You're most likely correct in this instance, but it is not uncommon for a company to start cleaning itself out of all sorts of debris; employees, dead divisions, etc., in anticipation of a (cleaner) sale.
I haven't seen any of this at IDC, save for possibly that recent late addition to one of their patent suits.
In any event, as far as meaningless rumors go, this one is akin to "I heard it from a friend who heard it from friend who heard it from a friend."