XML 61 R50.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES - Schedule of Fair Value of Fixed-Rate Debt (Details) - Senior Notes [Member] - USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2017 | Jun. 06, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
--- | --- | --- | ---
4.50% senior notes due 2018 [Member] |  |  |
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 4.50% |  | 4.50%
4.50% senior notes due 2018 [Member] | Level 2 [Member] |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |
Aggregate Principal | $ 175,000,000 |  | $ 175,000,000
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value | $ 175,875,000 |  | $ 177,625,000
7.15% senior notes due 2020 [Member] |  |  |
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 7.15% |  | 7.15%
7.15% senior notes due 2020 [Member] | Level 2 [Member] |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |
Aggregate Principal | $ 300,000,000 |  | $ 300,000,000
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value | $ 330,000,000 |  | $ 325,500,000
7.00% senior notes due 2022 [Member] |  |  |
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 7.00% |  | 7.00%
7.00% senior notes due 2022 [Member] | Level 2 [Member] |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |
Aggregate Principal | $ 300,000,000 |  | $ 300,000,000
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value | $ 342,750,000 |  | $ 324,750,000
6.00% senior notes due 2025 [Member] |  |  |
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 6.00% |  | 6.00%
6.00% senior notes due 2025 [Member] | Level 2 [Member] |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |
Aggregate Principal | $ 200,000,000 |  | $ 200,000,000
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value | $ 213,000,000 |  | 202,500,000
5.125% senior notes due 2027 [Member] |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |
Aggregate Principal |  | $ 300,000,000 |
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 5.125% | 5.125% |
5.125% senior notes due 2027 [Member] | Level 2 [Member] |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |
Aggregate Principal | $ 300,000,000 |  | 0
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value | $ 300,750,000 |  | $ 0
1.875% convertible senior notes due 2032 [Member] |  |  |
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Stated interest rate | 1.875% |  | 1.875%
1.875% convertible senior notes due 2032 [Member] | Level 2 [Member] |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |
Aggregate Principal | $ 0 |  | $ 126,500,000
Fair value of fixed-rate debt |  |  |
Estimated Fair Value | $ 0 |  | $ 126,105,000

X
- Definition Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 55 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77997519&loc=d3e13433-108611 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77997519&loc=d3e13476-108611 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement. + 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 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mth_SeniorNotesDueTwoThousandEighteenMemberDomain
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mth_SeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mth_SeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyTwoMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mth_SeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentyFiveMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mth_SeniorNotesDueTwoThousandTwentySevenMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mth_ConvertibleSeniorNotesDueTwoThousandThirtyTwoMemberMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |