Fixing the unprofitable divisions is certain to be one of Mr. Polet's biggest problems.

Since shedding several unprofitable divisions over the last two years, Motorola's sales have grown at all its remaining divisions.

The raiders, executives said, didn't just want to pare back unprofitable divisions; they wanted to slice into valuable research and development.

"If buyers want to operate a business, to improve it and close unprofitable divisions, they can," he said.

In 1986, with several of its product lines faltering, Varity set up a new subsidiary and gave it the unprofitable divisions and some company debts.

The company recorded a charge of $31,173,000 for the anticipated cost of discontinuing the unprofitable divisions.

These companies have been staggering under the weight of excessive expansion in the 1970's and 80's and struggling with unprofitable divisions.

He has shed unprofitable divisions and is phasing the company out of the housing business.

All of them have announced job cuts, factory closures and plans to spin off or trim unprofitable divisions.

Two recent articles cited unidentified sources who said that a senior executive was under pressure to resign, and that the company might sell some unprofitable divisions.