RBC Capital downgraded D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI) to Underperform from Sector Perform and raised its price target to $76 from $68 following 40% shares rally since mid-October.

This is in conjunction with the analysts’ more negative overall call on builders. The analysts cut their fiscal 2023 estimates and rolled out their 2024 estimates, which reflect their view of a continued significantly challenging fundamental housing environment through 2023 before a modest rebound in 2024.

Their 2023 EPS estimate edges lower to $7.16, from $7.40, compared to the Street estimate of $9.21. For 2024, the analysts estimate EPS of $7.51, again well below the Street estimate of $9.98. The analysts expect the company to continue to aggressively adjust pricing/incentives to maintain volumes, resulting in less severe order declines than peers but at more of an expense to margins than Street expects, which the analysts also anticipate will drive ongoing impairments.