GE GE Aerospace

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES THAT WE MAY SELL

We may offer and sell, at any time and from time to time:

The terms of any securities we offer will be determined at the time of sale. We may issue debt securities that are exchangeable for or convertible into common stock or any of the other securities that may be sold under this prospectus. When particular securities are offered, a supplement to this prospectus will be filed with the SEC, which will describe the terms of the offering and sale of the offered securities.

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

General

The debt securities offered by this prospectus will be issued under one of two separate indentures between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee: the senior note indenture, dated as of October 9, 2012, between us and The Bank of New York Mellon and a form of subordinated note indenture to be entered into later between us and The Bank of New York Mellon. We have incorporated by reference the senior note indenture and the form of subordinated note indenture as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The senior note indenture and the subordinated note indenture are sometimes referred to in this prospectus individually as an “indenture” and collectively as the “indentures.” The debt securities will be obligations of GE and will be either senior or subordinated debt. We have summarized selected provisions of the indentures and the debt securities below. This summary is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the indentures. References to section numbers in this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, are references to section numbers of the applicable indenture. For purposes of this summary, the terms “we,” “our,” “ours” and “us” refer only to General Electric Company and not to any of its subsidiaries.

We may issue debt securities at any time and from time to time in one or more series under the indentures. The indentures give us the ability to reopen a previous issue of a series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of the same series, subject to compliance with the applicable requirements set forth in the indentures. Neither indenture limits the amount of debt securities or other secured or unsecured debt that we or our subsidiaries may issue. We will describe the particular terms of each series of debt securities we offer in a supplement to this prospectus. If any particular terms of the debt securities described in a prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described in this prospectus, then the terms described in the applicable prospectus supplement will supersede the terms described in this prospectus. The terms of our debt securities will include those set forth in the indentures and those made a part of the indentures by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. You should carefully read the summary below, the applicable prospectus supplement and the provisions of the indentures that may be important to you before investing in our debt securities.

Ranking

The senior debt securities offered by this prospectus will:

The subordinated debt securities offered by this prospectus will:

A substantial portion of our assets are owned through our subsidiaries, many of which have significant debt or other liabilities of their own which will be structurally senior to the debt securities. None of our subsidiaries will have any obligations with respect to the debt securities. Therefore, GE’s rights and the rights of GE’s creditors, including holders of debt securities, to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon any such subsidiary’s liquidation may be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s other creditors.

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Subject to the exceptions, and subject to compliance with the applicable requirements set forth in the indentures, we may discharge our obligations under the indentures with respect to our debt securities as described below under “— Defeasance.”

Terms

We will describe the specific terms of the series of debt securities being offered in a supplement to this prospectus. These terms will include some or all of the following:

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Any limit on the maximum total principal amount for any series of the debt securities may be increased by resolution of our board of directors. (Section 301) We may sell the debt securities, including original issue discount securities, at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. If there are any special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to debt securities we sell at an original issue discount, we will describe them in the prospectus supplement. In addition, we will describe in the prospectus supplement any special United States federal income tax considerations and any other special considerations for any debt securities we sell which are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than U.S. dollars.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

We will issue the debt securities in registered form, without coupons. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will only issue debt securities in denominations of integral multiples of $1,000. (Section 302)

Holders generally will be able to exchange debt securities for other debt securities of the same series with the same total principal amount and the same terms but in different authorized denominations. (Section 305)

Holders may present debt securities for exchange or for registration of transfer at the office of the security registrar or at the office of any transfer agent we designate for that purpose. The security registrar or designated transfer agent will exchange or transfer the debt securities if it is satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. We will not charge a service charge for any exchange or registration of transfer of debt securities. However, we and the security registrar may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable for the registration of transfer or exchange. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will appoint the Trustee as security registrar. We will identify any transfer agent in addition to the security registrar in the prospectus supplement. (Section 305)

At any time we may: 

However, we are required to maintain a transfer agent in each place of payment for the debt securities at all times. (Sections 305 and 1002)

If we elect to redeem a series of debt securities, neither we nor the Trustee will be required:

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Payment and Paying Agents

Under the indentures, we will pay interest on the debt securities to the persons in whose names the debt securities are registered at the close of business on the regular record date for each interest payment. However, unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will pay the interest payable on the debt securities at their stated maturity to the persons to whom we pay the principal amount of the debt securities. The initial payment of interest on any series of debt securities issued between a regular record date and the related interest payment date will be payable in the manner provided by the terms of the series, which we will describe in the prospectus supplement. (Section 307)

  Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities at the offices of the paying agents we designate. However, except in the case of a global security, we may pay interest:

We will designate the Trustee as the sole paying agent for the debt securities unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement. If we initially designate any other paying agents for a series of debt securities, we will identify them in the prospectus supplement. At any time, we may designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agents. However, we are required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities at all times. (Sections 307 and 1002)

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any paying agent in trust for the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities that remains unclaimed for one year after the date the payments became due, may be repaid to us upon our request. After we have been repaid, holders entitled to those payments may only look to us for payment as our unsecured general creditors. The Trustee and any paying agents will not be liable for those payments after we have been repaid. (Section 1003)

Restrictive Covenants

We will describe any restrictive covenants for any series of debt securities in the prospectus supplement.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

Under the indentures, we may not consolidate with or merge into, or convey, transfer or lease our properties and assets substantially as an entirety to, any person (as defined below), referred to as a “successor person” unless:

As used in the indentures, the term “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

Events of Default

Senior Debt Securities

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, each of the following will be an event of default under the senior debt indenture with respect to any series of debt securities:

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provided, however, that no event described in the fourth bullet point above will be an event of default until an officer of the Trustee responsible for the administration of the senior debt indenture has actual knowledge of the event or until the Trustee receives written notice of the event at its corporate trust office. (Section 501)

An event of default under one series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an event of default under any other series of debt securities. If an event of default for a series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all the debt securities of that series due and immediately payable by a notice in writing to us (and to the Trustee if given by the holders). Upon such declaration, we will be obligated to pay the principal amount of that series of debt securities.

The right described in the preceding paragraph does not apply if an event of default occurs as described in the sixth bullet point above which applies to all outstanding series of debt securities. If such an event of default occurs and is continuing, either the Trustee or holders of at least 25% in principal amount of all of the debt securities then outstanding, treated as one class, may declare the principal amount of all of the debt securities then outstanding to be due and payable immediately by a notice in writing to us (and to the Trustee if given by the holders). Upon such declaration, we will be obligated to pay the principal amount of the debt securities.

Subordinated Debt Securities

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, each of the following will be an event of default under the subordinated debt indenture with respect to any series of debt securities:

An event of default under one series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute an event of default under any other series of debt securities. If an event of default described in the fourth bullet point above for a series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all the debt securities of that series due and immediately payable by a notice in writing to us (and to the Trustee if given by the holders). Upon such declaration, we will be obligated to pay the principal amount of that series of debt securities.

Terms Applicable to all Debt Securities

After any declaration of acceleration of a series of debt securities, but before a judgment or decree for payment has been obtained, the event of default giving rise to the declaration of acceleration will, without further act, be deemed to have been waived, and such declaration and its consequences will, without further act, be deemed to have been rescinded and annulled if:

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If an event of default (or, in the case of the subordinated debt securities, a covenant event) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will generally have no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indentures at the request or direction of any of the holders, unless the holders offer reasonable indemnity to the Trustee. (Section 603) The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series will generally have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee for the debt securities of that series, provided that:

A holder of a debt security of any series may only pursue a remedy under the indentures if:

However, these limitations do not apply to a suit by a holder of a debt security demanding payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on a debt security on or after the date the payment is due. (Section 508)

We will be required to furnish to the Trustee annually a statement by some of our officers regarding our performance or observance of any of the terms of the indentures and specifying all of our known defaults, if any. (Section 1004)

Modification and Waiver

When authorized by a board resolution, we may enter into one or more supplemental indentures with the Trustee without the consent of the holders of the debt securities in order to:

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When authorized by a board resolution, we may enter into one or more supplemental indentures with the Trustee in order to add to, change or eliminate provisions of the indentures or to modify the rights of the holders of one or more series of debt securities under such indentures if we obtain the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of all series affected by such supplemental indenture, treated as one class. However, without the consent of the holders of each outstanding debt security affected by the supplemental indenture, we may not enter into a supplemental indenture that:

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In addition, the subordinated note indenture may not be amended without the consent of each holder of subordinated debt securities affected thereby to modify the subordination of the subordinated debt securities issued under that indenture in a manner adverse to the holders of the subordinated debt securities in any material respect.

Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may waive past defaults or noncompliance with restrictive provisions of the indentures. However, the consent of holders of each outstanding debt security of a series is required to:

In order to determine whether the holders of the requisite principal amount of the outstanding debt securities have taken an action under an indenture as of a specified date:

An “original issue discount security” means a debt security issued under the indentures which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of maturity. Some debt securities, including those for the payment or redemption of which money has been deposited or set aside in trust for the holders, and those which have been legally defeased under the indentures, will not be deemed to be outstanding.

We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for determining the holders of outstanding debt securities of any series entitled to give or take any direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action under an indenture. In limited circumstances, the Trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by holders of outstanding debt securities. If a record date is set for any action to be taken by holders of a particular series, the action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding debt securities of that series on the record date. To be effective, the action must be taken by holders of the requisite principal amount of debt securities within a specified period following the record date. For any particular record date, this period will be 180 days or such shorter period as we may specify, or the Trustee may specify, if it sets the record date. This period may be shortened or lengthened by not more than 180 days. (Section 104)

Conversion and Exchange Rights

The debt securities of any series may be convertible into or exchangeable for other securities of GE or another issuer or property or cash on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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Defeasance

When we use the term defeasance, we mean discharge from some or all of our obligations under either indenture. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, if we deposit with the Trustee funds or government securities sufficient to make payments on the debt securities of a series on the dates those payments are due and payable and comply with all other conditions to defeasance set forth in the indentures, then, at our option, either of the following will occur:

If we legally defease a series of debt securities, the holders of the debt securities of the series affected will not be entitled to the benefits of the indentures, except for:

We may legally defease a series of debt securities notwithstanding any prior exercise of our option of covenant defeasance in respect of such series.

In addition, the subordinated note indenture provides that if we choose to have the legal defeasance provision applied to the subordinated debt securities, the subordination provisions of the subordinated note indenture will become ineffective. The subordinated note indenture also provides that if we choose to have covenant defeasance apply to any series of debt securities issued pursuant to the subordinated note indenture we need not comply with the provisions relating to subordination.

Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, we will be required to deliver to the Trustee an opinion of counsel that the deposit and related defeasance would not cause the holders of the debt securities to recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes and that the holders would be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if the deposit and related defeasance had not occurred. If we elect legal defeasance, that opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling from the United States Internal Revenue Service or a change in law to that effect. (Sections 1401-1404)

Satisfaction and Discharge

We may discharge our obligations under the indentures while securities remain outstanding if (1) all outstanding debt securities issued under the indentures have become due and payable, (2) all outstanding debt securities issued under the indentures will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year of the date of deposit or (3) all outstanding debt securities issued under the indentures are scheduled for redemption in one year, and in each case, we have deposited with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay and discharge all outstanding debt securities issued under the indentures on the date of their scheduled maturity or the scheduled date of the redemption and paid all other amounts payable under the indentures. (Section 401). The subordinated note indenture provides that if we choose to discharge our obligations with respect to the subordinated debt securities, the subordination provisions of the subordinated note indenture will become ineffective. (Section 1610)

Global Notes, Delivery and Form

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be issued in the form of one or more fully registered Global Notes (as defined below) that will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York (the “Depository”) and registered in the name of the Depository’s nominee. Global Notes are not exchangeable for definitive note certificates except in the specific circumstances described below. For purposes of this prospectus, “Global Note” refers to the Global Note or Global Notes representing an entire issue of debt securities.

Except as set forth below, a Global Note may be transferred by the Depository, in whole and not in part, only to a nominee of the Depository or by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository.

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The Depository has advised us as follows:

So long as a nominee of the Depository is the registered owner of a Global Note, such nominee for all purposes will be considered the sole owner or holder of such debt securities under the indentures. Except as provided below, you will not be entitled to have debt securities registered in your name, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of debt securities in definitive form, and will not be considered the owner or holder thereof under the indentures.

Each person owning a beneficial interest in a Global Note must rely on the procedures of the Depository and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which that person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the indentures. We understand that under existing industry practices, if we request any action of holders or if an owner of a beneficial interest in any Global Note desires to give or take any action which a holder is entitled to give or take under the indentures, the Depository would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action, and the participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through these participants to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.

Redemption notices shall be sent to the Depository. If less than all of the debt securities within an issue are being redeemed, the Depository’s practice is to determine by lot the amount of the interest of each participant in such issue to be redeemed.

We will make payment of principal of, and interest on, debt securities represented by a Global Note to the Depository or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner and holder of the Global Note representing those debt securities. The Depository has advised us that upon receipt of any payment of principal of, or interest on, a Global Note, the Depository will immediately credit accounts of participants with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of that Global Note, as shown in the records of the Depository. Standing instructions and customary practices will govern payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a Global Note held through those participants, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name.” Those payments will be the sole responsibility of those participants, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements that may be in effect from time to time.

Neither we, the Trustee nor any of our respective agents will be responsible for any aspect of the records of the Depository, any nominee or any participant relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a Global Note or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of the records of the Depository, any nominee or any participant relating to those beneficial interests.

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As described above, we will issue debt securities in definitive form in exchange for a Global Note only in the following situations:

In either instance, an owner of a beneficial interest in a Global Note will be entitled to have debt securities equal in principal amount to such beneficial interest registered in its name and will be entitled to physical delivery of debt securities in definitive form. Debt securities in definitive form will be issued in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof and will be issued in registered form only, without coupons. We will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, one or more offices or agencies where debt securities may be presented for payment and may be transferred or exchanged. You will not be charged a fee for any transfer or exchange of such debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

Highly Leveraged Transaction

The general provisions of the indentures do not afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event of a highly leveraged or other transaction involving GE that may adversely affect holders of the debt securities.

Subordination

Any subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated note indenture will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Debt of GE whether existing at the date of the subordinated note indenture or subsequently incurred. Upon any payment or distribution of assets of GE to creditors upon any:

the holders of Senior Debt will first be entitled to receive payment in full of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Senior Debt before the holders of the subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive or retain any payment in respect of the principal of and any premium or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

Upon the acceleration of the maturity of any subordinated debt securities, the holders of all Senior Debt outstanding at the time of such acceleration will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due thereon, including any amounts due upon acceleration, before the holders of subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive or retain any payment in respect of the principal (including redemption payments), or premium, if any, or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

No payments on account of principal (including redemption payments), or premium, if any, or interest, in respect of the subordinated debt securities may be made if:

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“Debt” means, with respect to any person:

“Senior Debt” means the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on Debt of GE, whether created, incurred or assumed on, before or after the date of the subordinated note indenture, unless the instrument creating or evidencing the Debt provides that such Debt is subordinated to or pari passu with the subordinated debt securities.

The indentures place no limitation on the amount of additional Senior Debt that may be incurred by GE.

Notices

Holders will receive notices by mail at their addresses as they appear in the security register. (Section 106)

Title

We may treat the person in whose name a debt security is registered on the applicable record date as the owner of the debt security for all purposes, whether or not it is overdue. (Section 309)

Governing Law

New York law governs the indentures and the debt securities. (Section 112)

Regarding the Trustee

GE, our subsidiary GE Capital International Funding Company (“FinCo”) and other affiliates of GE maintain various commercial and investment banking relationships with The Bank of New York Mellon and its affiliates in their ordinary course of business.

The Bank of New York Mellon acts as Trustee under (i) an Indenture with GE dated December 1, 2005, (ii) an Amended and Restated Indenture with GE dated February 27, 1997, as supplemented, (iii) an Indenture with GE, dated September 1, 1982, as supplemented, (iv) an Amended and Restated Indenture with GE, dated June 1, 1994, as supplemented, and (v) an Amended and Restated Indenture with GE dated June 1, 1994, as supplemented. The Bank of New York Mellon also acts as Trustee under certain other indentures with GE and FinCo.

If an event of default occurs under the indentures and is continuing, the Trustee will be required to use the degree of care and skill of a prudent person in the conduct of that person’s own affairs. The Trustee will become obligated to exercise any of its powers under the indentures at the request of any of the holders of any debt securities issued under the indentures only after those holders have offered the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to it.

If the Trustee becomes one of our creditors, its rights to obtain payment of claims in specified circumstances, or to realize for its own account on certain property received in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise will be limited under the terms of the indentures. (Section 613) The Trustee may engage in certain other transactions; however, if the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest (within the meaning specified under the Trust Indenture Act), it will be required to eliminate the conflict or resign. (Section 608)

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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK

Our Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, authorizes our Board of Directors, or the “Board,” to create and provide for the issuance of one or more series of preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, without the approval of our shareowners. The Board can also determine the terms, including the designations, powers, preferences and rights (including conversion, voting and other rights) and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, of any preferred stock. Currently, 50,000,000 shares of our capital stock are classified as preferred stock under our Certificate of Incorporation. As of February 26, 2016, we have 5,944,250 shares of preferred stock outstanding, including 90,865 shares of Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A, 64,149 shares of Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B, 94,743 shares of Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C and 5,694,493 shares of Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series D.

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK

Set forth below is a description of GE’s common stock. The following description of GE common stock is a summary and is subject to the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation, our by-laws and the relevant provisions of the law of the State of New York.

We are currently authorized to issue up to 13,200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.06 per share. As of December 31, 2015, we had approximately 9,379,288,000 shares of our common stock outstanding.

Each share of GE common stock entitles the holder of record to one vote at all meetings of shareowners, and the votes are noncumulative. The GE common stock is not redeemable, has no subscription or conversion rights and does not entitle the holder to any preemptive rights.

Holders of GE common stock are entitled to share ratably in any dividends and in any assets available for distribution on liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, subject to the preferential rights of the holders of any preferred stock that may be issued.

Dividends may be paid on GE common stock out of funds legally available for dividends, when and if declared by the Board.

Computershare is the transfer agent and registrar for GE common stock.

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants, in one or more series, for the purchase of debt securities, shares of GE common stock or shares of GE preferred stock. Warrants may be issued independently or together with our debt securities, common stock or preferred stock and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. In addition to this summary, you should refer to the detailed provisions of the specific warrant agreement for complete terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement. Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus, each warrant agreement will be between GE and a banking institution organized under the laws of the United States or a state thereof as warrant agent. A form of warrant agreement will be filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement by post-effective amendment or a Current Report on Form 8-K.

The warrants will be evidenced by warrant certificates. Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, the warrant certificates may be traded separately from the debt securities, common stock or preferred stock, if any, with which the warrant certificates were issued. Warrant certificates may be exchanged for new warrant certificates of different denominations at the office of an agent that we will appoint. Until a warrant is exercised, the holder of a warrant does not have any of the rights of a holder of our debt securities, common stock or preferred stock and is not entitled to any payments on any debt securities, common stock or preferred stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants.

A prospectus supplement accompanying this prospectus relating to a particular series of warrants to issue debt securities, common stock or preferred stock will describe the terms of those warrants, including:

You may exercise warrants by paying our warrant agent the exercise price, in each case in such currency or currencies as are specified in the warrant, and giving your identity and the number of warrants to be exercised. Once you pay our warrant agent and deliver the properly completed and executed warrant certificate to our warrant agent at the specified office, our warrant agent will, as soon as practicable, forward securities to you in authorized denominations or share amounts. If you exercise less than all of the warrants evidenced by your warrant certificate, you will be issued a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants.

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DESCRIPTION OF DELAYED DELIVERY CONTRACTS

We may issue delayed delivery contracts for the purchase or sale of our debt securities or equity securities or securities of third parties including any of our affiliates, a basket of such securities, an index or indices of such securities or any combination of the above as specified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

We may issue delayed delivery contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and obligating us to sell to holders, at a future date, a specified or varying number of securities at a purchase price, which may be based on a formula. Alternatively, we may issue delayed delivery contracts obligating us to purchase from holders, and obligating holders to sell to us, at a future date, a specified or varying number of securities at a purchase price, which may be based on a formula. We may satisfy our obligations, if any, with respect to any delayed delivery contract by delivering the subject securities or by delivering the cash value of such delayed delivery contract or the cash value of the property otherwise deliverable, as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will specify the methods by which the holders may purchase or sell such securities and any acceleration, cancellation or termination provisions or other provisions relating to the settlement of a delayed delivery contract.

The delayed delivery contracts may require us to make periodic payments to the holders thereof or vice versa, and these payments may be unsecured or prefunded and may be paid on a current or deferred basis. The delayed delivery contracts may require holders thereof to secure their obligations under the contracts in a specified manner to be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. Alternatively, delayed delivery contracts may require holders to satisfy their obligations thereunder when the delayed delivery contracts are issued as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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DESCRIPTION OF GUARANTEES

Any guarantees that we issue from time to time for the benefit of holders of specified underlying securities will include the following terms and conditions, plus any additional terms specified in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

A guarantee will provide that we unconditionally guarantee the due and punctual payment of the principal, interest (if any), premium (if any) and all other amounts due under the applicable underlying securities when the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, pursuant to mandatory or optional prepayments, by acceleration or otherwise, in each case after any applicable grace periods or notice requirements, according to the terms of the applicable underlying securities. Any guarantee shall be unconditional irrespective of the validity or enforceability of the applicable underlying security, any change or amendment thereto or any other circumstances that may otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. However, we will not waive presentment or demand of payment or notice with respect to the applicable underlying security unless otherwise provided in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

We shall be subrogated to all rights of the holders of the applicable underlying securities in respect of any amounts paid by us pursuant to the provisions of a guarantee, except to the extent otherwise stated in a prospectus supplement. The guarantee shall continue to be effective or reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any payment made by the issuer of the applicable underlying security is rescinded or must otherwise be returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of GE, the issuer of the applicable underlying security or otherwise.

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ERISA MATTERS

GE and its subsidiaries may provide services to many employee benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), including entities such as collective investment funds, partnerships and separate accounts whose underlying assets include assets of such plans (collectively, “Plans”). GE and any direct or indirect subsidiary of GE may each be considered a “party in interest” within the meaning of ERISA, or a “disqualified person” under corresponding provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), with respect to many Plans, as well as many individual retirement arrangements, other arrangements subject to Section 4975 of the Code and Keogh plans (also “Plans”). “Prohibited transactions” within the meaning of ERISA and the Code may result if any offered securities are acquired by a Plan as to which GE or any direct or indirect subsidiary of GE is a party in interest or disqualified person, unless such offered securities are acquired pursuant to an applicable exemption. There are a number of statutory exemptions to the prohibited transaction rules, including the service provider exemption provided by Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code, which applies to certain transactions if the party in interest or disqualified person has such status solely due to its (or an affiliate’s) provision of services to the Plan and specified conditions are satisfied. In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions (“PTCEs”) that may provide exemptive relief for direct or indirect prohibited transactions resulting from the purchase or holding of the offered securities. Five of those class exemptions are PTCE 96-23 (for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), PTCE 95-60 (for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTCE 91-38 (for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds), PTCE 90-1 (for certain transactions involving insurance company separate accounts), and PTCE 84-14 (for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers). Accordingly, each purchaser and each transferee using the assets of a Plan subject to ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code to acquire the offered securities will be deemed to have represented that the acquisition and continued holding of the offered securities will not result in a prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, either as a result of being covered by a statutory prohibited transaction exemption or a Department of Labor PTCE or otherwise.

Employee benefit plans that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA) and non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) are not subject to these “prohibited transaction” rules of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, but may be subject to similar rules under other applicable laws or requirements (“Similar Laws”). Accordingly, each purchaser or holder of the offered securities shall be deemed to have represented that such purchase and holding is not prohibited under applicable Similar Laws or rules. Any employee benefit plan or other entity to which such provisions of ERISA, the Code or any Similar Laws apply proposing to acquire the offered securities should consult with its legal counsel. The sale of the offered securities to any Plan or entity is in no respect a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by Plans or entities generally or any particular Plan or entity, or that such an investment is appropriate for Plans and entities generally or any particular Plan or entity.

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