UBS analyst Robin Farley said May retail sales at U.S. dealers may be down more than year-to-date April declines, which is meaningful given it is well into the spring riding season. Farley believes the declines add risk to full year guidance. The analyst also addressed reports the company may be interested in buying Ducati, which she believes is a change from the company's 10-year strategic plan. Farley maintained her Neutral rating and $57 price target on Harley-Davidson shares.

Harley-Davidson continues to expect: HDMC revenue flat to down 9% and operating income margin of 12.6%-13.6%, HDFS operating income flat to up 5%, LiveWire electric motorcycle unit sales of 1,000 to 1,500 and Harley-Davidson capital investments of $225M-$250M.

Notable companies reporting before tomorrow's open, with earnings consensus, include Merck (MRK), consensus $1.87... Caterpillar (CAT), consensus $5.14... Comcast (CMSCA), consensus 99c... Honeywell (HON), consensus $2.17... Bristol-Myers (BMY), consensus ($4.44)... Altria (MO), consensus $1.15... Keurig Dr. Pepper (KDP), consensus 35c... GE Vernova (GEV), consensus (37c)... Royal Caribbean (RCL), consensus $1.33... Tractor Supply (TSCO), consensus $1.72... Mobileye (MBLY), consensus (6c)... Textron (TXT), consensus $1.23... LabCorp (LH), consensus $3.48... Southwest Airlines (LUV), consensus (34c)... American Airlines (AAL), consensus (29c)... Harley-Davidson (HOG), consensus $1.51.

Morgan Stanley assumed coverage of Harley-Davidson with an Overweight rating and $50 price target. Harley-Davidson is an iconic brand with leading market share in the U.S. motorcycle industry and "a fiercely loyal customer base," says the analyst, who believes a refocused strategy under new leadership, along with strong capital allocation discipline, will lead to upside to consensus earnings estimates.