Symantec mulls split into two businesses

New York

SYMANTEC Corp is exploring a break-up, according to sources with knowledge of the matter, joining other large technology companies that are trying to make their businesses more focused and nimble. The Mountain View, California-based software company is in advanced talks to split up its business into two entities, with one that sells security programs and another that does data storage, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because the conversations are private.

If the break-up is carried out, Symantec would add to the trend of Silicon Valley technology companies that are cleaving themselves into pieces. EBay Inc said on Sept 30 that it would separate its PayPal digital payments unit and marketplace business into two companies by the end of next year. Earlier this week, Hewlett-Packard Co said that it would hive off the personal computer (PC) and printers businesses into one entity and carve the corporate hardware and services businesses into another company.