Having Your Spin and Eating Your Deal Too — Spin-offs and Reverse Morris Trusts

Even with the recent slowdown in M&A activity, spinoffs have been among the transactions of choice in the past year. With everyone from economic mainstays like ConocoPhillips and Kraft to high-profile new players like TripAdvisor engaging in separation deals in the latest round of deconsolidation, it is an opportune time for dealmakers to consider the general implications of a spin-off on transformational corporate merger activity and certain structures that may allow for a combination of the two.