Overview
- Harley‑Davidson posted Q2 net income of $80 million and revenue of $1.23 billion on Thursday, with gross margin slipping to 27.5% and shipments of 39,200 units falling short of the roughly 40,810 analyst forecast.
- The company raised full‑year global retail sales guidance to 133,500–138,500 units and upgraded operating income outlooks for Harley‑Davidson Motor Company and Harley‑Davidson Financial Services.
- LiveWire, the electric motorcycle unit, narrowed its quarterly operating loss to $18 million and management reiterated full‑year loss assumptions of $70M–$80M with $175M–$200M in planned capital spending.
- Company executives said margin pressure in the quarter came from higher raw material costs, an unfavorable product mix and foreign‑exchange effects while HDFS shifts to a more capital‑light model.
- Shares dipped about 1% in premarket trading and investors will be watching upcoming shipment trends and LiveWire investment as signs of whether the ‘Back to the Bricks’ pivot to $10,000‑range, lighter bikes can broaden Harley’s customer base and restore margins.