SALES FOCUS MOVES AT DUCATI

Ducati’s nine-monthly results to 30 September contrast improved revenue and profit with fairly stagnant sales volume featuring a distinct shift away from headline sporting ethos, BDN financial editor Roger Willis reports.

Revenue was 6.4% up at £537.8m. Operating profit rose by 8.8% to £54.5m, adjusted for the effects of purchase price allocation. Operating margin improved from 10% to 10.1%. But retail sales grew by just 1.1% to a total of 46,646 motorcycles, as US market decline hit more positive performance elsewhere.

During the same period, Ducati manufactured 50,655 units, a 9.8% increase; 42,017 of these were produced at the company’s Bologna HQ in Italy. A further 7970 were made at its Amphur Pluakdaeng plant in Thailand and 668 in Brazil on a contract assembly basis.

Individual model segments highlight a change in mix. Superbike retail sales were 13.1% down at 6497 units and the company cut production by 22.8% to 5797. Scrambler appeal also seems to be past its peak too, despite the addition of two new products in the range for 2016 — the Sixty2 and Flat Track Pro. Sales fell by 2.7% to 13,197 units and 4.4% fewer were made, totalling 16,237.

The naked/cruiser slot covering Diavel, Monster and Streetfighter models did better, with a 1.8% sales rise to 15,421 units. Production rocketed by 32.4% to 16,029. Star performer was the Multistrada and Hypermotard pairing, which stacked on 15.9% sales growth to 11,531 units, backed by a manufacturing increase of 32% to 12,592.