GE after the bell 8/16/06: energy acquisitions driving the stock up?

GE goes up or down based on general economic news effecting the market. These days, GE is Rodney Dangerfield of the Stock Market. Wait a few years. When the World starts to build new electric power plants, GE will again be the shining star it was at one time.

According to an article on page A7 of the Wall Street Journal dated Aug. 15, 2006, GE is not buying Kinder Morman, but paying $710 million for a natural gas utility that serves retail customers in Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming. The article states: "By buying the the regulated utility, called Kinder Morgan Retail, GE is acquiring a steady stream of income in what is typically a low-margin and low-risk business." the article notes that as GE is entering the retail-gas business, Kinder Morgan is leaving it because the retail utility business is "a small part of its gas and pipeline business." I would not be a GE shareholder if I did not believe in its prospects for the future. But why is GE now entering the retail utility business? GE already has enough businesses that throw off steady streams of cash, such as its commercial and consumer finance arms, which provide comfortable rates of return. There are many, many forms of profitable business in the world, but GE cannot possibly be involved in all of them. I think that it would be better if Immelt would begin to limit his subordinates' ventures into far-flung areas of commerce, define GE's greatest strengths and areas of expertise, and focus GEs extraordinary resources and know-how on where its future lies. I do not think that being a "proxy for the U.S. economy" is the best thing for GE in the long run.

ge....HAHAHAH. up we go down we go and then we find out we haven't gone anywhere. although i can't complain. made some $ on ge, but don't see anymore left in the stock. good stock but you are right it is the Rodney Dangerfiel of the nyse. no respect

Check out this website for many other good reasons to stay away from GE stock.