Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) Stock Moved Down to Sell by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Harley-Davidson to “sell” from “hold,” although the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $29.91.
• Harley-Davidson’s latest quarter fell short on earnings, reporting $0.40 per share versus the $0.47 consensus, while revenue declined 19.3% year over year and net income dropped sharply.
• Despite the weak results, the company raised its full-year outlook for a second time, citing improving motorcycle demand; North American retail sales rose 9% year over year in the quarter.

Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG - Get Free Report) was downgraded by research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Saturday, Wall Street Zen reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. UBS Group raised their target price on Harley-Davidson from $26.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Citigroup lifted their target price on Harley-Davidson from $33.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Harley-Davidson from $20.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a report on Friday. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Harley-Davidson from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Finally, Griffin Securities set a $33.00 price objective on shares of Harley-Davidson in a report on Monday, August 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $29.91.

Harley-Davidson Price Performance

Harley-Davidson stock opened at $31.06 on Friday. Harley-Davidson has a 52 week low of $17.09 and a 52 week high of $31.23. The company's 50 day moving average price is $27.21 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $23.96. The stock has a market cap of $3.23 billion, a P/E ratio of -29.03, a P/E/G ratio of 8.48 and a beta of 1.30. The company has a quick ratio of 1.70, a current ratio of 1.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43.

Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The company reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.47 by ($0.07). Harley-Davidson had a negative net margin of 3.31% and a negative return on equity of 4.26%. The business had revenue of $1.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.07 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.10 earnings per share. The business's revenue was down 19.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Harley-Davidson will post 0.66 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Harley-Davidson

In other Harley-Davidson news, CFO Jonathan Root sold 1,559 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.43, for a total value of $38,086.37. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 24,733 shares of the company's stock, valued at $604,227.19. This trade represents a 5.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Artie Starrs bought 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 10th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $25.89 per share, for a total transaction of $258,900.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 25,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $647,250. This trade represents a 66.67% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 4,667 shares of company stock valued at $119,423. Company insiders own 0.97% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Harley-Davidson

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HOG. Aberdeen Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Harley-Davidson during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. CX Institutional lifted its holdings in Harley-Davidson by 62.4% during the 3rd quarter. CX Institutional now owns 1,445 shares of the company's stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 555 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Holdings LLC bought a new position in Harley-Davidson in the 2nd quarter worth about $36,000. Root Financial Partners LLC bought a new position in Harley-Davidson in the 3rd quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc boosted its stake in Harley-Davidson by 858.2% in the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,629 shares of the company's stock worth $40,000 after purchasing an additional 1,459 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.10% of the company's stock.

Key Harley-Davidson News

Here are the key news stories impacting Harley-Davidson this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raised 2026 outlook: Harley-Davidson raised its full-year guidance for both Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) for the second time this year. Full-year motorcycle retail sales and wholesale shipments are now projected at 135,500–139,000 units. Harley-Davidson Reports Third Quarter Financial Results And Raises HDMC and HDFS Guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Improving retail demand: North American retail motorcycle sales rose 9% year over year in the third quarter, accelerating from 3% growth in the prior quarter. Global retail sales increased 5%, while dealer inventory ended the quarter 26% below the year-earlier level. Harley-Davidson Lifts 2026 Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Positive analyst action and options activity: Citigroup raised its price target from $33 to $37 and initiated a “buy” rating. Traders also purchased 3,586 call options, roughly 225% above average volume, signaling increased bullish speculative interest.
• Positive Sentiment: Shareholder returns: Harley-Davidson returned $110 million to shareholders during the quarter, including $91 million in share repurchases and $19 million in dividends.
• Neutral Sentiment: Board changes: The company appointed two new independent directors, potentially supporting governance and strategic oversight.
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly earnings missed expectations: Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.40, below the roughly $0.44–$0.47 analyst consensus. Revenue declined year over year, while HDMC shipments fell 8% to 33,616 units. Harley-Davidson Q3 Earnings and Revenues Miss Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability weakened sharply: Net income attributable to Harley-Davidson fell to $43 million from $377 million a year earlier, reflecting a difficult comparison and lower HDFS earnings. Wells Fargo raised its target from $20 to $25 but maintained an “underweight” rating, highlighting continued downside risk.

About Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson, Inc is a Milwaukee-based company that designs, manufactures and sells heavyweight motorcycles. Its product portfolio includes touring, cruiser, standard and adventure-touring motorcycles sold under the Harley-Davidson brand, as well as electric motorcycles offered through its LiveWire business.

The company also provides motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel and related merchandise. Through Harley-Davidson Financial Services, it offers financing and insurance products to motorcycle dealers and retail customers in supported markets.

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