Deconglomerating

The largest US life insurer, aka MetLife, plans to do away with its Systemically Important Financial Institution (SIFI) designation by spinning off its retail life and annuity business in the US because “an independent company would benefit from greater focus, more flexibility in products and operations, and a reduced capital and compliance burden”. Around the same water cooler, an online questionnaire from the investment advisory firm Sanford C. Bernstein & Company answered by about 100 AIG investors, found that 86% of them want the insurer to act radically by selling businesses or spinning off divisions.