Discontinued Operations

6 Months Ended

Jul. 01, 2012

Discontinued Operations

4. Discontinued Operations

In October 2009, the Company unveiled a new business strategy to drive growth through a focus of efforts and resources on the unique strengths of the Harley-Davidson brand and to enhance productivity and profitability through continuous improvement. The Company’s Board of Directors approved and the Company committed to the divestiture of MV as part of this strategy. The Company engaged a third party investment bank to assist with the marketing and sale of MV. During 2009, the Company recorded pre-tax impairment charges of $115.4 million related to MV and a net tax benefit of $40 million related to losses estimated in connection with the sale of MV. As of December 31, 2009, the Company estimated the total tax benefit associated with losses related to the sale of MV to be $66 million of which $26 million was deemed uncertain and appropriately reserved against.

At each subsequent reporting date in 2010 through the date of sale of MV in August 2010, the fair value less selling costs was re-assessed and additional impairment charges totaling $111.8 million and additional tax benefits totaling $18 million were recognized in 2010. As the effort to sell MV progressed into 2010, adverse factors led to decreases in the fair value of MV. During 2010, challenging economic conditions continued to persist, negatively impacting the appetite of prospective buyers and the motorcycle industry as a whole. Information coming directly from the selling process, including discussions with the prospective buyers, indicated a fair value that was less than previously estimated.

On August 6, 2010, the Company concluded its sale of MV to MV Augusta Motor Holding S.r.l., a company controlled by the former owner of MV. Under the agreement relating to the sale, (1) the Company received nominal consideration in return for the transfer of MV and related assets; (2) the parties waived their respective rights under the stock purchase agreement and other documents related to the Company’s purchase of MV in 2008, which included a waiver of the former owner’s right to contingent earn-out consideration; and (3) the Company contributed 20.0 million Euros to MV as operating capital. The 20.0 million Euros contributed were factored into the Company’s estimate of MV’s fair value prior to the sale and was recognized in the 2010 impairment charges discussed above. As a result of the impairment charges recorded in 2009 and 2010 prior to the sale, the Company only incurred an immaterial loss on the date of sale, which was included in the loss from discontinued operations, net of tax, during the year ended December 31, 2010.

As of December 31, 2010, the Company’s estimated total tax benefit associated with the loss on the sale of MV was $101.0 million, of which $43.5 million was deemed uncertain and appropriately reserved against. As a result, the total cumulative net tax benefit recognized as of December 31, 2010 was $57.5 million. The increase in the estimated tax benefit during 2010 was driven by an increase in the losses related to the sale of MV, not a change in the tax position.

In determining the tax benefit recognized from October 2009 through December 2010, the Company engaged appropriate technical expertise and considered all relevant available information. In accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” at each balance sheet date during this period, the Company re-evaluated the overall tax benefit, determined that it was at least more likely than not that it would be sustained upon review and calculated the amount of recognized tax benefit based on a cumulative probability basis.

Beginning in 2010, the Company voluntarily elected to participate in a pre-filing agreement process with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in order to accelerate their review of the Company’s tax position related to MV. The IRS effectively completed its review in late 2011 and executed a Closing Agreement on Final Determination Covering Specific Matters with the Company.

There were no changes to the Company’s estimated gross or recognized tax benefit associated with the loss on the sale of MV during the first three quarters of 2011. In the fourth quarter of 2011, given the outcome of the closing agreement, the Company recognized a $43.5 million tax benefit by reversing the reserve recorded as of September 25, 2011 and recognized an incremental $7.5 million tax benefit related to the final calculation of the tax basis in the loan to and the stock of MV.