divestiture
noun
di·ves·ti·ture dī-ˈve-stə-ˌchu̇r 
-chər,
də-,
chiefly Southern -t(y)u̇(ə)r
1
: the act of divesting
2
: the compulsory transfer of title or disposal of interests (such as stock in a corporation) upon government order
Example Sentences
Divestitures are used to break up monopolies. Before divestiture, the telephone company monopolized the state.
Recent Examples on the Web Pioneer cited a divestiture as a reason for the decrease. 
Benoît Morenne, WSJ, 6 Aug. 2022 In the financial year covered by the annual report, the company had seven acquisitions and one divestiture. Steve Banker, Forbes, 1 July 2022 The reason for the underperformance was that the firm completed a whopping $10 billion divestiture program late last year, leaving it with core operations in the Permian, Rockies and Gulf of Mexico. Moneyshow, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022 The sale is the final piece of the company’s divestiture of its security business and is subject to regulatory approval. Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2022 In the company’s fiscal third quarter ended May 1, organic net sales, stripping out the impact of a baby-food brand divestiture, jumped 9% from a year earlier. Aaron Back, WSJ, 8 June 2022 That divestiture ended the telco’s run in media and entertainment to focus on its core telecommunications biz. Todd Spangler, Variety, 20 May 2022 The divestiture came late last month, soon after Russia invaded Ukraine. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2022 The divestiture likely includes two dispensaries and a cultivation facility in Illinois. Robert Channick, chicagotribune.com, 23 Mar. 2022 See More
Benoît Morenne, WSJ, 6 Aug. 2022 In the financial year covered by the annual report, the company had seven acquisitions and one divestiture. Steve Banker, Forbes, 1 July 2022 The reason for the underperformance was that the firm completed a whopping $10 billion divestiture program late last year, leaving it with core operations in the Permian, Rockies and Gulf of Mexico. Moneyshow, Forbes, 13 Apr. 2022 The sale is the final piece of the company’s divestiture of its security business and is subject to regulatory approval. Stephen Singer, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2022 In the company’s fiscal third quarter ended May 1, organic net sales, stripping out the impact of a baby-food brand divestiture, jumped 9% from a year earlier. Aaron Back, WSJ, 8 June 2022 That divestiture ended the telco’s run in media and entertainment to focus on its core telecommunications biz. Todd Spangler, Variety, 20 May 2022 The divestiture came late last month, soon after Russia invaded Ukraine. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2022 The divestiture likely includes two dispensaries and a cultivation facility in Illinois. Robert Channick, chicagotribune.com, 23 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
divest + -iture (as in investiture)
First Known Use
1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Legal Definition
divestiture
noun
di·ves·ti·ture dī-ˈves-ti-ˌchu̇r, də-, -chər
1
: the sale or transfer of title to a property (as an operating division) under court order (as in bankruptcy)
2
: the sale of an asset (as a business division) that is unprofitable, does not enhance a corporate restructuring, or is felt to be morally reprehensible