Financial Highlights (Continuing Operations)
FAIRFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE announced today record third-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $5.1 billion or $.49 per share, up 10% and 14%, respectively, from third-quarter 2005. Revenues from continuing operations were $40.9 billion, up 12% from last year's third quarter.
"Our portfolio changes and long-term strategy are paying dividends," said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. "The markets where we compete continue to be favorable for GE and our businesses are experiencing significant tailwinds.
"Our strong third quarter performance was led by our Infrastructure segment, where profits rose 24% on excellent performances across its portfolio including Energy, which is on track for the strong second half we expected. Sales of our Infrastructure products exceeded our expectations, creating long-term margin enhancement with future services revenue opportunities. Across the company, total orders were up 15% and our backlog of orders increased 21% year-to-date. We continue to build our capabilities around the world, with global revenues and developing country growth up 12% and 22%, respectively," added Immelt.
"Healthcare, GE Money and Commercial Finance all delivered strong performances. Industrial generated solid profits, in spite of lower margins at Plastics caused by higher than expected commodity prices," said Immelt. "NBC Universal is making good progress in finishing the year on the upswing with positive momentum from the new primetime line-up.
"Two years ago, we said we would focus on increasing organic revenue growth. For the third quarter, we generated 10% organic revenue growth - our seventh straight quarter of organic revenue growth at 2-3x GDP. Our leadership in technology is giving us the edge in winning big orders; our customer focus with Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Lean is expanding our businesses' market shares; and Imagination Breakthroughs are creating a pipeline of incremental revenue growth.
"We continue to redeploy capital from our slow-growth industrial businesses and strengthen our higher growth, higher return businesses. In the quarter, we sold GE Supply and announced the sale of Advanced Materials. We have begun to restructure our cost base to provide long-term margin expansion. We are efficiently managing our capital to fund growth, increase dividends in line with earnings, fund our stock repurchase plan and increase returns," said Immelt. "ROTC increased 180 basis points to 18% in the quarter -- another good step toward our goal of 20% by 2008."
Third-Quarter 2006 Financial Highlights:
Earnings from continuing operations were $5.059 billion, up 10% from $4.592 billion in third quarter 2005. EPS from continuing operations were $.49, up 14% from last year's $.43. Four of six businesses contributed double-digit earnings growth for the quarter.
Continuing Revenues of $40.9 billion were 12% higher than last year's $36.4 billion. Industrial sales increased 13% to $24.5 billion, reflecting core growth. Financial Services revenues grew 9% over last year to $16.3 billion, reflecting core growth and the effects of acquisitions.
Cash generated from GE's operating activities in the first nine months of 2006 totaled $18.5 billion compared with $14.7 billion last year, reflecting a $3.2 billion increase in GE Capital Services' dividends, substantially all of which was proceeds from sales of insurance businesses, and a 7% increase from the industrial businesses.
Loss from discontinued operations was .1 billion for the quarter and included adjustments related to the Genworth and GE Insurance Solutions dispositions, and the results of GE Life, which is in the process of being sold. Accordingly, third-quarter 2006 net EPS were $.48, up 9% from the third quarter of 2005.
Shares repurchased were 209 million year-to-date, or $7.1 billion of the $7-9 billion stock repurchase plan target for 2006.
"We are executing on our growth process, capitalizing on the strong demand for our infrastructure products and services, and expanding globally. With margins and returns growing, we expect broad-based, double-digit segment profit growth with EPS from continuing operations increasing 15-16% to $1.97-1.99 for 2006," said Immelt.
GE will discuss third quarter results on a conference call and Webcast at 8:30 a.m. EDT today. Call information is available at www.ge.com/investor, and related charts will be posted there prior to the call.
GE (NYSE: GE) is Imagination at Work -- a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and security technology to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.
Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Results are preliminary and unaudited. This document contains "forward-looking statements" - that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," or "will." Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, particular uncertainties which could adversely or positively affect our future results include: the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest rates and commodity prices; strategic actions, including dispositions; future integration of acquired businesses; future financial performance of major industries which we serve, including, without limitation, the air and rail transportation, energy generation, media, real estate and healthcare industries; unanticipated loss development in our insurance businesses; and numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive and regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Condensed Statement of Earnings Consolidated GE Financial Services (GECS) Three months ended
September 30
V%
V%
V%
Dollar amounts and share amounts in millions; per-share amounts in dollars; unaudited. Supplemental consolidating data are shown for "GE" and "GECS." Transactions between GE and GECS have been eliminated from the "consolidated" columns. See note 1 to the 2005 consolidated financial statements at www.ge.com/annual05 for further information about consolidation matters.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Condensed Statement of Earnings Consolidated GE Financial Services (GECS) Nine months ended
September 30
V%
2005
Dollar amounts and share amounts in millions; per-share amounts in dollars; unaudited. Supplemental consolidating data are shown for "GE" and "GECS." Transactions between GE and GECS have been eliminated from the "consolidated" columns. See note 1 to the 2005 consolidated financial statements at www.ge.com/annual05 for further information about consolidation matters.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Summary of Operating Segments (unaudited) Three Months Nine Months Ended September 30 Ended September 30 (Dollars in millions) 2006 2005 V% 2006 2005 V% Revenues Infrastructure $ 12,104 $ 10,128 20 $ 33,588 $ 29,723 13 Industrial 8,526 8,257 3 25,454 24,178 5 Healthcare 3,897 3,578 9 11,712 10,667 10 NBC Universal 3,631 3,038 20 11,971 10,497 14 Commercial Finance 6,006 5,414 11 17,017 15,415 10 GE Money (a) 5,590 4,913 14 15,948 14,530 10 Total segment revenues 39,754 35,328 13 115,690 105,010 10 Corporate items and eliminations 1,102 1,040 6 2,887 2,247 28 Consolidated revenues from continuing operations $ 40,856 $ 36,368 12 $118,577 $107,257 11 Segment profit (b) Infrastructure $ 2,336 $ 1,880 24 $ 6,146 $ 5,336 15 Industrial 692 629 10 2,021 1,790 13 Healthcare 700 589 19 1,991 1,670 19 NBC Universal 542 603 (10) 2,078 2,291 (9) Commercial Finance 1,290 1,212 6 3,521 3,010 17 GE Money (a) 916 810 13 2,632 2,280 15 Total segment profit 6,476 5,723 13 18,389 16,377 12 Corporate items and eliminations (296) (124) U (1,175) (763) (54) GE interest and other financial charges (507) (339) (50) (1,377) (1,056) (30) GE provision for income taxes (614) (668) 8 (1,882) (2,030) 7 Earnings from continuing operations $ 5,059 $ 4,592 10 $ 13,955 $ 12,528 11 Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes $ (95) $ 85 U $ 166 $ 761 (78) Consolidated net earnings $ 4,964 $ 4,677 6 $ 14,121 $ 13,289 6
(a) Formerly known as GE Consumer Finance.
(b) Segment profit always excludes the effects of principal pension plans, results reported as discontinued operations and accounting changes, and may exclude matters such as charges for restructuring; rationalization and other similar expenses; in-process research and development and certain other acquisition-related charges and balances; technology and product development costs; certain gains and losses from dispositions; and litigation settlements or other charges, responsibility for which preceded the current management team. Segment profit excludes or includes interest and other financial charges and income taxes according to how a particular segment's management is measured - excluded in determining segment profit, which we refer to as "operating profit," for Healthcare, NBC Universal, and the industrial businesses of the Industrial and Infrastructure segments; included in determining segment profit, which we refer to as "net earnings," for Commercial Finance, GE Money, and the financial services businesses of the Industrial segment (Equipment Services) and Infrastructure segment (Aviation Financial Services, Energy Financial Services and Transportation Finance).
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Summary of Operating Segments (unaudited) Additional Information Three Months Nine Months Ended September 30 Ended September 30 (Dollars in millions) 2006 2005 V% 2006 2005 V% Infrastructure Revenues $ 12,104 $ 10,128 20 $ 33,588 $ 29,723 13 Segment profit $ 2,336 $ 1,880 24 $ 6,146 $ 5,336 15 Revenues Aviation $ 3,157 $ 3,007 5 $ 9,489 $ 8,568 11 Aviation Financial Services 1,075 964 12 2,990 2,600 15 Energy 5,055 3,681 37 13,332 11,516 16 Energy Financial Services 524 379 38 1,189 989 20 Oil & Gas 1,029 906 14 2,895 2,310 25 Transportation 1,016 910 12 3,041 2,558 19 Segment profit Aviation $ 706 $ 604 17 $ 2,079 $ 1,821 14 Aviation Financial Services 261 195 34 777 543 43 Energy 747 584 28 1,872 1,786 5 Energy Financial Services 234 177 32 497 450 10 Oil & Gas 161 107 50 324 209 55 Transportation 196 161 22 565 344 64 Industrial Revenues $ 8,526 $ 8,257 3 $ 25,454 $ 24,178 5 Segment profit $ 692 $ 629 10 $ 2,021 $ 1,790 13 Revenues Consumer & Industrial $ 3,533 $ 3,522 - $ 10,919 $ 10,359 5 Equipment Services 1,848 1,709 8 5,279 4,935 7 Plastics 1,677 1,663 1 5,005 4,951 1 Segment profit Consumer & Industrial $ 283 $ 196 44 $ 821 $ 588 40 Equipment Services 91 66 38 167 112 49 Plastics 152 197 (23) 560 645 (13) Commercial Finance Revenues $ 6,006 $ 5,414 11 $ 17,017 $ 15,415 10 Segment profit $ 1,290 $ 1,212 6 $ 3,521 $ 3,010 17 Revenues Capital Solutions $ 3,101 $ 2,834 9 $ 8,968 $ 8,579 5 Real Estate 1,328 1,022 30 3,450 2,664 30 Segment profit Capital Solutions $ 525 $ 444 18 $ 1,297 $ 1,055 23 Real Estate 440 343 28 1,215 893 36
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Condensed Statement of Financial Position (Dollars in billions) Consolidated GE Financial Services (GECS) Assets 09/30/06 12/31/05 09/30/06 12/31/05 09/30/06 12/31/05 Cash & marketable securities $ 59.4 $ 51.0 $ 2.2 $ 2.5 $ 57.4 $ 48.8 Receivables 12.3 14.9 12.6 15.1 - - Inventories 11.9 10.5 11.7 10.3 0.2 0.2 GECS financing receivables - net 310.2 287.6 - - 310.3 287.6 Property, plant & equipment - net 72.2 67.5 15.8 16.5 56.4 51.0 Investment in GECS - - 51.1 50.8 - - Goodwill & intangible assets 85.5 81.6 60.1 57.8 25.3 23.8 Other assets 115.0 99.1 39.3 36.8 81.1 68.1 Assets of discontinued operations 15.5 61.1 - - 15.5 61.1 Total assets $ 682.0 $ 673.3 $ 192.8 $ 189.8 $ 546.2 $ 540.6 Liabilities and equity Borrowings $ 410.1 $ 370.4 $ 11.7 $ 10.2 $ 400.2 $ 362.1 Investment contracts, insurance liabilities and insurance annuity benefits 34.6 33.1 - - 34.9 33.4 Other liabilities & minority interest 110.6 110.9 69.7 70.2 44.7 44.5 Liabilities of discontinued operations 15.3 49.5 - - 15.3 49.8 Shareowners' equity 111.4 109.4 111.4 109.4 51.1 50.8 Total liabilities and equity $ 682.0 $ 673.3 $ 192.8 $ 189.8 $ 546.2 $ 540.6 September 30, 2006 information is unaudited. Supplemental consolidating data are shown for "GE" and "Financial Services (GECS)." Transactions between GE and GECS have been eliminated from the "consolidated" columns. See note 1 to the 2005 consolidated financial statements at www.ge.com/annual05 for further information about consolidation matters.
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY Financial Measures That Supplement GAAP We sometimes use information derived from consolidated financial information but not presented in our financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Certain of these data are considered "non-GAAP financial measures" under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules. Specifically, we have referred to organic revenue growth for the three months ended September 30, 2006, compared with the three months ended September 30, 2005, the operating profit margin increase for the three months ended September 30, 2006, compared with the three months ended September 30, 2005, the increase in cash from operating activities from our industrial businesses (or Industrial CFOA) for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, compared with the nine months ended September 30, 2005 and return on average total capital (ROTC), which is calculated using average total shareowners' equity, excluding effects of discontinued operations. The reasons we use these non-GAAP financial measures and their reconciliation to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures follow.
Acquisitions, business dispositions (other than dispositions of businesses acquired for investment) and currency exchange rates
1,646
757
GE consolidated revenues excluding the effects of acquisitions, business dispositions (other than dispositions of businesses acquired for investment) and currency exchange rates (organic revenues)
As reported
3,476
0.2
pts
GE Industrial revenue, op profit and op profit % excluding the effects of pension costs
25,091
3,687
0.3
pts
We believe that meaningful analysis of our financial performance requires an understanding of the factors underlying that performance and our judgments about the likelihood that particular factors will repeat. In some cases, short-term patterns and long-term trends may be obscured by large factors or events. For example, events or trends in a particular segment may be so significant as to obscure patterns and trends of our industrial or financial services businesses in total. For this reason, we believe that investors may find it useful to see our 2006 growth in revenues without the effects of acquisitions, business dispositions and currency exchange rates and to see our operating profit margin increase without the effects of pension costs. We also believe that investors would find it useful to compare our operating cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, to the operating cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2005, without the effect of GECS dividends, which can vary from period-to-period.
Average net investment in discontinued operations (d)
(a) Used for computing return on average total capital invested (ROTC). For GE, ROTC is earnings from continuing operations plus the sum of after-tax interest and other financial charges and minority interest, divided by the sum of the averages of total shareowners' equity (excluding effects of discontinued operations), borrowings, mandatorily redeemable preferred stock and minority interest (on a twelve-month basis, calculated using a five-point average).
(b) On a twelve-month basis, calculated using a five-point average.
(c) Represented the average cumulative net earnings effect of discontinued operations from 2001 through the first half of 2005 (on a twelve-month basis, calculated using a five-point average).
(d) Represented the average net investment in discontinued operations since the second half of 2005.
U.S. GAAP requires earnings of discontinued operations to be displayed separately in the Statement of Earnings. Accordingly, the numerator used in our calculation of return on average total capital invested excludes those earnings (losses). Further we believe it is appropriate to exclude from the average shareowners' equity component of the denominator the cumulative effect of those earnings (losses) since 2000 (reclassifications for discontinued operations began in 2001), as well as our average net investment in discontinued operations since the second half of 2005. Had we disposed of these operations before mid-2005, proceeds would have been applied to reduce parent-supported debt at GE Capital; however since parent-supported debt at GE Capital was retired in the first half of 2005, we have assumed that any proceeds after that time would have been distributed to shareowners by means of share repurchases, thus reducing average total shareowners' equity.
Contacts General Electric, Fairfield
Media:
Russell Wilkerson, 203-373-3193 (office)
203-581-2114 (mobile)
[email protected]
or
Investor:
Dan Janki, 203-373-2468 (office)
[email protected]
Corporate Communications
[email protected]