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        <title><![CDATA[Harley-Davidson lays off staff, cuts salaries as coronavirus stalls business]]></title>
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        <link>https://usagag.com/2020/04/15/harley-davidson-lays-off-staff-cuts-salaries-as-coronavirus-stalls-business/</link>
        <lastBuildDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2020 23:00:50 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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            <media:title type="html">Harley-Davidson lays off staff, cuts salaries as coronavirus stalls business</media:title>
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        <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Harley-Davidson said on Wednesday it had temporarily laid off most of its global production employees and implemented salary cuts in a bid to lower costs as the coronavirus pandemic has hurt its business.</p><p>The announcement comes weeks after the motorcycle maker withdrew its earnings forecast for this year, saying pandemic-induced disruptions could dent its ability to supply and sell motorcycles.</p><p>Harley’s shares closed down 4.8 percent, at $18.43.</p><p>With the pandemic hitting their revenues and drying up cash flows, companies of all sizes are trying to conserve cash and bolster liquidity.</p><p>However, worries about the impact of the highly contagious virus, which causes a respiratory illness called COVID-19, on Harley’s business have prompted both Fitch and Moody’s to downgrade its credit ratings.</p><p>Harley has yet to quantify the impact, but Fitch says the company could see a 25 percent decline in sales this year.</p><p>Separately, Moody’s expects declining sales to undermine Harley’s liquidity position. At the end of 2019, the Milwaukee-based company had $2.6 billion in cash and committed credit facilities, which the rating agency says would marginally cover the $2.3 billion of debt that is due to mature in the coming twelve months at Harley’s financial arm.</p><p>As part of the cost cuts, Harley said it would “significantly” reduce all non-essential spending.</p><p>Its chief executive officer and board of directors will forgo their salaries, the company said, though it didn’t say for how long.</p><p>Salaries of the executive leadership would be cut by 30 percent, while most other salaried employees would see a reduction of between 10 percent to 20 percent in their paychecks.</p><p>Outside the US, it will take similar actions.</p><p>Harley said salary reductions will be reassessed at the end of the second quarter.</p><p>The company said it will also not hand out merit increases for 2020 and will freeze hiring.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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