Trian wins one, loses one

Article Excerpt

GENERAL ELECTRIC $23 (New York symbol GE, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 8.7 billion; Market cap: $200.1 billion; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; Dividend yield: 4.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.ge.com) is a leading maker of industrial machinery, including jet engines, power plant equipment and locomotives. It also makes medical gear and lighting products. Activist investor Nelson Peltz owns about 1% of GE through his firm Trian Partners. The company recently named Trian’s Edward Garden to its board of directors. The appointment should help pressure GE to cut annual costs by $2 billion. To put that goal in context, the company earned $13.6 billion, or $1.49 a share, in 2016. GE is still a buy. PROCTER & GAMBLE CO. $93 (New York symbol PG; Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 2.6 billion; Market cap: $241.8 billion; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; Dividend yield: 3.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pg.com) is one of the world’s largest makers of household and personal-care goods. Trian owns about 1% of Procter, but…