Divesting For Growth – Think Chevron And GE, Not Coke

The Wall Street Journal today (2/19) noted that the Wall Street divestiture cycle is in full swing, spurred on by activist shareholders (“New Push to Throw Assets Overboard”).

Companies ranging from chemical giants to restaurant chains have come under fire from shareholders wanting to break them apart, arguing that businesses perform better when they aren’t part of a sprawling conglomerate.

But activism is only part of the story. More fundamentally is the push from Wall Street.
Personal disclosure: Portfolio holdings include Caterpillar, Chevron and General Electric, given as examples below.
The Wall Street acquisition-divestiture cycle’s basis and results

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johntobey/2014/02/19/divesting-for-growth-think-chevron-and-ge-not-coke/