Next on the new purchase list (and probably far better known), General Electric (NYSE:GE) makes its first-ever appearance in the Global Fund. In contrast to the U.S. stock market indices, GE’s share price has been weak this year, and we believe that this decline is far more than what is warranted. Appointed this summer, new CEO John Flaherty will present to the investing community in November, and many expect that he will announce a “reset” in which he establishes a new (and lower) base for the company’s earnings. Although we agree that this is likely, we believe that the current stock price already reflects this expectation. GE has many positive attributes. It is composed of a portfolio of high-returning, dominant businesses, many of which generate recurring maintenance revenue (e.g., service contracts for jet engines). We believe that the company’s aviation and health care businesses are especially desirable, and they constitute more than half of our estimate of intrinsic value for the company. We expect Flannery to cut costs aggressively, which should also improve earnings.
From David Herro (Trades, Portfolio)'s third quarter 2017 Global Fund Commentary.
