GE is not seeking equity investments from SWFs

November 20, 2008

There have been a number of media stories today on GE’s ideas about creating new partnerships with sovereign wealth funds. Some of these articles inaccurately described our partnership plans as seeking equity investments from these funds. This is not true. We are not seeking any equity investment from any outside parties or government agencies. A key component of our strategy has been – and will continue to be – creating new partnerships that help us grow globally.


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  • Noal Wines

    How about taking some of the volatility out of the number of shares being traded and accessing yourself to stable funds by offering a special 10 % dividend in addition to the regular dividend to anyone that holds ge stock over some period of time like 1 year for example.

  • Michael Dawson

    as a 34 year GE employee and now retire i wonder if the problem is effected by a credability issue with GE in the eyes of the investing world. I agree with the comment above as it will send a message the Company will stand by investors willing to stand by GE for the long haul.

  • Santosh

    GE stock is sliding heavily in the recent past. The company should publicly come out with some strong stmt to restore the confidence among the investors.

  • newinvestor

    Giving a 10% extra dividend is a bad idea. Better to let GE retain whatever earnings they get. right now GE yields like 9 and some change. Good enough dividend.

    Remember these low prices are good because the dividend payout with DRIP will increase your equity stake much quicker. so when the upswing occurs, it will be real fast. You will see your cost basis drop everytime you get dividends and then have them reinvested. Your yield also increases as well.

  • Mr Howard

    Santosh is ‘right on’

  • AndySKane

    Mr. Immelt,

    From your past actions I don’t particularly trust you.

    Stock price is not at a ten year low. Please come out with some real assurance that you will not cut the dividend, that you are concerned about the loss of shareholder wealth, and outline your plan for raising the share price.

  • Sun

    Yahoo.com is still showing "GE Raising More Emergency Capital?" as headline news for GE as of today (11/21/08) 11:12AM EST. This is the article by Henry Blodget in Newsmakers. Just go to yahoo GE finance page and this is what we all see as Fridays headline news. And based on what people is commenting on this article as of today, some people consider it as true. GE need to contact Henry Blodget to take off this article and write a retraction.

  • Megan Parker

    Hi Sun,
    Megan from GE- Thanks for pointing that out. We did touch base with Henry yesterday and he revised his post at: http://clusterstock.alleyinsider.com/2008/11/ge-raising-more-emergency-capital-

  • Sun

    Hi Megan,

    The problem is Yahoo is still showing his old article (not the new one) as of right now 11/21 12:00PM as headline news (Tech Ticker). Please go to Yahoo GE finance page and check it out. Thanks.

  • Neil

    Hello Megan from GE,

    There seems to be conflicting statements from top executives concerning GE negotiating with SWF’s in Asia. Nani Becalli is cited by some sources that the company is indeed talking to SWF’s to take a stake simlar to the one with Mubdala. Please clarify!

    Thanks.

  • Megan Parker

    Hi Neil,
    Thanks for the question! (I usually just go as Megan ;) ) My colleague Russell put it nicely in this Reuters article yesterday.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/asiaDealsNews/idUSTRE4AJ52F20081120

    Hope that clears it up!

  • Neil

    Hello again, please retract last post, obviously the only conflicting views are in the way business developments are being reported by people such as Henry Blodget. Some time ago the President stated that anyone putting out misinformation about a company that negatively affected the stock would be prosecuted. Has this ever happened? Why is everything GE i.e. Jeff Immelt doing being viewed and reported in a negative light? There is obviously a high level of mistrust between GE and the Wall Street reporters, commentators etc.

    CEO Jeffrey Immelt does need to make a powerful unequivocal statement to rebutt this type of negative reporting, to reassure his investors, employees and business community. To not do so begs the question is such a negative view accurate.

    Thanks