General Electric disclosed that US securities regulators had begun probing a multi billion-dollar insurance charge it announced last week, a write-off that produced a $10 billion loss in the latest quarter.
The US industrial conglomerate also forecast further weakening of its troubled power business this year as it reported a 5% drop in quarterly revenue.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission began an investigation in late November of the long-term service agreements that govern GE's maintenance of power plants, jet engines and other industrial equipment it sells, GE said.
The SEC recently expanded the inquiry to include a $6.2 billion charge and $15 billion in provisions for insurance policies that GE announced last week, GE said.
GE did not provide further details, but said it is cooperating with the investigation.
"It's very early days," Chief Financial Officer Jamie Miller said on a conference call with analysts, adding "there's nothing here I'm overly concerned about."
The US industrial conglomerate said profit fell 88% in its troubled power business, which makes electricity generating equipment, attributing the drop to unspecified charges and other factors.
GE could not immediately provide more detail.
The company said that revenue and orders also fell sharply at the power business.
GE said cash from industrial operating activities totaled $7.8 billion in the quarter, above expectations of about $7 billion, and GE said its ability to generate cash is improving.
GE's loss totaled $10.01 billion in the quarter, compared with a profit of $3.48 billion a year earlier.
On a per-share basis, GE reported a loss from continuing operations of $1.15, compared with a profit of 39 cents per share.
GE said last week it would book a $11 billion charge in the fourth quarter, including $6.2 billion for reevaluation of insurance assets. The insurance charge was double what GE warned last year.
Total revenue fell to $31.40 billion from $33.09 billion.
