8-KOther EventsExhibits & Filings

GENERAL ELECTRIC CO 8-K Report, Temporary Suspension of Trading Under Employee Benefit Plans (Feb 8, 2019)

Filed February 8, 2019For Securities:GE

Summary

This Form 8-K filing by General Electric Company (GE) primarily announces a temporary trading suspension, or "blackout period," for participants in the GE Retirement Savings Plan. This suspension is a direct consequence of GE's anticipated spin-off of its Transportation Systems business (SpinCo) and SpinCo's subsequent merger with Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation (Wabtec). The blackout period is necessary to modify the retirement plan to accommodate shares of Wabtec common stock that plan participants will receive as a result of the merger. The period is expected to run from February 25, 2019, to on or before March 1, 2019. During this blackout period, plan participants will be restricted from making investment changes into or out of the GE Stock Fund and from taking loans or withdrawals from their GE Stock Fund accounts. Additionally, GE's directors and executive officers will be subject to specific trading prohibitions on GE equity securities acquired through their employment or service. Investors should note that this filing is procedural and related to the logistics of the pending spin-off and merger. It does not contain new financial results but provides crucial information for employees participating in GE's retirement plan and for insiders subject to trading restrictions.

Key Highlights

  • 1GE announced a temporary trading blackout period for its Retirement Savings Plan participants related to the spin-off of its Transportation business and its merger with Wabtec.
  • 2The blackout period is expected to commence on February 25, 2019, and conclude on or before March 1, 2019.
  • 3During the blackout, participants cannot move funds into or out of the GE Stock Fund or take loans/withdrawals from that fund.
  • 4GE directors and executive officers are prohibited from trading GE equity securities acquired through their roles during this period.
  • 5The blackout is a necessary step to facilitate the modification of the retirement plan to include Wabtec stock following the merger.
  • 6The filing serves as an informational notice for employees and insiders, not a financial results update.
  • 7Further details on the GE-Wabtec transaction can be found in related SEC filings such as Form S-4 and Schedule 14A.

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