Expect this spinoff to attract interest

Article Excerpt

The COVID-19 shutdowns have hurt demand for copier paper as office workers remain home. That has prompted International Paper to spin off these operations so it can better focus on its faster-growing cardboard packaging business. Despite slowing demand for office paper, that business could become an attractive takeover target. INTERNATIONAL PAPER CO. $51 is a spinoff buy. The company (New York symbol IP, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 393.1 million; Market cap: $20.0 billion; Dividend yield: 4.0%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.internationalpaper.com) is a global provider of fibre-based packaging and pulp and paper products. It has manufacturing facilities in North America, Latin America, Europe, North Africa and Russia. The company now plans to set up its Printing Papers division as an independent publicly traded company. International Paper will focus on corrugated packaging and absorbent cellulose fibers, while the new company will focus on printed papers. The transaction will involve a tax-free distribution of shares in the new company to existing International Paper shareholders. The parent plans…