The fire sale enigma: revealing long-term benefits of divestiture amid financial turmoil

This study examines the impact of divestiture on financially distressed firms during the 2008 global financial crisis, with a focus on its role in promoting long-term performance recovery. In contrast to the prevailing fire sale theory, which posits that divestiture in periods of economic crisis leads to value destruction, our results reveal a positive association between divesting firms and their long-term performance recovery. Over a 3-year post-divestiture period, firms significantly improve their long-term operating performance compared to non-divesting benchmarks, by easing financial constraints and maintaining pre-crisis investment levels. Moreover, firms with divestiture outperform those using other restructuring strategies that prioritize short-term cash flow enhancements and cost-cutting measures. Our findings provide valuable insights into the long-term implications of corporate divestiture during economic downturns