Harley's Good Ride

There's been a lot of talk about technology stocks recently, with the Nasdaq up about 30% over the last three months. But a company that caught the Gardner brothers' attention outside of that sector last week was motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HDI), which had a record quarter thanks to surging sales.

Tom: Dave, I want to start this story with a quiz. In your opinion, which company has the larger market capitalization -- which is valued more richly on Wall Street -- Harley or General Motors (NYSE: GM)?

David: Well, most people would probably say General Motors, but I assume the reason you are asking me this question is because it's a surprising answer and it's actually Harley instead. So I'll say Harley.

Tom: And you will be wrong. General Motors is about a $19 billion company and Harley-Davidson nearly a $14 billion company. So, GM is more than 30% larger than Harley Davidson. However, I think over the next five to 10 years, you are going to see Harley-Davidson continue its ascent as a great company and a company that will be larger than the big automakers in the U.S.

David: I had heard that the backlog was dropping for Harley and it wasn't as popular with bikers.

Tom: Well, Harley announced 22% sales growth for the quarter and projections are for 18% growth per year over the next five years. When people buy motorcycles from Harley-Davidson, they are not just getting a cycle -- they are buying a way of life. They are getting the apparel and re-upping for future motorcycles from Harley-Davidson. It's a very well-managed company financially, they're buying back their stock, and I think it's worth a look for the long term.