Honestly, if you're still looking at "General Electric" as that giant, messy conglomerate that made everything from lightbulbs to subprime mortgages, you're already behind the curve. That GE is dead. It’s gone. What we have now is GE Aerospace, a focused, high-margin beast that basically runs the sky.
When people ask if they should ge stock buy or sell, they usually forget that the "GE" ticker now represents a pure-play aviation company. The power business (GE Vernova) and the healthcare wing (GE HealthCare) are living their own lives as separate stocks. So, are you buying a jet engine company at the top of its cycle, or is there still juice left in the tank?
Let's get into it.
The Reality of GE Stock Buy or Sell Right Now
The stock isn't cheap. Let’s just put that out there. As of mid-January 2026, we’re seeing a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio sitting north of 43. For a traditional industrial company, that's eye-watering. But GE Aerospace isn't a traditional industrial company anymore. It’s a services business disguised as a hardware manufacturer.
Think about it this way: selling the engine is almost a loss leader. The real money—the "sticky" money—comes from the two decades of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) that follow. With the global airline fleet aging and Boeing struggling to get new planes out the door, those old engines need more love than ever. That is pure profit for Larry Culp and his team.
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What the Bulls Are Screaming
The "Buy" case is pretty simple but powerful.
- The Services Tail: Over 70% of GE Aerospace’s revenue comes from services. While equipment sales are lumpy, service revenue is like a subscription that airlines can't cancel if they want to keep flying.
- LEAP Engine Dominance: The LEAP engine (via the CFM joint venture) is the workhorse of the narrow-body market. Deliveries are expected to grow by about 11% this year.
- The "Culp Premium": Larry Culp is widely considered one of the best CEOs of his generation. He didn't just save GE; he rebuilt it using "Lean" principles that actually worked.
Why the Bears Are Grumbling
It’s not all blue skies. There are a few things that might make you want to sell or at least wait for a dip.
- Valuation: At $320+ a share, you're paying for a lot of future perfection.
- Supply Chain Chokepoints: GE has invested over $1 billion into its supply chain, but they still can't get parts as fast as they’d like. If they can't deliver, they can't bill.
- The 2030 Cliff: Some analysts, like those at Public.com, worry that service volumes might actually start to dip toward the end of the decade as the newest, most efficient engines require less frequent maintenance.
GE Stock Buy or Sell: Decoding the Analyst Consensus
If you look at the big banks, they’re still mostly waving the green flag. Citigroup recently adjusted its target to $378, while Jefferies is looking at $375. The consensus is a "Moderate Buy," but here’s the kicker: the average price target of $345 doesn't offer a massive upside from current levels.
You've gotta decide if a 7% to 10% projected gain is enough for the risk you're taking.
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Breaking Down the Earnings
The most recent quarterly data was a blowout. Revenue hit $11.31 billion, beating expectations by nearly a billion dollars. Earnings per share (EPS) came in at $1.66, which was 20 cents higher than what Wall Street expected.
When a company consistently beats and raises guidance—which GE Aerospace has done multiple times through 2025—the market tends to forgive a high P/E ratio. It’s the "winner's tax."
The Comparison: Aerospace vs. Vernova
Some investors are jumping ship from GE (Aerospace) to GEV (Vernova). It’s a classic growth vs. value play. GE Vernova is the energy play, benefiting from the massive electrification of everything (AI data centers, EVs, etc.).
While GE Aerospace grew nearly 90% over the last year, GE Vernova has been catching up fast, with some analysts predicting it could outperform the S&P 500 again in 2026. If you’re looking for a "cheaper" way to play the GE legacy, Vernova might look tempting, but it’s a much more volatile business thanks to the wind energy segment’s struggles.
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Is the Dividend Worth It?
Short answer: No.
Longer answer: GE Aerospace pays about $1.44 annually, which is a yield of roughly 0.4%. You don't buy this stock for the check in the mail. You buy it because they are planning to return $24 billion to shareholders via buybacks and dividends through 2026. The buybacks are what will move the needle for you by reducing the share count and boosting the value of the stocks you hold.
Final Verdict: What Should You Actually Do?
Basically, it comes down to your timeline.
If you're a short-term trader, the stock is looking a bit "toppy." It’s trading near its 52-week high, and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) suggests it might be overbought. Waiting for a pullback to the $300-$310 support level—a "correction" in market terms—might be the smarter move.
If you're a long-term investor, GE Aerospace is a "best-in-class" holding. It’s hard to find another company with this much of a moat in a critical global industry. They’ve raised their 2028 outlook, aiming for $8.5 billion in free cash flow. That’s a lot of cash to play with.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your exposure: If you held GE before the split, make sure your portfolio isn't accidentally 20% aerospace now.
- Set a Limit Order: Instead of buying at market price, set an order for $305. If the market has a bad week, you get in at a much better valuation.
- Watch the LEAP delivery numbers: These are the heartbeat of the company. If delivery growth slows below 10%, the "Sell" case gets a lot stronger.
- Keep an eye on Boeing: GE's fate is partially tied to the airframe manufacturers. If the big jet makers continue to struggle with quality and delivery, GE's "aftermarket" service revenue actually becomes more valuable.
The bottom line? GE Aerospace is a high-quality engine that's currently running at full throttle. It's a great ride, just make sure you didn't pay a first-class price for an economy seat.