Vivendi has not definitively decided to shed assets and is also considering taking in partners or selling a stake to the public.

The deal was part of a reorganization the bank announced last October to shed weaker assets and bolster its position in regional banking.

But the company is trying to get slimmer, shedding assets and slashing its $18 billion of debt.

It has shed assets that did not complement its three lines of business and bought companies that did.

Last October, Xerox said it would cut $1 billion from costs, shed assets and increase its liquidity.

Cordiant, based in London, has been shedding assets and is re-evaluating its corporate strategy after the loss of a key client.

But the bailout plan makes one thing certain: Both healthy and insolvent savings units will be shedding assets to raise cash.

Most of the European phone giants that might have been interested a year ago are shedding assets to raise cash.

Since then, to pay down debt, it has been shedding assets, including its American properties.

"If they do have to shed assets, it would make sense to get rid of that."