Editing General Electric

{{short description|American multinational conglomerate (1892–2024)}}
{{redirect|GE}}
{{distinguish|text=the legal successor to General Electric, [[GE Aerospace]], or the former British [[General Electric Company]] (GEC)}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2015}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = General Electric Company
| logo = General Electric logo.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert
| image = File:One Financial Center (Boston) - SA06940.JPG
| image_caption = [[One Financial Center]], the final headquarters of General Electric in [[Boston]], Massachusetts.
| logo_upright = 0.4
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| predecessors = {{plainlist|
* Edison General Electric
* [[Thomson-Houston Electric Company]]
}}
| defunct = {{End date and age|2024|04|02}}
| fate = Dissolved; assets dispersed to three independent, publicly traded companies
| successors = {{ubl|
* [[GE Aerospace]]
* [[GE HealthCare]]
* [[GE Vernova]]
}}
| traded_as = {{ubl|class=nowrap|{{NYSE was|GE}}|[[S&P 100]] component|[[S&P 500]] component}}
| ISIN = {{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y| US3696043013}} (2021–2024)
| industry = [[Conglomerate (company)|Conglomerate]]
| key_people = {{indented plainlist|
*[[Owen D. Young]]<br />Chairman of the Board (1922-1940) & (1942-1945)
*[[Gerard Swope]]<br />President (1922-1940) & (1942-1945)
*[[Jack Welch]]<br />Chairman & CEO (1981-2001)
}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|1892|4|15}} {{nowrap|in [[Schenectady, New York]], US}}
| founders = {{ubl|[[Charles A. Coffin]]|[[Thomas Edison]]|[[Henry Lee Higginson|Henry L. Higginson]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Peter D. |author-link= |date=1984 |title=The Organization of American Culture, 1700–1900: Private Institutions, Elites, and the Origins of American Nationality |location= |publisher=New York University Press |page=237 |isbn=0-8147-3425-1 |quote=After mustering out, Henry Lee Higginson gave up his ambitions to become a musician and went into cotton farming and oil prospecting; by 1868, he was a partner in the family investment banking firm, Lee, Higginson & Company. As an entrepreneur, he became one of the most active and innovative organizers of national scale enterprise, ranging from western railroads and copper mines through the American Telephone & Telegraph Company, General Electric and General Motors.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Strouse |first=Jean |author-link= |date=2014 |orig-date=1999 |title=Morgan: American Financier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aPiLDQAAQBAJ&q=Jean+Strouse+Morgan+Financier |location= |publisher=Random House Trade Paperbacks |page=313 |isbn=978-0-8129-8704-1 |quote=...When [Charles] Coffin's banker, Henry Lee Higginson suggested a merger early in 1891, J.P. Morgan wrote back, 'The Edison system affords us all the use of time and capital that I think desirable to use in one channel. If, as would seem to be the case, you have the control of the Thomson-Houston, we will see which will make the best result. I do not see myself how the two things can be brought together.'[¶] A year later, [Morgan] had changed his mind—perhaps because Thomson-Houston was winning the marketplace war ... Morgan wrote to Higginson's associate T. Jefferson Coolidge in March of 1892: 'I entirely agree with you that it is desirable to bring about closer management between the two companies.'[¶] Morgan told Coolidge in March that [Henry] Villard's resignation would take effect on April 1, and urged that Coffin 'be then elected President of the Edison General Electric Company.' When the new firm was chartered in New York on April 1, 1892, however, with Coffin as its president, it was not called Edison General but General Electric. [¶] Each Edison share was converted into one share in the new company, while three Thomson-Houston shares brought five in GE. The bankers capitalized the consolidation at $50 million: $15 million went to the Edison stockholders, $18 million to Thomson-Houston's, and $17 million (in stock) into the GE treasury ... Morgan and Coster took seats on the GE board, as did Higginson, Coolidge and Edison...}}</ref>{{sfn|Carlson|1991|pp=294-296}}|[[J. P. Morgan]] (et al.){{resize|{{efn|[[Darius Ogden Mills|D.O. Mills]], [[T. Jefferson Coolidge|T.J. Coolidge]], [[Hamilton McKown Twombly|Hamilton M. Twombly]] and [[Frederick Lothrop Ames|Frederick L. Ames]] also qualify as founders given that they all belonged to a committee responsible for overseeing the merger between [[Thomson-Houston Electric Company|Thomson-Houston Electric]] and Edison General Electric Company which led to General Electric's formation in 1892.{{sfn|Carlson|1991|pp=294-295}} Likewise, after the merger, all four figures became members of the new company's board of directors.{{sfn|Carlson|1991|p=296}}}}}}
}}
| hq_location = [[One Financial Center]]
| hq_location_city = [[Boston]], Massachusetts
| hq_location_country = United States
| area_served = Worldwide
| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|68 billion|link=yes}}
| revenue_year = 2023
| operating_income = {{increase}} {{US$|9 billion}}
| income_year = 2023
| net_income = {{increase}} {{US$|9 billion}}
| net_income_year = 2023
| assets = {{decrease}} {{US$|163 billion}}
| assets_year = 2023
| equity = {{decrease}} {{US$|29 billion}} (2023)
| num_employees = 125,000
| num_employees_year = 2023
| subsid = {{ubl|[[GE Aerospace]]|[[GE Appliances]]|[[GE Capital]]|[[GE Digital]]|[[GE Power]]|[[GE Renewable Energy]]|[[GE Aerospace Research|GE Research]]}}
| website = {{official URL}}
| footnotes = <ref name=sec10kge2024>{{Cite report |url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/40545/000004054524000027/ge-20231231.htm  |title=General Electric Company, Form 10-K (Annual Report) |date=2 February 2024 |publisher=US Securities and Exchange Commission |access-date=11 February 2024 }}</ref>
}}
{{Evolution of Comcast NBCUniversal}}

'''General Electric Company''' ('''GE''') was an American [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] founded in 1892, incorporated in the [[New York (state)|state of New York]] and headquartered in [[Boston]]. 

Over the years, the company had multiple divisions, including [[GE Aerospace|aerospace]], [[GE Power|energy]], [[GE HealthCare|healthcare]], lighting, locomotives, appliances, and [[GE Capital|finance]].<ref>{{cite book |title=A Dictionary of Aviation |first=David W. |last=Wragg |isbn=9780850451634 |edition=first |publisher=Osprey |year=1973 |page=142}}</ref><ref name="Dismantle">{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Matt |date=June 13, 2018 |title=Inside the dismantling of GE |url=https://money.cnn.com/interactive/news/GE-dismantling-interactive/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613190108/http://money.cnn.com/interactive/news/GE-dismantling-interactive/ |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |work=CNN Money}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR17.pdf#page=38|page=26|title=2017 Annual Report SEC Form 10-K Summary of Operating Segments|publisher=GE|access-date=April 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412212038/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR17.pdf#page=38|archive-date=April 12, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Chesto">{{Cite news |last=Chesto |first=Jon |date=2 August 2021 |title=GE stock is now trading at $100 but the company's turnaround efforts still have a ways to go |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/08/02/business/ge-stock-is-now-trading-100-companys-turnaround-efforts-still-have-ways-go/ |access-date=29 July 2022 |archive-date=August 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803163902/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/08/02/business/ge-stock-is-now-trading-100-companys-turnaround-efforts-still-have-ways-go/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020, GE ranked among the [[Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500]] as the 33rd largest firm in the United States by [[gross revenue]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fortune 500|url=https://fortune.com/company/general-electric/fortune500/|access-date=August 10, 2020|website=Fortune|language=en-US|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806105729/https://fortune.com/company/general-electric/fortune500/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2023, the company was ranked 64th in the [[Forbes Global 2000|''Forbes'' Global 2000]].<ref>{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/global2000/?sh=51d599675ac0|title=The Global 2000 2023|website=Forbes|access-date=2024-02-07|archive-date=2024-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240129031905/https://www.forbes.com/lists/global2000/?sh=4f5ab07e5ac0}}</ref> In 2011, GE ranked among the Fortune 20 as the 14th most profitable company, but later very severely underperformed the market (by about 75%) as its profitability collapsed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ge-powered-the-american-centurythen-it-burned-out-11544796010|title=GE Powered the American Century – Then It Burned Out|author1=Thomas Gryta |author2=Tedd Mann|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 14, 2018|access-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810053236/https://www.wsj.com/articles/ge-powered-the-american-centurythen-it-burned-out-11544796010|archive-date=August 10, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/longform/ge-decline-what-the-hell-happened/|title=What the Hell Happened at GE?|website=Fortune|access-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811113234/https://fortune.com/longform/ge-decline-what-the-hell-happened/|archive-date=August 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Fortune 500: IBM profit">{{cite magazine |url=https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/fortune/1104/gallery.fortune500_most_profitable.fortune/14.html |title=Fortune 20 most profitable companies: IBM |year=2011 |magazine=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |access-date=December 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508122544/http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/fortune/1104/gallery.fortune500_most_profitable.fortune/14.html |archive-date=May 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Two employees of GE—[[Irving Langmuir]] (1932) and [[Ivar Giaever]] (1973)—have been awarded the [[Nobel Prize]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Heritage of Research |publisher=General Electric |url=http://www.ge.com/about-us/history/research-heritage |access-date=June 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810030100/https://www.ge.com/about-us/history/research-heritage |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> From 1986 until 2013, GE was the owner of the [[NBC]] television network through its purchase of its former subsidiary [[RCA]] before its acquisition of NBC's parent company [[NBCUniversal]] by [[Comcast]] in 2011.

Following the [[Great Recession]] of the late 2000s decade, General Electric began selling off various divisions and assets, including its [[GE Appliances|appliances]] and financial capital divisions, under [[Jeff Immelt]]'s leadership as CEO. John Flannery, Immelt's replacement in 2017, further divested General Electric's assets in [[GE Transportation|locomotives]] and [[GE Lighting|lighting]] in order to focus the company more on aviation. Restrictions on [[Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic|air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic]] caused General Electric's revenue to fall significantly in 2020. Ultimately, GE's final CEO [[H. Lawrence Culp Jr.|Larry Culp]]<ref name="bostonglobe-spinoff">{{cite news | last=Chesto | first=Jon | date=April 1, 2024 | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/04/01/business/ge-split-three-companies-conglomerate/ | title=GE's long life as giant industrial conglomerate enters new era, as company splits up on Tuesday | work=The Boston Globe | archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240401214419/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/04/01/business/ge-split-three-companies-conglomerate/ | archivedate=April 1, 2024 | url-status=live}}</ref> announced in November 2021 that General Electric was to be broken up into three separate, public companies by 2024. [[GE Aerospace]], the aerospace company, is GE's legal successor. [[GE HealthCare]], the [[health technology]] company, was spun off from GE in 2023. [[GE Vernova]], the energy company, was founded when GE finalized the split. Following these transactions, GE Aerospace took the General Electric name and ticker symbols, while the old General Electric ceased to exist as a conglomerate.<ref name="bostonglobe-spinoff" /> 
{{Toclimit|3}}

==History==
{{further|Timeline of General Electric}}

===Formation===
[[File:General Electric Shops, Schenectady, NY, aerial view, 1896.jpg|thumb|left|General Electric in [[Schenectady, New York]], aerial view, 1896]]
[[File:General Electric Shops, Schenectady, NY, 1896.jpg|thumb|left|Plan of Schenectady plant, 1896<ref>[[Arnold, Horace L.]] "[https://archive.org/stream/factoryindustria11newy#page/262/mode/2up Modern Machine-Shop Economics. Part II] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127190359/https://archive.org/stream/factoryindustria11newy#page/262/mode/2up |date=January 27, 2016 }}" in ''[[Engineering Magazine]]'' 11. 1896</ref>]]
[[File:570 Lexington Avenue (General Electric Building) 001.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[General Electric Building]] at 570 Lexington Avenue, New York]]

During 1889, [[Thomas Edison]] (1847–1931) had business interests in many electricity-related companies, including Edison Lamp Company, a lamp manufacturer in [[East Newark, New Jersey]]; [[Edison Machine Works]], a manufacturer of [[dynamo]]s and large [[electric motor]]s in [[Schenectady, New York]]; Bergmann & Company, a manufacturer of electric [[Light fixture|lighting fixtures]], [[Lightbulb socket|sockets]], and other electric lighting devices; and Edison Electric Light Company, the [[patent]]-holding company and financial arm for Edison's lighting experiments, backed by [[J. P. Morgan]] (1837–1913) and the [[Vanderbilt family]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Electricity |url=http://www.coned.com/history/electricity.asp |work=A Brief History of Con Edison |publisher=Con Edison |access-date=February 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030164753/http://www.coned.com/history/electricity.asp |archive-date=October 30, 2012}}</ref>

Henry Villard, a long-time Edison supporter and investor, proposed to consolidate all of these business interests.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Bradley, Jr. |first=Robert |title=Edison to Enron: Energy Markets and Political Strategies |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-470-91736-7 |location=Hoboken, NJ |pages=54 |language=en}}</ref> The proposal was supported by [[Samuel Insull]] - who served as his secretary and, later, financier<ref>{{Cite book |last=Josephson |first=Matthew |title=Edison: A Biography |publisher=Plunkett Lake Press |year=2019 |location=Lexington, Massachusetts |language=en}}</ref> - as well other investors.<ref name=":1" /> In 1889, [[Drexel, Morgan & Co.]]—a company founded by J. P. Morgan and [[Anthony J. Drexel]]—financed Edison's research and helped merge several of Edison's separate companies under one corporation, forming Edison General Electric Company, which was incorporated in New York on April 24, 1889. The new company acquired [[Sprague Electric Railway & Motor Company]] in the same year.<ref>{{cite web |title=Edison Companies |url=http://edison.rutgers.edu/list.htm |work=The Thomas Edison Papers |publisher=Rutgers University |access-date=February 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008140933/http://edison.rutgers.edu/list.htm |archive-date=October 8, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="jpmorgan">{{cite web |title=FAQs: How did the firm impact the advent of electricity? |url=http://www.jpmorgan.com/pages/jpmorgan/about/history/faq#Question_10 |publisher=J.P. Morgan |access-date=February 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113224930/http://www.jpmorgan.com/pages/jpmorgan/about/history/faq#Question_10 |archive-date=November 13, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The consolidation did not involve all of the companies established by Edison; notably, the [[Edison Illuminating Company]], which would later become [[Consolidated Edison]], was not part of the merger.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

In 1880, Gerald Waldo Hart formed the American Electric Company of [[New Britain, Connecticut]], which merged a few years later with [[Thomson-Houston Electric Company]], led by [[Charles A. Coffin|Charles Coffin]]. In 1887, Hart left to become superintendent of the Edison Electric Company.<ref>''Connecticut History Makers'', by Elias Robert Stevenson, 1930</ref> General Electric was formed through the 1892 merger of Edison General Electric Company and Thomson-Houston Electric Company with the support of Drexel, Morgan & Co.<ref name="jpmorgan"/> The original plants of both companies continue to operate under the GE banner to this day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ge.com/company/history/edison.html |title=Thomas Edison & GE |publisher=GE company web site |access-date=December 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212103128/http://www.ge.com/company/history/edison.html |archive-date=February 12, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The General Electric business was incorporated in New York, with the Schenectady plant used as headquarters for many years thereafter. Around the same time, General Electric's Canadian counterpart, [[Canadian General Electric]], was formed.<ref>{{Cite book|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=X_P0AwAAQBAJ|page=72}}|title=Canadian-American Industry|last1=Marshall|first1=Herbert|last2=Southard|first2=Frank|last3=Taylor|first3=Kenneth W.|date=January 15, 1976|publisher=McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP|isbn=9780773591363|page=72|language=en}}</ref>

In 1893, General Electric bought the business of Rudolf Eickemeyer in [[Yonkers, New York]], along with all of its patents and designs. Eickemeyer's firm had developed [[transformer]]s for use in the [[electric power transmission|transmission of electrical power]].<ref name="IEEEPER (1996)">{{cite journal |title=The Magnetic Force of Charles Proteus Steinmetz |journal=IEEE Power Engineering Review |date=Feb 1996 |volume=16 |issue=9 |page=7 |doi=10.1109/MPER.1996.535476 |s2cid=44921529 }}</ref>

===Public company===
In 1896, General Electric was one of the [[Dow Jones Industrial Average#History|original 12]] companies listed on the newly formed [[Dow Jones Industrial Average]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveschaefer/2011/07/15/the-first-12-dow-components-where-are-they-now/|title=The First 12 Dow Components: Where Are They Now?|last=Schaefer|first=Steve|work=Forbes|access-date=January 5, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105233647/https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveschaefer/2011/07/15/the-first-12-dow-components-where-are-they-now/|archive-date=January 5, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> where it remained a part of the index for 122 years, though not continuously.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.quasimodos.com/info/dowhistory.html |title=History of the Dow – Timeline of Companies |publisher=Quasimodos.com |date=January 4, 1984 |access-date=April 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422155542/http://www.quasimodos.com/info/dowhistory.html |archive-date=April 22, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Carmen Miranda by General Electric (1945).jpg|thumb|upright|alt=1945 magazine ad for an FM radio with pictures of Miranda|[[Carmen Miranda]] in a 1945 advertisement for a General Electric FM radio in ''[[The Saturday Evening Post]]'']]

In 1911, General Electric absorbed the National Electric Lamp Association (NELA) into its lighting business. GE established its lighting division headquarters at [[Nela Park]] in [[East Cleveland, Ohio]]. The lighting division has since remained in the same location.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2016/12/nela_park_light_display_hower.html|title=Nela Park holiday lights, Hower House Museum display and recycle holiday lights: Home and Garden News|work=cleveland.com|access-date=March 24, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621225754/http://www.cleveland.com/insideout/index.ssf/2016/12/nela_park_light_display_hower.html|archive-date=June 21, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

===RCA and NBC===
Owen D. Young, who was then GE's general counsel and vice president, through GE, founded the [[Radio Corporation of America]] (RCA) in 1919.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Chandler, Jr. |first=Alfred D. |title=Inventing the Electronic Century: The Epic Story of the Consumer Electronics and Computer Industries, with a new preface |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=2005 |isbn=0-674-01805-2 |pages=15 |language=en}}</ref> This came after Young, while working with senior naval officers, purchased the [[Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America]], which was a subsidiary of the British company Marconi Wireless and Signal Company.<ref name=":2" /> He aimed to expand international radio communications. GE used RCA as its retail arm for radio sales.<ref>Mahon, Morgan E. ''A Flick of the Switch 1930–1950'' (Antiques Electronics Supply, 1990), p. 86.</ref> In 1926, RCA co-founded the [[National Broadcasting Company]] (NBC), which built two radio broadcasting networks. In 1930, General Electric was charged with antitrust violations and was ordered to divest itself of RCA.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nocable.org/timeline/nbc-history|title=Timeline: The History of NBC|website=NoCable.org|language=en|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619140207/https://nocable.org/timeline/nbc-history|archive-date=June 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Television===
In 1927, [[Ernst Alexanderson]] of GE made the first demonstration of television broadcast reception at his [[General Electric Realty Plot]] home at 1132 Adams Road in Schenectady, New York.<ref name="inventors.about.com">{{cite web|url=http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blalexanderson.htm|title=Ernst Alexanderson|work=About.com Inventors|access-date=January 8, 2015|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130116052437/http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blalexanderson.htm|archive-date=January 16, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cherishedtelevision.co.uk/history2.html |title=Dr Ernst Frederick Werner Alexanderson |publisher=Cherished Television UK |access-date=December 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208051924/http://www.cherishedtelevision.co.uk/history2.html|archive-date=December 8, 2015}}</ref> On January 13, 1928, he made what was said to be the first broadcast to the public in the United States<ref name="inventors.about.com"/> on GE's [[W2XAD]]: the pictures were picked up on 1.5 square inches (9.7 square centimeters) screens in the homes of four GE executives. The sound was broadcast on GE's [[WGY (AM)]].{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Experimental television station W2XAD evolved into the station [[WRGB]], which, along with WGY and WGFM (now [[WRVE]]), was owned and operated by General Electric until 1983.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Schenectady Country Historical Society|title=Niskayuna: Images of America|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|year=2009|isbn=978-1439-63-7500|location=United States of America}}</ref> In 1965, the company expanded into cable with the launch of a franchise, which was awarded to a non-exclusive franchise in Schenectady through subsidiary General Electric Cablevision Corporation.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1965-02-08|title=GE gets franchise for Schenectady CATV|page=51|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting Magazine]]}}</ref> On February 15, 1965, General Electric expanded its holdings in order to acquire more television stations to meet the maximum limit of the FCC, and more cable holdings through subsidiaries General Electric Broadcasting Company and General Electric Cablevision Corporation.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1965-02-22|title=GE plans more TV and CATV|page=53|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting Magazine]]}}</ref>

The company also owned television stations such as KOA-TV (now [[KCNC-TV]]) in Denver<ref>{{cite web |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/68-OCR/1968-03-23-BC-OCR-Page-0024.pdf |title=New Way to Break Up Groups |magazine=Broadcasting |date=March 25, 1968 |page=24 |access-date=June 30, 2021 |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181707/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/68-OCR/1968-03-23-BC-OCR-Page-0024.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> and WSIX-TV (later WNGE-TV, now [[WKRN-TV|WKRN]]) in Nashville,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/67-OCR/1967-03-20-BC-OCR-Page-0107.pdf |title=GE Executive got his orders: build a group |magazine=Broadcasting |date=March 26, 1967 |page=103 |access-date=June 30, 2021 |archive-date=July 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182429/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/67-OCR/1967-03-20-BC-OCR-Page-0107.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> but like WRGB, General Electric sold off most of its broadcasting holdings, but held on to the Denver television station<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/16/business/ge-divestiture.html |title=G.E. Divestiture |work=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |date=November 16, 1982 |access-date=August 11, 2021 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=July 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712093631/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/16/business/ge-divestiture.html |url-status=live }}</ref> until in 1986, when General Electric bought out [[RCA]] and made it into an [[owned-and-operated station]] by [[NBC]]. It even stayed on until 1995 when it was transferred to a joint venture between [[CBS]] and [[Westinghouse Broadcasting|Group W]] in a swap deal, alongside [[KUTV]] in [[Salt Lake City]] for longtime [[CBS]] O&O in Philadelphia, [[WCAU|WCAU-TV]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-13-ca-16849-story.html |title=No NBC Shake-up Seen In Takeover |work=Los Angeles Times |last=Sharbutt |first=Jay |date=December 13, 1985 |access-date=August 11, 2021 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=July 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711200319/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-13-ca-16849-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Former General Electric-owned stations====
Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and [[city of license]].
* (**) Indicates a station that was built and signed on by General Electric.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
! [[City of license]] / [[Media market|Market]]
! Station
! Channel<br>[[Virtual channel|TV]] ([[Digital terrestrial television|RF]])
! Years owned
! Current ownership status
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| [[Denver, Colorado]]
| '''[[KCNC-TV]]'''
| 4 (35)
| 1968–1986
| '''[[CBS]]''' [[owned-and-operated station]], owned by [[CBS News and Stations]] 
|- style="vertical-align: top;" text-align: left;" 
| [[Albany, New York]]
| '''[[WRGB]]''' **
| 6 (35)
| 1942–1983
|'''CBS''' affiliate owned by [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]] 
|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;" 
| [[Nashville, Tennessee]]
| '''WNGE'''
| 2 (27)
| 1966–1983
|'''[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]''' affiliate '''[[WKRN-TV]]''' owned by [[Nexstar Media Group]]
|}

===Radio stations===

{|
| style="border: 1px solid #a3b0bf; cellpadding="2"; margin: auto" bgcolor="#cedff2" | '''AM Station''' 
| style="border: 1px solid #a3b0bf; cellpadding="2"; margin: auto" bgcolor="#ddcef2" | '''FM Station'''
|}
{| class="wikitable"
! City of license / Market
! Station
! Years owned
! Current ownership status

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| rowspan="2" | [[San Francisco]]
!style="background: #cedff2;"| [[KGO (AM)|KGO]] 810 **
| 1924–1945
| owned by [[Cumulus Media]]

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
!style="background: #ddcef2;"| KFOG 104.5
| 1974–1986
| '''[[KNBR-FM]]''', owned by Cumulus Media

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| rowspan="2" | [[Denver]]
!style="background: #cedff2;"| [[KOA (AM)|KOA]] 850 **
| {{ubl|1924–1953|1968–1983}}
| owned by [[iHeartMedia]]

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
!style="background: #ddcef2;"| KOAQ 103.5
| 1968–1983
| '''[[KRFX]]''', owned by iHeartMedia

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| rowspan="1" | [[Boston]]
!style="background: #ddcef2;"| WJIB 96.9
| 1972–1983
| '''[[WBQT (FM)|WBQT]]''', owned by [[Beasley Broadcast Group]]

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| rowspan="2" | [[Albany, New York|Albany]] – [[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]] – [[Troy, New York|Troy, N.Y.]]
!style="background: #cedff2;"| [[WGY (AM)|WGY]] 810 **
| 1922–1983
| owned by iHeartMedia

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
!style="background: #ddcef2;"| WGFM 99.5 **
| 1939–1983
| '''[[WRVE]]''', owned by iHeartMedia

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
| rowspan="2" | [[Nashville]]

!style="background: #cedff2;"| WSIX 980
| 1966–1983
| '''[[WYFN]]''', owned by [[Bible Broadcasting Network]]

|- style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"
!style="background: #ddcef2;"| [[WSIX-FM]] 97.9
| 1966–1983
| owned by iHeartMedia
|}

===Power generation===
{{main|GE Power}}
{{see also|GE Wind Energy}}

Led by [[Sanford Alexander Moss]], GE moved into the new field of aircraft [[turbosupercharger]]s. This technology also led to the development of industrial [[Gas turbine|gas turbine engines]] used for power production.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hinds |first1=Conrade C. |title=Made in Ohio |date=2023 |publisher=History Press |isbn=9781467152945 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5W2pEAAAQBAJ&dq=Sanford+Alexander+Moss+GE+turbo+superchargers&pg=PA100 |access-date=14 June 2023 |archive-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918044853/https://books.google.com/books?id=5W2pEAAAQBAJ&dq=Sanford+Alexander+Moss+GE+turbo+superchargers&pg=PA100 |url-status=live }}</ref> GE introduced the first set of superchargers during [[World War I]] and continued to develop them during the [[interwar period]]. [[Supercharger]]s became indispensable in the years immediately before [[World War II]]. GE supplied 300,000 turbosuperchargers for use in fighter and bomber engines. This work led the U.S. Army Air Corps to select GE to develop the nation's first jet engine during the war.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/93760-general-electric-pioneers-jet-engine-manufacturing|title=General Electric Pioneers Jet Engine Manufacturing|last=Weber|first=Austin|date=March 28, 2017|work=Assembly Magazine|access-date=January 5, 2018|publisher=BNP Media|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704173947/http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/93760-general-electric-pioneers-jet-engine-manufacturing|archive-date=July 4, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> This experience, in turn, made GE a natural selection to develop the [[Whittle W.1]] [[jet engine]] that was demonstrated in the United States in 1941.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whittle |first1=Sir Frank |last2=Golley |first2=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W6HcngEACAAJ |title=Jet |edition=illustrated |editor-last=Gunston |editor-first=Bill |publisher=Datum Publishing |year=2010 |pages=181–182 |isbn=978-1907472008 |access-date=January 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205124418/https://books.google.com/books?id=W6HcngEACAAJ |archive-date=February 5, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> GE was ranked ninth among United States corporations in the value of wartime production contracts.<ref>[[Whiz Kids (Department of Defense)|Peck, Merton J.]] & [[Frederic M. Scherer|Scherer, Frederic M.]] ''The Weapons Acquisition Process: An Economic Analysis'' (1962) [[Harvard Business School]] p. 619</ref> However, their early work with Whittle's designs was later handed to [[Allison Engine Company]]. GE Aviation then emerged as one of the world's largest engine manufacturers, bypassing the British company [[Rolls-Royce Holdings|Rolls-Royce plc]].

Some consumers [[boycott]]ed GE light bulbs, refrigerators, and other products during the 1980s and 1990s. The purpose of the boycott was to protest against GE's role in [[nuclear weapon]]s production.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.transparency.org/research/gcr/gcr_private_sector/0/ |title=Global Corruption Report 2009, Corruption and the Private Sector |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320054022/https://www.transparency.org/research/gcr/gcr_private_sector/0/|archive-date=March 20, 2012 |publisher=[[Transparency International]] |date=2009 |page=148}}</ref>

In 2002, GE acquired the wind power assets of [[Enron]] during its bankruptcy proceedings.<ref name="Business Wire">{{cite news|title=GE Completes Enron Wind Acquisition; Launches GE Wind Energy |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_May_10/ai_85689772/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328074132/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_May_10/ai_85689772 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 28, 2008 |date=May 10, 2002 |publisher=[[Business Wire]] |access-date=August 9, 2010 }}</ref> [[Enron Wind]] was the only surviving U.S. manufacturer of large wind turbines at the time, and GE increased engineering and supplies for the Wind Division and doubled the annual sales to $1.2&nbsp;billion in 2003.<ref name="ieGE">Fairly, Peter. [https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-greening-of-ge The Greening of GE]  ''[[IEEE Spectrum]]'', July 2005. Retrieved: November 6, 2010.</ref> It acquired [[ScanWind]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=GE to build £99m UK wind turbine plant |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ge-to-build-16399m-uk-wind-turbine-plant-1928159.html |work=The Independent |location=UK |access-date=December 20, 2010 |first=Sarah |last=Arnott |date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110922022349/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ge-to-build-16399m-uk-wind-turbine-plant-1928159.html |archive-date=September 22, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2009/09/ge-closes-acquisition-of-scanwind.html|title=GE Closes Acquisition of ScanWind|website=Renewableenergyworld.com|date=September 15, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310010641/http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2009/09/ge-closes-acquisition-of-scanwind.html|archive-date=March 10, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2018, GE Power garnered press attention when a model 7HA gas turbine in Texas was shut down for two months due to the break of a [[turbine blade]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-power-exclusive/exclusive-ges-push-to-fix-power-turbine-problem-goes-global-idUSKBN1O60F4|title=GE GE's push to fix power turbine problem goes global: sources|work=reuters.com|date=December 7, 2018|access-date=June 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531051321/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-power-exclusive/exclusive-ges-push-to-fix-power-turbine-problem-goes-global-idUSKBN1O60F4/|archive-date=May 31, 2019|url-status=live|last1=Scott|first1=Alwyn}}</ref> This model uses similar blade technology to GE's newest and most efficient model, the 9HA. After the break, GE developed new protective coatings and heat treatment methods. Gas turbines represent a significant portion of GE Power's revenue, and also represent a significant portion of the power generation fleet of several utility companies in the United States. [[Chubu Electric]] of Japan and [[Électricité de France]] also had units that were impacted. Initially, GE did not realize the turbine blade issue of the 9FB unit would impact the new HA units.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-turbines-focus/ge-urges-speedy-fix-for-power-turbine-blades-says-blade-broke-in-2015-sources-idUSKCN1PJ0DM|title=GE urges speedy fix for power turbine blades, says blade broke in 2015: sources|work=reuters.com|first=Alwyn|last=Scott|date=January 25, 2019|access-date=January 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125063123/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-turbines-focus/ge-urges-speedy-fix-for-power-turbine-blades-says-blade-broke-in-2015-sources-idUSKCN1PJ0DM|archive-date=January 25, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Computing===
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2017}}
GE was one of the eight major computer companies of the 1960s along with [[IBM]], [[Burroughs Corporation|Burroughs]], [[NCR Corporation|NCR]], [[Control Data Corporation]], [[Honeywell]], [[RCA]], and [[UNIVAC]].<ref name="Guston">{{cite book|last1=Guston|first1=David H.|title=Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Society|date=2010|publisher=Sage Publications|page=272|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vyp1AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA272|access-date=May 5, 2017|isbn=9781452266176|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120190132/https://books.google.com/books?id=vyp1AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA272|url-status=live}}</ref> GE had a line of general purpose and special purpose computers, including the [[GE-200 series|GE 200]], [[GE-400 series|GE 400]], and [[GE-600 series|GE 600]] series general-purpose computers,<ref name="Guston" /> the [[GE/PAC 4000|GE/PAC 4000 series]] [[Real-time computing|real-time]] [[process control]] computers, and the [[DATANET-30]] and Datanet 355 [[message switching]] computers (DATANET-30 and 355 were also used as front end processors for GE mainframe computers). A Datanet 500 computer was designed but never sold.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/sec/15518/General-Electric/|title=General Electric – Computing History|website=Computinghistory.org.uk|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310010937/http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/sec/15518/General-Electric/|archive-date=March 10, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1956 [[Homer Oldfield]] was promoted to General Manager of GE's Computer Department. He facilitated the invention and construction of the [[Bank of America]] ERMA system, the first computerized system designed to read magnetized numbers on checks. But he was fired from GE in 1958 by [[Ralph J. Cordiner]] for overstepping his bounds and successfully gaining the ERMA contract. Cordiner was strongly against GE entering the computer business because he did not see the potential in it.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
  
In 1962, GE started developing its [[GECOS]] (later renamed GCOS) [[operating system]], originally for [[batch processing]], but later extended to [[time-sharing]] and [[transaction processing]]. Versions of GCOS are still in use today. From 1964 to 1969, GE and [[Bell Laboratories]] (which soon dropped out) joined with [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] to develop the [[Multics]] operating system on the [[GE 645]] mainframe computer. The project took longer than expected and was not a major commercial success, but it demonstrated concepts such as [[single-level store|single-level storage]], [[dynamic linking]], [[hierarchical file system]], and [[Ring (computer security)|ring-oriented security]]. Active development of Multics continued until 1985.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

GE got into computer manufacturing because, in the 1950s, they were the largest user of computers outside the [[United States federal government]],<ref name="Guston" /> aside from being the first business in the world to own a computer. Its major appliance manufacturing plant "[[GE Consumer & Industrial|Appliance Park]]" was the first non-governmental site to host one.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hiner |first=Jason |url=http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/hiner/ges-200-million-bet-to-resurrect-it/10834 |title=GE's $200 million bet to resurrect IT |magazine=TechRepublic |date=November 30, 2012 |access-date=May 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522080721/http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/hiner/ges-200-million-bet-to-resurrect-it/10834 |archive-date=May 22, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, in 1970, GE sold its computer division to [[Honeywell]], exiting the computer manufacturing industry,<ref name="Guston" /> though it retained its timesharing operations for some years afterward. GE was a big provider of computer time-sharing services through General Electric Information Services (GEIS, now GXS), offering online computing services that included [[GEnie]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

In 2000, when United Technologies Corp. planned to buy Honeywell, GE made a counter-offer that was approved by Honeywell.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,166732,00.html |title=The Anatomy of the GE-Honeywell Disaster |last1=Elliott |first1=Michael |date=July 8, 2001 |magazine=Time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627050528/http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0%2C8599%2C166732%2C00.html |archive-date=June 27, 2016 |access-date=June 27, 2016 |id=GE-Honeywell-Disaster |url-status=dead }}</ref> On July 3, 2001, the [[European Union]] issued a statement that "prohibit the proposed acquisition by General Electric Co. of Honeywell Inc.".<ref name="EU-GE-Honeywell">{{Cite web|url=http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-01-939_en.htm |title=The Commission prohibits GE's acquisition of Honeywell |date=July 3, 2001 |publisher=EU |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627051108/http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0%2C8599%2C166732%2C00.html |archive-date=June 27, 2016 |access-date=June 27, 2016 |id=EU-GE-Honeywell |url-status=dead }}</ref> The reasons given were it "would create or strengthen dominant positions on several markets and that the remedies proposed by GE were insufficient to resolve the competition concerns resulting from the proposed acquisition of Honeywell".<ref name="EU-GE-Honeywell"/>

On June 27, 2014, GE partnered with collaborative design company Quirky to announce its connected LED bulb called Link. The Link bulb is designed to communicate with smartphones and tablets using a mobile app called [[Wink (platform)|Wink]].<ref>{{cite web |access-date=July 2, 2014 |url=http://techone3.in/ge-link-smart-led-bulb-can-communicate-with-smart-devices-8581/ |title=GE Link smart LED bulb can communicate with smart devices |publisher=TechOne3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706161945/http://techone3.in/ge-link-smart-led-bulb-can-communicate-with-smart-devices-8581/ |archive-date=July 6, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:GE, Global Operations Center - Cincinnati.jpg|thumb|GE Global Operations Center in [[Downtown Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]]]]

===Acquisitions and divestments===
In December 1985, GE reacquired the [[RCA Corporation]], primarily to gain ownership of the [[NBC]] television network for $6.28&nbsp;billion; this merger surpassed the [[Capital Cities/ABC]] merger from earlier that year as the largest non-oil company merger in world business history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/12/11/General-Electric-Co-in-the-largest-non-oil-merger-in/1818503125200/|title=General Electric Co., in the largest non-oil merger in...|access-date=October 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822100055/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/12/11/General-Electric-Co-in-the-largest-non-oil-merger-in/1818503125200/|archive-date=August 22, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The remainder of RCA's divisions and assets were sold to various companies, including [[Bertelsmann Music Group]] which acquired [[RCA Records]]. [[Technicolor SA|Thomson SA]], which licensed the manufacture of RCA and GE branded electronics, traced its roots to Thomson-Houston, one of the original components of GE.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} Also in 1986, [[Kidder, Peabody & Co.]], a U.S.-based securities firm, was sold to GE and following heavy losses was sold to [[PaineWebber]] in 1994.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/10/17/ge-to-sell-kidder-unit-to-paine/|title=Ge To Sell Kidder Unit To Paine|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=January 5, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106133804/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-10-17/news/9410170075_1_chief-government-bond-trader-kidder-peabody-ge|archive-date=January 6, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1993, GE sold its [[GE Aerospace (1960s)|Aerospace]] business to [[Martin Marietta]].

In 1997, [[Genpact]] was founded as a unit of General Electric in [[Gurgaon]]. The company was founded as GE Capital International Services (GECIS).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Genpact (G) |url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/genpact/ |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520202213/https://www.forbes.com/companies/genpact/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |agency=TNN |date=May 17, 2011 |title=BPO pioneer Bhasin quits as Genpact CEO  |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/bpo-pioneer-bhasin-quits-as-genpact-ceo/articleshow/8377252.cms |access-date=2022-04-04 |website=The Times of India |language=en |archive-date=13 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213172243/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/bpo-pioneer-bhasin-quits-as-genpact-ceo/articleshow/8377252.cms |url-status=live}}</ref> In the beginning, GECIS created processes for outsourcing back-office activities for GE Capital such as processing [[car loans]] and credit card transactions. It was an [[Business process outsourcing to India#General Electric|experimental concept at the time]] and the beginning of the [[business process outsourcing]] (BPO) industry.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Yesudian |first=Suseela |title=Innovation in India: The Future of Offshoring |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2012 |location=United Kingdom |language=EN}}</ref> GE sold 60% stake in Genpact to General Atlantic and Oak Hill Capital Partners in 2005 and hived off Genpact into an independent business. GE is still a major client to Genpact today for services in customer service, finance, information technology, and analytics.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hirschheim |first1=Rudy |last2=Heinzl |first2=Armin |last3=Dibbern |first3=Jens |title=Information Systems Outsourcing: Enduring Themes, Global Challenges, and Process Opportunities |date=2009 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-3-540-88851-2 |page=553 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_M91NYmLe6gC&pg=PA553 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sozzi |first1=Brian |title=Here's one company that may be benefitting from the GE meltdown |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/genpact-is-profiting-off-the-ge-meltdown-175320821.html |website=Yahoo! Finance |access-date=February 17, 2022 |date=August 13, 2019 |archive-date=February 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217060832/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/genpact-is-profiting-off-the-ge-meltdown-175320821.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2001, GE acquired Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo and incorporated it into its National Broadcasting Company, Inc. subsidiary.<ref>{{cite web |date=2001-10-12 |title=NBC to Acquire Telemundo Network for $1.98 Billion |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-oct-12-fi-56173-story.html |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

In 2002, [[Francisco Partners]] and [[Norwest Venture Partners]] acquired a division of GE called GE Information Systems (GEIS). The new company, named [[GXS (company)|GXS]], is based in [[Gaithersburg, Maryland]]. GXS is a provider of [[business-to-business]] e-commerce solutions. GE maintains a minority stake in GXS.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kenneth E. Hendrickson. III|title=The Encyclopedia of The Industrial Revolution in World History|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2015|isbn=978-0-8108-8887-6|location=United Kingdom|pages=359}}</ref> Also in 2002, [[GE Wind Energy]] was formed when GE bought the [[wind turbine]] manufacturing assets of Enron Wind after the [[Enron scandal]]s.<ref name="Business Wire" /><ref name="ieGE" /><ref name="desertsky">Murphy, Dennis. [http://www.desertskywind.com/news05022002.htm GE completes Enron Wind acquisition; Launches GE Wind Energy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218110511/http://www.desertskywind.com/news05022002.htm |date=February 18, 2016}} ''Desert Sky Wind Farm'', May 10, 2002. Retrieved: May 1, 2010.</ref>

In 2004, GE bought 80% of Vivendi Universal Entertainment, the parent of [[Universal Pictures]] from [[Vivendi]]. Vivendi Universal was merged with NBC to form [[NBCUniversal]]. GE then owned 80% of NBCUniversal and Vivendi owned 20%. In 2004, GE completed the [[Corporate spin-off|spin-off]] of most of its [[mortgage loan|mortgage]] and [[life insurance]] assets into an independent company, [[Genworth Financial]], based in [[Richmond, Virginia]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/2004/05/25/cx_tm_0525video1.html|title=General Electric Completes Spinoff Of Genworth Financial|last=Murphy|first=Tara|date=May 25, 2004|work=[[Forbes]]|access-date=September 5, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908193206/https://www.forbes.com/2004/05/25/cx_tm_0525video1.html|archive-date=September 8, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2007, GE acquired [[Smiths Aerospace]] for $4.8&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/business/worldbusiness/16electric.html |work=[[The New York Times]]| first=Claudia H. |last=Deutsch |title=G.E. Buying a British Aerospace Company |date=January 16, 2007 |access-date=February 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170320145113/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/business/worldbusiness/16electric.html |archive-date=March 20, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Also in 2007, GE Oil & Gas acquired Vetco Gray for $1.9&nbsp;billion,<ref>{{cite web|title=General Electric to acquire Vetco Gray for $1.9 billion |url=http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/4163/general-electric-to-acquire-vetco-gray-for-$19-billion |website=ReliablePlant.com |access-date=June 11, 2014 |date=January 8, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706224120/http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/4163/general-electric-to-acquire-vetco-gray-for-%2419-billion |archive-date=July 6, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=GE Oil & Gas buys Vetco Gray|url=http://www.epmag.com/EP-Magazine/archive/GE-Oil-Gas-buys-Vetco-Gray_156|website=E&P Magazine|access-date=June 11, 2014|date=January 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528230355/http://www.epmag.com/EP-Magazine/archive/GE-Oil-Gas-buys-Vetco-Gray_156|archive-date=May 28, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> followed by the acquisition of Hydril Pressure & Control in 2008 for $1.1&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Saitto|first1=Serena|last2=Kingsbury|first2=Kevin|title=From Tenaris|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ge-to-buy-part-of-tenariss-hydril-2008-01-28|website=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=June 11, 2014|date=January 28, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714150716/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ge-to-buy-part-of-tenariss-hydril-2008-01-28|archive-date=July 14, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=GE Oil & Gas Buys Hydril Pressure Control|url=http://www.oilandgaseurasia.com/en/news/ge-oil-gas-buys-hydril-pressure-control|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709164541/http://www.oilandgaseurasia.com/en/news/ge-oil-gas-buys-hydril-pressure-control|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 9, 2014|access-date=June 11, 2014|date=January 29, 2008}}</ref>

GE Plastics was sold in 2008 to [[SABIC]] (Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation). In May 2008, GE announced it was exploring options for divesting the bulk of its consumer and industrial business.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.plasticstoday.com/content/sabic-acquires-ge-plastics-116-billion/5137368976237|title=Sabic acquires GE Plastics for $11.6 billion|date=June 30, 2007|website=PlasticsToday|language=en|access-date=April 6, 2020|archive-date=April 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406155337/https://www.plasticstoday.com/content/sabic-acquires-ge-plastics-116-billion/5137368976237|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/business/dealbook/us-china-trade.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220102/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/business/dealbook/us-china-trade.html |archive-date=2022-01-02 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title=A Brief History of G.E. Asset Sales: DealBook Briefing|date=May 21, 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 6, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On December 3, 2009, it was announced that NBCUniversal would become a joint venture between GE and cable television operator [[Comcast]]. Comcast would hold a controlling interest in the company, while GE would retain a 49% stake and would buy out shares owned by Vivendi.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/12/03/news/companies/comcast_nbc/index.htm |title=GE, Comcast announce joint NBC deal |last1=Goldman |first1=Davis |last2=Pepitone |first2=Julianne |date=December 3, 2009 |publisher=[[CNN Business|CNNMoney]]|access-date=December 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330061345/http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/03/news/companies/comcast_nbc/index.htm |archive-date=March 30, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Vivendi would sell its 20% stake in NBCUniversal to GE for US$5.8&nbsp;billion. Vivendi would sell 7.66% of NBCUniversal to GE for US$2&nbsp;billion if the GE/Comcast deal was not completed by September 2010 and then sell the remaining 12.34% stake of NBCUniversal to GE for US$3.8&nbsp;billion when the deal was completed or to the public via an [[Initial public offering|IPO]] if the deal was not completed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vivendi.fr/vivendi/Nouvel-article,5902 |title=Vivendi to Sell its Stake in NBCUniversal for US$5.8&nbsp;billion |date=December 3, 2009 |publisher=[[Vivendi]] |access-date=December 22, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206050534/http://www.vivendi.fr/vivendi/Nouvel-article%2C5902 |archive-date=December 6, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aMoJZHPclWnY |title=Vivendi to Sell NBC Stake to GE for $5.8 Billion (Update2) |date=December 3, 2009 |work=Bloomberg |first1=Matthew |last1=Campbell |access-date=November 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105062028/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aMoJZHPclWnY |archive-date=November 5, 2013}}</ref>

On March 1, 2010, GE announced plans to sell its 20.85% stake in Turkey-based Garanti Bank.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/banking-and-insurance/2010/03/garanti-bank-turkey-stake |title=General Electric to sell stake in Garanti Bank |date=March 1, 2010 |access-date=March 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417141109/http://www.newstatesman.com/banking-and-insurance/2010/03/garanti-bank-turkey-stake |archive-date=April 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |website=New Statesman }}</ref> In August 2010, GE Healthcare signed a strategic partnership to bring cardiovascular Computed Tomography (CT) technology from start-up Arineta Ltd. of Israel to the hospital market.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.zdnet.com/finance/ge-to-get-its-heart-tech-from-israel/ |first1=Dana |last1=Blankenhorn |website=ZDNET |title=GE to get its heart tech from Israel |date=August 1, 2010 |access-date=August 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825152947/http://www.zdnet.com/blog/healthcare/ge-to-get-its-heart-tech-from-israel/3950 |archive-date=August 25, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2010, GE acquired gas engines manufacturer [[Dresser Industries]] in a $3&nbsp;billion deal and also bought a $1.6&nbsp;billion portfolio of retail credit cards from [[Citigroup]] Inc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-finance/20101006/BUSINESS-US-GE/print/ |title= GE posts sales slump, rattles recovery hopes |publisher=Comcast.net |first1=Scott |last1=Malone |agency=Reuters |access-date=April 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023231657/http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-finance/20101006/BUSINESS-US-GE/print/ |archive-date=October 23, 2010 }}</ref><ref name="ge-in-russia">{{cite web| url=http://dmliefer.ru/content/ge-waukesha| title=GE Waukesha (Вакеша) Газопоршневые двигатели |website=DM Lieferant | access-date=April 2, 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325224941/http://dmliefer.ru/content/ge-waukesha| archive-date=March 25, 2014| url-status=dead}}</ref> On October 14, 2010, GE announced the acquisition of data migration & SCADA simulation specialists Opal Software.<ref name="htanna">{{cite web|title=GE Acquires Opal Software&nbsp;– Strengthens Smart Grid Software Portfolio |url=http://www.genewscenter.com/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=11178&NewsAreaID=2 |publisher=GE |date=14 October 2010 |access-date=October 19, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711083558/http://www.genewscenter.com/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=11178&NewsAreaID=2 |archive-date=July 11, 2011 }}</ref> In December 2010, for the second time that year (after the Dresser acquisition), GE bought the oil sector company [[Wellstream]], an oil pipe maker, for 800&nbsp;million pounds ($1.3&nbsp;billion).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-12-13 |title=GE to buy UK oil pipemaker Wellstream for $1.3 billion |language=en-US |first1=Tom |last1=Bergin |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BC0U920101213/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216021618/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BC0U920101213 |archive-date=December 16, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2011, GE announced that it had completed the acquisition of privately held Lineage Power Holdings from [[The Gores Group]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110302005457/en/GE-Energy-Completes-Acquisition-Lineage-Power |title=Businesswire.com |publisher=Businesswire.com |date=March 2, 2011 |access-date=April 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002063400/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110302005457/en/GE-Energy-Completes-Acquisition-Lineage-Power |archive-date=October 2, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2011, GE announced it had completed its purchase of John Wood plc's Well Support Division for $2.8&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110426006725/en/GE-Completes-Acquisition-John-Wood-Group-PLC%E2%80%99s |title=Businesswire.com |publisher=Businesswire.com |date=April 26, 2011 |access-date=January 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303010436/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110426006725/en/GE-Completes-Acquisition-John-Wood-Group-PLC%E2%80%99s |archive-date=March 3, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2011, GE Capital sold its $2&nbsp;billion Mexican assets to [[Banco Santander|Santander]] for $162&nbsp;million and exited the business in Mexico. Santander additionally assumed the portfolio debts of GE Capital in the country. Following this, GE Capital focused on its core business and shed its non-core assets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.financenews.co.uk/fnews/ge-capital-sells-mexican-assets-to-santander/ |title=GE Capital sells Mexican assets to Santander |publisher=Finance News |access-date=April 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319231552/http://www.financenews.co.uk/fnews/ge-capital-sells-mexican-assets-to-santander/ |archive-date=March 19, 2012 }}</ref>

In June 2012, CEO and President of GE Jeff Immelt said that the company would invest [[Indian rupee sign|₹]]3 [[billion]] <!-- ? --> to accelerate its businesses in [[Karnataka]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article3500390.ece | title=GE to invest Rs 300 cr for expansion | date=June 7, 2012 | access-date=June 7, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608204430/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article3500390.ece | archive-date=June 8, 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2012, GE acquired $7&nbsp;billion worth of bank deposits from [[MetLife|MetLife Inc]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://in.reuters.com/article/ge-metlife-idINL1E8KOAIV20120924 | title=GE, MetLife tweak terms of deal for $7 bln in bank deposits | agency=Reuters | work=Reuters | date=September 25, 2012 | access-date=October 3, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925170930/http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/09/24/ge-metlife-idINL1E8KOAIV20120924 | archive-date=September 25, 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

On March 19, 2013, Comcast bought GE's shares in NBCU for $16.7&nbsp;billion, ending the company's longtime stake in television and film media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/03/comcast-completes-acquisition-nbcuniversal-457181/|title=Comcast Completes Acquisition Of GE's 49% Stake In NBCUniversal|last1=Lieberman|first1=David|date=March 19, 2013|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=January 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327122300/https://deadline.com/2013/03/comcast-completes-acquisition-nbcuniversal-457181/|archive-date=March 27, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2013, GE acquired oilfield pump maker [[Lufkin Industries]] for $2.98&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-lufkin-idUSBRE9370AL20130408 | title=GE to buy oil pump maker Lufkin for nearly $3 billion | author=Ernest Scheyder | work=Reuters | date=April 8, 2013 | access-date=July 1, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127064441/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/08/us-ge-lufkin-idUSBRE9370AL20130408 | archive-date=November 27, 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2014, it was announced that GE was in talks to acquire the global power division of French engineering group [[Alstom]] for a figure of around $13 billion.<ref>{{cite news| title=GE in talks to buy Alstom's power arm| author=Natalie Huet| work=Reuters| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alstom-offer-general-electric-idUSBREA3O14I20140425| date=April 24, 2014| access-date=July 1, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924200115/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/25/us-alstom-offer-general-electric-idUSBREA3O14I20140425| archive-date=September 24, 2015| url-status=live}}</ref> A rival joint bid was submitted in June 2014 by [[Siemens]] and [[Mitsubishi Heavy Industries]] (MHI) with Siemens seeking to acquire Alstom's gas turbine business for €3.9&nbsp;billion, and MHI proposing a joint venture in steam turbines, plus a €3.1&nbsp;billion cash investment. In June 2014, a formal offer from GE worth $17&nbsp;billion was agreed by the Alstom board. Part of the transaction involved the French government taking a 20% stake in Alstom to help secure France's energy and transport interests and French jobs. A rival offer from Siemens Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was rejected. The acquisition was expected to be completed in 2015.<ref name="AlstonGE">{{cite news|title=Alstom board votes for {{sic|nolink=y|aquis|ition|expected=acquisition}} by GE|url=http://www.francenews.net/index.php/sid/223128443/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/ht/Alstom-board-votes-for-aquisition-by-GE|access-date=June 23, 2014|publisher=France News.Net|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140709235422/http://www.francenews.net/index.php/sid/223128443/scat/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/ht/Alstom-board-votes-for-aquisition-by-GE|archive-date=July 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> In October 2014, GE announced it was considering the sale of its [[Poland|Polish]] banking business [[Bank BPH]].<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-banking-bank-bph-general-electric-div-idUSKCN0I41YO20141015 GE considers sale of Polish unit Bank BPH] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924205405/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/15/us-banking-bank-bph-general-electric-div-idUSKCN0I41YO20141015 |date=September 24, 2015 }}. [[Reuters]], October 15, 2014</ref>

Later in 2014, General Electric announced plans to open its global operations center in [[Cincinnati]], Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/business/center-000-jobs-slated-for-downtown-cincinnati/BsQeLOkmUme7WiFJiSkKTL/|title=GE center, 2,000 jobs slated for downtown Cincinnati|date=April 10, 2014|website=Dayton Daily News|access-date=August 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814103611/https://www.daytondailynews.com/business/center-000-jobs-slated-for-downtown-cincinnati/BsQeLOkmUme7WiFJiSkKTL/|archive-date=August 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The Global Operations Center opened in October 2016 as home to GE's multifunctional shared services organization. It supports the company's finance/accounting, human resources, information technology, supply chain, legal and commercial operations, and is one of GE's four multifunctional shared services centers worldwide in [[Pudong]], China; [[Budapest]], Hungary; and [[Monterrey]], Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/ge-jobs-downtown-the-new-global-operations-center-which-has-already-hired-1400-looks-to-hire-400-more_|title=Having already hired 1,400, GE's new operations center Downtown looks to hire 400 more|date=July 19, 2017|website=WCPO Cincinnati|access-date=August 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814103445/https://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/ge-jobs-downtown-the-new-global-operations-center-which-has-already-hired-1400-looks-to-hire-400-more_|archive-date=August 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2015, GE announced its intention to sell off its property portfolio, worth $26.5&nbsp;billion, to [[Wells Fargo]] and [[The Blackstone Group]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-32247268|title=General Electric to sell $26.5bn property portfolio|work=[[BBC News]]|date=April 10, 2015|access-date=July 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216185426/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-32247268|archive-date=December 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> It was announced in April 2015 that GE would sell most of its finance unit and return around $90&nbsp;billion to shareholders as the firm looked to trim down on its holdings and rid itself of its image of a "hybrid" company, working in both banking and manufacturing.<ref>{{cite press release| publisher=Reuters| date=April 11, 2015| title=GE to sell bulk of finance unit, return up to $90 billion to investors| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-general-electric-divestiture-idUSKBN0N020420150411| access-date=July 1, 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116012406/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/11/us-general-electric-divestiture-idUSKBN0N020420150411| archive-date=November 16, 2015| url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2015, GE Capital agreed to sell its Healthcare Financial Services business to [[Capital One]] for US$9&nbsp;billion. The transaction involved US$8.5&nbsp;billion of loans made to a wide array of sectors, including senior housing, hospitals, medical offices, outpatient services, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://press.capitalone.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=251626&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2078877|title=Capital One to Acquire GE Capital's U.S. Healthcare Finance Unit|publisher=[[Capital One]]|date=August 11, 2015|access-date=August 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101021438/http://press.capitalone.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=251626&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2078877|archive-date=January 1, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Also in August 2015, GE Capital agreed to sell GE Capital Bank's on-line deposit platform to [[Goldman Sachs]]. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but the sale included US$8&nbsp;billion of on-line deposits and another US$8&nbsp;billion of brokered certificates of deposit. The sale was part of GE's strategic plan to exit the U.S. banking sector and to free itself from tightening banking regulations. GE also aimed to shed its status as a "systematically important financial institution".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-13/goldman-sachs-to-buy-ge-bank-unit-with-16-billion-of-deposits|title=Goldman Sachs to Acquire GE Capital Bank's on-line deposit platform|publisher=[[Bloomberg News]]|date=August 13, 2015|access-date=March 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220092452/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-13/goldman-sachs-to-buy-ge-bank-unit-with-16-billion-of-deposits|archive-date=February 20, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2015, GE Capital agreed to sell its transportation finance unit to Canada's [[Bank of Montreal]]. The unit sold had US$8.7&nbsp;billion (CA$11.5&nbsp;billion) of assets, 600 employees, and 15 offices in the U.S. and Canada. The exact terms of the sale were not disclosed, but the final price would be based on the value of the assets at closing, plus a premium according to the parties.<ref name="GE Capital">{{cite press release| url=https://newsroom.bmo.com/2015-09-10-BMO-Financial-Group-to-Acquire-General-Electric-Capital-Corporations-Transportation-Finance-Business| title=BMO News Release BMO Financial to acquire GE Capital's transportation finance business| date=September 10, 2015| access-date=September 16, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042638/https://newsroom.bmo.com/2015-09-10-BMO-Financial-Group-to-Acquire-General-Electric-Capital-Corporations-Transportation-Finance-Business| archive-date=December 1, 2017| url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2015, activist investor [[Nelson Peltz]]'s fund Trian bought a $2.5&nbsp;billion stake in the company.<ref>{{cite web|title= Nelson Peltz's Trian takes $2.5 billion stake in General Electric|url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-general-electric-stake-idUSKCN0RZ0HY20151005|website= Reuters|date= October 5, 2015|access-date= July 1, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151102013034/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/05/us-general-electric-stake-idUSKCN0RZ0HY20151005|archive-date= November 2, 2015|url-status= live}}</ref>

In January 2016, [[Haier]] acquired GE's appliance division for $5.4&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{Cite web|title = China's Haier buying GE appliance unit for $5.4B|url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2016/01/15/haier-buying-ge-appliance-unit/78836088/|website = USA Today|access-date = January 15, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160115122303/http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2016/01/15/haier-buying-ge-appliance-unit/78836088/|archive-date = January 15, 2016|url-status = live}}</ref> In October 2016, [[GE Renewable Energy]]<!--also holds Alstom--> agreed to pay €1.5&nbsp;billion to [[Doughty Hanson & Co]] for [[LM Wind Power]] during 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1411839/ge-acquires-lm-wind-power|title=GE acquires LM Wind Power|publisher=[[Windpower Monthly]]|access-date=October 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012075820/http://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1411839/ge-acquires-lm-wind-power|archive-date=October 12, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the end of October 2016, it was announced that GE was under negotiations for a deal valued at about $30&nbsp;billion to combine [[GE Oil & Gas]] with [[Baker Hughes]]. The transaction would create a publicly traded entity controlled by GE.<ref>{{cite news|title=GE to Combine Oil and Gas Business With Baker Hughes|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ge-to-combine-oil-and-gas-business-with-baker-hughes-1477908407|website=The Wall Street Journal|date=October 31, 2016|access-date=October 31, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101041433/http://www.wsj.com/articles/ge-to-combine-oil-and-gas-business-with-baker-hughes-1477908407|archive-date=November 1, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> It was announced that GE Oil & Gas would sell off its water treatment business, GE Water & Process Technologies, as part of its divestment agreement with Baker Hughes.<ref>[http://www.worldpumps.com/view/44987/ge-explores-sale-of-water-process-technologies-business/ GE explores sale of Water & Process Technologies business] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807193227/http://www.worldpumps.com/view/44987/ge-explores-sale-of-water-process-technologies-business/ |date=August 7, 2017 }}, World Pumps, November 1, 2016</ref> The deal was cleared by the EU in May 2017, and by the [[United States Department of Justice]] in June 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-baker-hughes-m-a-ge-eu-idUKKBN18R1RF|title=EU clears GE's Baker Hughes purchase without conditions|work=Reuters|access-date=May 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531185920/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-baker-hughes-m-a-ge-eu-idUKKBN18R1RF|archive-date=May 31, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://subseaworldnews.com/2017/06/13/u-s-doj-approves-baker-hughes-ge-merger/|title=U.S. DoJ Approves Baker Hughes – GE Merger|website=Subseaworldnews.com|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=June 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613172613/http://subseaworldnews.com/2017/06/13/u-s-doj-approves-baker-hughes-ge-merger/|archive-date=June 13, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The merger agreement was approved by shareholders at the end of June 2017. On July 3, 2017, the transaction was completed, and Baker Hughes became a GE company and was renamed Baker Hughes, a GE Company (BHGE).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oedigital.com/component/k2/item/15708-baker-hughes-ge-complete-merger|title=GE, Baker Hughes complete merger|website=Oedigital.com|date=July 3, 2017|access-date=December 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226133642/https://www.oedigital.com/component/k2/item/15708-baker-hughes-ge-complete-merger|archive-date=December 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2018, GE reduced its stake in Baker Hughes to 50.4%.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-baker-hughes-ge-results/ges-baker-hughes-upbeat-on-2019-as-lng-demand-grows-idUKKCN1PP1ID |title=GE's Baker Hughes upbeat on 2019 as LNG demand grows |newspaper=Reuters |date=January 31, 2019 |access-date=August 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820120505/https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-baker-hughes-ge-results/ges-baker-hughes-upbeat-on-2019-as-lng-demand-grows-idUKKCN1PP1ID |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=dead |last1=Hampton |first1=John Benny }}</ref> On October 18, 2019, GE reduced its stake to 36.8% and the company was renamed back to Baker Hughes.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Baker-Hughes-name-change-becomes-official-14541568.php |title=Baker Hughes name change becomes official |newspaper=Chron |date=October 17, 2019 |access-date=October 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022124230/https://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Baker-Hughes-name-change-becomes-official-14541568.php |archive-date=October 22, 2019 |url-status=live |last1=Chapa |first1=Sergio }}</ref>

In May 2017, GE had signed $15&nbsp;billion of business deals with [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{cite news |title=GE announces $15 billion of business deals with Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-saudi-ge/ge-announces-15-billion-of-business-deals-with-saudi-arabia-idUSKCN18G0FB |work=Reuters |date=May 20, 2017 |access-date=July 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719173559/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-saudi-ge/ge-announces-15-billion-of-business-deals-with-saudi-arabia-idUSKCN18G0FB |archive-date=July 19, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Saudi Arabia is one of GE's largest customers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Exclusive: General Electric's power unit faces threat in Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-media-gay/new-york-times-under-fire-for-homophobic-cartoon-of-trump-and-putin-idUSKBN1K802J |work=Reuters |date=July 19, 2018 |access-date=July 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718144816/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-media-gay/new-york-times-under-fire-for-homophobic-cartoon-of-trump-and-putin-idUSKBN1K802J |archive-date=July 18, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2017, GE announced the sale of its Industrial Solutions Business to [[ABB]]. The deal closed on June 30, 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-abb-ge-industrial-solutions/abb-buys-ge-business-for-2-6-billion-in-bet-it-can-boost-margins-idUSKCN1C00DW|title=ABB buys GE business for $2.6 billion in bet it can boost margins|work=Reuters|access-date=September 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928063926/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-abb-ge-industrial-solutions/abb-buys-ge-business-for-2-6-billion-in-bet-it-can-boost-margins-idUSKCN1C00DW|archive-date=September 28, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ABB completes acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions |url=https://new.abb.com/news/detail/5475/abb-completes-acquisition-of-ge-industrial-solutions |website=New.abb.com |access-date=July 13, 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713203321/https://new.abb.com/news/detail/5475/abb-completes-acquisition-of-ge-industrial-solutions |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Fraud allegations and notice of possible SEC civil action===
On August 15, 2019, [[Harry Markopolos]], a financial fraud investigator known for his discovery of a Ponzi scheme run by [[Bernard Madoff]], accused General Electric of being a "bigger fraud than Enron," alleging $38&nbsp;billion in accounting fraud. GE denied wrongdoing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49352765|title=General Electric: Madoff Investigator alleges $38bn in fraud|first=Russell|last=Hotten|date=August 15, 2019|website=BBC|access-date=August 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816001833/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49352765|archive-date=August 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/15/investing/general-electric-harry-markopolos-whistleblower-accounting/index.html |title=GE stock has worst day in 11 years after Madoff whistleblower calls it a bigger fraud than Enron |work=CNN Business |author=Paul R. La Monica |date=August 15, 2019 |access-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815175942/https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/15/investing/general-electric-harry-markopolos-whistleblower-accounting/index.html |archive-date=August 15, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On October 6, 2020, General Electric reported it received a [[Wells notice]] from the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]] stating the SEC may take civil action for possible violations of securities laws.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Jonathan Ponciano |title=General Electric Says SEC Has Issued 'Wells Notice' Recommending Civil Action Over Shaky Accounting Practices |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2020/10/06/general-electric-says-sec-has-issued-wells-notice-recommending-civil-action-over-accounting-practices/#edd5b22317f5 |website=www.Forbes.com |access-date=October 15, 2020 |language=en |date=October 6, 2020 |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127163953/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2020/10/06/general-electric-says-sec-has-issued-wells-notice-recommending-civil-action-over-accounting-practices/#edd5b22317f5 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Insufficient reserves for long-term care policies====
It is alleged that GE is "hiding" (i.e., under-reserved)<ref>{{cite web |author1=Alwyn Scott |title=General Electric insurance called 'risky' by Fitch; shares fall again |url=https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKCN1VA1C2-OCABS |website=Reuters.com |access-date=August 22, 2019 |language=en |date=August 20, 2019 |quote=The Fitch report, which the credit rating agency produces annually, echoed concerns raised last week by financial investigator Harry Markopolos, who estimated that GE has under-reserved by $29 billion for its long-term care policies. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822143459/https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKCN1VA1C2-OCABS |archive-date=August 22, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> $29&nbsp;billion in losses related to its long-term care business.<ref name="Yahoo Finance">{{cite web |title=General Electric whistleblower: 'I think I have a few smoking guns' Harry Markopolos reveals fraud |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jE10T250bo |website=YouTube |publisher=Yahoo Finance |access-date=August 21, 2019 |language=en |time=M:SS=1.47 |date=August 15, 2019 |quote=GE is hiding $29B in long-term care losses |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820145045/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jE10T250bo |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to an August 2019 Fitch Ratings report, there are concerns that GE has not set aside enough money to cover its long-term care liabilities.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Alwyn Scott |title=General Electric insurance called 'risky' by Fitch; shares fall again |url=https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKCN1VA1C2-OCABS |website=Reuters.com |access-date=August 22, 2019 |language=en |date=August 20, 2019 |quote=General Electric Co (GE.N) ranks among the riskiest backers of long-term care insurance, suffering from both high exposure to claims and a relatively small cash pile to pay them, Fitch Ratings said in a report on Tuesday |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822143459/https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKCN1VA1C2-OCABS |archive-date=August 22, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2018, a lawsuit (the Bezio case) was filed in New York state court on behalf of participants in GE's 401(k) plan and shareowners alleging violations of Section 11 of the [[Securities Act of 1933]] based on alleged misstatements and omissions related to insurance reserves and performance of GE's business segments.<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2018 Annual Report – General Electric |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |website=GE.com |access-date=August 20, 2019 |pages=87 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923162718/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Kansas Insurance Department (KID) is requiring General Electric to make $14.5&nbsp;billion of capital contributions for its insurance contracts during the 7-year period ending in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2018 Annual Report – General Electric |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |website=GE.com |access-date=August 20, 2019 |pages=67 |language=en |quote=The adverse impact on our statutory AAR arising from our revised assumptions in 2017, including the collectability of reinsurance recoverables, is expected to require GE Capital to contribute approximately $14.5 billion additional capital, to its run-off insurance operations in 2018-2024. For statutory accounting purposes, KID approved our request for a permitted accounting practice to recognize the 2017 AAR increase over a seven-year period. GE Capital provided capital contributions to its insurance subsidiaries of approximately $3.5 billion and $1.9 billion in the first quarter of 2018 and 2019, respectively. GE Capital expects to provide further capital contributions of approximately $9 billion through 2024, subject to ongoing monitoring by KID. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923162718/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

GE reported the total liability related to its insurance contracts increased significantly from 2016 to 2019:
:December 31, 2016 $26.1&nbsp;billion
:December 31, 2017 $38.6&nbsp;billion<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2017 GE Annual Report |url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2017.pdf |website=www.AnnualReports.com |publisher=General Electric |access-date=October 19, 2020 |page=152 |language=en |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126153730/https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2017.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
:December 31, 2018 $35.6&nbsp;billion<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2018 Annual Report – General Electric |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |website=GE.com |access-date=August 20, 2019 |pages=61 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923162718/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
:December 31, 2019 $39.6&nbsp;billion<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2019 Annual Report – General Electric |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_AR19_AnnualReport.pdf |website=GE.com |access-date=October 15, 2020 |pages=87 |language=en |archive-date=October 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001023009/https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_AR19_AnnualReport.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018, GE announced that the issuance of the new standard by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) regarding Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944) would materially affect its financial statements.<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=Follow Up From Last Week's Note |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/ge_webcast_10Q_10302018.pdf |website=GE.com |access-date=August 21, 2019 |language=en |quote=We have stated in disclosures beginning with our 3Q’18 10-Q (page 48) that, following the issuance of the new standard by the FASB in August 2018, we anticipate that the adoption of the new standard will materially affect our financial statements. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820235127/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/ge_webcast_10Q_10302018.pdf |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=FORM 10-Q September 2018 |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/ge_webcast_10Q_10302018.pdf |website=GE.com |publisher=General Ledger |access-date=August 21, 2019 |language=en |quote=In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2018-12, Financial Services – Insurance (Topic 944): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts. We are evaluating the effect of the standard on our consolidated financial statements and anticipate that its adoption will significantly change the accounting for measurements of our long-duration insurance liabilities. The ASU requires cash flow assumptions used in the measurement of various insurance liabilities to be reviewed at least annually and updated if actual experience or other evidence indicates previous assumptions need to be revised with any required changes recorded in earnings. The discount rate, equivalent to the upper-medium grade (i.e., single A) fixed-income instrument yield reflecting the duration characteristics of the liability, is required to be updated in each reporting period with changes recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income. In measuring the insurance liabilities, contracts shall not be grouped together from different issue years. While we continue to evaluate the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting, we anticipate that the adoption of the ASU may materially affect our financial statements. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820235127/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/ge_webcast_10Q_10302018.pdf |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Mr. Markopolos estimated there would be a $US 10.5&nbsp;billion charge when the new accounting standard is adopted in the first quarter of 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=General Electric whistleblower: 'I think I have a few smoking guns' Harry Markopolos reveals fraud |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jE10T250bo |website=YouTube |publisher=Yahoo Finance |access-date=August 21, 2019 |language=en |time=M:SS=3.25 |date=August 15, 2019 |quote=GE is hiding $29B in long-term care losses |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820145045/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jE10T250bo |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Anticipated $8 billion loss upon disposition of Baker Hughes====
In 2017, GE acquired a 62.5% interest in Baker Hughes (BHGE) when it combined its oil & gas business with Baker Hughes Incorporated.<ref>{{cite web |title=2017 Annual Report |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR17.pdf |website=GE.com |access-date=August 20, 2019 |pages=21 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412212038/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR17.pdf |archive-date=April 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2018, GE reduced its interest to 50.4%, resulting in the realization of a $2.1&nbsp;billion loss.  GE is planning to divest its remaining interest and has warned that the divestment will result in an additional loss of $8.4&nbsp;billion (assuming a BHGE share price of $23.57 per share).<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2018 Annual Report – General Electric |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |website=GE.com |access-date=August 20, 2019 |pages=139 |language=en |quote=As previously announced, we plan an orderly separation of our ownership interest in BHGE over time. In November 2018, BHGE completed an underwritten public offering in which we sold 101.2 million shares of BHGE Class A common stock. BHGE also repurchased 65.0 million BHGE LLC units from GE. As a result, our economic interest in BHGE reduced from 62.5% to 50.4%, and we recognized a loss of $2,169 million ($1,696 million after-tax), which decreased the Other Capital component of shareowners' equity. The sale of Class A common stock resulted in an increase in noncontrolling interests of $4,214 million. Any reduction in our ownership interest below 50% will result in us losing control of BHGE. At that point, we would de-consolidate our Oil & Gas segment, recognize any remaining interest at fair value and recognize any difference between carrying value and fair value of our interest in earnings. Depending on the form and timing of our separation, and if BHGE's stock price remains below our current carrying value, we may recognize a significant loss in earnings. Based on BHGE's share price on January 31, 2019, of $23.57 per share, the incremental loss upon deconsolidation by a sale of our interest would be approximately $8,400 million. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923162718/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In response to the fraud allegations, GE noted the amount of the loss would be $7.4&nbsp;billion if the divestment occurred on July 26, 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=follow-up-from-last-weeks-note |url=https://www.ge.com/reports/follow-up-from-last-weeks-note/ |website=GE.com |publisher=General Electric |access-date=August 20, 2019 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820234938/https://www.ge.com/reports/follow-up-from-last-weeks-note/ |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>  Mr. Markopolos noted that BHGE is an asset available for sale and therefore [[mark-to-market accounting]] is required.<ref>{{cite web |title=Harry Markopolos explains fraud accusations against GE |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGvsXPY26KI |website=YouTube |publisher=CNN Business |access-date=August 21, 2019 |time=5:17 |language=en |date=August 16, 2019 |quote=They should have marked it to market |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818074723/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGvsXPY26KI |archive-date=August 18, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Markopolos noted GE's [[current ratio]] was only 0.67.<ref name="Yahoo Finance"/> He expressed concerns that GE may file for bankruptcy if there is a recession.<ref>{{cite web |title=Madoff whistleblower Harry Markopolos details fraud allegations against General Electric |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VCtB3E0JB0 |publisher=YouTube / CNBC |access-date=August 21, 2019 |time=5:56 |date=August 15, 2019 |quote=Harry Markopolos on GE "Heading for bankruptcy" |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820112812/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VCtB3E0JB0 |archive-date=August 20, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Final years and three-way split (2018–2024)===
In 2018, the GE Pension Plan reported losses of US$3.3&nbsp;billion on plan assets.<ref>{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2018 General Electric Annual Report |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |website=GE.com |publisher=General Electric |access-date=August 21, 2019 |page=130 |language=en |quote=Actual gain (loss) on plan assets – 2018 Principal pension plans ($2,996) millions   2018 Other pension plans ($299) millions |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923162718/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2018, General Electric changed the discount rate used to calculate the actuarial liabilities of its pension plans.  The rate was increased from 3.64% to 4.34%.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |author1=General Electric |title=2018 Annual Report – General Electric |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |publisher=GE.com |access-date=August 20, 2019 |pages=39 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923162718/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Consequently, the reported liability for the underfunded pension plans decreased by $7&nbsp;billion year-over-year, from $34.2&nbsp;billion in 2017 to $27.2&nbsp;billion in 2018.<ref name="auto"/>

In October 2018, General Electric announced it would "freeze pensions" for about 20,000 salaried U.S. employees.  The employees will be moved to a defined contribution retirement plan in 2021.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Alwyn Scott |author2=Ankit Ajmera |title=GE to freeze, pre-pay pensions to save up to $8 billion, cut debt |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-pensions-idUSKBN1WM138 |work=Reuters |access-date=October 12, 2019 |language=en |date=October 7, 2019 |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012112937/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-pensions-idUSKBN1WM138 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On March 30, 2020, General Electric factory workers protested to convert jet engine factories to make ventilators during the [[COVID-19]] crisis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/general-electric-workers-walk-off-the-job-demand-to-make-ventilators/|title=General Electric Workers Launch Protest, Demand to Make Ventilators|last=Ongweso|first=Edward Jr|date=March 30, 2020|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=March 31, 2020|archive-date=March 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330182241/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/y3mjxg/general-electric-workers-walk-off-the-job-demand-to-make-ventilators|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2020, GE made an agreement to sell its Lighting business to Savant Systems, Inc. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-sell-lighting-business-savant-systems-inc|title=GE to Sell Lighting Business to Savant Systems, Inc.|last=Sabol|first=Ben|date=May 27, 2020|website=GE|language=en|access-date=March 31, 2020|archive-date=June 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614004838/https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-sell-lighting-business-savant-systems-inc|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2020, General Electric warned it would be cutting jobs waiting for a recovery due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Vats |first1=Rachit |last2=Kumar Singh |first2=Rajesh |date=November 24, 2020 |title=GE warns of more job cuts at aviation business amid sluggish recovery |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-general-electric-jobs-idUSKBN2841ZH |url-status=live |access-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124202925/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-general-electric-jobs-idUSKBN2841ZH |archive-date=November 24, 2020}}</ref>

On November 9, 2021, the company announced it would divide itself into three public companies. On July 18, 2022, GE unveiled the brand names of the companies it had devised through its planned separation: [[GE Aerospace]], [[GE HealthCare]], and [[GE Vernova]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=GE Unveils Brand Names for Three Planned Future Public Companies {{!}} GE News |url=https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-unveils-brand-names-for-three-planned-future-public-companies |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=www.ge.com |language=en |archive-date=September 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913072716/https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-unveils-brand-names-for-three-planned-future-public-companies |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Commentary: Corporations break themselves up all the time. So why shouldn't regulators break up Big Tech? |url=https://fortune.com/2022/08/25/corporations-break-regulators-up-big-tech-ftc-sec-meta-alphabet-amazon-tech-denise-hearn/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Fortune |language=en |archive-date=September 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904095827/https://fortune.com/2022/08/25/corporations-break-regulators-up-big-tech-ftc-sec-meta-alphabet-amazon-tech-denise-hearn/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The new companies are respectively focused on aerospace, healthcare, and energy (renewable energy, power, and digital). The first spin-off of [[GE HealthCare]] was finalized on January 4, 2023;<ref>{{Cite web |title=GE Completes Separation of GE HealthCare {{!}} GE News |url=https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-completes-separation-of-ge-healthcare |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=www.ge.com |language=en |archive-date=January 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108231832/https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-completes-separation-of-ge-healthcare |url-status=live }}</ref> GE continues to hold 10.24% of shares and intends to sell the remaining over time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Francis |first=Theo |date=July 25, 2023 |title=GE Lifts Guidance as Sales and Earnings Rise |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/general-electric-ge-q2-earnings-report-2023-1abab709 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url-access=subscription |access-date=October 17, 2023 |archive-date=October 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231025162955/https://www.wsj.com/articles/general-electric-ge-q2-earnings-report-2023-1abab709 |url-status=live }}</ref> This was followed by the spin-off of GE's portfolio of energy businesses, which became GE Vernova on April 2, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=GE Plans to Form Three Public Companies Focused on Growth Sectors of Aviation, Healthcare, and Energy |url=https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-plans-to-form-three-public-companies-focused-on-growth-sectors-of-aviation |website=www.ge.com |publisher=GE News |access-date=26 October 2022 |archive-date=October 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021221917/https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-plans-to-form-three-public-companies-focused-on-growth-sectors-of-aviation |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="bostonglobe-spinoff" /><ref name="afp-spinoff">{{cite web |last=Mazein |first=Elodie |date=April 1, 2024 |title=Swan song for General Electric as it completes demerger |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/swan-song-general-electric-completes-015925420.html?guccounter=1 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20240402022206/https://www.yahoo.com/news/swan-song-general-electric-completes-015925420.html?guccounter=1 |archivedate=April 2, 2024 |publisher=AFP |via=Yahoo! News |quote=The official finalization of the separation comes Tuesday, with General Electric disappearing in favor of GE Vernova, dealing with energy activities, and GE Aerospace, the new name of the late GE.}}</ref> Following these transactions, GE became an aviation-focused company; GE Aerospace is the legal successor of the original GE.<ref>{{cite web |title=GE 2021 Annual Report |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_AR2021_AnnualReport.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211145336/https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_AR2021_AnnualReport.pdf |archive-date=2022-02-11 |url-status=live |website=www.ge.com |publisher=GE |access-date=26 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pound |first=Jesse |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/09/ge-to-break-up-into-3-companies-focusing-on-aviation-healthcare-and-energy.html |title=GE to break up into 3 companies focusing on aviation, health care and energy |work=[[CNBC]] |date=2021-11-09 |access-date=2021-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110032311/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/09/ge-to-break-up-into-3-companies-focusing-on-aviation-healthcare-and-energy.html |archive-date=2021-11-10 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Ganapavaram|first1=Abhijith |last2=Singh|first2=Rajesh Kumar |date=2021-11-09|title=GE, an industrial conglomerate pioneer, to break up|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/ge-form-three-public-companies-2021-11-09/|access-date=2021-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109215139/https://www.reuters.com/business/ge-form-three-public-companies-2021-11-09/ |archive-date=2021-11-09 |url-status=live}}</ref> The company's legal name is still General Electric Company.

== Financial performance ==
{| class="wikitable float-left" style="text-align: right;"
!Year
!Revenue<br />in mil. US$
!Net income<br />in mil. US$
!Total assets<br />in mil. US$
!Price per share<br />in US$
!Employees
|-
|2005<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2006.pdf|title=2006 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016121739/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2006.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|136,580
|16,720
|673,321
|22.35
|
|-
|2006<ref name=":0" />
|151,568
|20,742
|696,683
|22.43
|
|-
|2007<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2007.pdf|title=2007 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016152458/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2007.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|172,488
|22,208
|795,683
|25.44
|
|-
|2008<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2008.pdf|title=2008 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016143300/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2008.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|181,581
|17,335
|797,769
|19.44
|
|-
|2009<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2009.pdf|title=2009 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016095330/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2009.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|154,438
|10,725
|781,901
|9.96
|
|-
|2010<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2010.pdf|title=2010 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016071131/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2010.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|149,567
|11,344
|747,793
|12.68
|
|-
|2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2011.pdf|title=2011 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016055945/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2011.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|146,542
|13,120
|718,189
|14.32
|
|-
|2012<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2012.pdf|title=2012 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016164745/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2012.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|146,684
|13,641
|684,999
|16.56
|
|-
|2013<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2013.pdf|title=2013 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016111915/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2013.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|113,245
|13,057
|656,560
|20.32
|307,000
|-
|2014<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2014.pdf|title=2014 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171016104613/http://annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2014.pdf|archive-date=October 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|117,184
|15,233
|654,954
|22.72
|305,000
|-
|2015<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2015.pdf|title=2015 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164743/https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2015.pdf|archive-date=November 18, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
|117,386
|−6,145
|493,071
|24.28
|333,000
|-
|2016<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2016.pdf|title=2016 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164958/https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/g/NYSE_GE_2016.pdf|archive-date=November 18, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
|123,693
|8,176
|365,183
|28.36
|295,000
|-
|2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReports/PDF/NYSE_GE_2017.pdf|title=2017 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164736/https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReports/PDF/NYSE_GE_2017.pdf|archive-date=November 18, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|122,092
|−6,222
|377,945
|25.02
|313,000
|-
|2018<ref name=2018_10-K>{{Cite web|url=https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReports/PDF/NYSE_GE_2018.pdf|title=2018 Annual Report|website=Annualreports.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414192802/https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReports/PDF/NYSE_GE_2018.pdf|archive-date=April 14, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|121,615
|−22,802
|309,129
|12.71
|283,000
|-
|2019<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |title=GE Annual Report - 2020 |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_AR20_AnnualReport.pdf |access-date=October 7, 2024 |work=GE Annual Report}}</ref>
|95,214
| -5,439
|265,177
|56.57
|205,000
|-
|2020<ref name=":4" />
|79,619
|5,230
|253,452
|53.13
|174,000
|-
|2021<ref>{{Cite web |title=GE 2021 Annual Report |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_AR2021_AnnualReport.pdf |access-date=October 9, 2024 |website=GE.com}}</ref>
|74,196
| -6,757
|198,874
|58.91
|168,000
|-
|2022<ref>{{Cite web |title=GE 2022 Annual Report |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge_ar2022_annualreport.pdf |access-date=October 9, 2024 |website=GE.com}}</ref>
|76,555
| -64
|187,788
|52.55
|172,000
|}

=== Dividends ===
General Electric was a longtime "dividend aristocrat" (a company with a long history of maintaining [[dividend]] payments to shareholders). Until 2017, the company had never cut dividends for 119 years before a 50% dividend reduction from 24 cents per share to 12 cents per share.<ref>Lou Carlozo (June 11, 2019). [https://money.usnews.com/investing/dividends/articles/what-to-do-when-a-dividend-aristocrat-trips What to Do When a Dividend Aristocrat Trips] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211190312/https://money.usnews.com/investing/dividends/articles/what-to-do-when-a-dividend-aristocrat-trips |date=February 11, 2022 }}. US News & World Report, accessed 18 May 2022</ref> In 2018, GE further reduced its quarterly dividend from 12 cents to 1 cent per share.<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 Annual Report |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |website=General Electric |access-date=August 20, 2019 |pages=8 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190923162718/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/GE_AR18.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Stock==
As a publicly traded company on the [[New York Stock Exchange]], GE stock was one of the 30 components of the [[Dow Jones Industrial Average]] from 1907 to 2018, the longest continuous presence of any company on the index, and during this time the only company that was part of the original Dow Jones Industrial Index created in 1896.<ref name="fact">{{cite web|url=https://www.ge.com/about-us/fact-sheet|title=GE Fact Sheet|publisher=GE|access-date=January 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126172922/http://www.ge.com/about-us/fact-sheet|archive-date=January 26, 2017|url-status=dead }}</ref> In August 2000, the company had a market capitalization of $601&nbsp;billion, and was the most valuable company in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seiffert |first=Don |date=October 30, 2018 |title=GE is no longer the most valuable public company in Massachusetts |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2018/10/30/ge-is-no-longer-the-most-valuable-public-company.html |access-date=September 3, 2020 |website=[[Boston Business Journal]] |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106032226/https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2018/10/30/ge-is-no-longer-the-most-valuable-public-company.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 26, 2018, the stock was removed from the index and replaced with [[Walgreens Boots Alliance]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nasdaq.com/article/-ge-says-goodbye-to-the-dow-cm981193|title=GE Says Goodbye to the Dow|date=June 20, 2018|website=Nasdaq.com|access-date=June 21, 2018|language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621093415/https://www.nasdaq.com/article/-ge-says-goodbye-to-the-dow-cm981193|archive-date=June 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In the years leading to its removal, GE was the worst performing stock in the Dow, falling more than 55 percent [[year on year]] and more than 25 percent [[year to date]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/worst-isn-apos-t-over-234900168.html |title=Worst isn't over for General Electric, predicts ex-GE transportation CEO |author=Michelle Fox |date=June 20, 2018 |access-date=June 23, 2018 |archive-date=June 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605014554/https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/worst-isn-apos-t-over-234900168.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The company continued to lose value after being removed from the index.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salmon |first=Felix |date=September 3, 2020 |title=GE heads towards zero |url=https://www.axios.com/general-electric-ge-heads-towards-zero-94ed6624-cb72-4a84-b034-341e0f031f44.html |access-date=September 3, 2020 |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203062806/https://www.axios.com/general-electric-ge-heads-towards-zero-94ed6624-cb72-4a84-b034-341e0f031f44.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Linear GE Stock Price Graph 1962-2013.png|Linear GE stock price graph 1962–2013{{Update inline|date=November 2023}}
File:GE Trading Volume Graph.png|GE trading volume graph
</gallery>

General Electric Co. announced on July 30, 2021 (the completion of) a reverse stock split of GE common stock at a ratio of 1-for-8 and trading on a split-adjusted basis with a new ISIN number (US3696043013) starting on August 2, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GE COMPLETES ONE-FOR-EIGHT REVERSE STOCK SPLIT {{!}} GE News |url=https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-completes-one-for-eight-reverse-stock-split |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=ge.com |language=en |archive-date=January 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130194234/https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-completes-one-for-eight-reverse-stock-split |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Corporate affairs==
[[File:GeneralElectricSign.jpg|thumb|right|A General Electric [[neon sign]]]]

In 1959, General Electric was accused of promoting the largest illegal cartel in the United States since the adoption of the [[Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890]] in order to maintain artificially high prices. In total, 29 companies and 45 executives would be convicted. Subsequent parliamentary inquiries revealed that "[[white-collar crime]]" was by far the most costly form of crime for the United States' finances.<ref>The American Way of Crime: From Salem to Watergate</ref>

GE is a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.<ref name=10K2017>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/40545/000004054518000014/ge10-k2017.htm|title=US SEC: Form 10-K General Electric Company|publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|access-date=June 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224125706/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/40545/000004054518000014/ge10-k2017.htm|archive-date=February 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> However its main offices are located at [[30 Rockefeller Plaza]] at [[Rockefeller Center]] in [[New York City]], known now as the Comcast Building.{{update inline|date=May 2019}}<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0000040545&owner=include&count=40|title = Company Search, EDGAR System, Securities and Exchange Commission|access-date = December 21, 2015|at = header|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160101021438/http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0000040545&owner=include&count=40|archive-date = January 1, 2016|url-status = live}}</ref> It was formerly known as the GE Building for the prominent GE logo on the roof; [[NBC]]'s headquarters and main studios are also located in the building. Through its RCA subsidiary, it has been associated with the center since its construction in the 1930s. GE moved its corporate headquarters from the GE Building on Lexington Avenue to [[Fairfield, Connecticut]] in 1974.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/06/8569598/ge-fumes-over-connecticut-tax-hike-new-york-calls|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812060907/http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2015/06/8569598/ge-fumes-over-connecticut-tax-hike-new-york-calls|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2015|title=As G.E. fumes over Connecticut tax hike, New York calls - Capital New York|date=August 12, 2015|access-date=December 27, 2018}}</ref> In 2016, GE announced a move to the [[South Boston Waterfront]] neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, partly as a result of an incentive package provide by state and city governments. The first group of workers arrived in the summer of 2016, and the full move will be completed by 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/01/13/general-electric-will-announce-tomorrow-that-has-selected-boston-for-global-headquarters-according-official-familiar-with-process/ZYZSu7GorfVTRXM2ZIaabJ/story.html|title=Boston lands new GE headquarters|newspaper=Boston Globe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202115504/https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/01/13/general-electric-will-announce-tomorrow-that-has-selected-boston-for-global-headquarters-according-official-familiar-with-process/ZYZSu7GorfVTRXM2ZIaabJ/story.html|archive-date=December 2, 2017|access-date=January 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mann |first1=Ted |last2=Kamp |first2=Jon |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/general-electric-plans-to-move-headquarters-to-boston-1452703676 |title=General Electric to Move Headquarters to Boston |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=January 13, 2016 |access-date=January 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113185153/http://www.wsj.com/articles/general-electric-plans-to-move-headquarters-to-boston-1452703676 |archive-date=January 13, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=GE Moves Headquarters to Boston |url=http://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/ge-moves-headquarters-boston-282587 |publisher=General Electric |date=January 13, 2016 |access-date=September 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923022821/http://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/ge-moves-headquarters-boston-282587 |archive-date=September 23, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{Update inline|date=February 2019}} Due to poor financial performance and corporate downsizing, GE sold the land it planned to build its new headquarters building on, instead choosing to occupy neighboring leased buildings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbur.org/bostonomix/2019/05/09/general-electric-seaport-property-sale|title=GE Sells Fort Point HQ For $252 Million|website=wbur.org|date=May 9, 2019 |access-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902074327/https://www.wbur.org/bostonomix/2019/05/09/general-electric-seaport-property-sale|archive-date=September 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

GE's tax return is the largest return filed in the United States; the 2005 return was approximately 24,000 pages when printed out, and 237 megabytes when submitted electronically.<ref>{{cite press release |title=IRS e-file Moves Forward; Successfully Executes Electronic Filing of Nation's Largest Tax Return |publisher=United States Department of the Treasury—Internal Revenue Service |date=May 31, 2006 |url=https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/ir-06-084.pdf |access-date=December 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504201427/https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/ir-06-084.pdf |archive-date=May 4, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 2011, the company spent more on U.S. [[lobbying]] than any other company.<ref name="Carney">{{Cite web |last=Carney |first=Tim |date=April 7, 2011 |title=Want to know how GE paid $0 income taxes? Think green. |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/want-to-know-how-ge-paid-0-income-taxes-think-green |access-date=September 3, 2020 |website=[[Washington Examiner]] |archive-date=February 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201023700/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/want-to-know-how-ge-paid-0-income-taxes-think-green |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2005, GE launched its "''Ecomagination''" initiative in an attempt to position itself as a "green" company.
GE is one of the biggest players in the wind power industry and is developing environment-friendly products such as hybrid locomotives, desalination and water reuse solutions, and photovoltaic cells. The company "plans to build the largest solar-panel-making factory in the U.S."<ref name=Carney/> and has set goals for its subsidiaries to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.<ref>{{cite press release|title=GE Launches Ecomagination to Develop Environmental Technologies; Company-Wide Focus on Addressing Pressing Challenges |publisher=General Electric |date=May 9, 2005 |url=http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050509005663/en |access-date=January 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120123134840/http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050509005663/en |archive-date=January 23, 2012 }}</ref>

On May 21, 2007, GE announced it would sell its GE Plastics division to petrochemicals manufacturer SABIC for net proceeds of $11.6&nbsp;billion. The transaction took place on August 31, 2007, and the company name changed to SABIC Innovative Plastics, with Brian Gladden as CEO.<ref>{{cite news |last=Deutsch |first=Claudia |title=General Electric to Sell Plastics Division |work=The New York Times |date=May 22, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/business/22plastics.html |access-date=December 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417114603/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/business/22plastics.html/ |archive-date=April 17, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2010, GE agreed to pay $23.4&nbsp;million to settle an SEC complaint without admitting or denying the allegations that two of its subsidiaries bribed Iraqi government officials to win contracts under the [[Oil-for-Food Programme|U.N. oil-for-food program]] between 2002 and 2003.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/27/AR2010072705785.html |title=GE to settle SEC charges of foreign bribery |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=January 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219163159/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/27/AR2010072705785.html |archive-date=December 19, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In February 2017, GE announced that the company intends to close the [[Gender pay gap|gender gap]] by promising to hire and place 20,000 women in technical roles by 2020. The company is also seeking to have a 50:50 male-to-female [[Gender equality|gender representation]] in all [[entry-level]] technical programs.<ref>{{cite news |last=O'Reilly |first=Lara |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ge-commits-to-placing-20000-women-in-technical-roles-by-2020-2017-2 |title='What if female scientists were celebrities?': GE says it will place 20,000 women in technical roles by 2020 |work=Business Insider |date=February 8, 2017 |access-date=February 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209035200/http://www.businessinsider.com/ge-commits-to-placing-20000-women-in-technical-roles-by-2020-2017-2 |archive-date=February 9, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2017, GE announced they would be closing research and development centers in Shanghai, Munich and Rio de Janeiro. The company spent $5&nbsp;billion on R&D in the last year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gryta |first1=Thomas |last2=Lublin |first2=Joann S. |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ges-new-chief-starts-making-cuts-starting-with-old-favorites-1508353939 |title=GE's New Chief Makes Cuts, Starting With Old Favorites |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=October 18, 2017 |access-date=October 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018230213/https://www.wsj.com/articles/ges-new-chief-starts-making-cuts-starting-with-old-favorites-1508353939 |archive-date=October 18, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 25, 2019, GE sold its diesel locomotive business to [[Wabtec]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://seekingalpha.com/article/4245730-general-electric-deed-done|title=General Electric: The Deed Is Done|first=Daniel|last=Jones|date=March 1, 2019|website=Seeking Alpha|access-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505054141/https://seekingalpha.com/article/4245730-general-electric-deed-done|archive-date=May 5, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

===CEO===
{{as of|2018|October|}}, [[John L. Flannery]] was replaced by [[H. Lawrence Culp Jr.|H. Lawrence "Larry" Culp Jr.]] as chairman and CEO, in a unanimous vote of the GE Board of Directors.<ref>{{cite web |title=H. LAWRENCE CULP, JR. NAMED CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GE |work=GE Newsroom |publisher=General Electric |url=https://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/h-lawrence-culp-jr-named-chairman-and-ceo-ge-284509 |date=October 1, 2018 |access-date=October 1, 2018  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001121240/https://www.genewsroom.com/press-releases/h-lawrence-culp-jr-named-chairman-and-ceo-ge-284509 |archive-date=October 1, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Charles A. Coffin]] (1913–1922)
* [[Owen D. Young]] (1922–1939, 1942–1945)
* [[Philip D. Reed]] (1940–1942, 1945–1958)
* [[Ralph J. Cordiner]] (1958–1963)
* Gerald L. Phillippe (1963–1972)
* [[Fred J. Borch]] (1967–1972)
* [[Reginald H. Jones]] (1972–1981)
* [[Jack Welch]] (1981–2001)
* [[Jeff Immelt]] (2001–2017)
* [[John L. Flannery]] (2017–2018)<ref>{{cite web |title=JOHN FLANNERY NAMED CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GE |work=GE Investor Relations |publisher=General Electric |url=https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/Press%20Release_GE%20succession_061217_0.pdf |date=June 12, 2017 |access-date=June 12, 2017  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112124524/https://www.ge.com/investor-relations/sites/default/files/Press%20Release_GE%20succession_061217_0.pdf |archive-date=January 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[H. Lawrence Culp Jr.]] (2018–2024)

===Corporate recognition and rankings===
In 2011, ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' ranked GE the sixth-largest firm in the U.S.,<ref name="Fortune 500: GE">{{cite news|url=http://fortune.com/fortune500/general-electric/|title=Fortune 500 2017|work=Fortune|access-date=June 14, 2017|year=2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614100930/http://fortune.com/fortune500/general-electric/|archive-date=June 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and the 14th-most profitable.<ref name="Fortune 500: IBM profit"/> Other rankings for 2011–2012 include the following:<ref name="Fast">{{cite web |url=http://rankingthebrands.com/Brand-detail.aspx?brandID=82 |title=GE rankings |publisher=Ranking the Brands |access-date=December 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603120405/http://www.rankingthebrands.com/Brand-detail.aspx?brandID=82 |archive-date=June 3, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* <nowiki>#</nowiki>18 company for leaders (''Fortune'')
* <nowiki>#</nowiki>82 green company (''[[Newsweek]]'')
* <nowiki>#</nowiki>91 most admired company (''Fortune'')
* <nowiki>#</nowiki>19 most innovative company (''[[Fast Company (magazine)|Fast Company]]'').

In 2012, GE's brand was valued at $28.8&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/best-global-brands-2010.aspx |title=Best Global Brands Ranking for 2010 |publisher=Interbrand |access-date=February 15, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212184731/http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/best-global-brands-2010.aspx |archive-date=February 12, 2011 }}</ref> CEO [[Jeff Immelt]] had a set of changes in the presentation of the brand commissioned in 2004, after he took the reins as chairman, to unify the diversified businesses of GE.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Strategy, innovation, and change: challenges for management |date=2008 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-923990-0 |editor-last=Murray |editor-first=John A. |location=Oxford; New York |editor-last2=Markides |editor-first2=Constantinos |editor-last3=Galavan |editor-first3=Robert}}</ref>

Tom Geismar later stated that looking back at the logos of the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s, one can clearly judge that they are old-fashioned. Chermayeff & Geismar, along with colleagues Bill Brown and Ivan Chermaev, created the modern 1980 logo.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chermayeff & Geismar logos {{!}} Geometric logo, Logo design inspiration, History design|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/chermayeff-geismar-logos--549720698237459610/|access-date=2022-01-27|website=Pinterest|language=en|archive-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127102557/https://www.pinterest.com/pin/chermayeff-geismar-logos--549720698237459610/|url-status=live}}</ref> They, in turn, argued that even now the old logos look out of date, earlier they were good.<ref>{{Cite web|title=General Electric - Logo in EPS, PNG & JPG Formats|url=https://logoose.com/logo/General-Electric/40|access-date=2022-01-27|website=logoose.com|archive-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127101640/https://logoose.com/logo/General-Electric/40|url-status=live}}</ref> The changes included a new corporate color palette, small modifications to the GE logo, a new customized font (GE Inspira) and a new slogan, "Imagination at work", composed by David Lucas, to replace the slogan "[[We Bring Good Things to Life]]" used since 1979.<ref name="slogan">{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2003/01/16/cx_tm_0116video2.html|title=GE Drops Its Slogan|author=Tara Murphy|date=January 16, 2003|work=Forbes|access-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729124940/https://www.forbes.com/2003/01/16/cx_tm_0116video2.html|archive-date=July 29, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The standard requires many headlines to be lowercased and adds visual "white space" to documents and advertising. The changes were designed by [[Wolff Olins]] and are used on GE's marketing, literature, and website. In 2014, a second typeface family was introduced: GE Sans and Serif by Bold Monday, created under art direction by Wolff Olins.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boldmonday.com/custom/general-electric/|title=Bold Monday – independent font foundry of high quality type|website=Boldmonday.com|access-date=July 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722031557/https://www.boldmonday.com/custom/general-electric/|archive-date=July 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{as of|2016}}, GE had appeared on the [[Fortune 500]] list for 22 years and held the 11th rank.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://beta.fortune.com/fortune500/general-electric-11|title=General Electric|year=2015|publisher=[[Fortune 500]]|website=Beta.fortune.com|access-date=July 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709182309/http://beta.fortune.com/fortune500/general-electric-11|archive-date=July 9, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> GE was removed from the [[Dow Jones Industrial Average]] on June 28, 2018, after the value had dropped below 1% of the index's weight.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/dow-original-companies-2016-12 |title=GE is getting booted from the Dow Jones industrial average |last=Oyedele |first=Akin |date=June 20, 2018 |website=BusinessInsider.com |access-date=August 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803013955/https://www.businessinsider.com/dow-original-companies-2016-12 |archive-date=August 3, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Businesses==
{{main|List of assets owned by General Electric}}
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable"
|+ Ranking in Fortune 500
|-
! Year !! Rank
|-
| 1996 || 7
|-
| 1997 || 5
|-
| 1998 || 5
|-
| 1999 || 5
|-
| 2000 || 6
|-
| 2001 || 5
|-
| 2002 || 6
|-
| 2003 || 5
|-
| 2004 || 5
|-
| 2005 || 5
|-
| 2006 || 7
|-
| 2007 || 6
|-
| 2008 || 6
|-
| 2009 || 5
|-
| 2010 || 4
|-
| 2011 || 6
|-
| 2012 || 6
|-
| 2013 || 8
|-
| 2014 || 9
|-
| 2015 || 8
|-
| 2016 || 11
|-
|2017
|13
|-
|2018
|18
|-
|2019
|21
|-
|2020
|33
|-
|2021
|38
|-
|2022
|48
|}

GE's primary business divisions are:
* GE Additive
* [[GE Aerospace]]
* [[GE Capital]]
* [[GE Digital]]
* [[GE Healthcare]]
* [[GE Power]]
* [[GE Renewable Energy]]
* [[GE Research]]

Through these businesses, GE participates in markets that include the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity (e.g. [[Nuclear reactor technology|nuclear]], gas and solar), industrial [[automation]], [[medical imaging]] equipment, motors, aircraft jet engines, and aviation services. Through GE Commercial Finance, GE Consumer Finance, GE Equipment Services, and GE Insurance, it offers a range of financial services. It has a presence in over 100 countries.<ref name="fact"/>

[[File:LocomotiveGaugesSRM.jpg|thumb|GE gauges to control a railway [[locomotive]] at a museum near [[Saskatoon]], Canada<ref name="SRM">{{cite web|title=Welcome to Saskrailmuseum.org |work=saskrailmuseum.org |url=http://www.saskrailmuseum.org/ |access-date=October 3, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015051856/http://www.saskrailmuseum.org/ |archive-date=October 15, 2008}}</ref>]]

General Imaging manufacturers GE digital cameras.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tgdaily.com/consumer-electronics-features/35959-video-%E2%80%93-general-imaging%E2%80%99s-blink-detection-cameras |title=VIDEO – General Imaging's blink detection cameras |publisher=TG Daily |date=February 6, 2008 |first1=Humphrey |last1=Cheung |access-date=April 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616075106/http://www.tgdaily.com/consumer-electronics-features/35959-video-%E2%80%93-general-imaging%E2%80%99s-blink-detection-cameras |archive-date=June 16, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Even though the first wave of conglomerates (such as [[ITT Corporation]], [[Ling-Temco-Vought]], [[Tenneco]], etc.) fell by the wayside by the mid-1980s, in the late 1990s, another wave (consisting of [[Westinghouse Electric (1886)|Westinghouse]], [[Tyco International|Tyco]], and others) tried and failed to emulate GE's success.<ref>{{cite news|title=Westinghouse RIP|url=http://www.economist.com/node/107318 |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The Economist|access-date=April 21, 2016|date=November 27, 1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826181053/http://www.economist.com/node/107318|archive-date=August 26, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{as of|August 2015}} GE is planning to set up a [[silicon carbide]] chip packaging R&D center in coalition with [[SUNY Polytechnic Institute]] in [[Utica, New York]]. The project will create 470 jobs with the potential to grow to 820 jobs within 10 years.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blog.timesunion.com/business/ge-to-put-silicon-carbide-chip-packaging-rd-center-in-utica/68544/ |title=GE putting silicon carbide chip packaging R&D center in Utica |newspaper=Times Union |first1= Larry |last1=Rulison |date=August 20, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820223457/http://blog.timesunion.com/business/ge-to-put-silicon-carbide-chip-packaging-rd-center-in-utica/68544/ |archive-date=August 20, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On September 14, 2015, GE announced the creation of a new unit: GE Digital, which will bring together its software and IT capabilities. The new business unit will be headed by Bill Ruh, who joined GE in 2011 from Cisco Systems and has since worked on GE's software efforts.<ref>{{Cite news|title = GE forms digital unit, says energy management head to retire|url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-general-electric-management-idUSKCN0RE1WE20150914|newspaper = Reuters|date = September 14, 2015|access-date = October 5, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151006065328/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/14/us-general-electric-management-idUSKCN0RE1WE20150914|archive-date = October 6, 2015|url-status = live}}</ref>

Morgan Stanley sold a stake in GE HealthCare Technologies for $1.1 billion as part of a deal to swap General Electric Co. debt for GE HealthCare stock.<ref>{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/morgan-stanley-seeks-us1-billion-ge-healthcare-shares|title=Morgan Stanley seeks up to US$1 billion in GE HealthCare shares|website=The Business Times|date=February 16, 2024 |access-date=2024-02-27|archive-date=2024-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216112150/https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/morgan-stanley-seeks-us1-billion-ge-healthcare-shares}}</ref>

===Former divisions===
'''GE Industrial''' was a division providing appliances, lighting, and industrial products; factory automation systems; plastics, silicones, and quartz products; security and sensors technology; and equipment financing, management, and operating services. As of 2007, it had 70,000 employees, generating $17.7&nbsp;billion in revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ge.com/company/businesses/factsheets/industrial.html |title=GE Industrial Fact Sheet |access-date=June 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919062306/http://www.ge.com/company/businesses/factsheets/industrial.html |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After some major realignments in late 2007, GE Industrial was organized in two main sub businesses:
* GE Consumer & Industrial
** [[GE Appliances|Appliances]]
** Electrical Distribution
** [[GE Lighting|Lighting]]
* [[GE Enterprise Solutions]]
** Digital Energy
** [[GE Fanuc Automation|GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms]]
** [[GE Security|Security]]
** [[GE Sensing|Sensing &amp; Inspection Technologies]]

The former GE Plastics division was sold in August 2007 and is now [[SABIC (Saudia)|SABIC]] Innovative Plastics.

On May 4, 2008, it was announced that GE would auction off its appliances business for an expected sale of $5–8&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web |title=GE confirms it's exiting appliance business |work=NBC News |date=May 16, 2008 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24630072 |access-date=December 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225022215/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24630072 |archive-date=December 25, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, this plan fell through as a result of the recession.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wason|first1=Eleanor|title=GE's planned spin-off signals failed auction|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-dealtalk-ge-idUSN1035090520080710|website=Reuters|date=July 10, 2008 |access-date=April 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507030338/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-dealtalk-ge-idUSN1035090520080710|archive-date=May 7, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

The former [[GE Home & Business Solutions|GE Appliances and Lighting]] segment was dissolved in 2014 when GE's [[GE Appliances|appliance division]] was attempted to be sold to [[Electrolux]] for $5.4&nbsp;billion, but eventually sold it to [[Haier]] in June 2016 due to antitrust filing against Electrolux. [[GE Lighting]] (consumer lighting) and the newly created [[Current Lighting Solutions|Current, powered by GE]], which deals in commercial LED, solar, EV, and energy storage, became stand-alone businesses within the company,<ref name="cnetHaier">{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/its-official-ge-appliances-belongs-to-haier/ |title=It's official: GE Appliances belongs to Haier |last=THOMPSON |first=ASHLEE CLARK |work=cnet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233713/https://www.cnet.com/news/its-official-ge-appliances-belongs-to-haier/ |archive-date=August 8, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> until the sale of the latter to American Industrial Partners in April 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.currentbyge.com/ideas/american-industrial-partners-completes-acquisition-of-current-powered-by-ge|title=American Industrial Partners Completes Acquisition of Current, powered by GE|website=currentbyge.com|date=December 8, 2016 |access-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426002952/https://www.currentbyge.com/ideas/american-industrial-partners-completes-acquisition-of-current-powered-by-ge|archive-date=April 26, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

The former [[GE Transportation]] division merged with [[Wabtec]] on February 25, 2019, leaving GE with a 24.9% holding in Wabtec.<ref>{{cite web|title=Next Stop, Wabtec: GE Completes Spin-Off And Merger Of Its Transportation Unit|url=https://www.ge.com/reports/next-stop-wabtec-ge-completes-spin-off-merger-transportation-unit/|website=General Electric|access-date=April 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428060722/https://www.ge.com/reports/next-stop-wabtec-ge-completes-spin-off-merger-transportation-unit/|archive-date=April 28, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 1, 2020, [[GE Lighting]] was acquired by [[Savant Systems]] and remains headquartered at [[Nela Park]] in [[East Cleveland, Ohio]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.twice.com/product/product-spotlight/smart-home/savant-systems-inc-completes-acquisition-of-ge-lighting |title=Savant Systems, Inc. Completes Acquisition of GE Lighting |work=Twice.com |date=July 1, 2020 |access-date=August 11, 2021 |archive-date=August 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802141811/https://www.twice.com/product/product-spotlight/smart-home/savant-systems-inc-completes-acquisition-of-ge-lighting |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Environmental record==
===Carbon footprint===
General Electric Company reported Total [[carbon footprint|CO2e emissions]] (direct + indirect) for the twelve months ending 31 December 2020 at 2,080 Kt (-310 /-13% y-o-y).<ref name ="General Electric Company Total CO2e emissions for 2020Q4">{{Cite web |title=General Electric Company's ESG Datasheet for 2020Q4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015102015/https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge2020_esg_results.pdf |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge2020_esg_results.pdf |archive-date=October 15, 2021 }} [https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%20Electric%20Company/Total%20CO2e%20Emissions%20-%20Market-Based%20Scope%201%20%2b%20Scope%202/2020Q4/12 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024171212/https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%2520Electric%2520Company/Total%2520CO2e%2520Emissions%2520-%2520Market-Based%2520Scope%25201%2520%2B%2520Scope%25202/2020Q4/12 |date=October 24, 2021 }}</ref> There has been a consistent declining trend in reported emissions since 2016.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ General Electric Company's annual Total [[carbon footprint|CO2e emissions]] (Direct + Indirect) (in kilotonnes)
|-
! Dec 2016 !! Dec 2017 !! Dec 2018 !! Dec 2019 !! Dec 2020
!Dec 2021
!Dec 2022
|-
| 3,830<ref>{{Cite web |title=General Electric Company's ESG Datasheet for 2018Q4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921010422/https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_ESG_KPIs_RY2018_r11_Sep2019.pdf |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_ESG_KPIs_RY2018_r11_Sep2019.pdf |archive-date=September 21, 2020 }} [https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%20Electric%20Company/Total%20CO2e%20Emissions%20-%20Market-Based%20Scope%201%20%2b%20Scope%202/2016Q4/12 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024171220/https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%2520Electric%2520Company/Total%2520CO2e%2520Emissions%2520-%2520Market-Based%2520Scope%25201%2520%2B%2520Scope%25202/2016Q4/12 |date=October 24, 2021 }}</ref> || 3,780<ref>{{Cite web |title=General Electric Company's ESG Datasheet for 2019Q4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020200414/https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_ESG_Results_RY2019.pdf |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/GE_ESG_Results_RY2019.pdf |archive-date=October 20, 2020 }} [https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%20Electric%20Company/Total%20CO2e%20Emissions%20-%20Market-Based%20Scope%201%20%2b%20Scope%202/2017Q4/12 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024171214/https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%2520Electric%2520Company/Total%2520CO2e%2520Emissions%2520-%2520Market-Based%2520Scope%25201%2520%2B%2520Scope%25202/2017Q4/12 |date=October 24, 2021 }}</ref> || 2,800<ref>{{Cite web |title=General Electric Company's ESG Datasheet for 2020Q4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015102015/https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge2020_esg_results.pdf |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge2020_esg_results.pdf |archive-date=October 15, 2021 }} [https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%20Electric%20Company/Total%20CO2e%20Emissions%20-%20Market-Based%20Scope%201%20%2b%20Scope%202/2018Q4/12 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024171221/https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%2520Electric%2520Company/Total%2520CO2e%2520Emissions%2520-%2520Market-Based%2520Scope%25201%2520%2B%2520Scope%25202/2018Q4/12 |date=October 24, 2021 }}</ref> || 2,390<ref>{{Cite web |title=General Electric Company's ESG Datasheet for 2020Q4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015102015/https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge2020_esg_results.pdf |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge2020_esg_results.pdf |archive-date=October 15, 2021 }} [https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%20Electric%20Company/Total%20CO2e%20Emissions%20-%20Market-Based%20Scope%201%20%2b%20Scope%202/2019Q4/12 Alt URL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024171213/https://analytics.exerica.com/App/Name/General%2520Electric%2520Company/Total%2520CO2e%2520Emissions%2520-%2520Market-Based%2520Scope%25201%2520%2B%2520Scope%25202/2019Q4/12 |date=October 24, 2021 }}</ref> || 1,900<ref name=":3" />
|1,080<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |year=2022 |title=2022 Sustainability Report |url=https://www.ge.com/sites/default/files/ge2022_sustainability_report.pdf |journal=GE Annual Sustainability Report |issue=2022 |pages=13}}</ref>
|1,060<ref name=":3" />
|}

===Pollution===
Some of GE's activities have given rise to large-scale [[air pollution|air]] and [[water pollution]]. Based on data from 2000,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.peri.umass.edu/Technical-Notes.264.0.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902163819/http://www.peri.umass.edu/Technical-Notes.264.0.html |archive-date=September 2, 2006 |title=Political Economy Research Institute Toxic 100 Corporate Toxics Information Project Technical Notes |url-status=dead |access-date=June 1, 2016}}. Retrieved November 9, 2007.</ref> Researchers at the [[Political Economy Research Institute]] listed the corporation as the fourth-largest corporate producer of [[air pollution in the United States]] (behind only [[DuPont (1802–2017)|E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co.]], [[U.S. Steel|United States Steel Corp]]., and [[ConocoPhillips]]), with more than 4.4&nbsp;million pounds per year (2,000 tons) of toxic chemicals released into the air.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rtknet.org/new/tox100/toxic100.php?database=t1&detail=1&datype=T&reptype=a&company1=&company2=8337&chemfac=fac&advbasic=bas |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927204419/http://www.rtknet.org/new/tox100/toxic100.php?database=t1&detail=1&datype=T&reptype=a&company1=&company2=8337&chemfac=fac&advbasic=bas |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |title=Political Economy Research Institute |date=September 27, 2007 |access-date=April 23, 2012}}</ref> GE has also been implicated in the creation of [[toxic waste]]. According to [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) documents, only the [[United States Government]], [[Honeywell]], and [[Chevron Corporation]] are responsible for producing more [[Superfund]] toxic waste sites.<ref>[http://projects.publicintegrity.org/superfund/report.aspx?aid=849 EPA Document Lists Firms Tied to Superfund Sites] The Center for Public Integrity {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214015455/http://projects.publicintegrity.org/superfund/report.aspx?aid=849 |date=February 14, 2009 }}</ref>

In 1983, [[New York State Attorney General]] [[Robert Abrams]] filed suit in the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of New York]] to compel GE to pay for the clean-up of what was claimed to be more than 100,000 tons of chemicals dumped from their plant in [[Waterford, New York]], which polluted nearby groundwater and the [[Hudson River]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/21/nyregion/the-region-ge-plant-accused-of-water-pollution.html The Region; G.E. Plant Accused Of Water Pollution"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708030319/http://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/21/nyregion/the-region-ge-plant-accused-of-water-pollution.html |date=July 8, 2017 }}, ''The New York Times'', January 21, 1983</ref> In 1999, the company agreed to pay a $250&nbsp;million settlement in connection with claims it polluted the [[Housatonic River]] (at [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts]]) and other sites with [[polychlorinated biphenyl]]s (PCBs) and other hazardous substances.<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/1999/October/471enr.htm GE agrees to $250&nbsp;million Settlement to Clean Up PCBs in Housatonic River] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028022004/http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/1999/October/471enr.htm |date=October 28, 2011}}, Department of Justice news release, October 7, 1999</ref>

In 2003, acting on concerns that the plan proposed by GE did not "provide for adequate protection of public health and the environment," EPA issued an administrative order for the company to "address cleanup at the GE site" in [[Rome, Georgia]], also contaminated with PCBs.<ref>US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Atlanta, GA (2003-06-12). [http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/e51aa292bac25b0b85257359003d925f/5592f5848c70b2858525731b00674e9c!OpenDocument EPA issues unilateral administrative order to General Electric Company in Rome, Georgia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224024937/http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/e51aa292bac25b0b85257359003d925f/5592f5848c70b2858525731b00674e9c!OpenDocument |date=December 24, 2010}} Press release.</ref>

The [[nuclear reactor]]s involved in the 2011 crisis at [[Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant|Fukushima I]] in Japan were GE designs,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/13/6256121-general-electric-designed-reactors-in-fukushima-have-23-sisters-in-us |title=General Electric-designed reactors in Fukushima have 23 sisters in U.S |publisher=[[MSNBC]] |access-date=April 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320141531/http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/13/6256121-general-electric-designed-reactors-in-fukushima-have-23-sisters-in-us |archive-date=March 20, 2012 }}</ref> and the architectural designs were done by [[Ebasco]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/daiichi/daiichi.htm |title=Nuclear Reactor Maps: Fukushima-Daiichi |publisher=Nuctrans.org |access-date=April 23, 2012 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115221836/http://nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/daiichi/daiichi.htm |archive-date=January 15, 2013 }}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Self-published ref; not in English|date=September 2023}} formerly owned by GE. Concerns over the design and safety of these reactors were raised as early as 1972, but [[tsunami]] danger was not discussed at that time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/fukushima-mark-nuclear-reactor-design-caused-ge-scientist/story?id=13141287 |title=Fukushima: Mark 1 Nuclear Reactor Design Caused GE Scientist To Quit In Protest |publisher=ABC |location=US |date=March 15, 2011 |access-date=April 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422005148/https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/fukushima-mark-nuclear-reactor-design-caused-ge-scientist/story?id=13141287 |archive-date=April 22, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{As of|2014}}, the same model nuclear reactors designed by GE are operating in the US;<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.inquirer.com/archives/|title=Archives &#124; The Philadelphia Inquirer|website=inquirer.com|access-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811024423/https://www.inquirer.com/archives/|archive-date=August 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> however, as of May 31, 2019, the controversial [[Pilgrim Nuclear Generating Station]], in [[Plymouth, Massachusetts]], has been shut down and is in the process of decommission.

====Pollution of the Hudson River====
{{main|Pollution of the Hudson River}}
GE heavily contaminated the Hudson River with PCBs between 1947 and 1977.<ref name="epa_ge">{{cite web |title=Hudson River PCBs – Background and Site Information |publisher=EPA |url=http://www.epa.gov/hudson/background.htm |access-date=December 31, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706172814/http://www.epa.gov/hudson/background.htm |archive-date=July 6, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> This pollution caused a range of harmful effects to wildlife and people who eat fish from the river.<ref name=epa_gel>{{cite web|title=National Priorities List Fact Sheets: Hudson River PCBs |publisher=EPA |url=http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/0202229c.pdf |access-date=December 31, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201054957/http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/0202229c.pdf |archive-date=December 1, 2007 }}</ref> In 1983 EPA declared a 200-mile (320&nbsp;km) stretch of the river, from Hudson Falls to New York City, to be a [[Superfund]] site requiring cleanup. This Superfund site is considered to be one of the largest in the nation.<ref name="upi.com">{{cite news |first=Gerry |last=Harrington |title=Movement afoot to name the bridge after Pete Seeger |url=http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Music/2014/01/31/Movement-afoot-to-name-bridge-after-Pete-Seeger/UPI-15581391204873/ |work=[[United Press International]] |date=January 31, 2014 |access-date=February 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203082935/http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Music/2014/01/31/Movement-afoot-to-name-bridge-after-Pete-Seeger/UPI-15581391204873/ |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to receiving extensive fines, GE is continuing its sediment removal operations, pursuant to the Superfund orders, in the 21st century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/77105.html |title=How is the Hudson Doing?|website=Hudson River Estuary Program |publisher=New York State Department of Environmental Conservation |location=Albany, NY |access-date=November 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119075142/http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/77105.html|archive-date=November 19, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Pollution of the Housatonic River====
From {{circa|1932}} until 1977, GE polluted the Housatonic River with PCB discharges from its plant at [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts]]. EPA designated the Pittsfield plant and several miles of the Housatonic to be a Superfund site in 1997, and ordered GE to remediate the site.<ref>EPA. Boston, MA. [http://www.epa.gov/NE/ge/sitehistory.html GE/Housatonic River Site in New England: Site History and Description."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519121339/http://www.epa.gov/NE/ge/sitehistory.html |date=May 19, 2011 }} November 12, 2009.</ref> Aroclor 1254 and Aroclor 1260, products manufactured by [[Monsanto]], were the principal contaminants that were discharged into the river.<ref>{{cite web |title=Understanding PCB Risks at the GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site |url=http://www2.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/understanding-pcb-risks-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site#WhatArePCBs |publisher=EPA |access-date=September 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926080453/http://www2.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/understanding-pcb-risks-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site#WhatArePCBs |archive-date=September 26, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=USGS>{{cite web |last1=Gay |first1=Frederick B. |last2=Frimpter |first2=Michael H. |title=Distribution of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Housatonic River and Adjacent Aquifer, Massachusetts |url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/2266/report.pdf |date=1985 |publisher=US Geological Survey |location=Alexandria, VA |id=Water-Supply Paper 2266 |access-date=January 29, 2016 |archive-date=September 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926102742/http://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/2266/report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The highest concentrations of PCBs in the Housatonic River are found in Woods Pond in [[Lenox, Massachusetts]], just south of Pittsfield, where they have been measured up to 110&nbsp;mg/kg in the sediment.<ref name=USGS/> About 50% of all the PCBs currently in the river are estimated to be retained in the sediment behind Woods Pond dam. This is estimated to be about {{convert|11,000|lb|kg}} of PCBs.<ref name=USGS/> Formerly filled oxbows are also polluted.<ref name=EPA1>{{cite web |title=Former Filled Oxbows of the GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site |url=http://www2.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/former-filled-oxbows-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site |publisher=EPA |access-date=October 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002021016/http://www2.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/former-filled-oxbows-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site |archive-date=October 2, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Waterfowl and fish who live in and around the river contain significant levels of PCBs and can present health risks if consumed.<ref name=CTDPH1>{{cite web|title=If I Catch It, Can I Eat It? A Guide to Eating Fish Safely – 2015 Connecticut Fish Consumption Advisory Site |url=http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/eoha/pdf/2015_fish_flyer_english.pdf |publisher=Connecticut Department of Public Health |access-date=October 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907221916/https://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/eoha/pdf/2015_fish_flyer_english.pdf |archive-date=September 7, 2015}}</ref><ref name=MDPH>{{cite web|title=General State-wide Advice for Eating Recreationally Caught Fish and Waterfowl In Massachusetts|url=http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/environmental/investigations/housatonic-river-report-2011.pdf|website=Mass.gov|publisher=MDPH|access-date=October 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916005301/http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/environmental/investigations/housatonic-river-report-2011.pdf|archive-date=September 16, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rest of River of the GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site |url=http://www2.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/rest-river-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site|access-date=September 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926092345/http://www2.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/rest-river-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site|archive-date=September 26, 2015 |publisher=EPA |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020 GE completed remediation and restoration of its 10 manufacturing plant areas within the city of Pittsfield.<ref>{{cite web |title=GE Plant Area of the GE-Pittsfield/Housatonic River Site |url=https://www.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/ge-plant-area-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site |date=2020-02-19 |publisher=EPA |access-date=2019-12-08 |archive-date=2019-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208043930/https://www.epa.gov/ge-housatonic/ge-plant-area-ge-pittsfieldhousatonic-river-site |url-status=live }}</ref> {{As of|2023}} plans for cleanup of the river south of the city are not finalized.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Nancy Eve |title=Federal appeals court rejects environmentalists' challenge to EPA's Housatonic cleanup plan |url=https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2023-07-28/federal-appeals-court-rejects-environmentalists-challenge-to-epas-housatonic-cleanup-plan |date=2023-07-28 |work=New England Public Media |access-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918044856/https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2023-07-28/federal-appeals-court-rejects-environmentalists-challenge-to-epas-housatonic-cleanup-plan |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Social responsibility ==

=== Environmental initiatives ===
[[File:GE Schenectady.JPG|thumb|right|GE facility in [[Schenectady, New York]]]]
[[File:EVChargingMarkham.jpg|thumb|upright|A General Electric EV charging station in North America]]
The environmental work and research of GE can be seen as early as 1968 with the experimental Delta electric car built by the GE Research and Development Center led by Bruce Laumeister.<ref>{{cite web |title=General Electric Delta Electric Car |url=https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/general-electric-delta-electric-car-general-electric-company/OAFn1AJaAYWvrA |website=Google Arts & Culture |publisher=Museum of Innovation and Science |access-date=28 May 2023 |archive-date=May 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528124155/https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/general-electric-delta-electric-car-general-electric-company/OAFn1AJaAYWvrA |url-status=live }}</ref> The electric car led to the production shortly after of the cutting-edge technology of the first commercially produced all-electric [[Elec-Trak]] garden tractor, which was manufactured from around 1969 until 1975.<ref>{{cite web |title=Elec-Trak: A New Concept in Home Ground-Care | date=October 14, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5kP4g57Ycw |publisher=General Electric |access-date=28 May 2023 |archive-date=May 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528134840/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5kP4g57Ycw |url-status=live }}</ref>

On June 6, 2011, GE announced that it had licensed solar thermal technology from California-based eSolar for use in power plants that use both solar and natural gas.<ref>Martin LaMonica, CNET. "[http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20069472-54/ge-invests-in-esolar-for-combined-solar-gas-plants/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20 GE invests in eSolar for combined solar, gas plants] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212032507/https://www.cnet.com/news/ge-invests-in-esolar-for-combined-solar-gas-plants/ |date=February 12, 2022 }}." June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.</ref>

On May 26, 2011, GE unveiled its EV Solar Carport, a [[carport]] that incorporates solar panels on its roof, with electric vehicle charging stations under its cover.<ref>Candace Lombardi, CNET. "[http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20066460-54.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20 Solar power carport charges cars in Connecticut] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202083822/https://www.cnet.com/11128_3-20066460-54.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20 |date=February 2, 2021 }}." May 26, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2011.</ref>

In May 2005, GE announced the launch of a program called "Ecomagination", intended, in the words of CEO Jeff Immelt, "to develop tomorrow's solutions such as solar energy, hybrid locomotives, fuel cells, lower-emission aircraft engines, lighter and stronger durable materials, efficient lighting, and water purification technology".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/002669.html |title=Ecomagination: Inside GE's Power Play |publisher=Worldchanging.com |date=February 22, 1999 |access-date=April 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519111651/http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/002669.html |archive-date=May 19, 2012}}</ref> The announcement prompted an op-ed piece in ''The New York Times'' to observe that, "while General Electric's increased emphasis on [[clean technology]] will probably result in improved products and benefit its bottom line, Mr. Immelt's credibility as a spokesman on national environmental policy is fatally flawed because of his company's intransigence in cleaning up its own toxic legacy."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/12/opinion/nyregionopinions/talking-green-acting-dirty.html|title=Opinion &#124; Talking Green, Acting Dirty|first1=Ned|last1=Sullivan|first2=Rich|last2=Schiafo|work=The New York Times |date=June 12, 2005|access-date=August 11, 2019|via=NYTimes.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811113232/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/12/opinion/nyregionopinions/talking-green-acting-dirty.html|archive-date=August 11, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

GE has said that it will invest $1.4&nbsp;billion in clean technology research and development in 2008 as part of its Ecomagination initiative. As of October 2008, the scheme had resulted in 70 green products being brought to market, ranging from halogen lamps to biogas engines. In 2007, GE raised the annual revenue target for its Ecomagination initiative from $20&nbsp;billion in 2010 to $25&nbsp;billion following positive market response to its new product lines.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/1804493/ge-cleantech-sales-usd17bn |title=GE cleantech sales to top $17 billion this year |publisher=Businessgreen.com |date=October 27, 2008 |access-date=April 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313084634/http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/1804493/ge-cleantech-sales-usd17bn |archive-date=March 13, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, GE continued to raise its investment by adding $10&nbsp;billion into Ecomagination over the next five years.<ref>VentureBeat, Camille Ricketts. "[https://venturebeat.com/2010/06/24/ge-pumps-10b-more-into-green-technology-rd/ GE Pumps 10B More Into Green Technology R&D] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726180146/https://venturebeat.com/2010/06/24/ge-pumps-10b-more-into-green-technology-rd/ |date=July 26, 2017 }}." June 24, 2010.</ref>

GE Energy's [[renewable energy]] business has expanded greatly to keep up with growing U.S. and global demand for [[clean energy]]. Since entering the [[renewable energy industry]] in 2002, GE has invested more than $850&nbsp;million in [[renewable energy commercialization]]. In August 2008, it acquired Kelman Ltd,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2008/08/ge-energy-acquires-kelman-limited-53356 |title=GE Energy Acquires Kelman Limited |publisher=Renewableenergyworld.com |date=August 18, 2008 |access-date=April 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618220502/http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2008/08/ge-energy-acquires-kelman-limited-53356 |archive-date=June 18, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> a Northern Ireland-based company specializing in advanced monitoring and diagnostics technologies for transformers used in renewable energy generation and announced an expansion of its business in Northern Ireland in May 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insideireland.ie/index.cfm/section/news/ext/generalelectric001/category/1084|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120703134817/http://insideireland.ie/index.cfm/section/news/ext/generalelectric001/category/1084|url-status=dead|title=Inside Ireland|date=July 3, 2012|archive-date=July 3, 2012|website=Archive.today}}</ref> In 2009, GE's renewable energy initiatives, which include [[solar power]], [[wind power]] and [[GE Jenbacher]] [[gas engines]] using renewable and non-renewable methane-based gases,<ref>[http://www.gepower.com/about/press/en/2008_press/120208e.htm GE's ecomagination, Certified Clarke Energy Jenbacher Power Plant Commissioned at Australian Coal Mine to Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212032435/https://www.ge.com/gas-power/about |date=February 12, 2022 }}, 2008, Gepower.com, Accessed April 14, 2011</ref> employ more than 4,900 people globally and have created more than 10,000 supporting jobs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/17126/ge-illustrates-broad-spectrum-of-alternative-energy-projects |title=GE illustrates broad spectrum of alternative energy projects |publisher=Reliableplant.com |access-date=April 23, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311061301/http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/17126/ge-illustrates-broad-spectrum-of-alternative-energy-projects |archive-date=March 11, 2012}}</ref>

GE Energy and [[Orion New Zealand]] (Orion) have announced the implementation of the first phase of a GE network management system to help improve power reliability for customers. GE's ENMAC Distribution Management System is the foundation of Orion's initiative. The system of [[smart grid]] technologies will significantly improve the network company's ability to manage big network emergencies and help it restore power faster when outages occur.

In June 2018, GE Volunteers, an internal group of GE employees, along with the Malaysian Nature Society, transplanted more than 270 plants from the Taman Tugu forest reserve so that they may be replanted in a forest trail that is under construction.

===Educational initiatives===
GE Healthcare is collaborating with the [[Wayne State University School of Medicine]] and the [[Medical University of South Carolina]] to offer an integrated radiology curriculum during their respective MD Programs led by investigators of the [[Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in micro-gravity|Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity]] study.<ref>[http://www.jultrasoundmed.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/5/745 Jultrasoundmet.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713124805/http://www.jultrasoundmed.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/5/745 |date=July 13, 2010 }}, A Pilot Study of Comprehensive Ultrasound Education at the Wayne State University School of Medicine</ref> GE has donated over one million dollars of Logiq E Ultrasound equipment to these two institutions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gehealthcare.com/usen/ultrasound/genimg/products/logiq_e/hryfrdhosp_waynestuni.html |title=GE Healthcare-Product Features-Henry Ford Hospital and Wayne State University School of Medicine Partner with GE |access-date=October 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202081815/http://www.gehealthcare.com/usen/ultrasound/genimg/products/logiq_e/hryfrdhosp_waynestuni.html |archive-date=December 2, 2008 }}</ref>

===Marketing initiatives===
{{see also|General Electric Theater}}

Between September 2011 and April 2013, GE ran a [[content marketing]] campaign dedicated to telling the stories of "innovators—people who are reshaping the world through act or invention." The initiative included 30 3-minute films from leading documentary film directors ([[Albert and David Maysles|Albert Maysles]], [[Jessica Yu]], [[Leslie Iwerks]], [[Steve James (producer)|Steve James]], [[Alex Gibney]], [[Lixin Fan]], [[Gary Hustwit]] and others), and a user-generated competition that received over 600 submissions, out of which 20 finalists were chosen.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fera|first=Rae Ann|title=GE Tells The Stories Of The World's Innovators With "Focus Forward"|url=http://www.fastcocreate.com/1682858/ge-tells-the-stories-of-the-worlds-innovators-with-focus-forward|publisher=Fast Co.Create|date=April 26, 2013|access-date=July 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713123041/http://www.fastcocreate.com/1682858/ge-tells-the-stories-of-the-worlds-innovators-with-focus-forward|archive-date=July 13, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

''Short Films, Big Ideas'' was launched at the 2011 [[Toronto International Film Festival]] in partnership with [[Morgan Spurlock|cinelan]]. Stories included breakthroughs in [[water treatment|Slingshot (water vapor distillation system)]], cancer research, energy production, pain management, and food access. Each of the 30 films received world premiere screenings at a major international film festival, including the [[Sundance Film Festival]] and the [[Tribeca Film Festival]]. The winning amateur director film, ''The Cyborg Foundation'', was awarded a {{US$|100000}} prize at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Patten |first1=Dominic |title=Sundance: 'Cyborg Foundation' Wins Focus Forward Filmmaker Competition |url=https://deadline.com/2013/01/sundance-cyborg-foundation-wins-focus-forward-filmmaker-competition-410386/ |website=Deadline |date=January 23, 2013 |access-date=July 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710225145/https://deadline.com/2013/01/sundance-cyborg-foundation-wins-focus-forward-filmmaker-competition-410386/ |archive-date=July 10, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to GE, the campaign garnered more than 1.5&nbsp;billion total media impressions, 14&nbsp;million online views, and was seen in 156 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/1682858/ge-tells-the-stories-of-the-worlds-innovators-with-focus-forward|title=GE Tells The Stories Of The World's Innovators With "Focus Forward"|last=Fera|first=Rae Ann|date=April 26, 2013|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=June 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616135010/https://www.fastcompany.com/1682858/ge-tells-the-stories-of-the-worlds-innovators-with-focus-forward|archive-date=June 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2017, GE signed an estimated $7&nbsp;million deal with the [[Boston Celtics]] to have its corporate logo put on the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] team's jersey.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2017/01/25/general-electric-inks-deal-to-put-logo-on-boston-celtics-jerseys/|title=General Electric inks deal to put logo on Boston Celtics jerseys|last=Atkinson|first=Claire|date=January 26, 2017|website=New York Post|access-date=January 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128213143/http://nypost.com/2017/01/25/general-electric-inks-deal-to-put-logo-on-boston-celtics-jerseys/|archive-date=January 28, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Charity ===

On March 3, 2022, GE published an international memo pledging to donate $4.5 million to Ukraine amid [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion]]. According to the memo, $4 million will be used for medical equipment, $400,000 for emergency cash for refugees, and $100,000 will go to Airlink, an NGO that helps communities in crisis.<ref>{{cite book
 |language     = en
 |url          = https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ge-donating-45-mln-ukraine-relief-efforts-internal-memo-2022-03-03/
 |title        = GE donating $4.5 mln to Ukraine relief efforts - internal memo
 |publisher    = Reuters
 |date         = 2022-03-03
 |access-date  = 2022-02-09
 |archive-date = March 12, 2022
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20220312100542/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ge-donating-45-mln-ukraine-relief-efforts-internal-memo-2022-03-03/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref>

==Political affiliation==
In the 1950s, GE sponsored [[Ronald Reagan]]'s [[General Electric Theater|TV career]] and launched him on the lecture circuit. GE has also designed social programs, supported civil rights organizations, and funded minority education programs.<ref>William Greider (1992) Who Will Tell The People. Simon & Schuster. New York, NY. p. 336. {{ISBN|0-671-68891-X}}.</ref>

==Notable appearances in media==
In the early 1950s, [[Kurt Vonnegut]] was a writer for GE. A number of his novels and stories (notably ''[[Cat's Cradle]]'' and ''[[Player Piano (novel)|Player Piano]]'') refer to the fictional city of [[Ilium (Kurt Vonnegut)|Ilium]], which appears to be loosely based on Schenectady, New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catscradle/summary.html|title=Cat's Cradle|website=Sparknotes.com|access-date=June 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618135136/http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catscradle/summary.html|archive-date=June 18, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The Ilium Works is the setting for the short story "[[Deer in the Works]]".

In 1981, GE won a [[Clio award]] for its 30 Soft White Light Bulbs commercial, [[We Bring Good Things to Life]].<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtPVWXTDUQs|title=1981 – Commercial – GE/General Electric – Soft White Light Bulbs – We bring good things to life.|date=July 18, 2010|work=YouTube|access-date=February 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522060741/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtPVWXTDUQs|archive-date=May 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The slogan "We Bring Good Things to Life" was created by [[Phil Dusenberry]] at the ad agency [[BBDO]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/qa-phil-dusenberry-94660|title=Q&A: Phil Dusenberry|newspaper=AdWeek|access-date=December 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221160443/http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/qa-phil-dusenberry-94660|archive-date=December 21, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

GE was the primary focus of a 1991 short subject [[Academy Award]]-winning documentary, ''Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons, and Our Environment'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newday.com/films/DeadlyDeception.html |title=Deadly Deception: General Electric, Nuclear Weapons, and Our Environment |publisher=Newday.com |access-date=April 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815034115/http://www.newday.com/films/DeadlyDeception.html |archive-date=August 15, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> that juxtaposed GE's "We Bring Good Things To Life" commercials with the true stories of workers and neighbors whose lives have been affected by the company's activities involving [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stopcorporateabuse.org/cms/page1127.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060621082431/http://stopcorporateabuse.org/cms/page1127.cfm |archive-date=June 21, 2006 |title=Nuclear Weaponmakers Campaign – Corporate Accountability International – Challenging Abuse, Protecting People – Think Outside the Bottle – challenging the bottled water industry |date=June 21, 2006 |access-date=April 23, 2012}}</ref>

GE was frequently mentioned and parodied in the [[NBC]] comedy sitcom ''[[30 Rock]]'' from 2006 to 2013. Former General Electric CEO [[Jack Welch]] even cameoed as himself, appearing in the season four episode "[[Future Husband]]". The episode is a satirical reference to the [[Acquisition of NBC Universal by Comcast|real-world acquisition]] of [[NBC Universal]] from General Electric by [[Comcast]] in November 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sorkin |first1=Andrew Ross |title=The NBC Sale (the '30 Rock' Version) |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/the-n-b-c-sale-the-30-rock-version/ |access-date=June 13, 2023 |department=DealBook |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 12, 2010 |language=en |archive-date=February 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208070253/https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/the-n-b-c-sale-the-30-rock-version/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2013, GE received a National [[Jefferson Awards for Public Service|Jefferson Award]] for Outstanding Service by a Major Corporation.<ref>[http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10849501.htm Jefferson Awards Announces Strategic Alliance with the NFL Player Engagement, Charles Fazzino and IvyConnect, While Celebrating 41 Years of Honoring Service to Others] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728003945/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10849501.htm |date=July 28, 2013 }}. Prweb.com. Retrieved on August 16, 2013.</ref>

== Branding ==
{{See also|We Bring Good Things to Life}}
The General Electric logo has a blue circle with a white outline. It has four white lines which "suggest the blades of a midcentury tabletop fan." In the center of the circle is the letters "GE." Its design has changed little throughout the company's history. The logo is officially known as the Monogram but is also known by some as "the meatball."<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Gryta |first1=Thomas |title=Lights out: pride, delusion, and the fall of General Electric |title-link=Lights Out (book) |last2=Mann |first2=Ted |date=2021 |publisher=Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |isbn=978-0-358-25041-8 |location=Boston New York}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Companies}}
* [[GE Technology Infrastructure]]
* [[Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory]]
* [[List of assets owned by General Electric]]
* [[Phoebus cartel]]
* [[Top 100 US Federal Contractors]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Carlson |first=W. Bernard |author-link= |date=1991 |title=Innovation as a Social Process: Elihu Thomson and the Rise of General Electric |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KUB5KFjTHhwC |location= |publisher=Cambridge University Press  |isbn=0-521-39317-5}}
* Woodbury, David O.  ''Elihu Thomson, Beloved Scientist'' (Boston: Museum of Science, 1944)
* Haney, John L.  ''The Elihu Thomson Collection'' American Philosophical Society Yearbook 1944.
* Hammond, John W. ''Men and Volts: The Story of General Electric'', published 1941, 436 pages.
* Mill, John M. ''Men and Volts at War: The Story of General Electric in World War II'', published 1947.
* Irmer, Thomas. ''Gerard Swope.'' In Immigrant Entrepreneurship: German-American Business Biographies, 1720 to the Present, vol. 4, edited by Jeffrey Fear. German Historical Institute.

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
{{Finance links
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| hoovers = General_Electric_Company.8e594783fd3e6c6e
| yahoo = GE
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{{General Electric}}
{{CEOs of General Electric}}
{{Houston Astros owners}}
{{Thomas Edison}}
{{Authority control}}

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