Announcing its results for the first six months of 2016, the Piaggio Group says it has reconfirmed its leadership in the European two-wheeler market with a 14.8% overall share and a 26% share of the scooter market (more than 12 percentage points ahead of their nearest European competitor).
In the first half to 30 June 2016, the Group sold 182,100 two-wheelers worldwide (up by +3.6% from 175,700 in the year-earlier period), generating net sales of 507.4 million euro, an improvement of +2.2% from 496.3 million euro in the first half of 2015. The figure includes spares and accessories and sales of the Piaggio Wi-Bike pedal-assisted bicycle, which had a positive impact on net sales.
The Group says it also maintained a particularly strong positioning on the North American scooter market, with a share of 19.1%.
The Vespa brand strengthened its presence on the European market, with revenues up by +4.7%. Performance was also strong in Group motorcycles, with an increase of more than +8% in Moto Guzzi sales, in particular thanks to the new V9 Roamer and Bobber, while for the Aprilia brand important growth was reported by the Supersport models in the Tuono V4 line, where sales rose by +55%.
Piaggio says it saw an improvement in all its main indicators compared with the first half of 2015. Group consolidated net sales in the first half of 2016 totalled 706.5 million euro, an improvement of +1.8% (+3.8% at constant exchange rates) from 693.9 million euro at 30 June 2015.
Turnover in the two-wheeler sector was 507.4 million euro, an increase of +2.2% from 496.3 million euro in the first half of 2015.
Operating expense in the first half of 2016 was 168.6 million euro (161.5 million euro in the year-earlier period). The increase stemmed in part from the rise in amortisation and depreciation included in operating expense (35 million euro in H1 2016, compared with 32.3 million euro in the year-earlier period).
At 30 June 2016, the Piaggio Group posted profit before tax of 30 million euro, up +21.9%, compared with 24.6 million euro in the year-earlier period. Income tax for the period was 12 million euro, with an impact on pre-tax profit of 40%.
