KTM acquires majority stake in MV Agusta

Following their purchase of a 25.1 per cent stake in MV Agusta back in November, 2022, and a takeover of supply chain, purchasing and distribution operations for the Italian brand last October, KTM now has a controlling stake in the company. The purchase of an additional 25 per cent in March - taking KTM’s share to 50.1 per cent - wasn’t due to be made until the end of December, 2025, but has been exercised early.

Having a majority stake in MV Agusta means that the Austrian giant now has “industrial management” over the brand, which in the medium term will see a planned increase in production capacity to more than 10,000 units annually. Having the weight of KTM (and parent company Pierer Mobility AG) supporting this goal makes it seem much more realistic than MV Agusta’s 2019 forecast to be manufacturing 25,000 motorcycles annually in five years’ time. Production will remain at Schiranna on the shores of Lake Varese in northern Italy, but the facility will be expanded.

This new deal sees majority ownership pass from the Castiglioni family, who purchased MV Agusta in 1992. Several others have had small and large stakes in the famous Italian motorcycle brand in the recent past, including Harley-Davidson, Proton and Mercedes-AMG. Despite such high-profile ownership and a range of high-quality motorcycles, MV Agusta often seemed to be on the verge of bankruptcy. That changed in 2017, when Comsar, a UK-Russian investment group managed by the Sardarov family, purchased 49 per cent of MV Agusta as part of a debt restructuring plan. In 2018, Timur Sardarov replaced Claudio Castiglioni as MV Agusta’s CEO.

KTM’s majority ownership will see Sardarov step down from that role, replaced by Hubert Trunkenpolz.. Employed by Pierer Mobility since 1992, Trunkenpolz has also been a member of KTM’s executive board since 2004. Sardarov will continue to be involved with MV Agusta, in the roles of Vice-Chairman, brand ambassador and consultant.

No other management changes, or plans for future models, were revealed in the March announcement.