On Monday, April 28, Pierer Mobility Group, KTM's parent company, confirmed the state of emergency many had feared. Figures show that the Austrian manufacturer is experiencing one of the most serious crises in its recent history. With revenue plummeting by nearly 30% (€1,879 billion) and an operating loss of €1,2 million, profitability is now a distant memory.
But beyond the financial statements, the shock is human: 1 job cuts planned between January 2024 and March 2025. The Mattighofen plant, the beating heart of the brand, remained at a standstill for more than three months, the victim of bottlenecks in the supply chain. The partial resumption, ensured in March thanks to an injection of 150 million euros from the Indian partner Bajaj, is fragile.
The outlook for 2025 is alarming: -26% of expected production, or 230 fewer motorcycles, and a reduction of 000 units in stocks. KTM is trying to stay the course with an ambitious promise: to reactivate all lines by the summer, subject to regain a functional supply chain.
Legendary KTM RC16 up for auction
Facing the storm, KTM is betting everything on a rescue operation: a fundraising of 600 million euros, which was supposed to drastically reduce net debt and generate €1,3 billion in "restructuring gains" through accounting adjustments. But at this stage, for employees and fans of the brand, it looks more like science fiction than a real recovery.
To keep the flame alive, KTM also relies on its sporting heritage. Brad Binder's KTM RC16, author of the absolute speed record MotoGP (366,1 km/h at Mugello in 2023), will be auctioned until May 29 by RM Sotheby's. Starting price: €350 excluding taxA functional motorcycle, but reserved for exhibition, whose V4 engine remains sealed to preserve technological secrets.
For its part, Stefan Pierer , who already has resigned at the end of January , now risks losing control of its share package by not having repaid on time a loan of 65 million euros granted at the end of December 2024 by Stephan Zöchling, owner of the exhaust manufacturer Remus, in exchange for a share package pledged to Dabepo Holding. The refund was apparently scheduled for the 19 April 2025 et never happened The holding company has started the procedure of seizing the shares and is said to have started offering them to banks and potential buyers.
The 30 may, PiererMobility will publish its annual results. Until then, the orange brand is moving forward with apnea. The roar isn't over yet. KTM, but it is seriously muffled. It remains to be seen whether fans will soon have to get used to silence... or to a miracle.
