This Irish firm narrows its focus

Article Excerpt

EATON CORP. PLC $81 (New York symbol ETN; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 423.6 million; Market cap: $34.3 billion; Dividend yield: 3.5%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.eaton.com), based in Ireland, makes a wide variety of electrical power products such as circuit breakers, power distribution units, panel boards, load centers, motor controls, meters, sensors, relays and inverters. It also makes specialized equipment for clients in the automotive, aerospace and construction industries. Eaton now plans to spin off its LED lighting operations as a separate firm. That business, which will operate out of Atlanta, Georgia, had sales of $1.7 billion in 2018, or 8% of the company’s total sales of $21.6 billion. Investors will only be liable for capital gains taxes on their spinoff shares when they sell them. Eaton expects to complete the split by the end of 2019. The company is also selling its Automotive Fluid Conveyance operations, which make steering lines and other auto parts at plants in Europe and China. Sales at…