I think the next year is going to see a lot of fluctuation in what happens to the pieces of the company. The two-way split that's being proposed now just feels like the beginning of the story. I wouldn't be surprised if the particulars of it change, and then once the pieces are split, what does the new ownership do? The names "Agilent" and "Avaya" still don't look right on equipment that screams "HP" and "Lucent" in your mind. Motorola is certainly headed down that path. It's bad enough they had to sell off the semiconductor business. It will be very, very weird to see a different name on 2-way radios and cell phones. Even weirder when the signage changes in Schaumburg, Libertyville, and Northbrook.
I don't think this is the wrong direction to take, either. The company has been managed so poorly for so long, something dramatic has to change. If Carl Icahn is the only one willing to step up and force it, so be it.
