Is Harley-Davidson possibly up for bids? Well it seems early Tuesday morning the shares for the struggling company were up almost 7 percent at $28.35. Rumors ran rampant that Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a private equity firm, was potentially entertaining the thought of bidding on the iconic company.
KKR never declined the possibility of the bid when asked, but wouldn't say anything further.
KKR was established in 1976, and now is considered a leading global alternative asset manager with offices across 4 continents. They specialize in large complex buyouts of struggling companies. KKR is no stranger of huge buyouts with leading the industry with one of the first $ 1 billion plus buyout.
Harley-Davidson has commented it's not for sale and that the rumors of the sale are highly unlikely. Would Harley-Davidson ever sell? Harley-Davison has taken huge hits in the market lately. Closing plants and production of Buell Motorcycles. This company has been scrambling it seems to catch their bearings. They have taken what they call "positive action" by layoffs, factory closures, and selling unwanted brands they were carrying.
We talked to a few Harley-Davidson owners and they shared with us their frustration on a consumer level. Frustrations ranged anywhere from the pricing of Harley-Davidson trademarked T-shirts, to service departments treating the customer poorly, and the customer service hotline not being as helpful as they should. Whatever it may be, Harley-Davidson reported it's first quarterly shortfall in 16 years. I personally can't see Harley-Davidson selling the company but in today's economy, who knows? We'll keep you posted with any other developments.
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