Italian bike maker being acquired by German carmaker.
Ducati, the legendary maker of Italian sport bikes with an unparalleled record of success in World Superbike, will be sold to Volkswagen's Audi unit in a deal valued at about 860 million euros ($1.12 billion), according to various reports in the financial press.
The company, whose majority owner is Investindustrial, a privately held Italian investment firm chaired by Andrea Bonomi, has been on the market for some time. Ducati company principals have said they needed the financial clout of a large industrial concern to remain competitive.
In 2010, Investindustrial listed Ducati's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization at 71 million euros on revenue of just more than 390 million, a pittance for Germany's most profitable manufacturer with reported revenue of 159 billion euros in 2011. Rather than propping up the bottom line, Ducati is a sexy addition to the now 11-strong automotive group which already includes Porsche, Lamborghini, Bugatti, and Bentley. As a bonus, it gives Volkswagen a company to rival BMW's Motorrad division.
Ducati is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal motorcycle market. The Italian brand has rebounded more quickly that most from the depths of the financial crisis, hitting new year-over-year sales numbers, especially in the U.S., which has surpassed Italy as the company's largest market....More here: http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/industry-news/2012/04/17/ducati-to-be-sold-to-audi/