HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) Stock Analysis

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) Stock Analysis

Overall Grade: F (Concerning)

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HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. faces challenges in financial performance that warrant careful analysis.

Key Metrics:

Metric Value Context
ROIC 3.0% Below expectations
FCF Margin 9.3% Healthy cash flow
Debt/Equity 0.9x Moderate leverage

Investment Thesis: Financial metrics indicate concerning business quality with areas requiring attention.


What is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.'s Profitability and ROIC?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.'s return on invested capital of 3.0% is below the typical cost of capital. Gross margin of 38.7% with operating margin at 8.6% reflects the company's moderate market position.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) 3.0% Red flag Below cost of capital
Return on Equity (ROE) 10.2% Adequate Moderate equity returns
Gross Margin 38.7% Good Competitive pricing environment
Operating Margin 8.6% Adequate Moderate operational efficiency

How Strong is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.'s Cash Flow Quality?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. generated $415.2M in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months, representing a 9.3% margin. Cash earnings quality is strong, with operating cash flow exceeding net income by 1.7x.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Free Cash Flow Margin 9.3% Adequate Healthy cash generation
Free Cash Flow (TTM) $415.2M Good Positive cash generation
OCF/Net Income 1.7x Excellent High earnings quality
FCF Consistency (8Q) N/A Warning Variable cash flow

What is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.'s Financial Health?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. maintains a net cash position of $124.7M, providing significant financial flexibility.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
Debt to Equity 0.9x Adequate Moderate leverage
Net Cash Position $124.7M Excellent Net cash positive

Is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. Stock Overvalued or Undervalued?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. trades at a P/E of 7.2x, representing a premium to the sector median of N/A. Free cash flow yield of 16.9% offers attractive cash returns.

Key Metrics

Metric Value Rating Interpretation
P/E Ratio 7.2x Adequate Reasonable valuation
EV/Sales 1.5x Excellent Attractive revenue multiple
FCF Yield 16.9% Excellent Attractive cash return
Dividend Yield 3.5% Adequate Meaningful income

Sector Rankings

Metric Value Percentile vs Median
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) 3.0% Bottom 50% 0.4x below
Free Cash Flow Margin 9.3% Top 50% 1.7x above
Gross Margin 38.7% Top 50% 1.2x above
Operating Margin 8.6% Top 50% 1.1x above
Return on Equity (ROE) 10.2% Top 50% 1.1x above
P/E Ratio 7.2x N/A -

Rating Thresholds

Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)

Measures how efficiently a company uses its debt and equity capital to generate profits. ROIC above 15% typically indicates a competitive moat.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 20% Exceptional capital efficiency, strong competitive moat
Good 12% - 20% Above-average returns, sustainable competitive position
Adequate 8% - 12% Around cost of capital, moderate competitive position
Warning 4% - 8% Below cost of capital, value may be eroding
Red flag < 4% Significant capital destruction, fundamental issues

Current: 3.0% (Red flag - Bottom 50% of sector (median: 8.0%))

Free Cash Flow Margin

The percentage of revenue converted to free cash flow. Higher margins indicate stronger cash generation and business quality.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 20% Strong cash generation, high-quality business
Good 10% - 20% Healthy cash conversion
Adequate 5% - 10% Moderate cash generation
Warning 0% - 5% Thin cash margins, capital intensive
Red flag < 0% Cash burn, potential liquidity concerns

Current: 9.3% (Adequate - Top 50% of sector (median: 5.4%))

Gross Margin

Revenue minus cost of goods sold as a percentage. Higher gross margins indicate pricing power and competitive advantage.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 50% Strong pricing power and competitive moat
Good 30% - 50% Healthy margins, differentiated product
Adequate 20% - 30% Moderate margins, competitive industry
Warning 10% - 20% Thin margins, commodity-like business
Red flag < 10% Very thin margins, structural challenges

Current: 38.7% (Good - Top 50% of sector (median: 33.4%))

Debt to Equity Ratio

Total debt divided by shareholders' equity. Lower ratios indicate more conservative financing and reduced financial risk.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent < 0.3x Conservative leverage, strong balance sheet
Good 0.3x - 0.7x Moderate leverage, healthy financial position
Adequate 0.7x - 1.5x Elevated leverage, monitor closely
Warning 1.5x - 3.0x High leverage, increased financial risk
Red flag > 3.0x Excessive leverage, potential distress risk

Current: 94.5% (Adequate)

P/E Ratio (Price-to-Earnings)

Stock price divided by earnings per share. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation, while higher P/E suggests growth expectations.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent < 15x Attractively valued, potential opportunity
Good 15x - 25x Fair value for quality company
Adequate 25x - 35x Growth premium, justify with earnings growth
Warning 35x - 50x High expectations priced in
Red flag > 50x or negative Speculative valuation or losses

Current: 721.5% (Adequate)

Free Cash Flow Yield

Free cash flow per share divided by stock price. Higher FCF yield indicates better cash return relative to valuation.

Rating Range Interpretation
Excellent > 8% High cash return, potential value opportunity
Good 5% - 8% Solid cash yield
Adequate 3% - 5% Moderate cash return
Warning 1% - 3% Low cash yield, growth expectations
Red flag < 1% Minimal cash return to shareholders

Current: 16.9% (Excellent)


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.'s Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) has a trailing twelve-month Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) of 3.0%. This compares below the sector median of 8.0%. An ROIC below 8% suggests the company may be destroying shareholder value.

Q: What is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.'s Free Cash Flow Margin?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) has a free cash flow margin of 9.3%, generating $415.2 million in free cash flow over the trailing twelve months. A FCF margin between 5-10% is typical for capital-intensive businesses.

Q: Is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. stock overvalued or undervalued?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) trades at a P/E ratio of 7.2x, which is above the sector median of N/A. The EV/Sales multiple is 1.5x. Free cash flow yield is 16.9%, which represents an attractive cash return to investors.

Q: Does HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. pay a dividend?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) currently pays a dividend yield of 3.5%. Including share buybacks, the total shareholder yield is 17.9%. This yield is moderate, suggesting a balance between income and growth reinvestment.

Q: How much debt does HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. have?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.9x with total debt of $3.0 billion. Despite carrying debt, the company maintains a net cash position of $124.7 million.

Q: What is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.'s revenue and earnings growth?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) declined revenue by 13.8% year-over-year. Earnings per share decreased by 18.4% compared to the prior year. Revenue decline may indicate market challenges or industry headwinds.

Q: Is HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. buying back stock?

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) repurchased $353.3 million of stock over the trailing twelve months. This represents a buyback yield of 14.4%.

Q: How does HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. compare to competitors in Industrials?

Compared to other companies in Industrials, HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) shows: ROIC of 3.0% is below the sector median of 8.0% (Bottom 30%). FCF margin of 9.3% exceeds the sector median of 5.4% (Top 32% of sector). Gross margin at 38.7% is 5.3 percentage points higher than sector peers. These rankings are based on MetricDuck's analysis of all Industrials companies with available SEC filings.

Q: What warning signs should I watch for with HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC.?

Investors in HARLEY-DAVIDSON, INC. (HOG) should monitor these potential warning signs: 1) ROIC has been declining, potentially signaling deteriorating competitive position. Regular monitoring of SEC filings and quarterly trends is recommended.


Data Source: Data sourced from 10-Q filed 2025-11-05. TTM metrics as of Q4 2025.

Methodology: Financial metrics calculated from SEC 10-K and 10-Q filings using standardized formulas. Sector comparisons use peer group based on SIC code.

This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.