9. Johnson & Johnson Breaks Into Three Companies
Too much risk? Well how about a lower-risk play that could produce a very quick 20% return with the stroke of a pen, the break-up of the venerable
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) into three companies, consumer products, medical devices, and fast-growing pharma business. This triple A balance sheeted company has been put together in unwieldy and non-performing fashion by William Weldon, one of the weakest CEOs I have ever come across, and yet totally lionized by Wall Street. Get me his P.R. man!
Weldon's been replaced by Alex Gorsky who is not wedded to a business that includes, Band-Aid, artificial body parts and cancer drugs.
Abbott Labs (ABT), on its announcement of a similar spin increased by 20% before recently pulling back on a failed new drug. But
Bristol-Myers (BMY) with its spin-off of
Mead Johnson (MJN) and
Covidien (COV) with its drug and device spin have far outperformed the drug stock cohort and the averages. Look for this stodgy company to pick up 20% with the stroke of the break-up pen.
