Putting together a retirement portfolio

During 2007, as the idea of retirement came to mind, Yours Truly thought about a portfolio that is less risky and requires much less attention and fretting than the calculated speculations often covered by this column.
Bizword will attempt to outline such potential companies in the next few weeks, featuring 16 stocks.
The main criteria, other than some familiarity with each of the companies through research, involves:
• Leadership position by the company within the industry, sector, geographic region, or even globally.
• Revenue streams that include dividends, preferably with regular dividend increases.
• Finances that are solid without too much debt.
• Size matters. These companies have been chosen for their size (stabiity) and liquidity (easy purchase and sale of shares)
• Management has shown a strong track record over the years.
• Hopefully, a diversified selection from these stocks should enable buyers to enjoy themselves with less need for concern over day-to-day market moves.
The selection is merely personal, based on limited research, and by no means definitive of the 25,000 listed companies worldwide.
My research has found 16 companies - one that covers all major industries and most geographic regions - six consumer stocks, four industrial companies, three in financial services and two resource companies.
Seven are North American-based; four are European; two are South American with three located in Asia.
U.S. based General Electric is foremost among the group. GE is one of those rare giants with operations around the globe in virtually all sectors.
Investment in General Electric, valued around $394 billion US, represents a bet on the world economy. Forty per cent of revenues come from outside the U.S. The foreign revenue portion keeps rising.
GE operates in every major sector, with industry leadership in many of them.
The infrastructure division involves transportation and energy, making jet and turboprop engines, military craft parts, turbines for wind power, steam and gas, generators, diesel locomotives and so on.
The financial services division does loans and leases and other services for manufacturers with a focus on capital assets, as well as retail credit cards and loan services.
The health care division is involved in MRI and other medical areas, X-ray, patient monitoring, diagnostic cardiology, nuclear imaging, ultrasound, bone densitometry, anaesthesiology and oxygen therapy, and neonatal and critical care and therapy.
The entertainment division operates the NBC network, produces television programs and motion pictures; owns various cable/satellite networks and theme parks.
The industrial segment offers home appliances, lamp products, electrical distribution and control products; motors and control systems, as well as various measuring and control equipment for industry.
The company aims at leadership in industries of the future - wind power, solar energy, LED lighting, municipal drinking water - and develops strategic links such as the joint venture with China Life insurance.
With 2006 revenues of $173 billion GE equals the income of Alberta and New Brunswick combined.
Priced at $37 US and with a dividend yielding 3.3 per cent, GE is poised to grow with the world economy as well as the U.S.
Next week: Financial and industrial stocks.
Bizword columns do not solicit buying or trading of securities. Investors need to do their own homework or consult advisers.

Ron Walter can be reached at 691-1264.