Category Archives: Uncategorized

Orchard Supply Hardware Struggles To Show Sales Growth, Sells Off More Real Estate

It’s been a few quarters since Orchard Supply Hardware(OSH) was spun off from Sears Holdings(SHLD).  The stock continues to trade at similar levels to where we felt it was a reasonable buy soon after its spinoff. Yesterday, the company issued a brief press release which contained three critical pieces of information. Comparable Store Sales were up 0.9% –… Read More »

Valero To Give The Heave Ho To Retail Unit

While releasing its Q2 earnings, Valero Energy (VLO) also dropped news of its plans to separate retail unit. While Valero is best known for its refining business, the company also operates over 6,000 retail and branded wholesale outlets. According to CapIQ, for the FYE 2011 the retail segment generated $11.7b of revenues and $381m of EBIT, small potatoes… Read More »

Brewing The Books In Brazil: Accounting Irregularities At DE Master Blenders 1753, Impacts Hilshire Brands, As Well

That was quick. Weeks after its spinoff from Hilshire Brands(HSH), the former Sara Lee, DE Master Blenders 1753(DEMBF) announced today that it had found accounting irregularities, and would be restating results. These are definitely words no investor wants to hear, and they tend to get bigger the more they get looked at. Here is how the company describes… Read More »

When Good Spinoffs Go Bad- A Lump Of Patriot Coal In Every Stocking

Spinoffs are supposed to be a clean break; an opportunity for two new companies to seek their own fortunes.  But, as David Nicklaus points out at the St. Louis Post Dispatch, when things go sour with the child, the former parent may still be on the hook. He writes about Patriot Coal (PCXCQ) which was spun off from… Read More »

Cash America Withdraws Planned Enova Spinoff

Cash America(CSH) has withdrawn plans to conduct an IPO of the majority of its Enova International unit.  The company had announced last September that it intended to offer a majority of the unit to investors, but retain a 35% to 49% stake.  Cash America shareholders would not have received shares in the new firm.  Cash America would have… Read More »

Siemens Cancels IPO, Will Spinoff Lighting Unit To Shareholders

It’s been well over a year since we mentioned that Siemens(SI) was looking to divest its Osram lighting unit. Now, 16  months later, unable to get the price it wanted, or to conduct an IPO, the company plans to spin off the unit to shareholders. On its recent conference call, Siemens CEO Peter Loscher announced the plans: As… Read More »

IDT Brings Back ICTI Spinoff

It’s always sad for us here when a spinoff is cancelled, but those situations are often worth filing away as there is always the chance that the situation gets revived. The market could be better, certain hurdles cleared, you never know. The latest example is IDT’s (IDT) recent announcement that it is resurrecting its plans to spin off its patent… Read More »

No Change To L-3 Credit Ratings In Wake Of Engilty Spin And Debt Repayment

As part of its recent spinoff of Engility(EGL), L-3 Communications(LLL) received $325 million in cash which it will use to retire $250 million in debt and repurchase $75 million in stock. Despite this balance sheet improvement, both S&P and Fitch left the company’s ratings unchanged. From S&P: Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said today that its ratings and… Read More »

VMWare Calls Spinoff Rumors Unfounded In Internal Memo

Earlier this week, we reported on rumors that VMWare(VMW) and EMC(EMC) were planning to spin off their cloud assets into a new company. Today, CRN reports that the company called the rumors ‘unfounded’ in an internal memo. In an internal memo Tuesday, VMware instructed its corps of global spokespeople to address questions about the rumored spin-offs by answering… Read More »

L-3’s Spinoff Of Engility Complete; Trading Begins Today

Defense contractor L-3 Communications(LLL) completed its spinoff of Engility Holdings(EGL) yesterday. L-3 shareholders as of July 16 received 1 share of Engility for every 6 shares of L-3 that they held. In its last day of when issued trading, Engility closed at $17.83, giving the company a market cap of just under $300 million. L-3 closed at $69.79… Read More »

Cramer: Heinz Should Spin Off Frozen Food Division

Heinz(HNZ) is certainly one stock that needs no introduction as it is likely to be in your pantry, if not your portfolio.   On CNBC’s Fast Money, host Jim Cramer told viewers that Heinz should spin off its frozen food business: “It’s time for Heinz to spin-off its frozen division as a separate company or find someone else… Read More »

Is VMWare Prepared To Let CloudFoundry Spin Away?

It’s been five years since EMC(EMC) spun off a minority stake in VMware(VMW). Today, GigaOm reports that EMC, which owns around 80% of VMware, plans to spin out cloud assets from each company into a newly independent company.  No word yet on what structure the spinoff will take or how it will be handled, but a surprising amount… Read More »

Berkshire Hathaway Has Been Buying Recent Spin Phillips 66, Says Buffett

Saying that the investment was led by Ted Weschler or Todd Combs, Warren Buffett told Bloomberg today that Berkshire Hatahway(BRKB) has increased its holdings of Phillips 66(PSX) while continuing to sell former parent ConocoPhillips(COP). Berskhire reduced its holding in ConocoPhillips and bought into “some of the refining operation,” Buffett said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “In the… Read More »

How Much Longer Will Albertson’s Be A Supervalu?

Supervalu (SVU) is one of America’s largest grocery chains, but it only became so with its 2006 purchase of over 2,000 Albertson’s stores. Prior to that, Supervalu had been primarily a wholesale business, and it continues to remain a large grocery wholesaler. Yesterday, the stock plummeted after hours when the company reported declining earnings, suspended its dividend, suspended… Read More »