Harley-Davidson sinks on falling motorcycle sales, weaker-than-expected 2026 profit forecast
Harley-Davidson posted a loss per share more than twice as bad as Wall Street had expected in its fourth quarter. The company, which reported Q4 and full-year results on Tuesday, posted an adjusted loss of $2.44 per share, compared to Wall Street estimates of a $1.06 loss per share.
The motorcycle maker is contending with declining sales of, well, motorcycles. Shipments fell 4% in the fourth quarter from the year prior, while analysts had anticipated a 22% increase. Harley’s full-year gross margin was about 4 percentage points lower year over year, a decline the company said was driven by tariffs.
Harley CEO Artie Starrs called 2025 a “challenging year” and said the company is “taking deliberate actions to stabilize the business, restore dealer confidence, and align wholesale activity with retail demand.” Near-term results reflect those actions, Starrs said.
The year ahead didn’t offer much optimism for investors. For its motorcycle division, the company forecast a full-year operating income of between a $40 million loss and a $10 million profit. Wall Street analysts polled by FactSet expected $128 million in profit. The company said its full-year guidance could be impacted by a new strategic plan, set to be announced in May.