Shrinking finance division cuts GE’s risk

Article Excerpt

GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. $29 (New York symbol GE; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 10.1 billion; Market cap: $292.9 billion; Priceto- sales ratio: 2.0; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ge.com) continues to shrink its GE Capital subsidiary as part of a plan to focus on its industrial businesses, including jet engines, medical equipment, appliances, lighting and locomotives. Including its recent deal with Wells Fargo (see left), the company has now sold $126 billion worth of GE Capital’s assets. It should reach its goal of shrinking this business by $200 billion by the end of 2016. After these sales, the financing business will supply just 10% of GE’s earnings, down from 42% in 2014. The Federal Reserve considers GE Capital a “systemically important financial institution,” so reducing its size should let GE avoid the tougher capitalization requirements and stress tests the Fed imposes on big lenders. GE plans to use the sale proceeds to…