Novartis is demerging its troubled eyecare unit Alcon, most probably next year. I'm sure the spin-off would reduce Alcon's value considerably. If it was taken public, instead of the spin-off, it would have have been a much better deal, I think. It seems the new CEO has bigger plans for Novartis.
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Transaction Details
The successful completion of the planned spinoff is subject to general market conditions, regulatory approvals, final Board of Directors endorsement and shareholder approval. Required information and consultation of affected employees and employee representatives is planned for the second half of 2018. In the event that all approvals are secured, the planned spinoff is expected to be completed in the first half of 2019. The transaction is expected to be tax neutral to Novartis, subject to the receipt of favorable opinions and rulings. While a dividend policy for Alcon has not yet been set, Novartis intends to continue paying a strong and growing dividend in Swiss francs, building on the CHF2.80 per share paid in March 2018. The proposed distribution ratio will be disclosed in due course.
In addition to being incorporated in Switzerland, the intention would be to list shares of Alcon on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange.
Conference calls / Capital Markets days
Novartis will hold an investor and analyst webcast today at 15:00 CET: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/3q53orhv
Novartis will continue to provide regular updates on the potential transaction, including at its quarterly financial results presentations. Alcon Capital Markets days are also planned in Q4 2018.
At last, Novartis senior management who had no clue how to please our customers will finally be out of our hair micromanaging us to death.
And we finally get free of that hapless shitshow called NOvartis
Well that was 35 Billion well spent! Vasella sure earned his $300 million 
It’s gotten so tiresome hearing everyone say the ‘struggling Alcon’ when Alcon was never struggling before Novrtis came along.
Why was Alcon struggling?
1: they gave us Sabri Markabi. He basically slit the throat of R&D.
2: they have us Geff George, who had no clue what he was doing and it took a year and a half before they did something about it.
3: they ran off practically every talented associate leaving Alcon with a crew of newbies that it has taken basically 5 years to get where we are.
And we’re here. Your welcome.
Why was Alcon struggling?
1: they gave us Sabri Markabi. He basically slit the throat of R&D.
2: they have us Geff George, who had no clue what he was doing and it took a year and a half before they did something about it.
3: they ran off practically every talented associate leaving Alcon with a crew of newbies that it has taken basically 5 years to get where we are.
And we’re here. Your welcome.