The sad part of all this is you are correct at how GE, Siemens, Emerson, and a whole lot more play the game.  The "Stock Value" mantra has been all the rage since Lee Iacocca "saved" Chrysler from extinction.  After that, EVERYONE followed suite.  The top levels got richer, and the workers...well not so much.  We became slaves to the system.  Locked into a social system that is hard to leave.  As for those "losses", the employees take the brunt with lower pay and excuse after excuse as to why. Sadly, my mom is living off of my dad's GE pension and this may very well cause it to go bust.  Not a good time coming for any GE retiree. Enough ranting. I have to see a man about buying a horse...and quickly! HaHa