KTM’s owners buy 25.1% stake in MV Agusta

Pierer Mobility, the Austrian company that owns KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna have bought just over a quarter of MV Agusta by way of a capital increase.

The partnership will see KTM provide the Italian firm with supply chain support and take over their purchasing. Pierer, will also take charge of some of MV’s distribution, making use of their global presence as a motorcycle supplier.

The news follows the announcement last week that KTM will also now distribute CFMoto models in the UK and Ireland from next year.

Analysis – What will the deal mean for customers?

First published by Richard Newland on 4 November 2022

The consumer benefits of this deal between KTM and MV Agusta will most likely be felt in terms of consistent quality control as the economies of scale afforded by Pierer’s buying power mean increased access to better raw materials and components – for less outlay.

I’d also expect to see a much-improved dealer network reach, and therefore also better servicing/parts support for MV owners. More pricing stability could also follow, as the business will have increased resilience to market fluctuations and are less likely to need to pass increased costs immediately to customers.

There’s also the potential for more new MV Agusta models to appear due to the increased funding and buying power – the job of creating a new model will become less expensive.

Greater purchasing power should mean greater profitability, and that might enable MV to achieve improved stability without needing to fall back on a debt-focussed business model. That could mean more cash to spend on R&D – leading to faster delivery of new models, and a broader range of product (much like when Audi bought Ducati) – for everything from motorcycles to official accessory parts.