MILAN, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Italian motorcycle and scooter maker Piaggio on Thursday reported a 25 percent rise in third-quarter core earnings, boosted by higher sales across its markets.
The maker of the iconic Vespa scooter and Aprilia motorbikes said earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the July-September period rose to 41.3 million euros ($52.32 million).
Consolidated revenues rose 6.5 percent to 301.8 million euros.
In the nine months to the end of September, core earnings rose slightly to 135.4 million euros from 133.7 million euros last year.
In its business plan released in March, the company forecast 70 percent growth in core earnings between 2013-2017 to around 250 million euros, helped by expectations of a gradual economic recovery in Europe and expansion plans in Asia.
For 2014, Piaggio expects to report core earnings of between 155-160 million euros, Piaggio's chief executive said in July. (1 US dollar = 0.7893 euro) (Reporting by Agnieszka Flak; editing by Francesca Landini)