Investing.com - Wolfe Research expects consolidation to remain a theme in the homebuilding industry following Berkshire Hathaway's announced acquisition of Taylor Morrison Home Corp (NYSE: TMHC), the latest transaction in the firm's coverage universe.

SMID-Cap homebuilders are outperforming year-to-date, aided by two of six SMID-Cap names covered by Wolfe being acquired at 29% and 24% premiums for Tri Pointe Homes and Taylor Morrison, respectively. The firm attributes the consolidation activity to offshore capital seeking exposure to U.S. housing due to favorable demographics, particularly from Japanese parent companies.

Wolfe reviewed prior public homebuilder mergers and acquisitions since 2016, counting 10 transactions with both average and median multiples paid at 1.2 times book value. The four most recent deals since 2024 also averaged approximately 1.2 times book value multiples.

A 25% premium on current SMID-Cap names would yield multiples below book value for LGI Homes (NASDAQ: LGIH), Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH), and Century Communities (NYSE: CCS), and multiples in the 1.0 to 1.3 times range for KB Home (NYSE: KBH), Meritage Homes (NYSE: MTH), and M/I Homes (NYSE: MHO). Wolfe finds sales at meaningful discounts to book value unlikely, noting Beazer recently rejected Dream Finders Homes' acquisition proposal at a discounted multiple.

Among SMID-Cap coverage, Wolfe continues to view Meritage Homes as most undervalued at 0.87 times the firm's 2026 book value estimate, particularly considering recent transaction multiples.