As we discussed previously, Microsoft(MSFT) had agreed to invest $300 million for a 17.6% stake in NOOK Media, which includes the digital and College assets of Barnes & Noble(BKS) including the NOOK device business. Barnes & Noble continues to own the remainder of the business. In today’s release, the company was careful to note that “As previously announced,… Read More »
Who needs the Dow Jones Industrial Average anyways? Shortly after parent company Kraft Foods (KFT) got the boot from the DJIA, it was announced that post spinoff, the Kraft Foods Group (the North American Grocery spinoff) will become a member of the S&P 500. Kraft will replace coal producer Alpha Natural Resource (ANR) which just happens to be one of the worst… Read More »
We recently took a look at Genie Energy’s (GNE) exchange offer. While I highly recommend checking out our earlier piece and related comments for some background info (and to boost our traffic), here is a brief summary: Shareholders of Class B common units can swap shares on a 1 for 1 basis for newly created preferred shares which would trade… Read More »
Normally, there is plenty of time to dig into spinoff opportunities. It often feels like the process goes on forever. There are a few occasions though where that luxury does not exist, such as when a company moves quickly or, more likely, when you simply just found out about the situation at a later date. That seems to… Read More »
‘$135,000!!! For one share! Soooo expensive!’ – a friend’s response to Berkshire Hathaway’s share price. To be sure, it is a lot of money and intimidating when pulling up a ticker. Expensive though? Not enough information there to determine whether or not that is the case. This reaction is typical though and is one reason I have always… Read More »
Well, it’s official now as Tyco’s (TYC) shareholders approved the latest dismemberment of the former conglomerate earlier this week. I’m still waiting for a shareholder surprise veto to take place…now that would be something. Anyways…continuing its long history of spins, Tyco will distribute its North American ADT business and its flow control business on September 28th to shareholders… Read More »
Well that was quick. In what looks to be the briefest stint in modern history (maybe even of all time?), Kraft Food’s (KFT) days as a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average are coming to an end. A mere four years after usurping AIG’s (AIG) spot in the index, the food conglomerate will be replaced by the… Read More »
After denying spinoff plans for its gift-card subsidiary Blackhawk at its investor day earlier this year, supermarket giant Safeway (SWY) unveiled plans last week for…a spinoff of its Blackhawk subsidiary. Further proof that you can always take a CEO or politician’s word to the bank. For those who are unfamiliar with the business, Blackhawk Network Holdings is a… Read More »
The entire world may drool over the BRICs, but in terms of spinoffs only the ‘B’ (as in Brazil) seems to matter. Homebuilder Gafisa SA (GFA) is the country’s latest potential spin opportunity as the company announced that it is considering its strategic options – a phrase that often includes a sale, IPO or spinoff – for its Alphaville Urbanismo SA project.… Read More »
The next round of corporate action at Sears Holding (SHLD) is about to begin as the board of directors set today as the distribution date of the rights offerings to purchase shares of its Hometown & Outlet store spinoff. The new company is expected to trade under the ticker ‘SHOS’ and each SHLD shareholder will receive one rights offering, good for… Read More »
Do spinoffs actually outperform the market? We often receive this question and point to Joel Greenblatt’s work and some other older studies. Luckily there are other people still examining the data for us and new research by Credit Suisse’s quantitative team (highlighted in this Barron’s ‘Focus on Funds’ blog) suggests the answer is still yes. According to CS’s findings, when… Read More »
Anyone have any new ideas? I know we have mentioned this numerous times – sorry – but the business and investing world is chock full of followers. We recently wrote about one example in the defense industry, but alas, it is not an isolated case. Take the PC business. IBM (IBM) successfully converted itself into a very profitable software business by dumping… Read More »
Investors in hedge funds, private equity firms, start ups and even some public companies often need to be aware of ‘Key Man’ risk. This refers to the over-reliance on or importance of a few select individuals (or even just one) to the business. Think Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway (no matter what he says). About a year and half… Read More »
If a certain investing strategy delivers returns then you can count on followers and imitators joining the party. Just google ‘how to invest like buffett’. Even this site is an offshoot of Joel Greenblatt’s successful investment strategy. Corporate strategy is the same, especially in the minds of analysts in the investing world – if an idea worked for one company then every company in the… Read More »
Time for a little housecleaning as we catch up on some old news regarding a few potential spins which ended up as sales instead. Can’t win them all. Loral Space & Communications (LORL) had long talked about spinning off its Space Systems/Loral (SSL) unit to shareholders, but instead sold the division to MacDonald, Dettwiler & Associates (TSX:MDA) for $875m. The… Read More »