That didn't take long. After Bajaj Auto officially stepped in to pull KTM (and its parent company, Pierer Mobility AG) out of the fire, anyone paying attention probably expected board members to start playing musical chairs pretty soon afterward.
So it's pretty unsurprising that Pierer Mobility announced a set of upcoming changes to its Supervisory Board, which will become effective later this month (June 2025). Stepping down from the current board will be Stephan Zöchling, Rajiv Bajaj, and Friedrich Roithner.
Who will take their place? As of June 23, 2025, it'll be Bajaj CFO Dinesh Thapar; lawyer Ernst Chalupsky, who specializes in company law and mergers and acquisitions; and lawyer Ewald Oberhammer, who specializes in corporate immigration law in Austria. Presumably, their combined guidance and expertise will play crucial roles in what's next for Pierer, KTM, and all related subsidiary companies.
This is the newest bit of news to officially come out of the Pierer camp, but it comes hot on the heels of the company's official confirmation of its preliminary financial figures that it previously released for FY 2024. And although these are now the official, final figures, even though the news was largely not good, it's somewhat softened by the fact that it pretty much repeats what the company already offered up in its preliminary information. Did they soften the blow a little bit? With how quickly the news has been flowing, honestly, it's hard to say.
In terms of Pierer Mobility Group's finalized financials for 2024, consolidated revenues were down by 29 percent year-on-year. It's planning to distribute no dividends for the 2024 fiscal year, and it shed around 14 percent of its workforce over the course of the year.
As we hurtle forward in a time of economic uncertainty, though, Pierer Mobility Group did do something a bit differently from other powersports companies in 2025; and no, this isn't a setup for a joke. Right now, if you've been paying attention to financial reports for powersports companies, you'll have noticed that many aren't offering financial guidance for 2025.
And yet, Pierer Mobility actually is. Mind you, financial guidance isn't binding, of course; and yet, it's somewhat out of the norm for this time period, because so much is in flux right now and all the accountants are probably waving their arms wildly and saying "no, back away from the computer, my dude." Only in more official language, I'm sure.
What does Pierer suggest may happen in FY 2025? There's no hedging or softening language here. One thing I honestly kind of appreciate about reading Pierer's reports is that they're very direct. There's no uncertain language, for example, in the simple statement that "the Management Board expects revenue for the 2025 financial year to be below the level of 2024."
It goes on to note that the firm expects 2025 to have a negative operating result, but also reassures that the investments previously made in the company will secure future production. More importantly, it specifically states that "the existing locations, in particular the main production sites in Mattighofen and Munderfing, are thus sustainably secured." It goes on to add that "this will allow KTM to continue fulfilling its role as an important employer in the region."
Here's hoping for the best as the firm moves forward. As always, RideApart will be sure to keep you informed regarding future updates.
