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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Interim Period Presentation Policy

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying condensed, consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of General Electric Company and all companies that we directly or indirectly control, either through majority ownership or otherwise. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 (2010 consolidated financial statements), which discusses our consolidation and financial statement presentation. As used in this report on Form 10-Q (Report) and in our 2010 consolidated financial statements, “GE” represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except General Electric Capital Services, Inc. (GECS or financial services), which is presented on a one-line basis; GECS consists of General Electric Capital Services, Inc. and all of its affiliates; and “Consolidated” represents the adding together of GE and GECS with the effects of transactions between the two eliminated.

 

Effective January 1, 2011, we reorganized the Technology Infrastructure segment into three segments – Aviation, Healthcare and Transportation. The prior-period results of the Aviation, Healthcare and Transportation businesses are unaffected by this reorganization. Also, beginning January 1, 2011, we allocate service costs related to our principal pension plans and we no longer allocate the retiree costs of our postretirement healthcare benefits to our segments. This revised allocation methodology better aligns segment operating costs to active employee costs that are managed by the segments. This change did not significantly affect our reported segment results.

 

On January 28, 2011, we sold the assets of our NBC Universal (NBCU) business in exchange for cash and a 49% interest in a new entity, NBCUniversal, LLC (see Note 2). Results of our formerly consolidated subsidiary, NBCU, and our current equity method investment in NBCUniversal, LLC are reported in the Corporate items and eliminations line on the Summary of Operating Segments.

 

We have reclassified certain prior-period amounts to conform to the current-period presentation. Unless otherwise indicated, information in these notes to the condensed, consolidated financial statements relates to continuing operations.

Interim Period Presentation

The condensed, consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are unaudited. These statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) that we considered necessary to present a fair statement of our results of operations, financial position and cash flows. The results reported in these condensed, consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. It is suggested that these condensed, consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2010 consolidated financial statements. We label our quarterly information using a calendar convention, that is, first quarter is labeled as ending on March 31, second quarter as ending on June 30, and third quarter as ending on September 30. It is our longstanding practice to establish interim quarterly closing dates using a fiscal calendar, which requires our businesses to close their books on either a Saturday or Sunday, depending on the business. The effects of this practice are modest and only exist within a reporting year. The fiscal closing calendar from 1993 through 2013 is available on our website, www.ge.com/secreports.

Accounting Changes Policy

Accounting Changes

On January 1, 2011, we adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2009-13 and ASU 2009-14, amendments to Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 605, Revenue Recognition and ASC 985, Software, respectively, (ASU 2009-13 &14). ASU 2009-13 requires the allocation of consideration to separate components of an arrangement based on the relative selling price of each component. ASU 2009-14 requires certain software-enabled products to be accounted for under the general accounting standards for multiple component arrangements. These amendments are effective for new revenue arrangements entered into or materially modified on or subsequent to January 1, 2011.

 

Although the adoption of these amendments eliminated the allocation of consideration using residual values, which was applied primarily in our Healthcare segment, the overall impact of adoption was insignificant to our financial statements. In addition, there are no significant changes to the number of components or the pattern and timing of revenue recognition following adoption.

 

Our accounting policy for sales of goods and services is included below and has been updated for the additional disclosure requirements of these amendments. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 for a summary of the remainder of our significant accounting policies.

 

Sales Of Goods And Services Policy [Text Block]

Sales of Goods and Services

We record all sales of goods and services only when a firm sales agreement is in place, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered and collectibility of the fixed or determinable sales price is reasonably assured.

 

Arrangements for the sale of goods and services sometimes include multiple components. Most of our multiple component arrangements involve the sale of goods and services in the Healthcare segment. Our arrangements with multiple components usually involve an upfront deliverable of large machinery or equipment and future service deliverables such as installation, commissioning, training or the future delivery of ancillary products. In most cases, the relative values of the undelivered components are not significant to the overall arrangement and are typically delivered within three to six months after the core product has been delivered. In such agreements, selling price is determined for each component and any difference between the total of the separate selling prices and total contract consideration (i.e. discount) is allocated pro rata across each of the components in the arrangement. The value assigned to each component is objectively determined and obtained primarily from sources such as the separate selling price for that or a similar item or from competitor prices for similar items. If such evidence is not available, we use our best estimate of selling price, which is established consistent with the pricing strategy of the business and considers product configuration, geography, customer type, and other market specific factors.

 

Except for goods sold under long-term agreements, we recognize sales of goods under the provisions of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 104, Revenue Recognition. We often sell consumer products and computer hardware and software products with a right of return. We use our accumulated experience to estimate and provide for such returns when we record the sale. In situations where arrangements include customer acceptance provisions based on seller or customer-specified objective criteria, we recognize revenue when we have reliably demonstrated that all specified acceptance criteria have been met or when formal acceptance occurs, respectively. In arrangements where we provide goods for trial and evaluation purposes, we only recognize revenue after customer acceptance occurs. Unless otherwise noted, we do not provide for anticipated losses before we record sales.

 

We recognize revenue on agreements for sales of goods and services under power generation unit and uprate contracts; nuclear fuel assemblies; larger oil drilling equipment projects; aeroderivative unit contracts; military development contracts; and long-term construction projects, using long-term construction and production contract accounting. We estimate total long-term contract revenue net of price concessions as well as total contract costs. For goods sold under power generation unit and uprate contracts, nuclear fuel assemblies, aeroderivative unit contracts and military development contracts, we recognize sales as we complete major contract-specified deliverables, most often when customers receive title to the goods or accept the services as performed. For larger oil drilling equipment projects and long-term construction projects, we recognize sales based on our progress towards contract completion measured by actual costs incurred in relation to our estimate of total expected costs. We measure long-term contract revenues by applying our contract-specific estimated margin rates to incurred costs. We routinely update our estimates of future costs for agreements in process and report any cumulative effects of such adjustments in current operations. We provide for any loss that we expect to incur on these agreements when that loss is probable.

 

We recognize revenue upon delivery for sales of aircraft engines, military propulsion equipment and related spare parts not sold under long-term product services agreements. Delivery of commercial engines, non-U.S. military equipment and all related spare parts occurs on shipment; delivery of military propulsion equipment sold to the U.S. Government or agencies thereof occurs upon receipt of a Material Inspection and Receiving Report, DD Form 250 or Memorandum of Shipment. Commercial aircraft engines are complex aerospace equipment manufactured to customer order under a variety of sometimes complex, long-term agreements. We measure sales of commercial aircraft engines by applying our contract-specific estimated margin rates to incurred costs. We routinely update our estimates of future revenues and costs for commercial aircraft engine agreements in process and report any cumulative effects of such adjustments in current operations. Significant components of our revenue and cost estimates include price concessions, performance-related guarantees as well as material, labor and overhead costs. We measure revenue for military propulsion equipment and spare parts not subject to long-term product services agreements based on the specific contract on a specifically measured output basis. We provide for any loss that we expect to incur on these agreements when that loss is probable; consistent with industry practice, for commercial aircraft engines, we make such provision only if such losses are not recoverable from future highly probable sales of spare parts for those engines.

 

We sell product services under long-term product maintenance or extended warranty agreements in our Aviation, Transportation and Energy Infrastructure segments, where costs of performing services are incurred on other than a straight-line basis. We also sell product services in our Healthcare segment, where such costs generally are expected to be on a straight-line basis. For the Aviation, Energy and Transportation agreements, we recognize related sales based on the extent of our progress towards completion measured by actual costs incurred in relation to total expected costs. We routinely update our estimates of future costs for agreements in process and report any cumulative effects of such adjustments in current operations. For the Healthcare agreements, we recognize revenues on a straight-line basis and expense related costs as incurred. We provide for any loss that we expect to incur on any of these agreements when that loss is probable.

 

NBC Universal, which we deconsolidated on January 28, 2011, records broadcast and cable television and Internet advertising sales when advertisements are aired, net of provision for any viewer shortfalls (make goods). Sales from theatrical distribution of films are recorded as the films are exhibited; sales of home videos, net of a return provision, when the videos are delivered to and available for sale by retailers; fees from cable/satellite operators when services are provided; and licensing of film and television programming when the material is available for airing.