1. H Partners' campaign prompted resignations of key board members at Harley. 2. A new external CEO will be appointed following shareholder dissatisfaction. 3. Almost 90% of institutional shares aimed to remove targeted directors. 4. H Partners owns 9.3% of Harley-Davidson, pushing for significant changes. 5. Stakeholders urged to voice their opinions for Harley's improvement.
The commitment to new leadership often leads to positive investor sentiment. Historical changes in leadership have correlated with stock recoveries in struggling companies.
The article details significant leadership changes that directly impact Harley's governance and future direction, indicating potential recovery.
Immediate changes in leadership can influence market sentiment and stock performance quickly. Past examples include companies like Ford after leadership shifts that improved investor confidence.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- H Partners Management, LLC (“H Partners” or “we”), one of the largest shareholders of Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) (“Harley-Davidson”, “Harley”, or the “Company”), which beneficially owns approximately 9.3% of the outstanding shares of the Company, today commented on the preliminary results of the Company’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”).
“We thank our fellow shareholders and all other stakeholders, including dealers, riders, and employees, for their outpouring of support during this campaign for change at Harley. While we are disappointed with the state of the Company under the leadership of Mr. Zeitz, Mr. Linebarger, and Ms. Levinson, we believe that this shareholder mandate can create a brighter future for Harley-Davidson.
We are encouraged that this campaign compelled Harley’s Board to commit to numerous shareholders that Mr. Zeitz, Mr. Linebarger, and Ms. Levinson will resign from the Board before the 2026 Annual Meeting, that it will appoint a new, external CEO, and that it will eliminate any consideration of Mr. Zeitz remaining on in an Executive Chair role. With such a large withhold vote, we call on the Board to follow through on these promises.
We believe the outcome of today’s Annual Meeting sends a clear message that the direction of the Company needs to change. We are pleased that our campaign forced the Board to engage directly with stakeholders that they had long ignored, including dealers, employees, and shareholders. We encourage all stakeholders to continue to voice their perspectives on what is required to fix this great company.”
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About H Partners Management
H Partners Management, LLC is an independent investment firm founded in 2005 based in New York City.