Showing posts with label Weather Channel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weather Channel. Show all posts

Monday, September 1, 2008

Recent News: Blackstone, Appliances, Rail Cars, Olympics, Lobbying, GE Healthcare, Jeff Immelt: '...cable deals'

Blackstone joins China's Haier in bid for GE's appliances unit
The investment firm Blackstone is joining forces with one of China's largest consumer goods-makers in the $7bn auction of General Electric's appliances unit. Blackstone is drawing up plans to invest with Qingdao Haier, China's biggest white goods-maker, and hopes to build a global enterprise to compete with rivals such as Maytag and Electrolux...

General Electric may dump its rail car division
General Electric Co. may be close to selling its rail car leading division to GATX Corp. According to Bloomberg, GATX plans to "invest more aggressively" during a financial slowdown...

NBC sees new media habits form with Olympic games
About half of the people who are using mobile phones to pull down video or information about the Olympics have been trying out that technology for the first time, NBC said on Wednesday.
NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co., has been using the Olympics as something of a research lab to track the adoption of new media technology. Since the opening ceremony last Friday, the company has made content available online, through video on demand and via cell phones along with traditional TV...

General Electric spent nearly $5.4M lobbying in 2Q
General Electric Co. spent nearly $5.4 million in the second quarter lobbying on everything from patent reform to the fiscal 2009 defense spending bill, according to a disclosure report....

For Olympic Marketers, Emotions Pay
For many Olympic swimmers in Beijing, Speedo LZRs have helped produce record times. For winning advertisers during the Games, the key ingredient is proving to be emotional ads...

Huge Olympic Success To Add One Penny To GE's (GE) Bottom Line
The Olympics were far from a sure thing for NBC Universal. American interest in the games had been waning for years, and the prospect of a Chinese crackdown on protestors made many network bigwigs nervous...

U.S. FDA warns GE Healthcare unit over records
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned GE Healthcare's Integrated IT Solutions unit about a dozen manufacturing violations including improper record keeping that could result in further action from the agency....

Immelt: GE ‘Not Done Doing Cable Deals’
General Electric chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said that on the heels of NBC Universal’s acquisition of The Weather Channel, there may be more cable deals on the horizon. And he told CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla Monday morning that he is satisfied with the strategy of partnership arrangements such as the one formed for the TWC purchase.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Recent News: Volatility, Stock Performance, GE Healthcare, Hybrid Vehicles, and Weather Channel

Volatility the new reality for GE shares
Investors can expect more volatility in the stock of once rock-solid General Electric Co., at least until the company reassures Wall Street with a few solid earnings reports. Shares of the second-largest U.S. company by market capitalization fell for a second straight day on Friday -- hitting their lowest point since late 2003 -- after speculation about coming write-offs at its financial arm spooked investors....

GE, Near 5-Year Low, Says Outside Capital Not Needed
General Electric Co., whose shares neared a five-year low today partly on concern it may need to pump cash into its finance units, repeated that no outside infusion is needed to keep its AAA credit rating....

GE Healthcare to manage its operations from Turkey
GE Healthcare, General Electric's (GE) healthcare services branch worth $17 billion, will start managing its operations in the Eastern and Asian markets (EAGM), from Turkey. GE Healthcare decided to combine the EAGM region into a single "International Diagnostic Imaging" operation, and conduct its activities from Istanbul, officials from GE Healthcare and Turkey's Investment Support and Promotion Agency said at a joint press conference on Friday....

Feds Scrape Together $30M for Plug-In Hybrids. That's All?
The Bush Administration has shown its support for plug-in hybrids by promising a measly $30 million to get them on the road within eight years, a figure and a timeline some automakers and plug-in advocates say is too little and too long. Getting these cars on the road quickly, they say, should be a national priority with the funding to match....

NBC Nears a Deal for Weather Channel
A group of investors led by NBC Universal and the Blackstone Group is near a deal to buy The Weather Channel for more than $3 billion, people briefed on the negotiations said....

Weather Channel may be GE's prize as Time Warner balks
Everybody talks about the weather. Time Warner has decided not to do anything about it.
The media giant today withdrew its bid for the Weather Channel, leaving only General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal unit and its partners as potential buyers for one of the most widely available cable channels in the U.S....

GE teams with Chrysler on plug-in hybrid system
General Electric is interested in supplying components for plug-in hybrid vehicles and is teaming with Chrysler on a project to demonstrate a technology GE calls a dual-battery energy storage system.Vlatko Vlatkovic, a GE official, told Automotive News on Thursday that the company has developed a hybrid railroad locomotive--which he compared to a "6,000-horsepower Prius on rails"--and is working on a heavy-duty, off-highway hybrid truck....

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Recent News: Water, Appliances - LG, NBC - Weather Channel, GE Aviation, Global Growth, Ratings, Santander, and GE Energy Financial Services

GE eyes world's next big worry: water
Surging oil prices have captured the attention of consumers and leaders around the globe, but General Electric Co. is already on to what it thinks will be the world's next big worry -- water. The company said on Wednesday it aims to cut its water usage 20 percent by 2012, a move that should reduce its annual operating costs by $15 million to $20 million....

LG Electronics says no decision on possible GE appliance unit bid
LG Electronics Inc. said Wednesday it has made no decisions on a possible bid for General Electric Co.'s appliance unit....

LG is a leading contender to buy GE appliance unit
General Electric named LG Electronics of South Korea on Wednesday as one of the leading contenders to buy its appliance business, which is valued at $4 billion to $8 billion.
Major Asian appliance makers like Haier Electronics Group of China and LG have been cited as likely bidders since GE said earlier this month that it may part with its century-old appliances unit. The unit had 2007 revenues of $7.2 billion....

Suitors line up for GE appliances
General Electric (GE) has named four companies it says are interested in buying its household appliances unit. It cited LG Electronics, China's Haier, Mabe of Mexico and Arcelik of Turkey as possible bidders for the unit, whose products include fridges and toasters. The US industrial giant said last month that it was likely to stop making household appliances after more than a century in the business...

Report: NBC U (GE) Bidding $3.5 Billion For Weather Channel
When Landmark first put Weather Channel on the block in January, the asking price floated was $5 billion. Now the leading bidder for the cable channel and Web site, a consortium including NBC U (GE), Blackstone Group and Bain Capital, is offering $3.5 billion, roughly half of which, or $1.8 billion, is equity, according to Reuters. Blackstone's GSO Capital is also putting in $600 million....

Four communities in running for GE facility
A planned 400,000-square-foot, $75 million GE Aviation engineering facility will be located in one of four locations, possibly West Chester Twp. Just who winds up with the prize may come down to aggressive salesmanship. ExtrasGE spokesman Rick Kennedy said West Chester Twp., Evendale, Springdale and a location in Boone County, Ky., are the potential homes of a consolidated office that will house almost 1,600 GE Aviation employees with a total annual payroll of about $140 million....

Nippon Takes Delivery Of GE's 1st Upgraded CF6-80C2 Engine
Nippon Cargo Airlines recently took delivery of its first General Electric CF6-80C2 engines incorporating a new, high-pressure turbine upgrade. The turbine upgrade, part of GE's new Tech CF6 program, was installed in engines for the airline's new Boeing 747-400F aircraft. Nippon Cargo ordered four 747-400F aircraft, and the first was delivered today. The remaining three will be delivered between now and February 2009...

If GE Thinks Globally, Shouldn't You?
It's hard enough keeping tabs on suppliers and customers within your own area code. Networking and expanding overseas? That's for the big guys, right? Not necessarily. In the U.S., small businesses thrive in niches overlooked by the big corporations, and the same holds true in other countries. These days, as the American economy stumbles, looking beyond the U.S. may be the key to success....

General Electric shares could be a buy - Barron's
Shares of General Electric Co, the second largest U.S. company, have limited downside and investors can now make a better case for buying the stock, financial weekly Barron's reported in its June 2 edition....

GE, Santander finalize GE Money, Interbanca deal
General Electric Co. said on Monday its GE Commercial Finance unit finalized an agreement to acquire Banco Santander SA's Italian banking arm Interbanca, while the Spanish bank buys several GE Money businesses in Europe....

GE to seek partnerships in consumer credit segment in Italy
General Electric Co, after closing the deal to take over Interbanca SpA, is looking for further partnerships in Italy in the consumer credit segment, said Giuseppe Recchi, chairman of GE Italia in an interview with daily La Stampa....

GeoResources, GE unit team up on Oklahama reserves investment
GeoResources Inc. is teaming up with GE Energy Financial Services to invest up to $90.5 million to buy and develop proven producing oil and gas reserves in Oklahoma....

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Recent News: Weather Channel, NBC, China Growth, Appliance Sale (Videocon, LG, HAIER, Arcelik), Water, Energy, Saudi Arabia, and Immelt Trading

NBC Universal a top Weather Channel bidder-source
General Electric Co's NBC Universal, in partnership with the Blackstone Group, is seen as a leading contender for the Weather Channel, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday...

INTERVIEW-GE Fanuc expects faster growth in greater China
GE Fanuc, General Electric's production systems venture with Japan's Fanuc Ltd, expects its greater China sales will grow up to 30 percent annually over the next four to five years, up from about 20 percent now, as regional firms look to improve efficiency....

GE chief executive defends company's broad portfolio in face of calls to shed more businesses
General Electric Co.'s chief executive officer on Wednesday defended the industrial conglomerate's broad array of businesses and his decisions to sell off several units.
Jeffrey Immelt has been under pressure to shed more businesses, particularly after the Fairfield-based company's disappointing first-quarter earnings release last month in which profit fell 6 percent, to $4.3 billion (€2.73 billion)...

Videocon may bid for GE's appliances division
Videocon, the diversified electronics and retail business group, is studying an invitation from General Electric (GE) to bid for its century-old appliances division, which it has put up for sale...

General Electric should not sell NBC Universal
Lately, I've been hearing a lot of chatter about General Electric and its NBC Universal asset. Specifically, there's been talk about the future of the movie and television business and its role as a productive member of the GE portfolio. There are a lot of pundits out there who would like to see it sold off; probably a lot of investors would like that, too. Thankfully, CEO Jeffrey Immelt isn't one of them; he has consistently and steadfastly denied that NBC Universal will be offered to buyers in the near future. I hope he retains such opinion, because I definitely think GE needs NBC Universal....

LG Electronics Is Looking At GE's Appliance Unit
LG Electronics Inc.'s chief executive said the company is taking a close look at General Electric Co.'s appliance unit, which has recently been put up for sale, though he stopped short of declaring an interest in buying it....

HAIER Group Corp bids to buy GE unit under study
HAIER Group Corp is considering buying General Electric Co's consumer-appliance unit, the Economic Observer reported, citing an unidentified official with Haier. Haier has held talks with China Development Bank on financing the bid which could cost between 4 billion U.S. dollars and 8 billion U.S. dollars, the Beijing-based newspaper said in a report last Saturday. The Qingdao-based company hasn't yet made contact with GE about a possible purchase of the unit which makes refrigerators, ovens and dishwashers, the weekly newspaper said...

Turkey's Arcelik eyes to buy GE's appliance unit
Arcelik, Turkey's largest manufacturer of household appliances is among the several potential suitors vying to acquire the electrical household appliances of world giant General Electric (GE), company Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Immelt said on Wednesday....

General Electric to Cut Water Usage by 20% by 2012
General Electric Co., the world's biggest maker of power-generation equipment and jet engines, plans to reduce water consumption by one-fifth by 2012 as part of its conservation efforts.
In addition to the first-ever water reduction pledge, Fairfield, Connecticut-based GE also said it intends to have $25 billion in sales of environmentally friendlier products and services by 2010, a 25 percent increase...

GE Energy signs $500 million for gas turbines, generators in Saudi Arabia
GE Energy, a General Electric Co. business, has signed contracts of more than $500 million (€319.37 million) to build and install gas turbines and generators at Saudi Arabian power plants, the company announced....

GE unit wins $500 million Saudi power contract
General Electric Co said on Thursday that its GE Energy unit had won $500 million in contracts to supply gas turbines and generators to various power plants owned by the Saudi Electricity Co...

Immelt Sells And Buys GE
Jeff Immelt was the consummate salesman Wednesday as he fanned the flames around the proposed sale of GE's appliance business by outing several bidders. He was also selling when he bought up more company stock, but with that move he was selling himself....

General Electric CEO buys 115,000 shares
The chief executive of General Electric Co. bought 115,000 shares of the conglomerate on Wednesday, according to a regulatory filing. In a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Jeffrey Immelt said he bought the shares for prices ranging from $30.59 to $30.66 a share, for a total of about $3.5 million....

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Recent News Releases: Weather Channel, Dow and Oil, PHH, and Wind

The Weather Channel up for sale: report
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. cable channel The Weather Channel is to be put up for sale and could fetch more than $5 billion, The New York Times said in an online report on Thursday...

Dow off 221 after oil touches $100
The U.S. stock market had one of its worst opening days of any year after crude oil briefly touched $100 a barrel and gold hit a 27-year high...

PHH's 'Baa3' senior debt confirmed on termination of buyout by GE - Moody's
Moody's Investors Service said it confirmed PHH Corp's 'Baa3' senior debt and 'Prime-3' short term ratings after the mortgage-lending and fleet-management units operator's agreement to be acquired by a General Electric...

Collapse Of PHH Deal Is Bad Omen For '08
The easy money is no longer flowing for Blackstone....

EDP signs 600 mln usd agreement with equity investors for US wind farm projects
EDP Energias de Portugal SA said its Horizon unit agreed on Dec 31 to invest 600 mln usd in four wind farm projects in the US...

PHH, FedEx among big movers
Stocks that were moving substantially or trading heavily Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market...

Market Report -- Story Stocks (PHH)
Yesterday PHH Corporation (PHH) announced it has given a notice of termination to General Electric Capital Corp., which is a unit of General Electric (GE). The notice ends an agreement that would merge PHH...