estimated lives of the loans using the interest method.
The Financial Services segment also provides an allowance for credit losses. The provision recorded and the adequacy of the related allowance is determined by management’s continuing evaluation of the loan portfolio in light of past loan loss experience, credit worthiness and nature of underlying collateral, present economic conditions and other factors considered relevant by the Company’s management. Anticipated changes in economic factors, which may influence the level of the allowance, are considered in the evaluation by the Company’s management when the likelihood of the changes can be reasonably determined. While the Company’s management uses the best information available to make such evaluations, future adjustments to the allowance may be necessary as a result of future economic and other conditions that may be beyond management’s control.
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Financial Services segment, in the normal course of business, uses derivative financial instruments to reduce its exposure to fluctuations in mortgage-related interest rates. The segment uses mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") forward commitments, option contracts, future contracts and investor commitments to protect the value of fixed rate-locked loan commitments and loans held-for-sale from fluctuations in mortgage-related interest rates. These derivative financial instruments are carried at fair value with the changes in fair value included in Financial Services revenues.
LMF Commercial - Loans Held-for-Sale
The originated mortgage loans are classified as loans held-for-sale and are recorded at fair value. The Company elected the fair value option for LMF Commercial's loans held-for-sale in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 825, Financial Instruments, which permits entities to measure various financial instruments and certain other items at fair value on a contract-by-contract basis. Management believes that carrying loans held-for-sale at fair value improves financial reporting by mitigating volatility in reported earnings caused by measuring the fair value of the loans and the derivative instruments, which are also carried at fair value, used to economically hedge them without having to apply complex hedge accounting provisions. Changes in fair values of the loans are reflected in Financial Services revenues in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Interest income on these loans is calculated based on the interest rate of the loan and is recorded in Financial Services revenues in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Substantially all of the mortgage loans originated are sold within a short period of time in a securitization on a servicing released, non-recourse basis; although, the Company remains liable for certain limited industry-standard representations and warranties related to loan sales. The Company recognizes revenue on the sale of loans into securitization trusts when control of the loans has been relinquished.
Multifamily
Management Fees and General Contractor Revenue
The Multifamily segment provides management services with respect to the development, construction and property management of rental projects in joint ventures in which the Company has investments. As a result, the Multifamily segment earns and receives fees, which are generally based upon a stated percentage of development and construction costs and a percentage of gross rental collections. In addition, the Multifamily segment provides general contractor services for the construction of some of its rental projects. Both management fees and general contractor revenue are recognized over the period in which the services are performed using an input method, which properly depicts the level of effort required to complete the management or construction services. These customer contracts require the Company to provide management and general
contractor services which represents a performance obligation that the Company satisfies over time. Management fees and general contractor services in the Multifamily segment are included in Multifamily revenue.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ("ASU 2016-13"). ASU 2016-13 significantly changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. ASU 2016-13 requires immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of many financial assets, which generally results in earlier recognition of allowances for credit losses on loans and other financial instruments. ASU 2016-13 was effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning December 1, 2020. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350), Simplifying the Accounting for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2017-04"). ASU 2017-04 removes the requirement to perform a hypothetical purchase price allocation to measure goodwill impairment. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. ASU 2017-04 was effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning December 1, 2020. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
New Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740), Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes ("ASU 2019-12"). ASU 2019- 12 will be effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning December 1, 2022. The Company believes, the adoption of ASU 2019-12 will not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
Reclassifications
Certain prior year amounts in the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the 2021 presentation. The Company reclassified the balance of its investment in Doma, formerly States Title, to which the Company sold the majority of the Financial Services segment's retail title agency business and title insurance underwriter in the first quarter of 2019, from the Financial Services segment to the Lennar Other segment in the consolidated balance sheets for all periods presented. This was reclassified to be included in the Company's strategic technology investments as the entity had announced that it would merge with a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company and during the year ended November 30, 2021 completed the merger and became a publicly traded entity. In addition, the Company reflected its contributions to its charitable foundation in a new line on its consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented. This was previously reflected in the Corporate general and administrative line. These reclassifications had no impact on the company's total assets, total equity, revenues or net earnings in its consolidated financial statements.