WITH rumors continuing to circulate concerning Harley-Davidson's vulnerability to possible hostile bid activity, the company continues to try to "work" its investor community by maintaining its highest quarterly dividends since 2008.
Following their third quarter/nine month results, the company again announced a cash dividend of $0.275 per share (for the fourth quarter of 2014). This is the fourth such dividend for 2014, and is up on the $0.210 per share paid throughout 2013.The company currently continues to sustain the third highest level of stockholder return in its history, dividends having been as low as $0.10 per share during the recession (March '09 through April '11).
From its historic high of over $74.65 per share in November 2006, Harley's share price went to the bargain basement and back again during the recession, bottoming out at $8.20 per share in March 2009.
Although the recovery saw the stock price peak at around $73.94 at the end of April this year, its highest price since pre-recession levels, trading has seen the share price wobble this year.
At around $68.50 at the time of the fourth quarter dividend announcement was made, at best it has remained in the mid-range of its current 52 week cycle - the low coming at around $60.60 in early August 2014.
In the approximately nine months since the low of $61.23 seen in early February this year, the stock price has seen a massive $12.71/20.72 percent volatility.
Indeed, even in the two weeks since the fourth quarter dividend was announced on December 2nd, 2014 and this edition of AMD Magazine closing for press, the share price lost a couple of Dollars ($66.42 on December 15th) as investor sentiment not only clearly continues to be concerned about long-term value, but now also appears to be looking to Milwaukee for something "stronger" than the current level of dividend.
This is the harsh world in which corporations live and reflects the air that the new breed of more hawkish post-recession 21st century "activist" investors breathe.
These charts are a continuation of the new ten-year new quarterly analysis of Harley dividend pay-outs and stock price trends that we are updating on a quarterly basis.