(Friday's) increases, in both our dividend and our share repurchase program, signal our confidence in our ability to extend this track record of returning value to shareowners, |
Because appliances and lighting have powerful connections with similar consumer bases, we believe they will now be able to grow more successfully together than either would on its own, ... We want to create a simpler, more efficient business that will be competitive across all product lines. By taking out administrative costs, we will be able to put that money back into investing in new technologies and building greater brand awareness. |
committed to Louisville for the long term. |
Despite a volatile environment, our fundamentals remain very strong, |
Despite a volatile environment, our fundamentals remain very strong, as we achieved double-digit earnings growth across all six of our businesses. |
ERC doesn't really fit the GE that I want to have, ... The return on equity is too low and there's too many commodity segments. I hate having to give this message to you, but my responsibility to you is to manage it, and that's what I'm doing. |
GE delivered in the first quarter for the same reason we have delivered throughout the economic downturn -- the strength of our business model, ... [Our] mix of businesses and execution of our [productivity and business development] initiatives ... enable GE to deliver earnings and cash growth through economic cycles. |
GE has a rich heritage of providing customers with essential, inventive home products, |
GE is about performance with integrity, |
GE's end markets continue to show solid growth, and our businesses are performing very well, |
I am so confident, in fact that I have asked the Compensation Committee of our board to pay my cash incentive bonus in GE performance shares for 2005. |
I made a few tough calls in 2005 that may have had a short-term impact on the stock. The sale of Insurance Solutions for a loss is one of them. But I know you will be happy with these decisions over time. |
I think NBC is starting to turn. It's just a cycle we're going through. |
Insurance Solutions has been a tough strategic fit for GE, |
It's appropriate to step up our current activity and affirm our faith in the long-term prospects of the company. |