We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
A Big Leadership Change Gives GE Investors Reason for Optimism
Read MoreHide Full Article
General Electric (GE - Free Report) announced Monday that it would replace CEO John Flannery – who served in the position for just over a year – with company outsider Lawrence Culp, who has served on the GE board since April.
Investors cheered the decision with GE shares rallying better than 14% at the opening of trade, before paring those gains somewhat to close at $12.09/share, up 7% on the day.
GE had shed more than 50% of its market capitalization since Flannery took the reins in August of 2017.
The board was reportedly frustrated with a lack of results related to Flannery’s turnaround plan for the company which had intended to reduce the size of the company’s footprint in several poorly-performing businesses and to concentrate on three key areas – aviation engines, power generation and wind turbines.
GE was the last remaining member of the original Dow Jones Industrial Average, having been included in the blue-chip index since 1896 before being replaced in June after having lost more than 3 quarters of its market capitalization since 2004 - when it was briefly the most valuable U.S. company with a market cap north of $400B.
Founded in 1889 - with the help of what would soon become J.P Morgan & Co. - GE began as a consolidation of Thomas Edison’s interests in several electricity-related companies, but over the next century built or acquired businesses in a wide range of industries including broadcast entertainment, computing, oil and gas exploration, health care and a variety of banking and financial services through its GE Capital division.
While that level of diversification was lauded when nearly all the business units were working well, it has become a liability over the past few years. During Flannery’s tenure, the company saw a significant reduction in earnings, an investigation into dubious lending practices in its finance division, a significant cut in the dividend and, most recently announced it would take an approximately $23B charge in its power generation division because of material defects in turbines it manufactured.
Incoming GE CEO Culp served was the chief of industrial science and technology conglomerate Danaher from 2000 to 2014, a period during which Danaher’s market cap grew more than fivefold. He was widely credited with making shrewd strategic acquisitions, which is in some ways the opposite of his role at GE, which is seeking to divest and focus on its core strengths.
Even if he succeeds, it still may be a rough quarter or two for Culp as he makes difficult decisions about how to clean up the messes left behind by more than a decade of underperformance in many divisions. Though estimates for 2018 and 2019 remain largely unchanged over the past 60 days and GE is a Zacks rank #4 (Sell), share action today suggests that investors feel positive about Culp’s chances of turning things around at this once-mighty industrial giant.
Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%. And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation. See Them Free>>
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
A Big Leadership Change Gives GE Investors Reason for Optimism
General Electric (GE - Free Report) announced Monday that it would replace CEO John Flannery – who served in the position for just over a year – with company outsider Lawrence Culp, who has served on the GE board since April.
Investors cheered the decision with GE shares rallying better than 14% at the opening of trade, before paring those gains somewhat to close at $12.09/share, up 7% on the day.
GE had shed more than 50% of its market capitalization since Flannery took the reins in August of 2017.
The board was reportedly frustrated with a lack of results related to Flannery’s turnaround plan for the company which had intended to reduce the size of the company’s footprint in several poorly-performing businesses and to concentrate on three key areas – aviation engines, power generation and wind turbines.
GE was the last remaining member of the original Dow Jones Industrial Average, having been included in the blue-chip index since 1896 before being replaced in June after having lost more than 3 quarters of its market capitalization since 2004 - when it was briefly the most valuable U.S. company with a market cap north of $400B.
Founded in 1889 - with the help of what would soon become J.P Morgan & Co. - GE began as a consolidation of Thomas Edison’s interests in several electricity-related companies, but over the next century built or acquired businesses in a wide range of industries including broadcast entertainment, computing, oil and gas exploration, health care and a variety of banking and financial services through its GE Capital division.
While that level of diversification was lauded when nearly all the business units were working well, it has become a liability over the past few years. During Flannery’s tenure, the company saw a significant reduction in earnings, an investigation into dubious lending practices in its finance division, a significant cut in the dividend and, most recently announced it would take an approximately $23B charge in its power generation division because of material defects in turbines it manufactured.
Incoming GE CEO Culp served was the chief of industrial science and technology conglomerate Danaher from 2000 to 2014, a period during which Danaher’s market cap grew more than fivefold. He was widely credited with making shrewd strategic acquisitions, which is in some ways the opposite of his role at GE, which is seeking to divest and focus on its core strengths.
Even if he succeeds, it still may be a rough quarter or two for Culp as he makes difficult decisions about how to clean up the messes left behind by more than a decade of underperformance in many divisions. Though estimates for 2018 and 2019 remain largely unchanged over the past 60 days and GE is a Zacks rank #4 (Sell), share action today suggests that investors feel positive about Culp’s chances of turning things around at this once-mighty industrial giant.
Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%. And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation. See Them Free>>