Briefs

Activist investors are pushing for McGraw-Hill to split into four parts. Jana Partners and the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, which own a combined 5.2 percent of the company, told management that the New York-based company should separate the Standard & Poor’s ratings unit from the S&P index business. The investor group also wants to see the education division split off from the information and media business. McGraw-Hill says it is conducting a strategic portfolio review. Separately, S&P announced plans to replace President Deven Sharma with Citibank’s North America COO Douglas Peterson. McGraw-Hill sold Businessweek to Bloomberg LP in 2009.

Facing tightening U.S. rules on fuel efficiency, Ford and Toyota are teaming up to develop a hybrid powertrain for pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles. The two carmakers, which have not collaborated before, will focus on developing a rear-wheel-drive system for large vehicles that balances performance capabilities, such as towing capacity, with improved fuel economy. Toyota, maker of the Prius, is already the world’s largest hybrid car seller, while Ford’s F-Series pickup is the top-selling vehicle in the U.S.