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Our nation loves an underdog.
It's in our collective DNA because it makes us feel good.
Social scientists have a few theories as to why, and they range from schadenfreude (the pleasure we experience when others experience misfortune), to a sense of fairness, to the sense of hope that emerges from unexpected success.
I think it comes down to people believing that there's a lot more to gain if there's an upset.
It doesn't matter whether we're talking about sports or money; people consistently play to their emotions.
Take Harley-Davidson Inc. (NYSE: HOG), for example.
The legendary American motorcycle maker is in deep trouble.
Shares are off 55.41% from their all-time high of $75.87 on Nov. 22, 2006.
Shipments are the lowest they've been in years, and dealers can't sell through the stock on hand at the speed they need to keep things moving – pun absolutely intended.
Plus, from 2014 to 2017, sales declined 9.33% – from 6.23 billion in 2014 to $5.65 billion in 2017.
Officially, the industry-wide story – at least as Harley tells it – is that the boomers are getting too old to ride, and the millennials just aren't interested.
I don't buy that.
Harley's primary competitor, Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is growing revenue 15.40% a year by offering a "family" of motorsport vehicles, ranging from all-terrain buggies to snowmobiles, and– yes – motorcycles. Many of which are offered at far lower price points and, dare I say it, far higher quality with far better engineering than Harley – including the highly successful, recently relaunched Indian brand.
Harley CEO Matt Levatich doesn't see things that way, of course.
He's embarked on a program to launch 100 new motorcycle models by 2027 – a project that will have Harley spending millions on marketing, new ridership programs, electric motorcycle development, and more. The company's adding dealership locations in China, India, Norway, Spain, and Thailand.
BIG, FAST PROFITS: This one pick paid 100% in seven days, then 205% the next day, and 410% by the next week. You've got to see how it's done…
But what Harley really ought to be doing is what BRP and Polaris products are already doing: producing leaner, smaller, and less expensive bikes for urban, younger, and increasingly female riders.
… like the BRP 2019 Can-Am Ryker or Polaris Slingshot.
Source: thedrive.com
Why the Ryker Is Harley's Worst Nightmare
About the Author
Keith Fitz-Gerald has been the Chief Investment Strategist for the Money Morning team since 2007. He's a seasoned market analyst with decades of experience, and a highly accurate track record. Keith regularly travels the world in search of investment opportunities others don't yet see or understand. In addition to heading The Money Map Report, Keith runs High Velocity Profits, which aims to get in, target gains, and get out clean, and he's also the founding editor of Straight Line Profits, a service devoted to revealing the "dark side" of Wall Street... In his weekly Total Wealth, Keith has broken down his 30-plus years of success into three parts: Trends, Risk Assessment, and Tactics – meaning the exact techniques for making money. Sign up is free at totalwealthresearch.com.
Good point except the Can Am "Spyder" is a product the Candian Bombardier group. Polaris produces the three wheeler "Slingshot".