Reply #11: Export sales up, domestic sales down. Maybe foreigners aren't all bad for Harley.

[pampango]

Looks like Harley's exports have been increasing while their domestic sales have been declining. Mr. Truty, the shareholder who was questioning outsourcing, may not like the foreigners' role in production, but he (and the company's workers) are probably not too upset by the increasing role of foreigners in purchasing motorcycles and creating jobs and profits for the company (all of whose factories are in the US as far as I can tell).

"Export sales appeared to be the only good news for Harley-Davidson as the release of its fourth quarter and 2008 year end results were accompanied by a range of cost-cutting announcements that include lay-offs, production cuts and facility closures."

"However, for the full year the Company plans to ship between 264,000 and 273,000 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, a 10 percent to 13 percent reduction from 2008."

"Fourth quarter retail sales increased 3.4 percent in Europe, with all international market retail sales increasing 10.3 percent for the full year .

Domestic U.S. retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles declined 13.0 percent for the full year , in a U.S. heavyweight market that was ‘only’ down by 7.0 percent for the year."

http://prostreetblog.com/2009/01/23/harley-davidson-to-close-facilities-lay-off-1100-reduce-shipments/