General Electric (GE)

[HenryTo]

GE beats estimates by a penny, once again. Call me skeptical but it definitely looks like GE is playing an accounting game here as well. GE's businesses are very complex - for the most part, it is a finance company and they also use a lot of derivatives. I would not be surprised if they are investigated at some point down the road. Their profits may be legit this quarter, but I doubt next quarter will be good.
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General Electric Posts Higher 1Q Profit
Friday April 15, 6:51 am ET
General Electric Posts Higher First-Quarter Profit; Industrial Sales Increase 25 Percent

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (AP) -- General Electric Co., the industrial, financial and media powerhouse, said Friday that first-quarter profit rose 25 percent from a year ago, with nine of the company's 11 businesses delivering at least double-digit earnings growth.
Net income grew to $4.04 billion, or 38 cents per share, for the three months ended March 31 from $3.24 billion, or 32 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue increased 19 percent to $39.8 billion from $33.4 billion last year.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial were looking for the company to report earnings of 37 cents per share on sales of $38.02 billion in the latest quarter.

Industrial sales increased 25 percent to $20.8 billion, reflecting the impact of acquisitions and solid organic growth. Financial services revenue rose 13 percent over last year to $19.1 billion.

The company said it received engine, locomotive and services orders in the quarter totaling $4.1 billion, up $600 million over the first quarter of last year, including $2.2 billion in services orders and $1.9 billion in aircraft engine and locomotive orders.

Looking ahead, GE now expects full-year earnings of $1.78 to $1.83 per share, the high end of its target range. Analysts are predicting profit of $1.81 per share, on average.

[HenryTo]

GE disappoints - on write-downs and on an inability to complete certain asset sales:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=akzHhrEzO6hU&refer=home

[rffrydr]

Good ol' GE: analyst forecasts have not deviated through this credit crunch:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a6u52ZyJhg5g&refer=home
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Today is the Tomorrow you worried about Yesterday!

[rffrydr]

They made their target and cliamed to guide true as well. Outlook was the problem.