HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. 
By MILWAUKEE, Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A strong fourth-quarter 2012 capped a year of gains for Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG), marked by solid growth in earnings and retail new motorcycle sales.
Fourth-quarter income from continuing operations was $70.6 million on consolidated revenue of $1.17 billion, compared to income from continuing operations in the year-ago period of $54.6 million on consolidated revenue of $1.18 billion. Fourth-quarter 2012 earnings per share were $0.31, up 29.2% compared to EPS of $0.24 in the year-ago quarter.
For the full year, Harley-Davidson income from continuing operations was $623.9 million on consolidated revenue of $5.58 billion, compared to full-year 2011 income from continuing operations of $548.1 million on consolidated revenue of $5.31 billion. Full-year 2012 EPS was $2.72, up 16.7% from EPS of $2.33 in 2011.
Worldwide retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles grew 7.5% in the quarter and 6.2% for the full year, compared to the year-ago periods.
"Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our employees, dealers and suppliers, Harley-Davidson achieved its growth and restructuring goals in 2012," said Keith Wandell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.
"The ambitious restructuring of our manufacturing operations, aimed at delivering better responsiveness for customers and greater operating efficiency, is now largely behind us," Wandell said. "Motorcycle sales grew in 2012, fueled by exceptional products and retail experiences. Together with our dealers, we grew sales to U.S. outreach customers faster than to core customers, grew U.S. market share and continued to expand internationally.
"Harley-Davidson's purpose is to fulfill the dreams of personal freedom for people around the world. Through our strategy, we believe the company is poised to deliver on that purpose like never before," Wandell said.
Retail Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Sales
For the full year 2012, retail unit sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles grew 6.2% worldwide, with increases of 6.6% in the U.S. and 5.6% internationally compared to 2011. Dealers sold 249,849 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles worldwide in 2012, with retail unit sales up 39.2% in the Latin America region, 14.3% in the Asia Pacific region and 6.2% in the North America region (U.S. and Canada) and down 3.0% in the EMEA region compared to 2011.
In the fourth quarter, retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles increased 7.5% worldwide, compared to the prior-year period, with unit sales up 8.4% in the U.S. and up 6.3% in international markets. Dealers sold 43,405 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles worldwide in the quarter, with retail unit sales up 23.5% in the Latin America region, 14.8% in the Asia Pacific region and 7.3% in the North America region and down 3.3% in the EMEA region compared to last year's fourth quarter.
Industry-wide U.S. heavyweight new motorcycle (651cc-plus) retail unit sales increased 4.0% in 2012 compared to 2011.
Fourth-quarter and full-year data are listed in the accompanying tables.
Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Related Products Segment Results
Fourth-Quarter Results: Fourth-quarter operating income from motorcycles and related products was $53.1 million, a 49.4% increase compared to operating income of $35.6 million in the year-ago period. Operating income in the quarter benefited from lower restructuring costs and higher gross margin compared to the prior-year period.
Revenue from motorcycles during the fourth quarter of 2012 of $771.1 million was down 2.6% compared to the year-ago period. The Company shipped 47,067 motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide during the quarter. In the year-ago period, the Company shipped 50,730 motorcycles. Fourth-quarter shipments were in line with guidance and consistent with the Company's previously announced plans for lower shipments in the quarter related to the implementation of seasonal surge production at York in the first half of 2013. The Company believes surge production will provide the flexibility to produce more motorcycles closer to customer demand during the prime selling season.
Revenue from motorcycle parts and accessories totaled $161.6 million during the quarter, up 0.2%, and revenue from general merchandise, which includes MotorClothes® apparel and accessories, was $74.0 million, up 6.8%, compared to the year-ago period.
Gross margin was 31.8% in the fourth quarter of 2012, compared to 31.2% in the fourth quarter of 2011. Fourth-quarter operating margin from motorcycles and related products was 5.3%, compared to operating margin of 3.5% in last year's fourth quarter.
Twelve-Month Results: For the full year 2012 the Company shipped 247,625 motorcycles to dealers and distributors, a 6.2% increase compared to 2011. Full-year revenue from motorcycles grew 5.9% to $3.76 billion, revenue from parts and accessories grew 5.3% to $859.9 million and revenue from general merchandise grew 9.2% to $299.4 million, compared to 2011. Gross margin for the full year was 34.8% and operating margin was 14.5%, compared to 33.4% and 12.0% respectively in 2011.
Financial Services Segment Results
Operating income from financial services was $63.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, a 10.9% increase compared to operating income of $56.8 million in last year's fourth quarter. Full-year 2012 operating income from financial services was $284.7 million, a 5.9% increase compared to operating income of $268.8 million in 2011. Results for the fourth quarter and full year reflect continued improvement in credit loss performance year over year and lower interest expense.
Guidance
Harley-Davidson expects to ship 259,000 to 264,000 motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide in 2013, an approximate 4-1/2% to 6-1/2% increase from 2012. In the first quarter of 2013, the Company expects to ship 71,000 to 76,000 motorcycles, an approximate increase of 10% to 18% from the year-ago period. The Company's first-quarter shipment plan reflects the implementation of surge production at York in the first half of 2013. The Company expects full-year 2013 gross margin of 35.25% to 36.25 %. The Company expects capital expenditures of $200 million to $220 million in 2013.
Restructuring Update
In 2012, Harley-Davidson realized savings of $280 million from restructuring activities initiated since early 2009. Restructuring charges were $1.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 and $28.5 million for the full year. Upon the completion of restructuring in 2013, Harley-Davidson expects restructuring activities initiated since 2009 to result in one-time overall costs of approximately $495 million, including approximately $13 million in 2013. The Company expects savings of approximately $305 million in 2013 from restructuring activities initiated since 2009, rising to annual ongoing savings of approximately $320 million beginning in 2014.
Income Tax Rate
For the full year 2012, Harley-Davidson's effective tax rate was 35.1% compared to 30.9% in 2011. The 2011 effective tax rate benefited from a change in Wisconsin tax law associated with certain net operating losses, the favorable settlement of an IRS audit and the benefit of the federal Research and Development Tax Credit. In 2013, the Company expects its full-year effective tax rate from continuing operations will be approximately 34.8%.
Cash Flow
Cash and marketable securities totaled $1.20 billion at year-end 2012, compared to $1.68 billion at year-end 2011. In 2012, Harley-Davidson generated $793.1 million of cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations, compared to $885.3 million in 2011. On a discretionary basis, the Company repurchased 1.2 million shares of Harley-Davidson, Inc. common stock during the fourth quarter of 2012 at a cost of $53.4 million. For the full year 2012, Harley-Davidson repurchased 6.5 million shares of its common stock at a cost of $299.6 million. At the end of 2012, there were approximately 226 million shares of Harley-Davidson common stock outstanding and 14.5 million shares remaining on board-approved share repurchase authorizations. In January 2013, Harley-Davidson made a $175 million voluntary contribution to its pension plans.
Company Background
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides wholesale and retail financing, insurance, extended service and other protection plans and credit card programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and riders in the U.S., Canada and other select international markets. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson's Web site at www.harley-davidson.com.
Conference Call and Webcast Presentation
Harley-Davidson will discuss fourth-quarter results on a Webcast at 8:00 a.m. CT today. The Webcast presentation will be posted prior to the call and can be accessed at http://investor.harley-davidson.com/. Click "Events and Presentations" under "Resources." The audio portion of today's call will also be posted at harley-davidson.com beginning approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call for one year. The audio may also be accessed until Feb. 12, 2013 by calling 404-537-3406 or 855-859-2056 in the US, pin number 8342-2435#.
Forward-Looking Statements
The Company intends that certain matters discussed in this release are "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as the Company "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," or "estimates" or words of similar meaning. Similarly, statements that describe future plans, objectives, outlooks, targets, guidance or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated as of the date of this release. Certain of such risks and uncertainties are described below. Shareholders, potential investors, and other readers are urged to consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements and cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are only made as of the date of this release, and the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
The Company's ability to meet the targets and expectations noted depends upon, among other factors, the Company's ability to (i) execute its business strategy, (ii) adjust to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates and commodity prices, (iii) manage through inconsistent economic conditions, including changing capital, credit and retail markets, (iv) implement and manage enterprise-wide information technology solutions, including solutions at its manufacturing facilities, and secure data contained in those systems, (v) anticipate the level of consumer confidence in the economy, (vi) continue to realize production efficiencies at its production facilities and manage operating costs including materials, labor and overhead, (vii) manage production capacity and production changes, (viii) manage changes and prepare for requirements in legislative and regulatory environments for its products, services and operations, (ix) provide products, services and experiences that are successful in the marketplace, (x) manage risks that arise through expanding international operations and sales, (xi) manage the credit quality, the loan servicing and collection activities, and the recovery rates of HDFS' loan portfolio, (xii) successfully implement with its labor unions the agreements that it has executed with them that it believes will provide flexibility and cost-effectiveness to accomplish restructuring goals and long-term competitiveness, (xiii) effectively execute the Company's restructuring plans within expected costs and timing, (xiv) manage supply chain issues, including any unexpected interruptions or price increases caused by raw material shortages or natural disasters,(xv) develop and implement sales and marketing plans that retain existing retail customers and attract new retail customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace, (xvi) adjust to healthcare inflation and reform, pension reform and tax changes, (xvii) retain and attract talented employees, (xviii) manage the risks that our independent dealers may have difficulty obtaining capital and managing through changing economic conditions and consumer demand, (xix) continue to have access to reliable sources of capital funding and adjust to fluctuations in the cost of capital, (xx) continue to develop the capabilities of its distributor and dealer network, and (xxi) detect any issues with our motorcycles or manufacturing processes to avoid delays in new model launches, recall campaigns, increased warranty costs or litigation.
In addition, the Company could experience delays or disruptions in its operations as a result of work stoppages, strikes, natural causes, terrorism or other factors. Other factors are described in risk factors that the Company has disclosed in documents previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Company's ability to sell its motorcycles and related products and services and to meet its financial expectations also depends on the ability of the Company's independent dealers to sell its motorcycles and related products and services to retail customers. The Company depends on the capability and financial capacity of its independent dealers and distributors to develop and implement effective retail sales plans to create demand for the motorcycles and related products and services they purchase from the Company. In addition, the Company's independent dealers and distributors may experience difficulties in operating their businesses and selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles and related products and services as a result of weather, economic conditions or other factors.
TABLES FOLLOW
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Three months ended Twelve months ended
December 31, December 31, December 31, December 31,
2012 2011 2012 2011
---- ---- ---- ----
Motorcycles and
related products
revenue $1,010,898 $1,026,777 $4,942,582 $4,662,264
Gross profit 321,957 320,451 1,720,188 1,555,976
Selling,
administrative
and engineering
expense 267,209 265,918 976,224 926,808
Restructuring
expense 1,634 18,970 28,475 67,992
Operating income
from motorcycles
& related
products 53,114 35,563 715,489 561,176
Financial
services revenue 159,962 157,153 637,924 649,449
Financial
services expense 96,973 100,336 353,237 380,658
Operating income
from financial
services 62,989 56,817 284,687 268,791
------ ------ ------- -------
Operating income 116,103 92,380 1,000,176 829,967
Investment income 1,758 2,338 7,369 7,963
Interest expense 11,505 11,165 46,033 45,266
Income before
income taxes 106,356 83,553 961,512 792,664
Provision for
income taxes 35,717 28,909 337,587 244,586
Income from
continuing
operations 70,639 54,644 623,925 548,078
Earnings from
discontinued
operations, net
of tax - 51,036 - 51,036
Net income $70,639 $105,680 $623,925 $599,114
======= ======== ======== ========
Earnings per
common share
from continuing
operations:
Basic $0.31 $0.24 $2.75 $2.35
Diluted $0.31 $0.24 $2.72 $2.33
Earnings per
common share
from
discontinued
operations:
Basic $ - $0.22 $ - $0.22
Diluted $ - $0.22 $ - $0.22
Earnings per
common share:
Basic $0.31 $0.46 $2.75 $2.57
Diluted $0.31 $0.46 $2.72 $2.55
Weighted-average
common shares:
Basic 224,635 229,827 227,119 232,889
Diluted 226,726 231,968 229,229 234,918
Cash dividends
per common share $0.155 $0.125 $0.620 $0.475
Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
December 31, December 31,
2012 2011
---- ----
ASSETS
------
Current assets:
Cash and cash
equivalents $1,068,138 $1,526,950
Marketable
securities 135,634 153,380
Accounts
receivable, net 230,079 219,039
Finance
receivables,
net(1) 1,743,045 1,760,467
Inventories 393,524 418,006
Restricted cash(1) 188,008 229,655
Other current
assets 292,508 234,709
Total current
assets 4,050,936 4,542,206
Finance
receivables,
net(1) 4,038,807 4,026,214
Other long-term
assets 1,081,030 1,105,744
$9,170,773 $9,674,164
========== ==========
LIABILITIES AND
SHAREHOLDERS'
EQUITY
---------------
Current
liabilities:
Accounts payable &
accrued
liabilities $770,977 $819,885
Short-term debt 294,943 838,486
Current portion of
long-term
debt(1) 437,162 1,040,247
Total current
liabilities 1,503,082 2,698,618
Long-term debt(1) 4,370,544 3,843,886
Pension and
postretirement
healthcare
liabilities 608,356 571,065
Other long-term
liabilities 131,167 140,339
Total
shareholders'
equity 2,557,624 2,420,256
$9,170,773 $9,674,164
========== ==========
(1) Includes amounts held by variable interest entities.
Harley-Davidson, Inc
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
Twelve months ended
December 31, December 31,
2012 2011
---- ----
Net cash provided by
operating activities
of continuing operations $793,076 $885,291
Cash flows from investing
activities of continuing
operations:
Capital expenditures (189,002) (189,035)
Finance receivables, net (90,612) 138,025
Net change in marketable
securities 18,303 (12,532)
Net cash used by by
investing activities of
continuing operations (261,311) (63,542)
Cash flows from financing
activities of continuing
operations:
Proceeds from issuance of
medium-term notes 993,737 387,865
Repayments of medium-
term notes (420,870) -
Proceeds from
securitization debt 763,895 1,082,599
Repayments of
securitization debt (1,405,599) (1,754,568)
Net (decrease) increase
in credit facilities and
unsecured commercial
paper (744,724) 237,827
Net borrowings of asset-
backed commercial paper 200,417 -
Net repayments of asset-
backed commercial paper (24,301) (483)
Net change in restricted
cash 41,647 59,232
Dividends (141,681) (111,011)
Purchase of common stock
for treasury (311,632) (224,548)
Excess tax benefits from
share-based payments 21,447 6,303
Issuance of common stock
under employee stock
option plans 45,973 7,840
Net cash used by
financing activities of
continuing operations (981,691) (308,944)
Effect of exchange rate
changes on cash and cash
equivalents
of continuing operations (8,886) (7,788)
Net (decrease) increase
in cash and cash
equivalents of
continuing operations (458,812) 505,017
Cash flows from operating
activities of
discontinued operations - -
Net (decrease) increase
in cash and cash
equivalents $(458,812) $505,017
========= ========
Cash and cash
equivalents:
Cash and cash equivalents
-beginning of period $1,526,950 $1,021,933
Cash and cash equivalents
of discontinued
operations -beginning
of period - -
Net (decrease) increase
in cash and cash
equivalents (458,812) 505,017
Less: Cash and cash
equivalents of
discontinued operations
-end of period - -
Cash and cash equivalents
-end of period $1,068,138 $1,526,950
========== ==========
Motorcycles and Related Products Revenue and
Motorcycle Shipment Data
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited)
Three months ended Twelve months ended
December 31, December 31, December 31, December 31,
2012 2011 2012 2011
---- ---- ---- ----
MOTORCYCLES AND RELATED
PRODUCTS REVENUE (in
thousands)
Motorcycles $771,137 $791,984 $3,764,794 $3,554,547
Parts & Accessories 161,564 161,182 859,945 816,569
General Merchandise 74,028 69,315 299,403 274,124
Other 4,169 4,296 18,440 17,024
$1,010,898 $1,026,777 $4,942,582 $4,662,264
========== ========== ========== ==========
MOTORCYCLE SHIPMENTS:
United States 29,358 33,625 160,477 152,180
International 17,709 17,105 87,148 80,937
Total 47,067 50,730 247,625 233,117
====== ====== ======= =======
MOTORCYCLE PRODUCT MIX:
Touring 21,637 21,592 99,496 92,002
Custom 17,995 19,933 96,425 91,459
Sportster(R) 7,435 9,205 51,704 49,656
Total 47,067 50,730 247,625 233,117
====== ====== ======= =======
Worldwide Retail Sales of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles
Three months ended Twelve months ended
December 31, December 31, December 31, December 31,
2012 2011 2012 2011
---- ---- ---- ----
North
America
Region
--------
United
States 25,753 23,753 161,678 151,683
Canada 1,047 1,214 10,573 10,502
Total North
America
Region 26,800 24,967 172,251 162,185
Europe,
Middle East
and Africa
Region
(EMEA)
------------
Europe* 5,360 5,997 37,027 39,334
Other 1,461 1,059 6,000 5,006
Total EMEA
Region 6,821 7,056 43,027 44,340
Asia Pacific
Region
------------
Japan 2,727 2,574 10,642 10,401
Other 3,980 3,270 13,839 11,015
Total Asia
Pacific
Region 6,707 5,844 24,481 21,416
Latin
America
Region 3,077 2,492 10,090 7,247
-------- ----- ----- ------ -----
Total
Worldwide
Retail
Sales 43,405 40,359 249,849 235,188
====== ====== ======= =======
Data Source
-----------
Data source for retail sales
figures shown above is new
sales warranty and
registration information
provided by Harley-Davidson
dealers and compiled by the
Company. The Company must
rely on information that its
dealers supply concerning new
retail sales, and this
information is subject to
revision.
* Europe data includes
Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, and the
United Kingdom.
Heavyweight Motorcycle Registration Data(1)
Twelve months ended
December 31, December 31,
2012 2011
---- ----
United
States(2) 281,974 271,029
Eleven months ended
November 30, November 30,
2012 2011
---- ----
Europe(3) 262,194 284,394
1 - Heavyweight data includes
street legal 651+cc models.
Street legal 651+cc models
include on-highway, dual
purpose models and three-
wheeled vehicles.
2 -United States data is derived
from information provided by
Motorcycle Industry Council
(MIC). This third party data is
subject to revision and update.
3 - Europe data includes
Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Netherlands,
Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, and the United
Kingdom. Industry retail
motorcycle registration data
includes 651+cc models derived
from information provided by
Association des Constructeurs
SOURCE Harley-Davidson, Inc.
