Month: January 2019

Corporate Spinoff Monthly Roundup – January 2019

Based on reader suggestions we are going to try something new this month. We update our tables as new information is released, but we recognize that not everyone is constantly hitting refresh in order to see when a distribution date might get posted (please do so in the future though). Going forward, at the end of every month… Read More »

GE Restructures Wabtec Deal Out Of Reverse Morris Trust, Leaving Shareholders With A Tax Bill

With GE’s (GE) share price in freefall and concerns about its debt levels, the company began offloading assets left and right. One disposal arranged by short lived CEO John Flannery was the spinoff of its transportation business via Reverse Morris Trust by subsequently merging it with Wabtec (WAB) to form a leading freight car powerhouse. Manufacturing and servicing all done in… Read More »

Elliott & Starboard Double Team eBay, Push For Spin Off Of StubHub and Classifieds

In 2015, under pressure from legendary activist investor Carl Icahn, eBay(EBAY) chose to spin off PayPal(PYPL). While PayPal stock has performed remarkably since the spin-off, eBay stock’s performance has been decidedly prosaic. With this backdrop, not one, but two activist investors have entered the stage and begun pushing for changes. Of course, most relevant to us is that… Read More »

Gabelli & Friends- You Spin(off) Me (Barron’s) Round(Table)

Active management may be under attack, but don’t tell that to Barron’s. Every year the venerable paper hosts an investor roundtable featuring some of the industry’s leading voices and largest active asset managers. The day long event offers a chance to hear their thoughts on a wide variety of topics including the economy and pressing global issues. Readers… Read More »

Arconic Not Ready For Showtime At The Apollo – Arconic Plunges As The Alcoa Spinoff Rejects Apollo Bid

With apologies to the Beatles: Yesterday, Arconic’s stock price began to fade away An expected buyout had been pushed away Elliott needs to find another way It was this close to a deal, but Arconic(ARNC) announced yesterday that it was no longer pursuing a sale of the company. Last week, the Wall Street Journal had reported that a… Read More »

Spinoff Odds and Ends: M&A Edition- Gannett, The Best Digital First Can Get?

Let’s kick off the week with some deal talk. Last week we touched on Apollo’s (APO) potential buyout of Arconic (ARNC) and if completed, it would just be another example of spinoff/parent company being taken out. Once the separation announcement is made or even the ‘strategic alternatives’ one, the market knows that a sale is possible. In that vein,… Read More »

Shutdown Schein Spinoff Boogie- Covetrus Delayed Is Not Covetrus Denied

Just last week, Henry Schein(HSIC) announced the distribution date for its spinoff and Reverse Morris Trust transaction of Covetrus(CVET). Yesterday, the company announced a three day delay in the distribution due to the ongoing government shutdown. Whereas the company had formerly expected its registration to be effective on January 28, it now anticipates it will be effective no… Read More »

Isn’t It Arconic, Don’t You Think? Like A Private Equity Bid After Your Spinoff

The WSJ is reporting that Arconic (ARNC) is nearing a deal with private equity firm Apollo Global Management (APO) to be taken private. While the exact deal value is unknown right now, estimates peg Arconic’s value at over $10b or between $21 and $22 per share. The price represents a modest premium to recent close, but the name… Read More »

The Tooth Fairy Set To Visit Danaher In Second Half Of 2019

As we mentioned when Danaher(DHR) completed its spinoff of Fortive(FTV) in 2016, it has been one of the best performing stocks in history. Founded by Steven and Mitchell Rales, Danaher Corporation(DHR) is one of the most successful business stories of the last three decades. One of just 44 companies with a cumulative total return of greater than 10,000% over… Read More »

Hold The MSG? MSG To Separate Billy Joel From The Knicks In Planned Spinoff

Another serial spinner is at it again. In 2010, James Dolan spun off Madison Square Garden from its Cablevision empire in order to better value its sports and entertainment related businesses. Five years later the regional sports businesses got their own turn to shine via the spin off of MSG Networks (MSGN). Three years later and the Madison… Read More »

Schein A Light On Covetrus- Henry Schein Animal Health Spinoff Set For February 4

Just weeks after choosing its name, Covetrus(CVET), not covfefe, and filing a registration statement, Henry Schein(HSIC) has set a date for the spinoff, and it’s soon.   On February 4, Henry Schein will spin off HS Spinco to shareholders of record as of January 17. HS Spinco will subsequently merge with Direct Vet Marketing, Inc. (d/b/a Vets First Choice) in… Read More »

You Can Get Anything You Want At Arlo’s Restaurant, ‘Ceptin Profits

With the new year, a new start for Arlo Technologies(ARLO) as NETGEAR(NTGR) distributed the 84.2% of the company that it still owned to its shareholders on December 31.  NETGEAR shareholders received 1.980295 shares of Arlo stock for every share of NETGEAR stock held.  Also, concurrent with the transaction, NETGEAR’s founder, Chairman and CEO, Patrick C.S. Lo, resigned from the… Read More »

Spinoff Odds & Ends: Talk CEO To Me Edition DWDP REZI HON

It may be a new year, but we are reviving our series of popular Odds and Ends pieces. In this end of week edition, we hear from CEOs of spin off related companies. The buck has to stop somewhere so why not hear it straight from the top? The WSJ recently featured a chat with Ed Breen, the… Read More »

Mohnish Pabrai’s Spinoff Portfolio Gets Crushed In 2018, All New Names For 2019

Happy New Year to all of our readers! 2018 is now officially history and it will be remembered as a year of increased volatility that ultimately left some portfolios quite damaged. That includes Mohnish Pabrai’s Spinoff Portfolio and its (backtested) historically S&P crushing results.  Pabrai is a legendary fund manager and author of The Dhando Investor.  In one of… Read More »