MILWAUKEE, April 22—Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) first-quarter 2014 diluted earnings per share of $1.21 grew 22.2 percent from the year-ago period on higher motorcycle shipments and continued improvement in operating efficiencies. First-quarter net income was $265.9 million on consolidated revenue of $1.73 billion, compared to net income of $224.1 million in the year-ago period on consolidated revenue of $1.57 billion.
“Harley-Davidson delivered gains on many fronts in the first quarter, with shipments up 7.3 percent, strong margin improvement and solid growth in dealer new motorcycle sales,” said Keith Wandell, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc.
“Thanks to the great contributions of our employees, dealers and suppliers, we continue to lead at delivering exceptional customer experiences in 89 countries,” said Wandell. “Our Project RUSHMORE motorcycles were in high demand in the quarter and we began shipping the Harley-Davidson Street 750 and 500 into select markets. These motorcycles, together with continuous improvement in our operations at every level, underscore the momentum we’ve established as a customer-led company.”
Retail Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Sales
Dealers worldwide sold 57,415 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the first quarter of 2014 compared to 54,254 motorcycles in the year-ago quarter. In the U.S., dealers sold 35,730 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the quarter, up 3.0 percent compared to sales of 34,706 motorcycles in the year-ago period. In international markets, dealers sold 21,685 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles during the first quarter, up 10.9 percent compared to 19,548 motorcycles in the year-ago period, with sales up 20.5 percent in the Asia Pacific region, 8.2 percent in the EMEA region and 8.9 percent in the Latin America region, and down 2.4 percent in Canada.
“Our dealers had a solid quarter of retail motorcycle sales. Sales in the Asia Pacific region were up strongly, and we are encouraged by the continued growth of new Harley-Davidson motorcycle sales in Europe. We’re also excited to be entering the heart of the retail selling season in the U.S., having achieved first-quarter retail growth of 3.0 percent in the midst of a long, cold winter,” said Wandell.
According to Wandell, “there’s also great news for Harley-Davidson in the annual reporting of our demographic market share data.”
In 2013, for the sixth consecutive year, Harley-Davidson was the number-one seller of new, on-road motorcycles in the U.S., both 601cc-plus and across all displacements, to young adults age 18-34, women, African-Americans and Hispanics (“outreach” customers) and Caucasian men age 35-plus (“core” customers), according to Polk 2013 U.S. new motorcycle registration data from IHS Automotive. The Company grew its U.S. market share and also increased its share gap to the nearest competitor in each of these segments, compared to 2012.
“Together with our dealers, we continued to expand the appeal of our products and the Harley-Davidson experience,” said Wandell. “Harley-Davidson dealers sold more than four times as many new, on-road motorcycles, 601cc and up, to U.S. young adults last year, and among riders age 35-plus, more than nine times as many to women, more than six times as many to African-Americans and more than seven times as many to Hispanics, as the nearest competitor.”
According to Harley-Davidson’s internal data, retail sales of its motorcycles to U.S. outreach customers grew at more than twice the rate of sales growth to core customers in 2013 compared to 2012.
Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Related Products Segment Results
First-quarter operating income from motorcycles and related products grew 25.6 percent to $347.7 million, compared to operating income of $276.8 million in the year-ago period. Operating income in the quarter benefited from higher motorcycle shipments and higher gross margin compared to the prior-year period.
Revenue from motorcycles grew 13.1 percent to $1.31 billion, compared to revenue of $1.15 billion in the year-ago period. The Company shipped 80,682 motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide during the quarter, in line with guidance and a 7.3-percent increase compared to shipments of 75,222 motorcycles in the year-ago period.
Revenue from motorcycle parts and accessories was $198.1 million during the quarter, up 7.7 percent, and revenue from general merchandise, which includes MotorClothes apparel and accessories, was $64.1 million, down 11.1 percent, compared to the year-ago period.
Gross margin was 37.7 percent in the first quarter of 2014, compared to 36.7 percent in the first quarter of 2013. First-quarter operating margin from motorcycles and related products was 22.1 percent, compared to operating margin of 19.6 percent in last year’s first quarter.
Financial Services Segment Results
Operating income from financial services was $63.2 million in the first quarter of 2014, an 11.7-percent decrease compared to operating income of $71.5 million in last year’s first quarter. First-quarter financial services results reflect a higher provision for credit losses.
Guidance
Harley-Davidson continues to expect to ship 279,000 to 284,000 motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide in 2014, an approximate 7- to 9-percent increase from 2013. In the second quarter of 2014, The Motor Company expects to ship 92,000 to 97,000 motorcycles, up from shipments of 84,606 motorcycles in the year-ago period. The Company continues to expect full-year 2014 operating margin of 17.5 percent to 18.5 percent in the Motorcycles segment. The Company also continues to expect capital expenditures of $215 million to $235 million in 2014.
Income Tax Rate
For the first quarter of 2014, the Company’s effective income tax rate was 35 percent compared to 33.8 percent in the first quarter of 2013. The lower effective tax rate in the first quarter of 2013 was primarily driven by the retroactive reinstatement of the Research and Development Tax Credit, which included the full-year impact of the 2012 Research and Development Tax Credit. The Company continues to expect its full-year 2014 effective tax rate to be approximately 35.5 percent.
Cash Flow
Cash and marketable securities totaled $1.03 billion at the end of the first quarter, compared to $1.15 billion at the end of last year’s first quarter. During the first quarter of 2014, Harley-Davidson generated cash from operating activities of $203.6 million, compared to an outflow of $108.5 million in the year-ago quarter. On a discretionary basis, the Company repurchased 1.2 million shares of Harley-Davidson, Inc. common stock during the first quarter of 2014 at a cost of $76.6 million. In the first quarter of 2014, there were approximately 220.5 million Harley-Davidson weighted-average diluted common shares outstanding. At the end of the first quarter of 2014, 28.1 million shares remained on board-approved share-repurchase authorizations.
