In the fourth quarter, General Electric recorded a sharp increase in profits of 4,8% on the wake of the increase in turnover generated by the industrial activities of the American conglomerate (the division's profits grew by 12% to 5,5 billion).
Entrepreneurial decisions also determined the growth: the cost control policy and the increase in productivity made it possible to rely less on the financial division.
The conglomerate reported net profits of $4,2 billion, 41 cents a share, up 5% from $4 billion, 38 cents a share, in the same period last year. Operating income was $5,4 billion, 53 cents a share, up 20% from the same period last year.
Revenue rose 3% to $40,38 billion, as analysts expected earnings of 53 cents a share on $40,22 billion in revenue.
“We ended the year with a solid fourth quarter and margin growth on the rise, albeit in a mixed context,” said CEO Jeffrey Immelt, explaining that he sees “good growth conditions in the markets, solid United States and a non-homogeneous context in Europe”.
For full 2013, GE posted net profits of $14,1 billion, $1,36 per share, up from $13,6 billion last year. Operating income was $16,9 billion, up 5% from a year earlier, on revenue of $146,04 billion, down slightly from $146,68 billion in the same period a year ago. Last year. Industrial sales, on the other hand, remained unchanged at $101 billion.
For Ge Capital, the financial division continues the strategy to make it a smaller company focused on financial services. Division profits grew 38%, while turnover fell 4,5% to $11,08 billion.
The revenue of the industrial division, which includes the aviation sector and infrastructure in the energy sector, grew by 6,1% to 29,95 billion dollars.
