Next Tuesday I am scheduled to meet with General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) Chief Financial Officer Keith Sherin to discuss GE's performance and prospects. This meeting came at the company's initiation.
As a GE shareholder I have not been thrilled with the performance of the stock. Since September 7, 2001 when current CEO Jeff Immelt took over, the stock has risen 3% from $39.60, compared to a 40% increase in the S&P 500. Moreover, on the basis of its Price/Earnings to Growth (PEG) ratio of 1.5 -- based on a P/E of 19.5 and earnings forecast to grow 13% to $2.50 in 2008 -- GE looks somewhat overvalued to me.
So here are some questions I plan to ask:
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Since the current GE CEO took over, GE stock is up 3%, compared to a 40% increase in the S&P 500. Why has GE stock underperformed this average?
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GE stock has risen 23% in the last year, however, it trades at a PEG of 1.5 which makes it a bit expensive. Why should investors buy GE stock now?
- Since the Healthcare, Industrial and NBC Universal segments all saw revenues fall in the first half with relatively weak profit performance, why doesn't GE sell these businesses and invest the proceeds to increase its market share in the more financially successful Infrastructure and Commercial Finance units?
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If GE chooses to stay in Healthcare how will it offset the negative impact of the federal government's decision to cut reimbursements to nonhospital imaging centers?
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Under Jack Welch, GE's philosophy was to only be in businesses in which it could be #1 or #2. Recently NBC was ranked the 4th most watched network. Will GE sell NBC? If not, why is GE keeping NBC? How does NBC's coordination with other GE divisions increase GE's overall revenues or lower its costs?
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How vulnerable is the GE Money unit to an increase in consumer loan defaults? Is GE Money likely to experience accelerated revenue and profit growth in 2008 or slower growth? Why?
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What impact would a 10% decline in the dollar have on GE's Earnings Per Share (EPS)?
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What other external factors -- such as an increase in interest rates or a rise in energy prices -- represent the biggest risks to GE's EPS? How do you quantify those risks?
Please let me know which ones you'd like to add to the list.
Peter Cohan is president of Peter S. Cohan & Associates, a management consulting and venture capital firm. He also teaches management at Babson College and edits The Cohan Letter. He owns General Electric stock.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-20-2007 @ 1:37PM
J. K. Henry said...
NBC is a dog and I believe the only reason GE owns it is for the big shots, so that they can have the added perk of contacts with the so called stars.
My perferred perk would be for GE to start making money so that my stock value would increase
7-20-2007 @ 1:48PM
j.c. said...
mr. cohan...every one of your questions is overly obvious. they have been asked repeatedly for the last year and you would probably get the same answers they have been giving for the last year. it is more critical to know which businesses GE thinks are mature vs growth and what they are going to do to maximize their exposure to the growth businesses. given the fact that the cost of capital is rising GE, like any company, can not afford to invest in mature businesses at the risk of growth. incidentally, where does it say that a revenue and earnings decline for 6 months necessitates getting out of those businesses? that is stupid. given that line of thinking IBM, under john akers, would have broken itself up and sold off the pieces because of 3 yrs of declines. gerstner came in and kept most things in place but with a fresh focus.
7-20-2007 @ 6:47PM
Carl Fimmano said...
It should not the question as to will you consider selling NBC, rather WHEN will you put NBC on the block. It has serve its purpose long enough. The ride is over.
7-23-2007 @ 6:55PM
Steve said...
Please ask the CEO what he believes a realistic long-term growth rate for the dividend will be, and what kind of payout ratio the conglomerate would like to maintain. Thank you.
9-05-2007 @ 2:36PM
Vincent Pateras said...
Can you justify keeping your board in view of the fact that the members have done NOTHING to introduce new ideas and new plans to increase the value of the stock from the +/- mid 30's in 2001 to the same mid 30's today. Is you CEO worth it ??? Are you part of the problem ??
10-06-2007 @ 2:38AM
paddee said...
why dont you ask them why they use such horrible tactics on collections and why one in particular boy so-called name "jason" would make it his personal vendetta to track all of my G e money bank credit cards - also ask them why they have not been investigated by the CIA for paying for weapons for the terrorits - wanna see my pictues???? guess i cant go to NBC for this one -