Volkswagen weighs potential Ducati sale as investor interest builds

What Domenicali said in Milan

Ducati is drawing "worldwide interest" and is "a very nice asset," CEO Claudio Domenicali said in an interview at Milan's EICMA trade fair. He would not name who reached out or whether the suitors are industry players or financial investors.

Where Ducati fits in Volkswagen's plan

Volkswagen is reshaping its lineup to get leaner and more profitable, and even though Audi bought Ducati in 2012, the marque is still being evaluated, prestige and racing success notwithstanding. Domenicali said there is no need to hurry, noting Ducati is self-financing and following a development plan intended to lift its valuation. "The more they wait, the more they will get an increase in the value of the company," he said. Ducati is not "bleeding money" and is not a pressing issue for the group, he added, though he acknowledged broader pressures at VW could tip the scales: "Sometimes you are forced to do even things that you would not want to do."

Numbers investors are watching

Ducati's operating margin was 5.6% last year, below Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume's 9% target for 2030. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Michael Dean estimates Ducati could be worth about €1.25 billion, or $1.4 billion, based on peer comparisons.

Understanding how new tools can sharpen your investing edge pays off over time. We're hosting our first ever investor livestream on 11/17 to show you how to use ChatGPT and Claude to invest like a pro, hosted by Briefs Finance CEO Jaspreet Singh. Save your seat.

The longer arc inside VW

In 2017, VW considered offloading Ducati during a post-diesel scandal push to streamline, but reversed course after resistance from labor unions and the Porsche-Piëch family. The late Ferdinand Piëch - a motorcycle devotee who championed the 2012 purchase - went on to join Ducati's board. As part of renewed portfolio pruning this year, VW agreed to sell 51% of heavy diesel engine unit Everllence to Bain Capital in a transaction generating about €7.4 billion, while keeping a 49% stake.

Savvy investors keep learning about tools that help make smarter, more confident choices. On 11/17, our CEO Jaspreet Singh goes live for our first ever investor livestream on how to use ChatGPT and Claude to invest like a pro. Register to join him.