GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES. Accounting estimates and assumptions discussed in this section are those that we consider to be the most critical to an understanding of our financial statements because they involve significant judgments and uncertainties. Actual results in these areas could differ from management's estimates. See Note 1 for further information on our most significant accounting policies.

REVENUE RECOGNITION ON LONG-TERM SERVICES AGREEMENTS. We have long-term service agreements with our customers predominately within our Power and Aerospace segments that require us to maintain the customers’ assets over the contract terms, which generally range from 5 to 25 years. However, contract modifications that extend or revise contracts are not uncommon. We recognize revenue as we perform under the arrangements using the percentage of completion method which is based on our costs incurred to date relative to our estimate of total expected costs. This requires us to make estimates of customer payments expected to be received over the contract term as well as the costs to perform required maintenance services.

Customers generally pay us based on the utilization of the asset (per hour of usage for example) or upon the occurrence of a major event within the contract such as an overhaul or major outage. As a result, a significant estimate in determining expected revenues of a contract is estimating how customers will utilize their assets over the term of the agreement. The estimate of utilization, which can change over the contract life, impacts both the amount of customer payments we expect to receive and our estimate of future contract costs. Customers’ asset utilization will influence the timing and extent of overhauls and other service events over the life of the contract. We generally use a combination of both historical utilization trends as well as forward-looking information such as market conditions and potential asset retirements in developing our revenue estimates.

To develop our cost estimates, we consider the timing and extent of future maintenance and overhaul events, including the amount and cost of labor, spare parts and other resources required to perform the services. In developing our cost estimates, we utilize a combination of our historical cost experience and expected cost improvements. Cost improvements are only included in future cost estimates after savings have been observed in actual results or proven effective through an extensive regulatory or engineering approval process.

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We routinely review estimates under long-term service agreements and regularly revise them to adjust for changes in outlook. These revisions are based on objectively verifiable information that is available at the time of the review. Contract modifications that change the rights and obligations, as well as the nature, timing and extent of future cash flows, are evaluated for potential price concessions, contract asset impairments and significant financing to determine if adjustments of earnings are required before effectively accounting for a modified contract as a new contract.

We regularly assess expected billings adjustments and customer credit risk inherent in the carrying amounts of receivables and contract assets, including the risk that contractual penalties may not be sufficient to offset our accumulated investment in the event of customer termination. We gain insight into future utilization and cost trends, as well as credit risk, through our knowledge of the installed base of equipment and fleet management strategies through close interaction with our customers that comes with supplying critical services and parts over extended periods. Revisions may affect a long-term services agreement’s total estimated profitability resulting in an adjustment of earnings.

On December 31, 2023, our net long-term service agreements balance of $(2.1) billion represents approximately (1.0)% of our total estimated life of contract billings of $215.3 billion. Our contracts (on average) are approximately 19.5% complete based on costs incurred to date and our estimate of future costs. Revisions to our estimates of future billings or costs that increase or decrease total estimated contract profitability by one percentage point would increase or decrease the long-term service agreements balance by $0.4 billion. Billings collected on these contracts were $13.2 billion and $11.7 billion during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. See Notes 1 and 8 for further information.

IMPAIRMENT OF GOODWILL AND OTHER IDENTIFIED INTANGIBLE ASSETS. Goodwill is subject to annual, or more frequent, if necessary, impairment testing. In the impairment test, the fair value is estimated utilizing a discounted cash flow approach utilizing cash flow forecasts, including strategic and annual operating plans, adjusted for terminal value assumptions, or a market approach, when available and appropriate, utilizing market observable pricing multiples of similar businesses and comparable transactions, or both. These impairment tests involve the use of accounting estimates and assumptions, and changes to those assumptions could materially impact our financial condition or operating performance if actual results differ from such estimates and assumptions. To address this uncertainty, we perform sensitivity analyses on key estimates and assumptions. Once the fair value is determined, if the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, it is impaired.

We review identified intangible assets with defined useful lives and subject to amortization for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Determining whether an impairment loss has occurred requires the use of our internal forecast to estimate future cash flows and the useful life over which these cash flows will occur. To determine fair value, we use our internal cash flow estimates discounted at an appropriate discount rate. See Notes 1 and 7 for further information.

INSURANCE AND INVESTMENT CONTRACTS. Refer to the Other Items - Insurance section for further discussion of the accounting estimates and assumptions in our insurance reserves and their sensitivity to change. See Notes 1 and 12 for further information.

PENSION ASSUMPTIONS. Refer to Note 13 for our accounting estimates and assumptions related to our postretirement benefit plans.

INCOME TAXES. Our annual tax rate is based on our income, statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities available to us in the various jurisdictions in which we operate. Tax laws are complex and subject to different interpretations by the taxpayer and respective governmental taxing authorities. Significant judgment is required in determining our tax expense and in evaluating our tax positions, including evaluating uncertainties. We review our tax positions quarterly and adjust the balances as new information becomes available. Our income tax rate is significantly affected by the tax rate on our global operations. In addition to local country tax laws and regulations, this rate can depend on the extent earnings are indefinitely reinvested outside the U.S. Historically U.S. taxes were due upon repatriation of foreign earnings. Due to the enactment of U.S. tax reform in 2017, repatriations of available cash from foreign earnings are expected to be free of U.S. federal income tax but may incur withholding, with a potential U.S. tax credit offset, or state taxes. Indefinite reinvestment is determined by management’s judgment about and intentions concerning the future operations of the Company. Most of these earnings have been reinvested in active non-U.S. business operations. We reassess reinvestment of earnings on an ongoing basis. In 2023 and 2022, in connection with the execution of the Company's plans to prepare for the spin-off of GE Vernova and GE HealthCare, we incurred an insignificant amount and $0.1 billion of tax, respectively, due to repatriation of previously reinvested earnings.

We evaluate the recoverability of deferred income tax assets by assessing the adequacy of future expected taxable income from all sources, including reversal of taxable temporary differences, forecasted operating earnings and available tax planning strategies, which heavily rely on estimates. We use our historical experience and our short- and long-range business forecasts to provide insight. Further, our global and diversified business portfolio gives us the opportunity to employ various prudent and feasible tax planning strategies to facilitate the recoverability of future deductions. Amounts recorded for deferred tax assets related to non-U.S. net operating losses, net of valuation allowances, were $1.0 billion and $1.3 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Of this, an insignificant amount at December 31, 2023 and $0.4 billion at December 31, 2022, were associated with losses reported in discontinued operations, primarily related to our GE HealthCare and legacy financial services businesses. See Other Consolidated Information – Income Taxes section and Notes 1 and 15 for further information.

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LOSS CONTINGENCIES. Loss contingencies are existing conditions, situations or circumstances involving uncertainty as to possible loss that will ultimately be resolved when future events occur or fail to occur. Such contingencies include, but are not limited to, environmental obligations, litigation, regulatory investigations and proceedings, product quality and losses resulting from other events and developments. When a loss is considered probable and reasonably estimable, we record a liability in the amount of our best estimate for the ultimate loss. When there appears to be a range of possible costs with equal likelihood, liabilities are based on the low-end of such range. However, the likelihood of a loss with respect to a particular contingency is often difficult to predict and determining a meaningful estimate of the loss or a range of loss may not be practicable based on the information available and the potential effect of future events and negotiations with or decisions by third parties that will determine the ultimate resolution of the contingency. Moreover, it is not uncommon for such matters to be resolved over many years, during which time relevant developments and new information must be continuously evaluated to determine both the likelihood of potential loss and whether it is possible to reasonably estimate a range of possible loss. Disclosure is provided for material loss contingencies when a loss is probable but a reasonable estimate cannot be made, and when it is reasonably possible that a loss will be incurred or the amount of a loss will exceed the recorded provision. We regularly review contingencies to determine whether the likelihood of loss has changed and to assess whether a reasonable estimate of the loss or range of loss can be made. See Note 24 for further information.