Take the long view on GE

Article Excerpt

General Electric’s shares are down over 20% since the start of 2017. The decline is largely due to uncertainty about future oil prices. That volatility has prompted many producers to delay new purchases of GE’s drilling equipment. The company’s overall sales have also slowed because of a global oversupply of locomotives. Those setbacks have attracted the attention of activist investor Nelson Peltz, whose Trian Capital firm now owns 1% of GE. Trian wants the company to cut its annual costs by $2 billion. It’s also likely the activist investor will pressure GE to sell or spin off some of its businesses. Those moves should boost profits, and lead to higher dividends. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. $24 (New York symbol GE; Income-Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 8.7 billion; Market cap: $208.8 billion; Dividend yield: 4.0%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www. ge.com) is a leading maker of industrial machinery, including jet engines, power plant equipment and locomotives. It also makes…