Home Solutions of America Down 34%

Home Solutions of America (HOM) is crashing today. The cause is an alert from Stocklemon.com (I LOVE that name). Apparently, Home Solutions has been doing some naughty things:

Just two short weeks ago, Home Solutions of America (AMEX:HOM) was hitting new highs. On the cusp of the new hurricane season, the market was searching for the next great “hurricane story” stock. That was the precise moment when insiders of HOM were selling their positions in large quantities.
What do they know that you don’t know ?
Is this really a hurricane play, or is it no more than a lot of hot air that hit an updraft of misunderstood news and hysteria? You will not believe what we found out.

On May 23, the company put out a press release with the headline:
“American Renaissance Homes Selects Home Solutions of America as Exclusive Provider of Delivery and Installation Services for Modular Housing”
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060523/20060523005354.html?.v=1
Ah, the company was rewarded with a contract to provide housing in storm-ravaged Louisiana. All looks good. CEO Fradella went as far to say, “I am pleased that ARH has elected the Company as the exclusive provider of installation services for the program”. Steve Richards, the President of ARH then chimed in his praises for Home Solutions of America.
Stocklemon read these releases and with our natural skepticism and wondered “Who is this American Renaissance Homes?” So we went to Google, and, except for the press release, there were no references. Not a single one. We went to Dun & Bradstreet, and there was nothing. Then, we went to New Orleans corporate records and again nothing.
It was not until we went to the Delaware Corporate Registry (https://sos-res.state.de.us/tin/GINameSearch.jsp ) that we found American Renaissance Homes:
This company was established only 5 days before the Home Solutions’ Press Release was issued. As of the writing of this report, American Renaissance Homes does not even have a working phone number.
But it gets MUCH BETTER.
After a series of phone calls, we were able to speak with Alan Nazarro, COO of ARH and this is what we found out.
1. Home Solutions of America owns 40% of ARH.
2. The company currently has 0 contracts.
It is the opinion of Stocklemon that this is what we have witnessed: The company needed an announcement about some deal in Louisiana. Therefore, a subsidiary is established without ever publicly disclosing that it is a subsidiary. Then a contract is awarded to Home Solutions from the subsidiary to install homes for which there are no current contracts to install.
Meanwhile, in the following three days after the release the CEO sells $6.8 million worth of stock: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/it?s=HOM
It is the opinion of Stocklemon that HOM intentionally deceived the marketplace for the following reasons. Forget about the obvious omission that the company is a subsidiary, but then goes on to state:
“I am pleased that ARH has elected the Company as the exclusive provider of installation services for the program.” — Frank J. Fradella
…. Like they had a choice????
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060523/20060523005354.html?.v=1
Then to state in the announcement on June 5,
“In addition, we expect the need for affordable housing in New Orleans, through the services we provide to American Renaissance Homes, to enhance revenue during the second half of the year…”
….when there are no current and active contracts.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060605/20060605005728.html?.v=1
After the close of business on June 5, Chairman Frank Fradella purchased 100,000 shares of HOM for an average purchase price of $10.15. This was done after a company press release on the same day states he sold stock for “diversification and estate planning”. To Stocklemon, it sounds like someone is paying too much attention to their share price.
We can draw 2 conclusions from Fradella’s 100,000 share purchase:
1. Net of the purchase, Fradella still cashed in over $5.5 million HOM stock over the past two weeks.
2. The company has no news about contracts that are imminent. If so, Fradella would have knowledge that the market does not have and he would not have been able to purchase the stock without violating insider trading regulations.
Conclusion
This all comes down to corporate credibility. For investors to put their faith in a company’s projected contract revenues, accounts receivable, and guidance for future financial results, a company must hold credibility with investors. Credibility is earned through full and accurate disclosure. It is the opinion of Stocklemon that Home Solutions might soon face a hurricane of problems as the company has not been forthright with Wall St.
*** Much of the content of this report was based upon a conversation with Alan Nazarro. We were very clear in our points with Mr. Nazarro and believe that we have represented every fact he stated correctly.

HOM.png
I copied and pasted the whole thing, but you really have to visit the Web site to see all the colors and bolding. Nothing says moral outrage like 22 point red font.
So far the mainstream media hasn’t said anything (pussies). During yesterday’s Lightening Round, Cramer finally hung up on a guy who was taking forever to ask a question about Home Solutions.
Here’s StockLemon’s take on HOM from Friday.
***Update: HOM responds:

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–June 6, 2006–Home Solutions, a provider of recovery, restoration and rebuilding/remodeling services, commented today on its relationship with American Renaissance Homes (ARH), a provider of affordable housing. On May 23rd, the Company announced through a press release that it had been awarded a contract by ARH. The Company has assumed, for purposes of its 2006 business outlook, that this relationship will generate $5 million in revenue, largely in the fourth quarter, representing a small portion of its 2006 financial guidance of revenue of $160 million to $165 million as ARH is a start-up company. In addition, Home Solutions has entered into an agreement with ARH, under which it would loan up to $800,000, upon ARH meeting certain performance criteria, to support ARH’s working capital requirements, secured by ARH’s ownership in modular homes and land. The parties have been in discussions regarding Home Solutions taking an ownership position in the Company, but no agreement has been consummated and Home Solutions does not, at the present time, have an ownership stake in ARH.

A year ago, the stock was going for just over $1 a share. Two weeks ago, it broke $14.

Posted by on June 6th, 2006 at 11:56 am


The information in this blog post represents my own opinions and does not contain a recommendation for any particular security or investment. I or my affiliates may hold positions or other interests in securities mentioned in the Blog, please see my Disclaimer page for my full disclaimer.