Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. recently announced record-setting financial results for the calendar year ending December 31, 2000. Ducati’s net income was up to $9.8 million in 2000 versus $8.3 million in 1999, an increase of 17.5 percent. Ducati’s sales reached $353.1 million in 2000, up 28.9 percent over 1999’s $274.1 million. In turn, Ducati’s debt decreased from $104.5 million in 1999 to $90.6 million as of December 31.

Ducati registrations for the year were up 14 percent in Italy, 24 percent in France, 46 percent in the United States, and 65 percent in Japan, compared to the previous year’s figured.

A press release issued by the company quoted Chief Executive Officer Carlo Di Biagio is quoted as saying, “Ducati’s strong 2000 results show that the World of Ducati is expanding at an impressive rate. We are determined to fuel future Ducati growth with an exciting and challenging program for product innovation. On that note I am extremely pleased to announce that the Ducati 996R–our top-of-the-line model–has just been nominated Sport Motorcycle of the year for 2001 by Germany’s Motorrad magazine, Europe’s best-selling motorcycle publication.”

Roadracing World contacted Edward Jones Investments for more information on Ducati as a stock on the New York Stock Exchange. Our contact at Edward Jones asked not to be named and declined to give a recommendation but pointed out that the Standard & Poor’s rating of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is “Accumulate.” The S&P ratings from top to bottom are “Buy”, “Accumulate”, “Hold”, “Avoid”, and “Sell”. Trading under the symbol DMH, Ducati was being bought for $16.60 per share and sold for $16.30 a share Wednesday at approximately 11:45 a.m. PST.