Divestiture: Definition, Examples, and Reasons to Divest

What Is a Divestiture?

A divestiture is the partial or full disposal of a business unit through sale, exchange, closure, or bankruptcy. A divestiture most commonly results from a management decision to cease operating a business unit because it is not part of a company's core competency.

A divestiture may also occur if a business unit is deemed to be redundant after a merger or acquisition, if the disposal of a unit increases the sale value of the firm, or if a court requires the sale of a business unit to improve market competition.

Understanding Divestitures

A divestiture is the disposition or sale of an asset by a company as a way to manage its portfolio of assets. As companies grow, they may find they're in too many lines of business and must close some operational units to focus on more profitable lines. Many conglomerates face this problem.

Companies may also sell off business lines if they are under financial duress. For example, an automobile manufacturer that sees a significant and prolonged drop in competitiveness may sell off its financing division to pay for the development of a new line of vehicles.

Divested business units may be spun off into their own companies. Companies may be required to divest some of their assets as part of the terms of a merger or acquisition. Governments may divest some of their interests or property—called privatization—to raise money to pay off debt or give the private sector a chance to profit.

By divesting some of its assets, a company may be able to cut its costs, repay its outstanding debt, reinvest, focus on its core business(es), and streamline its operations. This, in turn, can enhance shareholder value. Large companies experiencing unstable market conditions and competitive pressures may divest part of their business.

Divesting Assets

There are many different reasons why a company may decide to sell off or divest itself of some of its assets. Here are some of the most common ones:

1. Bankruptcy: Companies that are going through bankruptcy will need to sell off parts of the business.
2. Cutting back on locations: A company may find it has too many locations. When consumers just aren't coming through the doors, the company may be forced to close or sell some of its locations. This is especially true in the retail sector, including in fashion, banking, insurance, food service, and travel.
3. Selling losing assets: If the demand for a product or service is weaker than expected, a company may need to sell it. Continuing to produce and sell an underperforming asset can cut into the company's bottom line when it can concentrate on those that are performing well.

Examples of Divestitures

Divestitures can come about in many different forms, including the sale of a business unit to improve financial performance and due to an antitrust violation.

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters, a multinational media and information company, based in Canada, sold its Intellectual Property and Science division in July 2016. The company initiated the divestiture, in part, to reduce the amount of debt on its balance sheet. The division was purchased by Onex and Baring Private Equity for $3.55 billion in cash.

In 2015, Thomson Reuters generated $12.209 billion in annual revenue. The Intellectual Property and Science division grew its existing revenue by 1% year-over-year and earned nearly $1 billion in revenue for 2015, representing 8% of Thomson's total revenue. The division employed 3,400 of Thomson's 52,000 employees.

AT&T

Divestitures can also come about due to necessity. One of the most famous cases of court-ordered divestiture involves the breakup of the old AT&T in 1982. The U.S. government determined AT&T controlled too large a portion of the nation's telephone service and brought antitrust charges against the company in 1974. The divestiture created seven different companies, including one retaining the name AT&T, as well as new equipment manufacturers.