FAIRFIELD, Conn. — General Electric Co. president and chairman-elect Jeffrey R. Immelt said Wednesday that GE remains on target to deliver strong earnings this year.

        GE, which operates Evendale-based GE Aircraft Engines, also said it expects to see more than $3 billion in annual savings from its pending $42 billion acquisition of Honeywell International Inc., twice what it had originally projected.

Immelt

        In a statement released in advance of a meeting with analysts, Mr. Immelt, a Finneytown native who is replacing retiring GE chairman Jack Welch, narrowed the range of earnings per share from between $1.40 and $1.50 to “solidly above $1.45.” The consensus among analysts surveyed by First Call was $1.47 for the year.

        “The strength of the GE model really shines during slower parts of the business cycle — our global diversity, service growth, quality efforts and digitization transformation have reduced GE's sensitivity to business cycles,” Mr. Immelt said.

        GE last month reported that its first-quarter net income slipped about 1 percent due to a huge charge for a required accounting change, but its operating earnings surged 16 percent, matching Wall Street expectations.

Pilots, Comair in showdown
Metal-cleaning business sold
Bernstein tradition to continue
Chamber selects best small firm
Food for home cooking gets fast, faster, fastest
GE bullish on earnings
Fed expected to cut interest rates again
Jeep, Saturn seek buyers for long-term relationships
Business Digest
Morning Memo
Tristate Business Summary
What's the Buzz?