Harley-Davidson (HOG) Banks on New Tech to Lure Buyers
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Price: $38.02 +0.50%
Overall Analyst Rating:
NEUTRAL (
Up)
Dividend Yield: 1.9%
EPS Growth %: -26.5%
Overall Analyst Rating:
NEUTRAL (
Up)Dividend Yield: 1.9%
EPS Growth %: -26.5%
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Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) shares are up Thursday as the venerable motorcycle looks to take its latest offerings into the 21st century.
In a change of thinking for the 110-year-old company, Harley began using customer input across focus groups and dealer clinics as it began to design the latest wave of bikes. Additions to the latest models include GPS screens, electronically-linked front and rear brakes, and a twin-cooled engine for lowering the temperature of exhaust pipes.
According to Bloomberg, Harley had several clinics throughout the U.S., Japan, and Europe when gathering input for the new bikes. Generally, about three-dozen people would participate each session, which would last for a few days, getting early peeks at prototypes and weighing in on the strengths and weaknesses of the models.
Additionally, Harley opened up its Wauwatosa development center to dealers and sales managers for the first time ever. Generally, the center employs about 800 engineers and designers and just one-third of the company's 5,800 employees have access.
The move might be profitable for Harley. Shares are up three-fold from lows hit in April 2009 and, following the hiring of CEO Keith Wandell, the company has looked to expand by appealing to different demographics like women, African-Americans, younger riders, and international customers.
Shares of Harley are up 1.3 percent Thursday.
In a change of thinking for the 110-year-old company, Harley began using customer input across focus groups and dealer clinics as it began to design the latest wave of bikes. Additions to the latest models include GPS screens, electronically-linked front and rear brakes, and a twin-cooled engine for lowering the temperature of exhaust pipes.
According to Bloomberg, Harley had several clinics throughout the U.S., Japan, and Europe when gathering input for the new bikes. Generally, about three-dozen people would participate each session, which would last for a few days, getting early peeks at prototypes and weighing in on the strengths and weaknesses of the models.
Additionally, Harley opened up its Wauwatosa development center to dealers and sales managers for the first time ever. Generally, the center employs about 800 engineers and designers and just one-third of the company's 5,800 employees have access.
The move might be profitable for Harley. Shares are up three-fold from lows hit in April 2009 and, following the hiring of CEO Keith Wandell, the company has looked to expand by appealing to different demographics like women, African-Americans, younger riders, and international customers.
Shares of Harley are up 1.3 percent Thursday.
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