spin off

We often remind our readers that spinoffs are a great way for companies to unlock hidden value. A good example is eBay’s move in 2015 to set up its payment-processing business, PayPal, as a separate company.


That spinoff has worked out very well for PayPal shareholders, who have enjoyed a huge 187% gain since the split....

Linamar’s shares were trading as high as $80.59 a share in November 2017. They have since fallen to $39.53—a 50.9% drop in market value. That includes the 20.1% decrease since the start of 2020. Some investors worry this downward trend will continue, mainly because the company is often viewed as simply an auto-parts supplier, overly exposed to the current slump in the automotive industry....

BLOOMIN’ BRANDS INC. $23 is worth holding given the likelihood of a lucrative takeover bid. The company (Nasdaq symbol BLMN; Consumer Sector; Shares outstanding: 86.9 million; Market cap: $2.0 billion; Dividend yield 3.6%; Takeover Target Rating: Highest; www.bloominbrands.com) owns and franchises more than 1,470 restaurants in 48 states and 21 countries....

Generally, investors are right to welcome share buyback plans, which help to give them a bigger stake in the company, but also tend to push up the price of their shares.


However, depending on the company, there are better ways to reward shareholders....

Shipping specialist XPO Logistics has handed investors a whopping 77% gain in the past 12 months. It’s now looking to sell or spin off some of its businesses to further spur your returns. A tighter focus on its core operations would help unlock value for its investors and could also make the remaining firm an attractive takeover target....

As we often remind our readers, spinoffs are the closest you can get to a sure thing in investing. According to several academic studies, spinoffs benefit not only the new company but the former parent as well.


We also caution investors that these benefits don’t arrive immediately....

Most experienced investors understand the idea that “A rising stock market climbs a wall of worry”, because they’ve seen it happen many times. Worrisome news items and developments come along in an irregular pattern. Many are serious enough to raise worries about how they will impact the stock market....

Here are short answers to a couple of issues you may have wondered about lately.

This economic statistic deserves a closer look.

We look at lots of economic statistics, but rarely find any worth talking about. Most stats represent random fluctuations in economic data, without revealing any meaningful shift in economic trends.

However, last Friday’s release of U.S....

Alcon began trading as a new spinoff last spring. At current prices, the stock is not inexpensive in relation to this year’s earnings. But we think trends now underway—including the company’s strong position in its key markets—have set its sales, profit and share price on a strong growth path.

Our Successful Investor research department has drawn up this Inner Circle Spotlight report on Alcon to explain why we think the stock will keep paying off for you as an investment, and why now is a good time to buy....

Pfizer’s reorganization paves your way to blockbuster-drug gains

Drug stocks hold special appeal for investors: Many assume that as the baby-boom generation moves into retirement, demand for pharmaceuticals will skyrocket. That’s undoubtedly true.

However, as we’ve often pointed out, this high potential can lead investors to underestimate the risks in drug stocks....