GE: One of the World's Largest Companies Could Make You a 34% Profit

Rising dividends... A share buyback program... And strategic acquisitions.

This combination of strengths shows General Electric (NYSE: GE) -- one of the world's largest companies -- is again on a roll.

In mid-December, the blue-chip company announced a 17% dividend increase on top of the 20% dividend hike earlier this year. This brings GE's forward annual dividend to an attractive 3.2%.

Additionally, GE recently announced an aggressive buyback of preferred securities sold to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B) during the heart of the financial meltdown. At the time, the sale was used to raise money for the struggling GE Capital division. But, this year, GE Capital expects to bring in more than $3 billion in profit, with rising earnings projected for the coming years.

GE is also pursuing a number of strategic acquisitions, focused primarily on power generation, specifically in offshore wind and solar power plants. It recently acquired Wellstream, a British company whose flexible pipe products are used in subsea energy development projects. The $1.3 billion acquisition should help GE further penetrate the offshore energy market. GE is also in talks with Saudi Arabia to develop an atomic energy program. (more)