![Man takes pictures of logo of Swiss power technology and automation group ABB ahead of a news conference to present full year results in Zurich](https://freeamericanetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/abb-to-sell-power-grids-to-hitachi-revamp-business-structure.jpg)
A man takes pictures of the logo of Swiss power technology and automation group ABB ahead of a news conference to present the company’s full year results, in Zurich, Switzerland, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Moritz Hager
December 17, 2018
ZURICH (Reuters) – ABB <ABBN.S> reached a deal with Japan’s Hitachi <6501.T> to sell its Power Grids division, with the Swiss engineering group adding it plans to return net cash proceeds of $7.6-7.8 billion from selling the 80.1 percent stake in the unit to shareholders.
The Zurich-based company, which will initially retain 19.1 percent of the division, also said on Monday it would be modifying the structure of remaining businesses, resulting in roughly $500 million annual run-rate cost reductions across the group following $500 million in non-operational restructuring charges.
(Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Christoph Steitz)