Harley-Davidson Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:HOG)

Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:HOG) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Tuesday. Investors purchased 6,794 put options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 173% compared to the average volume of 2,490 put options.

Harley-Davidson Stock Up 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:HOG traded up $0.24 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $21.06. 1,459,550 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,749,900. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $22.71 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $25.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a quick ratio of 2.36 and a current ratio of 2.51. Harley-Davidson has a twelve month low of $20.38 and a twelve month high of $31.25. The company has a market cap of $2.49 billion, a PE ratio of 5.11, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.37.

Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $3.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.38 by $1.72. Harley-Davidson had a return on equity of 15.19% and a net margin of 11.37%.The company had revenue of $1.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.01 billion. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Harley-Davidson will post 3.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Harley-Davidson Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 22nd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 9th were paid a dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 9th. Harley-Davidson’s dividend payout ratio is 17.48%.

Institutional Trading of Harley-Davidson

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of HOG. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Harley-Davidson by 1,277.0% in the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 1,094,119 shares of the company’s stock valued at $22,418,000 after buying an additional 1,014,660 shares during the period. Diversified Trust Co. lifted its holdings in Harley-Davidson by 2.1% in the fourth quarter. Diversified Trust Co. now owns 114,265 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,341,000 after acquiring an additional 2,360 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in Harley-Davidson by 25.1% in the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 438,568 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,236,000 after acquiring an additional 88,100 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP boosted its stake in Harley-Davidson by 13.7% in the third quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 4,314 shares of the company’s stock valued at $120,000 after acquiring an additional 519 shares during the period. Finally, Centaurus Financial Inc. bought a new position in shares of Harley-Davidson during the third quarter valued at approximately $168,000. 85.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

HOG has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded Harley-Davidson from a “sell (d+)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Harley-Davidson from $25.00 to $21.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 19th. Loop Capital initiated coverage on shares of Harley-Davidson in a report on Tuesday, November 25th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $21.00 target price for the company. DA Davidson dropped their price target on shares of Harley-Davidson from $34.00 to $30.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Harley-Davidson from $28.00 to $27.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, November 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $27.88.

Harley-Davidson Company Profile

Harley-Davidson, Inc is a renowned American motorcycle manufacturer best known for its heavyweight cruiser and touring bikes. Founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the company has built a strong reputation for producing distinctive motorcycles characterized by their signature V-twin engines, chrome finishes and robust frames. Harley-Davidson markets its products globally through a network of franchised dealerships and focuses on delivering an immersive brand experience to its customers, emphasizing lifestyle and community alongside its motorcycles.

In addition to its core motorcycle business, Harley-Davidson offers an extensive range of parts, accessories and apparel under its Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories and MotorClothes lines.