GE Earnings Growth Highlighted by Record $210 Billion Order Backlog

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
By Jon C. Ogg Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) managed to turn in earnings growth of 7.5% in its fourth-quarter earnings report. The actual earnings were $4.01 billion, or $0.38 per share, but adjusted earnings came to $0.44 per share. The conglomerate’s revenue rose by 4% to $39.3 billion in the quarter. Thomson Reuters had a consensus estimate of $0.43 per share on revenue of about $38.7 billion.

GE has said that the outlook is still uncertain in developed markets, while it is still seeing growth in China and other resource rich markets. GE Capital, its unit which had been a drag for years, now showed that its Tier 1 common ratio was 10.2%, and the company aims to continue receiving significant cash returned to the parent company. Other highlights were as follows:

  • Double-digit earnings growth for five of seven industrial segments.
  • Orders up 7% ex-Wind and ex-currency with growth region orders up 12%.
  • Backlog of equipment and services hit a record of $210 billion.
  • Repurchase of $2.1 billion of stock during the fourth quarter.

We are still awaiting more guidance, and the estimates from Thomson Reuters are as follows: Q1 2013: $0.36 earnings per share and $35.46 billion in revenue; FY 2013: $1.67 per share and $149.7 billion in revenue.

GE shares closed at $21.30 on Thursday, and shares are indicated up around $21.80 so far in early bird trading. The 52-week trading range is $18.02 to $23.18m and the consensus analyst price target from Thomson Reuters was $24.71 without the effect of any analyst changes after this report.

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.

Featured Reads

Our top personal finance-related articles today. Your wallet will thank you later.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618