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MILWAUKEE - Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: NYSE:HOG) announced that its Board of Directors has declared a first-quarter cash dividend of $0.18 per share, maintaining its impressive 32-year streak of consecutive dividend payments. The dividend, representing a current yield of 2.67%, is scheduled to be paid on March 14, 2025, to shareholders who are on record as of February 28, 2025. According to InvestingPro, the company has raised its dividend for four consecutive years, demonstrating its commitment to shareholder returns.
This decision reflects the company's ongoing commitment to return value to its shareholders. Harley-Davidson, the iconic American motorcycle manufacturer, also operates Harley-Davidson Financial Services, providing financing, insurance, and other programs to dealers and customers.
The announcement comes as the Milwaukee-based company continues to navigate the highly competitive and evolving global motorcycle market. Harley-Davidson has been focusing on broadening its customer base and introducing new models to stimulate growth amid changing consumer preferences.
Investors and market watchers often view dividend declarations as indicators of a company's financial health and management's confidence in its future profitability. Dividends are typically paid out from a company's earnings, and Harley-Davidson's ability to maintain its dividend payout suggests a stable financial position.
The information is based on a press release statement from Harley-Davidson, Inc. The market will likely monitor the company's performance and strategic initiatives closely to see how they align with dividend payouts and overall shareholder returns in the future.
In other recent news, Harley-Davidson's fourth quarter results of 2024 fell short of analysts' expectations, as the company reported a wider-than-expected loss and a 35% decline in revenue. The company's strategic initiative to reduce dealer inventories by 30% in the first half of 2025 was seen as a positive step by DA Davidson analyst Brandon Rolle. DA Davidson maintained its Buy rating on Harley-Davidson stock and reiterated a $31 price target, which aligns with the company's fiscal year 2025 earnings per share forecast.
On the other hand, Citi analysts adjusted their outlook on Harley-Davidson, reducing the price target to $29 while maintaining a neutral rating. This adjustment was made in response to Harley-Davidson's fourth-quarter margins, which were below expectations despite retail sales being in line with projections. Citi analysts also expressed skepticism about Harley-Davidson's 2025 guidance, which assumes unchanged retail sales.
Harley-Davidson's recent developments also include a Q4 loss and a miss on estimates. The company reported a loss of $0.93 per share for the quarter, missing analyst estimates of a $0.66 per share loss. Despite these financial challenges, Harley-Davidson's launch of new Street Glide and Road Glide touring motorcycles contributed to nearly 5% growth in the U.S. Touring segment in 2024.
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