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8-K - 8-K - HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.a2014q48-k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

HARLEY-DAVIDSON DELIVERS STRONG FULL-YEAR 2014 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Diluted EPS Rises 18.3 Percent on 5.6 Percent Revenue Growth

Retail Motorcycle Sales Grow Worldwide On Strength in International Markets
MILWAUKEE, January 29, 2015 - Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:HOG) full-year 2014 diluted earnings per share increased 18.3 percent to $3.88 compared to diluted EPS of $3.28 in 2013. Net income was $844.6 million on consolidated revenue of $6.23 billion compared to full-year 2013 net income of $734.0 million on consolidated revenue of $5.90 billion. For the fourth quarter of 2014, diluted EPS increased 2.9 percent year-over-year to $0.35. Fourth quarter net income was $74.5 million on consolidated revenue of $1.20 billion compared to net income of $75.4 million on consolidated revenue of $1.19 billion in the year-ago period.

Worldwide retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles grew 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter and 2.7 percent for the full year compared to the year-ago periods, driven by strong international sales - up 9.2 percent in the fourth quarter and 5.4 percent for the full year.

“Harley-Davidson achieved a great year of financial performance in 2014, with double-digit earnings growth, revenue topping $6 billion and continued strong improvement in margins,” said Keith Wandell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc.

“We also continued to broaden our customer base and expand the reach of our brand through unrivaled products and experiences. In international markets, our dealers in Asia Pacific, EMEA and Latin America posted their highest new motorcycle sales on record for each region, delivering on our expectation for international sales to grow at a faster rate than U.S. sales. And in the U.S., for the third straight year, sales to our outreach customers grew at more than twice the rate of sales to core customers.”

“Our success is the result of a clear focus on managing the company for the long term, building on our well-established strategies and driving continuous improvement in every aspect of our business,” Wandell said.

Retail Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Sales
Dealers worldwide sold 47,149 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the fourth quarter of 2014, up 2.8 percent compared to 45,875 motorcycles in the year-ago quarter. In the U.S., dealers sold 26,957 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the quarter, down 1.6 percent compared to sales of 27,387 motorcycles in the year-ago period. In international markets, dealers sold 20,192 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles during the quarter, up 9.2 percent compared to sales of 18,488 motorcycles in the year-ago period, with unit sales up 14.2 percent in the Asia Pacific region, 8.7 percent in the EMEA region and 4.7 percent in the Latin America region, and down 5.7 percent in Canada.

For the full year 2014, dealers sold 267,999 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles worldwide, up 2.7 percent compared to 260,839 motorcycles in 2013. Retail unit sales were up 1.3 percent in the U.S., 11.8 percent in the Asia Pacific region, 6.4 percent in the EMEA region, 2.1 percent in the Latin America region and down 10.8 percent in Canada compared to full-year 2013.
    




Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Related Products Segment Results
Fourth-Quarter Results: Operating income for the Motorcycles and Related Products segment (the Motorcycles segment) was $35.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to operating income of $60.7 million in the year-ago period. Operating income in the quarter was primarily impacted by unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates.

Revenue from sales of motorcycles to dealers and distributors increased to $784.5 million, compared to revenue of $781.8 million in the year-ago period. The Company shipped 47,157 motorcycles worldwide during the quarter compared to shipments of 46,618 motorcycles in the year-ago period.

Revenue from motorcycle parts and accessories was $165.6 million during the quarter compared to $169.3 million the year-ago period. Revenue from general merchandise, which includes MotorClothes® apparel and accessories, was $75.0 million compared to $75.9 million in the year-ago period.

Gross margin for the Motorcycles segment was 30.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to 31.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013. Fourth-quarter operating margin for the Motorcycles segment was 3.5 percent compared to operating margin of 5.9 percent in last year's fourth quarter.

Twelve-Month Results: For the full year 2014, the Company shipped 270,726 motorcycles to dealers and distributors, a 3.9 percent increase compared to 2013 and in line with guidance. Full-year revenue from motorcycles was $4.39 billion compared to $4.07 billion in the year-ago period. Revenue from parts and accessories was $875.0 million compared to $873.1 million in 2013. Revenue from general merchandise was $284.8 million compared to $295.9 million in the prior year. Full-year gross margin for the Motorcycles segment was 36.4 percent, and operating margin was 18.0 percent compared to 35.4 percent and 16.6 percent respectively in 2013.

Financial Services Segment Results
Operating income from financial services was $62.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to $61.3 million in last year's fourth quarter. Full-year 2014 operating income from financial services was $277.8 million compared to $283.1 million in 2013. Results for the fourth quarter and full year reflect the impact of higher credit losses.

Guidance
Harley-Davidson expects to ship 282,000 to 287,000 motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide in 2015, an approximate 4 to 6 percent increase from 2014 shipments. In the first quarter of 2015, the Company expects to ship 79,000 to 84,000 motorcycles compared to 80,682 motorcycles shipped in the year-ago period. The Company expects full-year 2015 operating margin of approximately 18 to 19 percent for the Motorcycles segment. The Company expects 2015 capital expenditures for Harley-Davidson, Inc. of $240 million to $260 million.

Income Tax Rate
For the full year 2014, Harley-Davidson's effective tax rate was 34.2 percent compared to 34.1 percent in 2013. The Company expects its full-year 2015 effective tax rate will be approximately 35.5 percent.


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Cash Flow
Cash and marketable securities totaled $964.0 million at year-end 2014 compared to $1.17 billion at year-end 2013. In 2014, Harley-Davidson generated $1.15 billion of cash from operating activities compared to $977.1 million in 2013. On a discretionary basis, the Company repurchased 3.3 million shares of Harley-Davidson, Inc. common stock during the fourth quarter of 2014 at a cost of $222.1 million. For the full year 2014, Harley-Davidson repurchased 9.1 million shares of its common stock at a cost of $604.0 million. In the fourth quarter of 2014, there were approximately 214.4 million Harley-Davidson weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding. At the end of 2014, 20.9 million shares remained on board-approved share repurchase authorizations.

Company Background
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces 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 and full-year results on a Webcast at 8:00 a.m. CT today. The supporting slides 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 through Feb. 12, 2015, by calling 404-537-3406 or toll-free in the U.S. at 855-859-2056, pin number 57237851#.

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.


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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) manage through changes in general economic conditions, including changing capital, credit and retail markets, and political events, (iii) adjust to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates and commodity prices, (iv) continue to develop the capabilities of its distributors and dealers and manage the risks that our independent dealers may have difficulty obtaining capital and managing through changing economic conditions and consumer demand, (v) manage risks that arise through expanding international manufacturing, operations and sales, (vi) manage through the effects inconsistent and unpredictable weather patterns may have on retail sales of motorcycles,  (vii) manage changes and prepare for requirements in legislative and regulatory environments for its products, services and operations, (viii) manage supply chain issues, including quality issues and any unexpected interruptions or price increases caused by raw material shortages or natural disasters, (ix) detect any issues with our motorcycles or any associated manufacturing processes to avoid delays in new model launches, recall campaigns, increased warranty costs or litigation, (x) develop and implement sales and marketing plans that retain existing retail customers and attract new retail customers in an increasingly competitive marketplace, (xi) implement and manage enterprise-wide information technology solutions, including solutions at its manufacturing facilities, and secure data contained in those systems, (xii) develop and introduce products, services and experiences that are successful in the marketplace, (xiii) continue to realize production efficiencies at its production facilities and manage operating costs including materials, labor and overhead, (xiv) execute its flexible production strategy, (xv) balance production volumes for its new motorcycles with consumer demand, (xvi) continue to manage the relationships and agreements that it has with its labor unions to help drive long-term competitiveness, (xvii) adjust to healthcare inflation and reform, pension reform and tax changes, (xviii) retain and attract talented employees, (xix) continue to have access to reliable sources of capital funding and adjust to fluctuations in the cost of capital, and (xx) manage the credit quality, the loan servicing and collection activities, and the recovery rates of HDFS' loan portfolio.  

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.

Contact: Media, Kristen Cunningham, +1-414-343-4251, or Financial, Amy Giuffre, +1-414-343-8002

# # #

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Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
 
 
(Unaudited)
 
(Unaudited)
 
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Three months ended
 
Twelve Months Ended
 
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
Motorcycles & Related Products revenue
 
$
1,031,150

 
$
1,032,292

 
$
5,567,681

 
$
5,258,290

Gross profit
 
314,210

 
324,745

 
2,025,080

 
1,862,372

Selling, administrative and engineering expense
 
278,325

 
264,451

 
1,021,933

 
993,894

Restructuring benefit
 

 
(418
)
 

 
(2,131
)
  Operating income from Motorcycles & Related Products
 
35,885

 
60,712

 
1,003,147

 
870,609

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Services revenue
 
169,007

 
158,342

 
660,827

 
641,582

Financial Services expense
 
106,559

 
97,018

 
382,991

 
358,489

    Operating income from Financial Services
 
62,448

 
61,324

 
277,836

 
283,093

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating income
 
98,333

 
122,036

 
1,280,983

 
1,153,702

Investment income
 
1,559

 
1,313

 
6,499

 
5,859

Interest expense
 
15

 
11,258

 
4,162

 
45,256

Income before income taxes
 
99,877

 
112,091

 
1,283,320

 
1,114,305

Provision for income taxes
 
25,402

 
36,682

 
438,709

 
380,312

Net income
 
$
74,475

 
$
75,409

 
$
844,611

 
$
733,993

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Earnings per common share:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Basic
 
$
0.35

 
$
0.34

 
$
3.90

 
$
3.30

    Diluted
 
$
0.35

 
$
0.34

 
$
3.88

 
$
3.28

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted-average common shares:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Basic
 
213,064

 
220,546

 
216,305

 
222,475

  Diluted
 
214,439

 
222,241

 
217,706

 
224,071

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cash dividends per common share
 
$
0.275

 
$
0.210

 
$
1.100

 
$
0.840





Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
 
 
 
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
ASSETS
 
 
 
 
Current assets:
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
906,680

 
$
1,066,612

Marketable securities
 
57,325

 
99,009

Accounts receivable, net
 
247,621

 
261,065

Finance receivable, net
 
1,916,635

 
1,773,686

Inventories
 
448,871

 
424,507

Restricted cash
 
98,627

 
144,807

Other current assets
 
272,336

 
219,117

Total current assets
 
3,948,095

 
3,988,803

Finance receivables, net
 
4,516,246

 
4,225,877

Prepaid pension costs
 

 
244,871

Other long-term assets
 
1,063,756

 
945,489

 
 
$
9,528,097

 
$
9,405,040

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
 
 
 
Current liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Accounts payable & accrued liabilities
 
$
646,185

 
$
667,129

Short-term debt
 
731,786

 
666,317

Current portion of long-term debt
 
1,011,315

 
1,176,140

Total current liabilities
 
2,389,286

 
2,509,586

Long-term debt
 
3,761,528

 
3,416,713

Pension and postretirement healthcare liabilities
 
279,192

 
252,536

Other long-term liabilities
 
188,805

 
216,719

 
 
 
 
 
Total shareholders’ equity
 
2,909,286

 
3,009,486

 
 
$
9,528,097

 
$
9,405,040





Harley-Davidson, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
 
 
 
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Twelve Months Ended
 
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
Net cash provided by operating activities
 
$
1,146,677

 
$
977,093

 
 
 
 
 
Cash flows from investing activities:
 
 
 
 
  Capital expenditures
 
(232,319
)
 
(208,321
)
Finance receivables, net
 
(555,178
)
 
(412,011
)
  Net change in marketable securities
 
41,010

 
35,110

Other
 
1,837

 
16,355

Net cash used by investing activities
 
(744,650
)
 
(568,867
)
 
 
 
 
 
Cash flows from financing activities:
 
 
 
 
  Repayments of senior unsecured notes
 
(303,000
)
 

  Proceeds from issuance of medium-term notes
 
991,835

 

  Repayments of medium-term notes securitization debt
 
(526,431
)
 
(27,858
)
  Proceeds from securitization debt
 
847,126

 
647,516

  Repayments of securitization debt
 
(834,856
)
 
(840,387
)
   Net increase in credit facilities and unsecured commercial paper
 
63,945

 
371,085

Borrowings of asset-backed commercial paper
 
84,907

 
88,456

Repayments of asset-backed commercial paper
 
(77,800
)
 
(78,765
)
  Net change in restricted cash
 
22,755

 
43,201

Dividends paid
 
(238,300
)
 
(187,688
)
Purchase of common stock for treasury
 
(615,602
)
 
(479,231
)
  Excess tax benefits from share-based payments
 
11,540

 
19,895

  Issuance of common stock under employee stock option plans
 
37,785

 
50,567

Net cash used by financing activities
 
(536,096
)
 
(393,209
)
 
 
 
 
 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
 
(25,863
)
 
(16,543
)
 
 
 
 
 
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
 
$
(159,932
)
 
$
(1,526
)
 
 
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents:
 
 
 
 
  Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period
 
1,066,612

 
1,068,138

 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
 
(159,932
)
 
(1,526
)
  Cash and cash equivalents - end of period
 
$
906,680

 
$
1,066,612






Motorcycles and Related Products Revenue and
Motorcycle Shipment Data
 
 
 
(Unaudited)
 
(Unaudited)
 
(Unaudited)
 
 
 
 
Three months ended
 
Twelve Months Ended
 
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
MOTORCYCLES AND RELATED PRODUCTS REVENUE (in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Motorcycles
 
$
784,535

 
$
781,772

 
$
4,385,863

 
$
4,067,510

Parts & Accessories
 
165,581

 
169,296

 
875,019

 
873,075

General Merchandise
 
75,044

 
75,876

 
284,826

 
295,854

Other
 
5,990

 
5,348

 
21,973

 
21,851

 
 
$
1,031,150

 
$
1,032,292

 
$
5,567,681

 
$
5,258,290

MOTORCYCLE SHIPMENTS:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
United States
 
28,554

 
27,202

 
173,994

 
167,016

International
 
18,603

 
19,416

 
96,732

 
93,455

Total
 
47,157

 
46,618

 
270,726

 
260,471

MOTORCYCLE PRODUCT MIX:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Touring
 
22,364

 
20,486

 
122,481

 
107,213

Custom
 
15,324

 
18,222

 
91,426

 
102,950

Sportster® / Street
 
9,469

 
7,910

 
56,819

 
50,308

Total
 
47,157

 
46,618

 
270,726

 
260,471







Worldwide Retail Sales of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles(1) 
 
 
 
Three months ended
 
Twelve Months Ended
 
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
North America Region
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
United States
 
26,957

 
27,387

 
171,079

 
168,863

Canada
 
1,118

 
1,186

 
9,871

 
11,062

Total North America Region
 
28,075

 
28,573

 
180,950

 
179,925

Europe, Middle East and Africa Region (EMEA)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Europe(2)
 
6,115

 
5,636

 
38,491

 
36,076

Other
 
1,708

 
1,563

 
6,832

 
6,533

Total EMEA Region
 
7,823

 
7,199

 
45,323

 
42,609

Asia Pacific Region
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Japan
 
2,751

 
2,583

 
10,775

 
10,751

Other
 
5,370

 
4,530

 
19,299

 
16,139

Total Asia Pacific Region
 
8,121

 
7,113

 
30,074

 
26,890

Latin America Region
 
3,130

 
2,990

 
11,652

 
11,415

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total Worldwide Retail Sales
 
47,149

 
45,875

 
267,999

 
260,839

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total International Retail Sales
 
20,192

 
18,488

 
96,920

 
91,976

(1) 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.
 
(2) Europe data includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Motorcycle Registration Data(1) 
 
 
 
Twelve Months Ended
 
 
December 31,
2014
 
December 31,
2013
United States(2)
 
313,627

 
305,852

Europe(3)
 
319,801

 
281,844


(1) Data includes on-road 601+cc models. On-road 601+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, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Industry retail motorcycle registration data includes 601+cc models derived from information provided by Association des Constructeurs Europeens de Motocycles (ACEM), an independent agency. This third-party data is subject to revision and update.