The Biggest Thing on Sale at Sears? Pieces of Sears

Is Sears selling itself off, bit by bit? It sure looks that way. The retailer's plan, announced this week, to divest itself of more than 1,000 Hometown and Outlet stores marks its latest move to slice off chunks of its ailing business. Eddie Lampert, the hedge fund guru who leads Sears and is its majority shareholder, has been selling off the chain's assets over the past seven years. He's done so instead of investing in reviving its 810 full-line department stores, critics say.