GE Submit Final Offer to EC

General Electric Company (IRS) 14 June 2001 GE AND HONEYWELL SUBMIT FINAL UNDERTAKINGS TO EUROPEAN COMMISSION BRUSSELS, Belgium - June 14, 2001 - GE and Honeywell submitted to the European competition authorities a final, detailed package of actions they are willing to undertake as part of the approval process for their proposed transaction. The undertakings propose divestitures of $2.2 billion in revenue in Honeywell's Aerospace business. The divestitures include a new business and regional jet engine, air turbine starters and certain avionics and nonavionics products. GE also offered to set up GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) as a separate 'ring-fenced' entity to deal at arms length with Honeywell avionics and non-avionics products. GECAS would remain 100% owned and managed by GE. The proposed divestitures are far short of the European Commission's demands, which seek billions more than the proposed GE divestitures. GE is not optimistic that its proposal will meet with European regulatory approval. The submitted undertakings, in the unlikely event they were accepted, would modestly reduce the positive impacts of the GE-Honeywell combination. The divestitures would reduce Honeywell's $25 billion in revenues by 9% and revenues of the combined GE-Honeywell by about 1.5%. The $3 billion of synergies that had been projected for the acquisition would remain largely intact and the estimated increase in earnings per share in the first full year of combined operations would be reduced from 11 cents to 9 cents. There would be no change in the longer-term expectations that the Honeywell acquisition would increase GE's earning growth rate by one to two points. The most recent version of the Commission's Merger Task Force demands, if they had been accepted by GE and Honeywell, would have required divestitures of virtually all of Honeywell's avionics business and its APU business. Jack Welch, GE's Chairman and CEO, said, 'Jeff Immelt and I wanted to complete the transaction but we have always said there is a point at which we wouldn't do the deal. The Commission's extraordinary demands are far beyond that point. This shows you are never too old to get surprised. In this case, the European regulators demands exceeded anything I or our European advisors imagined, and differed sharply from antitrust counterparts in the U.S. and Canada.' While in Europe this week, Mr. Immelt, GE's President and Chairman-elect, said, 'We're thrilled with the performance of GE's 85,000 employees in Europe and we're very optimistic about GE's future here.' He added that in spite of the global economic slowdown, 'GE remains confident that 2001, with or without Honeywell, will be another record year of double digit operating earnings growth.' GE (NYSE:GE), with 2000 revenues of $130 billion, is a diversified technology, services and manufacturing company with a commitment to achieving customer success. GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs 313,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at http://www.ge.com. Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This document includes certain 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory factors. More detailed information about those factors is contained in GE's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Contact: Gary Sheffer, +1 203 373-3476 Louise Binns, +1 203 373-3044
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