When Cardinal Health spun offits medical technology and equipment businesses in September as CareFusion , Cardinal, a maker and distributor of medical and surgical supplies, said this action would lead to "enhanced management focus and sharper strategic vision."

It will take time to determine if this spinoff produces enduring higher share prices. However, in the world of high-profile medical deals, the strategy can work very nicely ... at least for the spinoff's shareholders.

Take a look at the table below, which examines some big spinoffs -- as recentas February's Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) spinoff of Mead Johnson Nutrition or as early in the decade as Merck 's (NYSE: MRK) spinoff of Medco Health Solutions . In each case, the spinoff has outperformed parent.

Spinoff Date

Parent Company

Return Since Spinoff

Spun-Off Company

Return Since Spinoff

Aug. 9, 2001

Bristol-Myers Squibb

(42.1%)

Zimmer Holdings

84.7%

June 23, 2000

Baxter International

105.5%

Edwards LifeSciences

259.1%

Feb. 11, 2009

Bristol-Myers Squibb

3.7%

Mead Johnson Nutrition

70.1%

Aug. 21, 2003

Merck

(17.7%) Continued...