Ducati: could it become the market's new prey with Dieselgate expanding?

Ducati – Is Volkswagen thinking of selling Ducati to raise cash and offset the effects of dieselgate? The question is legitimate and in Italy it was the financial newspaper Milano&Finanza that asked it, which, despite the German group's denial, claims that the main investment banks have already received the dossier to be evaluated while awaiting the green light.

Could Ducati therefore become the new prey of the 2015 market? Yes, if we think that its estimated value is 1,2 billion euros. The accounts, then, are proving CEO Claudio Domenicali right, with production increasing in the third quarter to 9.192 pieces, with a +21,2% in sales since the beginning of the year (46.458) compared to the first nine months of 2014. In 2014, Ducati had a turnover of 462,2 million euros for 27,46 million in profit.

It's all about Volkswagen. Yesterday, Moody's downgraded the rating of the Wolfsburg giant by one step, to A3 from the previous A2, suggesting further possible worsening given that the German brand maintains a negative outlook. Revision "reflects growing reputational and earnings risks“, which have increased, explains the agency in a note, after the announcement of new problems also on CO2 emissions, on other models and engines, in addition to the vehicles already involved in the dieselgate scandal. This was followed up the new black day on the stock exchange for Volkswagen which closed 9,5% lower at 100 euros, dragging the Frankfurt price list and the entire European auto sector into the red (the sector's Stoxx -2,2%). Then, a few minutes after the closure, the news also arrived that Volkswagen and its subsidiary Audi had suspended the sale of all diesel models in the United States.