Beware: spinoffs can mask flaws

Article Excerpt

As we’ve said many times before, spinoffs are the closest thing you can find to a sure thing. Studies show that both the parent and the spinoff ultimately do better than comparable companies for a number of years, if not decades. However, investors should avoid smaller firms with little or no profits, such as the two below, that use spinoffs to spur their stock price. BLUEBIRD BIO INC. $18 is a hold for aggressive investors. The company (Nasdaq symbol BLUE; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 67.6 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion; No dividend paid; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.bluebirdbio.com) develops therapies for severe genetic diseases and cancer. Bluebird now plans to spin off its oncology operations as a separate company called 2seventy bio. It has not yet announced the details of the transaction, but expects to complete the split by the end of 2021. The remaining company will focus on gene therapies. Its main products are Zynteglo (for a blood disorder known…