Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) Cut to "Sell" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Harley‑Davidson from "hold" to "sell", amid mixed analyst actions (Argus a strong‑buy, UBS cutting its target to $19) while MarketBeat reports a consensus "Hold" and an average target of $22.50.
• Quarterly results showed a steep EPS miss (reported -$2.44 vs. -$0.92 expected) and revenue down ~9.8% year‑over‑year, with shares trading around $19 and a 12‑month low of $17.11.
• Insider and institutional activity: a director sold 6,454 shares at about $18.71 and another director bought 2,775 shares at $18.00, while institutional investors own roughly 85.1% of the stock.

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

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. Argus raised shares of Harley-Davidson to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Harley-Davidson from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research report on Monday. UBS Group dropped their price objective on shares of Harley-Davidson from $27.00 to $19.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Zacks Research cut shares of Harley-Davidson from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $24.00 target price on shares of Harley-Davidson in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Harley-Davidson currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $22.50.

Harley-Davidson Price Performance

Shares of NYSE HOG opened at $19.22 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.10, a quick ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The company has a market capitalization of $2.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.36 and a beta of 1.42. Harley-Davidson has a twelve month low of $17.11 and a twelve month high of $31.25. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $20.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $24.08.

Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The company reported ($2.44) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.92) by ($1.52). The firm had revenue of $496.16 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $482.21 million. Harley-Davidson had a return on equity of 10.27% and a net margin of 8.03%.The business's revenue for the quarter was down 9.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($0.93) earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Harley-Davidson will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Harley-Davidson

In other Harley-Davidson news, Director James D. Farley, Jr. sold 6,454 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.71, for a total value of $120,754.34. Following the sale, the director owned 16,205 shares in the company, valued at approximately $303,195.55. This trade represents a 28.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Rafeh Masood purchased 2,775 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 27th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $18.00 per share, for a total transaction of $49,950.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 7,480 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $134,640. The trade was a 58.98% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Insiders own 0.93% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Harley-Davidson

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HOG. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Harley-Davidson by 139.0% in the 3rd quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 944 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 549 shares during the period. Pinnacle Holdings LLC acquired a new position in shares of Harley-Davidson during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its stake in shares of Harley-Davidson by 48.9% during the fourth quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,764 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 579 shares in the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Harley-Davidson by 153.8% during the first quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 2,109 shares of the company's stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 1,278 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Westfuller Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Harley-Davidson in the third quarter worth about $67,000. 85.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Harley-Davidson Company Profile

Harley-Davidson, Inc is a renowned American motorcycle manufacturer best known for its heavyweight cruiser and touring bikes. Founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company has built a strong reputation for producing distinctive motorcycles characterized by their signature V-twin engines, chrome finishes and robust frames. Harley-Davidson markets its products globally through a network of franchised dealerships and focuses on delivering an immersive brand experience to its customers, emphasizing lifestyle and community alongside its motorcycles.

In addition to its core motorcycle business, Harley-Davidson offers an extensive range of parts, accessories and apparel under its Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories and MotorClothes lines.

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