Fortune Brands May Sell Acco Unit

Consumer products company Fortune Brands Inc. said that it is exploring the possibility of selling its Acco World Corp. office products unit, among other options. The company said it has retained Goldman Sachs to assist in evaluating options for Acco. Fortune Brands’ products include the world’s No. 1 bourbon, Jim Beam, Titleist golf balls, Moen faucets and Master Lock padlocks. Brands in the Acco office products line include Swingline staplers, Kensington computer accessories and Day-Timer personal organizers. The company said the Acco unit competes in an industry that would likely benefit from consolidation, and it did not expect to make a bigger commitment to office products. Shares of Fortune Brands rose $1 to close at $26.13 on the NYSE.