GE宣布提高5％季度分紅

　　GE （NYSE：GE）周五宣布提高季度分紅5%至0.23美元/股，股權登記日為12月22日，股利將于2015年1月26日支付。

　　 但是GE股票當天仍收跌近1%，收于25.17美元。分析師此前已作出警示，認為GE將因最近在石油和天然氣行業的投資面臨油價下跌的壓力，而原油價格周五創出新低。

　　 “我們很高興GE在五年內第七次季度分紅，”GE首席執行官Jeff Immelt在聲明中說道：“在持續投資于長期增長業務的同時，回報給股東現金依然是公司最主要的任務。公司運營前景良好，增長股利發放的決定也反映了公司對資本配置的均衡考慮。

　　 據彭博社報道，在五月份一次行業會議上，Jeff Immelt也提到了GE的股利會與利潤保持同步增長。

　　 2009年年初，GE發放了0.31美元/股的季度股利，但隨后因金融危機而將季度股利削減到0.1美元/股。

　　 由于金融業務在金融危機期間給GE制造了很多麻煩，GE已經將金融業務從其核心業務中剔除。GE剝離了其自有品牌的信用卡機構Synchrony Financial，并正在出售其家電業務部門。

General Electric Raises Quarterly Dividend

　　General Electric raised its quarterly dividend Friday after CEO Jeff Immelt said that the conglomerate's dividend would go up as earnings rise.

　　General Electric (NYSE:GE) raised its payout 5% to 23 cents per share, payable Jan. 26, 2015, to shareowners of record at the close of business on Dec. 22. The ex-dividend date is Dec. 18.

　　Nevertheless, shares fell nearly 1% to 25.17 on the stock market today. Analysts have warned that the stock will be under pressure as GE's recent moves in the oil and gas industry now leave it vulnerable to falling crude prices, which hit fresh lows Friday.

　　"We are pleased to increase GE's quarterly dividend for the seventh time in five years," said Immelt in a statement. "Returning cash to shareowners remains our top priority while we continue to invest in long-term growth. Alongside our strong operational outlook, today's announcement reflects our balanced and disciplined approach to capital allocation."

　　At an industry conference in May, Immelt said that GE would "continue to grow the dividend aligned with earnings," according to Bloomberg.

　　In early 2009, the company was paying a 31-cent quarterly dividend but cut it back to 10 cents due to the financial crisis.

　　GE has been narrowing its focus to its industrial core and away from the financial sector, which got the company in trouble during the crisis.

　　GE has spun off its private-label credit card unit Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) and is shedding its household appliance division.