Somewhat limited information concerning the 2012 financial performance of recent Volkswagen Group acquisition Ducati highlights muscular growth in annual unit sales and revenue — but profitability remains a mystery.
Following record global retail motorcycle sales of 44,102 units during the 12 months, the brand increased full-year revenue by 16 per cent to £525m. Most notably, sales in its key North American market were 21 per cent up. Ducati posted a much more modest increase in the UK, with registrations rising by 2.9 per cent to 2407 units.
Headline world-wide figures were provided by Ducati chief executive Gabriele Del Torchio, speaking at the annual press conference of Ducati’s Audi parent within the VW Group, held in its Ingolstadt HQ on 12 March.
However, analysts waiting for an operating profit projection for the bike subsidiary, when VW Group published its full 368-page annual report and a further 45 pages of financial statements plus fourth-quarter analysis two days later on 14 March, were disappointed. Although earnings contributions were available for every other individual VW brand, Ducati was remarkable by its absence.
While such a figure would have been qualified by the fact that Ducati only became a formal member of the VW Group in August 2012, it was on the books throughout the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, no mention of profit — projected or otherwise — during that period was made either. Speculation on cost over-runs in Ducati’s currently chaotic MotoGP involvement is inevitable.
TREND-BUCKING NUMBERS FROM DUCATI
