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Back to #431 How Henry Singleton Worked.

Why Did Henry Singleton Try to Create Another General Electric?

David Senra, reading the book's account, says Henry Singleton tried to create another General Electric, which is why the companies he chose to acquire became more and more diverse.

He later looked beyond the original electronics, government, and military markets to businesses that would diversify Teledyne and add to its profit. He called Teledyne a living plant, with the companies as branches that put out new branches so no one business is too significant. The technologies expanded like a branching tree, and each new technology opened the way into other related technologies. Managers who saw opportunities in related fields recommended acquisitions of other suitable companies.

Geophysical capabilities and seismic products led into oceanography and offshore petroleum exploration, where seismic techniques profile the geological strata on the bottom of the sea to find likely places to drill oil wells. The work led to further expansion in the petroleum industry. Teledyne divided the business into 130 profit centers, and only one of the 130 had lost money in the year that account describes.

Grokipedia·David Senra

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#431 How Henry Singleton Worked ·

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  1. How Fast Did Henry Singleton Compound Teledyne?David Senra, reading the book's account, says Henry Singleton compounded Teledyne at an extraordinary 20.4% a year for almost 30 years.
  2. How Did Henry Singleton Build Teledyne?David Senra, reading the book's account, says Henry Singleton built Teledyne by founding it in July 1960 with George Kosmetsky, at 43, after never founding a…
  3. Why Did Henry Singleton Buy Back So Much Teledyne Stock?David Senra, reading the book's account, says Henry Singleton bought back 90% of Teledyne's stock because the shares were simply too cheap and he could earn a…
  4. Why Did Teledyne Stop Buying Companies in 1969?David Senra, reading the book's account, says Teledyne stopped buying whole companies in 1969 because Henry Singleton decided the prices were getting too high.
  5. What Did Warren Buffett Say About Henry Singleton?David Senra says Warren Buffett gave Henry Singleton the best operating and capital deployment record in American business.
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