In 1994, Eastman Kodak spun off its chemicals business to help pay down debt. At that time, Kodak was still a colossus in photography whereas Eastman Chemical was a small player very much in its parent's shadow. But because of a sea change in digital technology and different approaches to business, Eastman Chemical's stock market value has since increased 71% to $5.5 billion today, while Kodak's has plummeted 99% to about $185 million.
Eastman Kodak is on the ropes and might not survive 2012. Ironically, George Eastman's name will live on in the "unglamorous" Eastman Chemical stepchild.