
NYSE:GE
Industrials have been underperforming and to a large part because they are multinationals. GE looked more attractive when there was more development around the world. Prefers something more domestic. There is no rush to buy machinery and heavy industrials. Rails benefit from the US economy. He prefers that, but has steered clear of this one and the whole sector.
They have a big, growing, energy infrastructure business. They sold off many of their non-traditional assets. They sold part of their financial business. They are trying to reduce financial business to 25% of revenues. They are acquiring energy infrastructure businesses. Their earnings are growing and the dividend is growing. Industrials are going to do well.
Industrials had been poor performers this summer. Have underperformed the markets quite aggressively. Chart is showing a series of lower highs, so it is not too favourable over the near-term. Industrials do not perform well over the next 3 weeks. You want to buy industrials more towards the end of October but for this one specifically, from January into April.
General Electric (GE-N) or United Technologies (UTX-N)? In terms of a structured business plan, UTX is a little further ahead. However, for the past 10-15 years, GE has been quietly reorganizing and making good strides. Reducing their exposure to the financial side which cause them so much trouble in 2008. They are also trying to get out of the appliance side. This would leave them as a true industrial. (See Past Picks.)
General Electric (GE-N) or United Technologies (UTX-N)? This is an extremely well-run company. Even though the stock has performed poorly over the last many years, the new management has really transformed this company making it a more broadly diversified company and less reliant on financial services. He would love to see this pullback because he feels it is a really well-run, well diversified business, with huge free cash flow growth potential and with a healthy dividend. This would be his preference. Wait for a better entry point.
Has been critical of this company over the last several years because they had been given a very high multiple relative to other companies in the sector, for several reasons. They were able to grow by acquisition and made a lot of good ones, but that was really halted when they tried to buy Honeywell. Also, a lot of growth came from GE Capital, which had a very, very high return on equity. That was a very chunky part of the overall business. Have done a good job of restructuring, but you are not going to see the multiple that you saw many years ago. They have also gone into more highly cyclical areas, which makes it less likely that you are going to see multiple expansion. Has a good yield and not very expensive.
Likes this. The industrial space makes sense at this point if the economy continues to move forward. Globally speaking, and specifically in the US, these types of names are good to own. Has become quite oversold.