General Electric Exsecutive Summary Case

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

General Electric (GE) is a leader in the global market. It is known for its strengths in leadership, innovation, diversified technology, media, consumer business and financial services, services and products which include but not limited to aircraft engines, industrial products, medical imaging, health care, security technology, and media content. It expands over more than 100 countries, and in the United States alone employees over 133,000 employees.

GE is stable and performs as a Fortune 500 company. It has diversified itself and according to Forbes has been rated as the second largest company in the world by comparing assets, market capitalization, sales and net income. Because of its size it has the capability to take advantage of the market when it is favorable to buy and sell companies protecting itself from any aspect of poor performance. In October of 2010 it acquired for $587 million in cash a molecular diagnostics firm.

GE has six business segments which include: GE Technology Infrastructure (27% of revenue, 39% of operating profit; GE Healthcare; GE Energy Infrastructure (24% of revenue, 35% of operating profit; NBC Universal (9.8% of revenue, 12% of operating profit); GE Capital (3.2 % of revenue, 2.1% of operating profit; GE Consumer & Industrial (6.1% of revenue, 2.1% of operating profit). Because it is one of the oldest and most stable companies, investors are not afraid to purchase stock. From a debt securities standpoint GE has a healthy finance standing. In 2009 $0.5 billion earnings was attributed to acquisitions and $3.4 billion from consolidated revenues. (Wikinvest, n.d.)

COMPANY INTRODUCTION

In 1890 the great inventor Thomas Alva Edison established the Edison Electric Company that eventually merged with a competitor, the Thomson-Houston Company, to create the General Electric Company (GE) in 1892. GE is a diversified technology, finance and service company that has positioned itself as a world leader on a global scale. The multifaceted structure of the company allows GE to offer a wide range of products and services including anything from turbines for airplane engines to home appliances; and from financial services to media services. As an example of how GE products and services have been a part of important events of history over 130 years, in 1969 Neil Armstrong took the first step on the moon with boots made from GE silicone rubber.

Over the years the company has expanded its business to include a few different segments allowing GE to meet the needs of consumers in over 100 countries. General Electric's segments include Energy, Technology, NBC Universal, GE Capital, and Home & Business Solutions. On January 28th, 2011 GE held a 49% stake in the media group NBC Universal. On January 1st, 2011 GE reorganized their technology segment into