BY Richard Summerfield
In 2014 divestments became one of the most important weapons in the arsenal of corporates. By getting smaller, many firms gave themselves the room, and the financial muscle, to grow.
Increasingly, leading companies are utilising divestments to further their capital strategy and facilitate growth. According to EY’s latest Global Corporate Divestment Study, many more companies are waking up to the benefits of divestitures, with more than half of those firms surveyed - some 71 percent - expected to join the swelling ranks of strategic sellers over the next 12 months.
Much of the renewed interest in divestments as a corporate strategy has been predicated on the return of M&A to the corporate agenda. 2014 saw the level of M&A activity across the global economy achieve pre-financial crisis levels as firms adapt to the shifting sands of modern corporate life, with its complex compliance obligations and rising costs.
Activist investors are also having a significant impact on corporates and their willingness to divest assets. Forty-five percent of executives noted that shareholder activism influenced their decision to divest some of their assets. A unit’s weak performance, position in the market can also trigger a divestment, as can a unit no longer being part of a company’s core business or a need to generate cash.
For those companies that have decided to take the plunge and divest a unit, the process represents an excellent opportunity for growth. Seventy-four percent of respondents said they are using divestitures to fund corporate growth, while 66 percent said they saw an increased valuation multiple in the remaining business after their last divestment.
When undertaking a divestiture, organisation and planning can play a pivotal role in increasing shareholder value. Fifty percent of respondents noted that by starting the preparatory work behind the deal at an early stage, they were able to complete their transaction on time. Taking shortcuts in deal preparation only elongates diligence work, and delays closure times. For divesting firms, speed is the key.
