Wall Street loves a growth story, which is why so many companies focus on rapid top- and bottom-line expansion. To achieve this, however, sometimes big changes are needed, like spinning off a business or two.

That's the pitch behind the business split at Kellogg -- which is now Kellanova (NYSE: K) and WK Kellogg (NYSE: KLG) -- and Medtronic (NYSE: MDT), which is looking to jettison two slower-growing businesses. A quick comparison of these two situations is instructive for investors faced with a spin-off in a stock they own.

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Source Fool.com