Harley-Davidson Announces Strategic Partnership with KKR and PIMCO

Jul 30, 2025, 07:00 ET

Unlocks ~$1.25 billion of discretionary cash for Harley-Davidson and transforms Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) into a capital-light and derisked business that will continue to originate and service both new and existing retail loans

Transaction monetizes HDFS through sale of 4.9% common equity interests to each partner and includes the sale of more than $5 billion of retail loan receivables at a premium to par

HDFS has agreed to sell approximately two-thirds of retail loans originated by HDFS annually for a minimum period of five years

Values HDFS at ~1.75x price to post-transaction book value and reinforces strategic and financial value of HDFS to Harley-Davidson customers, dealers and shareholders

MILWAUKEE, July 30, 2025 -- Harley-Davidson, Inc. (the "Company" or "Harley-Davidson") today announced that HDFS has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with KKR, a leading global investment firm, and PIMCO, a global leader in active fixed income with expertise across public and private markets. This partnership transforms HDFS into a capital-light financing business through the sale of existing and future retail loans while maintaining its strategic value to Harley-Davidson, its dealers, customers and investors. The sale of more than $5 billion of existing retail loan receivables is valued at a premium to par.

Under the terms of the agreement, HDFS will also sell 4.9% common equity interests to investment vehicles managed by KKR and PIMCO at an implied valuation of ~1.75x price to post-transaction book value. Harley-Davidson will retain control of HDFS, which will continue to originate and service existing and new consumer loans. The Company expects HDFS operating income to grow back toward pre-transaction levels over time.

The Company plans to use the approximately $1.25 billion of cash unlocked through the transaction to reinvest to support demand-driven investments, reduce $450 million of HDI debt and return approximately $500 million to shareholders.

KKR's investment comes from KKR-managed credit funds and accounts via the firm's Asset-Based Finance strategy. PIMCO's investment comes from funds and accounts focused on PIMCO's private strategies.

Management Commentary
"This transaction delivers benefits to all of Harley-Davidson's stakeholders and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for HDFS," said Harley-Davidson Chairman, President, and CEO Jochen Zeitz. "From the outset of this process, we set out to demonstrate the class-leading returns of HDFS, create a long-term stable funding mechanism, and maintain the strong financial profile of HDFS, all without impacting service to dealers and customers. Our strategic partnership with KKR and PIMCO achieves each of these core objectives, valuing the HDFS business at a premium multiple and transforming it into a more capital-efficient business with an expected significantly higher return on equity. Importantly, the approximately $1.25 billion of cash this transaction unlocks allows us to strengthen Harley-Davidson by supporting additional investment into the business, further reducing debt, and accelerating cash returns to shareholders. For our customers and dealers, HDFS will continue to originate and service new and existing loans and provide dealers with service, benefits and flexibility commensurate with what HDFS currently provides, while we also invest in the future of Harley-Davidson for years to come. We are pleased we were able to deliver such a successful strategic partnership for all of our stakeholders."

Strategic Partner Commentary
"This transaction highlights the strength and scale of our Asset-Based Finance (ABF) business, which has grown significantly alongside the rapid expansion of this market," said Daniel Pietrzak, Partner and Global Head of Private Credit at KKR. "We are proud to have become the strategic partner of choice for blue-chip consumer finance businesses like Harley-Davidson Financial Services."

"HDFS' high-quality portfolio and significant asset generation capabilities exemplify the dynamic opportunities we are seeing in the ABF space as businesses continue to transition from capital heavy to capital light to optimize their balance sheets. We look forward to supporting the HDFS team in this long-term strategic partnership," said Steve Sun, Director at KKR.

"PIMCO, a leading investor in asset-based finance globally, is excited to partner with Harley-Davidson on this transformative deal which builds on our partnership with the iconic motorcycle brand over many years, to bring compelling value to our clients via H-D's high-quality financing arm," said Harin de Silva, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager who chairs PIMCO's Private Strategies Leadership team. "PIMCO has been a long-standing investor in asset-based finance with deep expertise and decades of experience, and this transaction demonstrates our commitment to identifying attractive risk-adjusted returns for our clients within the rapidly evolving private credit landscape."

Strategic Rationale

Asset-Light Growth: HDFS expects to more efficiently grow its balance sheet and operating income over time following a benefit related to the sale of existing retail loan receivables and release of loan loss reserve in 2025 and subsequent rebasing to reduced operating income reflecting the new asset-light model in 2026. Under the terms of the five-year Forward Flow Agreement, HDFS will retain approximately one-third of annual retail loan originations on its balance sheet and generate new revenue streams through a fixed servicing fee on loans purchased by KKR and PIMCO. The agreement also provides for future retail loan sales to occur at a premium to par.
Strengthened Offering: Harley-Davidson to retain full control of HDFS while creating a long-term, stable funding mechanism through the support of KKR and PIMCO. Dealers and customers will continue to receive the strong service levels to which they are accustomed without any impact to wholesale loans, consumer credit cards or other offerings.
Enhanced Capital Allocation Flexibility: Transaction unlocks approximately $1.25 billion of cash for Harley-Davidson after the expected repayment of HDFS debt associated with retail loan receivables. The planned reduction of an additional $450 million of Harley-Davidson debt is expected to strengthen the Company's balance sheet and create strategic optionality to help navigate the current environment, return capital to shareholders and support future demand driving investments.
Long-Term Value Creation: Transaction values the post-transaction HDFS business at a premium multiple and is expected to reduce Harley-Davidson's overall leverage and perceived risk, which is expected to lower Harley-Davidson's cost of capital on a go-forward basis. This transaction is also expected to significantly increase the future ROE of HDFS while simultaneously maintaining HDFS as a well-capitalized business and reducing credit risk on the Company's balance sheet related to its existing portfolio of receivables.

Transaction Highlights

HDFS has agreed to sell a 4.9% common equity interest to investment vehicles managed by KKR and PIMCO at approximately 1.75x post-transaction book value.
HDFS has agreed to sell over $5 billion of existing gross consumer retail loan receivables and residual interests in securitized consumer loan receivables at a premium.
HDFS expects to use a portion of the proceeds to reduce indebtedness to optimize the post transaction capital structure.
HDFS' new strategic partners have entered into a 5-year agreement, whereby the partners purchase approximately two-thirds of annual HDFS future retail loan originations at a premium. Under the terms of agreement, HDFS will continue to originate and service retail loans and receive fixed fees for servicing loans sold to strategic partners.

Harley-Davidson and Harley-Davidson Financial Services Advisors
Barclays acted as exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins and Sidley Austin acted as legal advisors for Harley-Davidson.

Harley-Davidson Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Call Information
Harley-Davidson is releasing its second quarter 2025 financial results before market hours today July 30, 2025 and is hosting its previously scheduled earnings audio webcast at 8 a.m. CT, during which the Company will discuss its financial results, this announcement and its outlook on the business. The webcast login and supporting slides can be accessed at http://investor.harley-davidson.com/news-and-events/events-and-presentations.

About Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Our vision: Building our legend and leading our industry through innovation, evolution and emotion. Our mission: More than building machines, we stand for the timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul. Our ambition is to maintain our place as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson has defined motorcycle culture by delivering a motorcycle lifestyle with distinctive and customizable motorcycles, experiences, motorcycle accessories, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides financing, insurance and other programs to help get riders on the road. Harley-Davidson also has a controlling interest in LiveWire Group, Inc., the first publicly traded all-electric motorcycle company in the United States. LiveWire is the future in the making for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. Drawing on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson and capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector, LiveWire's ambition is to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world. Learn more at harley-davidson.com and livewire.com.

The Company's ability to sell its motorcycles and related products and services and to meet its financial expectations also depends on the ability of the Company's dealers to sell its motorcycles and related products and services to retail customers. The Company depends on the capability and financial capacity of its dealers to develop and implement effective retail sales plans to create demand for the motorcycles and related products and services they purchase from the Company. In addition, the Company's dealers and distributors may experience difficulties in operating their businesses and selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles and related products and services as a result of weather, economic conditions, or other factors.

HDFS' retail credit losses have normalized in recent quarters to higher levels after a period of historically low levels of credit losses. Further, the Company believes that HDFS's retail credit losses will continue to change over time due to changing consumer credit behavior, macroeconomic conditions, including the impact of inflation and HDFS's efforts to increase prudently structured loan approvals to sub-prime borrowers. In addition, HDFS's efforts to adjust underwriting criteria based on market and economic conditions and the actions that the Company has taken and could take that impact motorcycle values may impact HDFS's retail credit losses.

The Company's operations, demand for its products, and its liquidity could be adversely impacted by changes in tariffs, inflation, work stoppages, facility closures, strikes, natural causes, widespread infectious disease, terrorism, war or other hostilities, including the conflict in Ukraine, or other factors. Refer to Risk Factors under Item 1.A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC on February 26, 2025 and applicable updates under Item 1.A of the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 filed with the SEC on May 6, 2025 for a discussion of additional risk factors and a more complete discussion of some of the cautionary statements noted above.

About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. , please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group's website at www.globalatlantic.com.

About PIMCO
PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. We invest our clients' capital across a range of fixed income and credit opportunities, drawing upon our decades of experience navigating complex debt markets. Our flexible capital base and deep relationships with issuers have helped us become one of the world's largest providers of traditional and nontraditional solutions for companies that need financing and investors who seek strong risk-adjusted returns.