S&P Says AAA Ratings On GE (GE) Intact --- For Now
GE Hot Sheet
Rating Summary:9 Buy, 1 Hold, 0 Sell
Rating Trend:
Up
Today's Overall Ratings:
Up: 0 | Down: 0 | New: 0
Earlier, we noted that S&P said General Electric's (NYSE: GE) and General Electric Capital ratings were not immediately affected by the company's fourth-quarter earnings. Below are some more details from the S&P note.
While S&P left its rating unchanged, they said, "Still, for GECC there are signs that 2009 will be even more difficult than we assumed when we revised the outlook on both companies to negative on Dec. 18, 2008. GECC would have reported a significant net loss for the quarter, were it not for a substantial tax credit... With intensifying pressures from the credit cycle, we believe it will be increasingly challenging for GECC to realize management's current guidance of a $5 billion net income in 2009."
The firm expects GE's industrial cash from operating activities to be robust in 2009, but somewhat below that for 2008, but sa the large GE dividend payment will test cash flows. They said they "intend to reexamine their credit opinions if, for example, GE failed to generate free cash flow (after dividends and asset sales) in 2009 or 2010, or if GECC fell short of its various earnings and other funding targets in 2009, causing us to reevaluate our stand-alone assessment of GECC."
While S&P left its rating unchanged, they said, "Still, for GECC there are signs that 2009 will be even more difficult than we assumed when we revised the outlook on both companies to negative on Dec. 18, 2008. GECC would have reported a significant net loss for the quarter, were it not for a substantial tax credit... With intensifying pressures from the credit cycle, we believe it will be increasingly challenging for GECC to realize management's current guidance of a $5 billion net income in 2009."
The firm expects GE's industrial cash from operating activities to be robust in 2009, but somewhat below that for 2008, but sa the large GE dividend payment will test cash flows. They said they "intend to reexamine their credit opinions if, for example, GE failed to generate free cash flow (after dividends and asset sales) in 2009 or 2010, or if GECC fell short of its various earnings and other funding targets in 2009, causing us to reevaluate our stand-alone assessment of GECC."
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