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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation – All references to the “Company” include Harley-Davidson, Inc. and all of its subsidiaries. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Harley-Davidson, Inc., its subsidiaries and certain variable interest entities (VIEs) related to secured financing as the Company is the primary beneficiary. All intercompany accounts and material intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
On September 26, 2022, the Company's electric motorcycle subsidiary completed a merger with AEA-Bridges Impact Corp. (ABIC), a special purpose acquisition company, to create a new publicly traded company, LiveWire Group, Inc. (the "LiveWire Transaction"). At the LiveWire Transaction close, LiveWire Group, Inc. received net proceeds of approximately $294 million, including a $180 million investment from the Company, net of transaction expenses, a $100 million investment from KYMCO, an independent strategic investor, and a $14 million investment from ABIC, net of redemptions and transaction expenses. Following the close, the Company has an equity interest in LiveWire Group, Inc. of approximately 89.4%, ABIC’s shareholders and founders have an equity interest of approximately 5.7%, and KYMCO has an equity interest of approximately 4.9%. As the controlling shareholder, the Company continues to consolidate LiveWire Group, Inc. results, with additional adjustments to recognize non-controlling shareholder interests.
The Company operates in three reportable segments: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC), LiveWire and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS).
Substantially all of the Company’s international subsidiaries use their respective local currency as their functional currency. Assets and liabilities of international subsidiaries have been translated at period-end exchange rates, and revenues and expenses have been translated using average exchange rates for the period. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a currency that is different from an entity's functional currency are remeasured from the transactional currency to the entity's functional currency on a monthly basis. The aggregate transaction gain resulting from foreign currency remeasurements was $26.2 million, $22.0 million, and $3.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Use of Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) requires the Company's management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of 90 days or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.
Accounts Receivable, net – The Company’s motorcycles and related products are sold to independent dealers outside the U.S. and Canada generally on open account and the resulting receivables are included in Accounts receivable, net on the Consolidated balance sheets. The allowance for doubtful accounts deducted from total accounts receivable was $2.9 million and $2.4 million as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The Company’s evaluation of the allowance for doubtful accounts includes a review to identify non-performing accounts which are evaluated individually. The remaining accounts receivable balances are evaluated in the aggregate based on an aging analysis. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on factors including past loss experience, the value of collateral, and if applicable, reasonable and supportable economic forecasts. Accounts receivable are written down once management determines that the specific customer does not have the ability to repay the balance in full. The Company’s sales of motorcycles and related products in the U.S. and Canada are financed through HDFS by the purchasing dealers and the related receivables are included in Finance receivables, net on the Consolidated balance sheets.
Inventories, net – Substantially all inventories located in the U.S. are valued using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method. Other inventories totaling $425.0 million and $318.5 million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.
Repossessed Inventory – Repossessed inventory representing recovered collateral on impaired finance receivables is recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value through a fair value remeasurement. In the period during which the collateral is repossessed, the related finance receivable is adjusted to the fair value of the collateral through a change to the allowance for credit losses and reclassified to repossessed inventory, included in Other current assets on the Consolidated balance sheets.
Property, Plant and Equipment, net – Property, plant and equipment is recorded at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is determined using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The estimated useful lives of each class of property, plant and equipment generally consist of 30 years for buildings, 7 years for building and land improvements, 3 to 10 years for machinery and equipment, and 3 to 7 years for software. Accelerated methods of depreciation are used for income tax purposes.
Goodwill – Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of the net assets purchased. Goodwill is tested for impairment, based on financial data related to the reporting unit to which it has been assigned, at least annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired and an impairment loss is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, limited to the total goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. During 2022 and 2021, the Company tested its goodwill balances for impairment and no adjustments were recorded to goodwill as a result of those reviews.
Refer to Note 8 of the Notes to Consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the reallocation of goodwill resulting from the Company's change in reportable segments.
Long-lived Assets – The Company periodically evaluates the carrying value of long-lived assets to be held and used when events and circumstances warrant such review. If the carrying value of a long-lived asset is considered impaired, a loss is recognized based on the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the long-lived asset for assets to be held and used. The Company also reviews the useful life of its long-lived assets when events and circumstances indicate that the actual useful life may be shorter than originally estimated. In the event that the actual useful life is deemed to be shorter than the original useful life, depreciation is adjusted prospectively so that the remaining book value is depreciated over the revised useful life.
Asset groups classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell, and a loss is recognized for any initial adjustment required to reduce the carrying amount to the fair value less cost to sell in the period the held for sale criteria are met. The fair value less cost to sell must be assessed each reporting period that the asset group remains classified as held for sale. Gains or losses not previously recognized resulting from the sale of an asset group will be recognized on the date of sale.
Fair Value Measurements - The Company assesses the inputs used to measure fair value using a three-tier hierarchy.
Level 1 inputs include quoted prices for identical instruments and are the most observable.
Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets and observable inputs such as interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices, and yield curves. The Company uses the market approach to derive the fair value for its Level 2 fair value measurements. Foreign currency contracts, commodity contracts, and cross-currency swaps are valued using quoted forward rates and prices; interest rate caps are valued using quoted interest rates and yield curves.
Level 3 inputs are not observable in the market and include the Company's judgments about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.
Refer to Notes 13 and 15 of the Notes to Consolidated financial statements for further discussion regarding the Company's assets measured at fair value.
Research and Development Expenses – Expenditures for research activities relating to product development and improvements are charged against income as incurred and included within Selling, administrative and engineering expense on the Consolidated statements of operations. Research and development expenses were $158.6 million, $175.1 million and $202.4 million for 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Advertising Costs – The Company expenses the production cost of advertising the first time the advertising takes place within Selling, administrative and engineering expense. Advertising costs relate to the Company’s efforts to promote its products and brands through the use of media and other means. During 2022, 2021 and 2020, the Company incurred $105.6 million, $107.6 million and $134.6 million in advertising costs, respectively.
Shipping and Handling Costs – The Company classifies shipping and handling costs as a component of Motorcycles and related products cost of goods sold.
New Accounting Standards
Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted
In March 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2022-02, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures (ASU 2022-02). ASU 2022-02 addresses areas identified by the FASB as part of its post-implementation review of its previously issued credit losses standard (ASU 2016-13) that introduced the current expected credit losses (CECL) model. ASU 2022-02 eliminates the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings by creditors that have adopted the CECL model and enhances disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings made with borrowers experiencing financial difficulty. In addition, ASU 2022-02 requires a public business entity to disclose current-period gross write-offs for financing receivables and net investment in leases by year of origination in the vintage disclosures. As the Company has already adopted ASU 2016-13, the new guidance is effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2022-02 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.