XML 38 R24.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.1.900

BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Schedule of Property and Equipment, net | At December 31, 2015 and 2014, property and equipment, net consisted of the following (in thousands):
|  | At December 31,
|  | 2015 |  | 2014
Computer and office equipment |  | $ | 32,216 |  |  | $ | 30,084 |
Model home furnishings |  | 41,252 |  |  | 36,403 |
Gross property and equipment |  | 73,468 |  |  | 66,487 |
Accumulated depreciation |  | (39,498 | ) |  | (34,084 | )
Total |  | $ | 33,970 |  |  | $ | 32,403 |
Schedule of Accrued Liabilities | Accrued liabilities at December 31, 2015 and 2014 consisted of the following (in thousands):
|  | At December 31,
|  | 2015 |  | 2014
Accruals related to real estate development and construction activities |  | $ | 37,509 |  |  | $ | 34,975 |
Payroll and other benefits |  | 41,240 |  |  | 44,107 |
Accrued taxes |  | 9,950 |  |  | 11,096 |
Warranty reserves |  | 21,615 |  |  | 22,080 |
Legal reserves |  | 18,812 |  |  | 16,499 |
Other accruals |  | 32,037 |  |  | 25,387 |
Total |  | $ | 161,163 |  |  | $ | 154,144 |
Schedule of Surety Bond and Letter of Credit Obligations | The table below outlines our surety bond and letter of credit obligations (in thousands):
|  | December 31, 2015 |  | December 31, 2014
|  | Outstanding |  | Estimated work remaining to complete (unaudited) |  | Outstanding |  | Estimated work remaining to complete (unaudited)
Sureties: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sureties related to joint ventures |  | $ | 87 |  |  | $ | 87 |  |  | $ | 87 |  |  | $ | 87 |
Sureties related to owned projects and lots under contract |  | 250,639 |  |  | 103,200 |  |  | 230,079 |  |  | 93,667 |
Total Sureties |  | $ | 250,726 |  |  | $ | 103,287 |  |  | $ | 230,166 |  |  | $ | 93,754 |
Letters of Credit (“LOCs”): |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
LOCs in lieu of deposits for contracted lots |  | $ | — |  |  | N/A |  |  | $ | 1,200 |  |  | N/A |
LOCs for land development |  | 23,934 |  |  | N/A |  |  | 13,789 |  |  | N/A |
LOCs for general corporate operations |  | 3,750 |  |  | N/A |  |  | 4,500 |  |  | N/A |
Total LOCs |  | $ | 27,684 |  |  | N/A |  |  | $ | 19,489 |  |  | N/A |
Summary of Changes in Warranty Reserves | A summary of changes in our warranty reserves follows (in thousands):
|  | Year Ended December 31,
|  | 2015 |  | 2014
Balance, beginning of year |  | $ | 22,080 |  |  | $ | 21,971 |
Additions to reserve from new home deliveries |  | 12,924 |  |  | 11,929 |
Warranty claims |  | (14,508 | ) |  | (12,320 | )
Adjustments to pre-existing reserves |  | 1,119 |  |  | 500 |
Balance, end of year |  | $ | 21,615 |  |  | $ | 22,080 |

X
- Definition The tabular disclosure of the Company's other off-balance sheet financing arrangements including a detailed description of the letters of credit and surety bond obligations. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mth_ScheduleOfLetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | mth_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Includes, but is not limited to, balances by class of assets, depreciation and depletion expense and method used, including composite depreciation, and accumulated deprecation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph b -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of the components of accrued liabilities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfAccruedLiabilitiesTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of the changes in the guarantor's aggregate product warranty liability, including the beginning balance of the aggregate product warranty liability, the aggregate reductions in that liability for payments made (in cash or in kind) under the warranty, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to product warranties issued during the reporting period, the aggregate changes in the liability for accruals related to preexisting warranties (including adjustments related to changes in estimates), and the ending balance of the aggregate product warranty liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51674963&loc=d3e12565-110249 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfProductWarrantyLiabilityTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration