⁍ The U.S. industrial conglomerate said the issues the regulator could pursue relate to the company’s run-off insurance operations.

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⁍ In 2017, GE took a surprise accounting charge of $6.2 billion and said it would need to set aside $15 billion for long-term care insurance payouts.

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⁍ GE shares were down 3.9% late on Tuesday afternoon.

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– General Electric received a warning Tuesday that it could face a civil action from the Securities and Exchange Commission over alleged violations of securities laws related to its insurance holdings, Reuters reports. In a regulatory filing, the company said the issues the regulator could pursue relate to the company’s run-off insurance operations—a portfolio of about 300,000 long-term care insurance policies it holds in its GE Capital unit. In 2017, GE took a surprise accounting charge of $6.2 billion and said it would need to set aside $15 billion for long-term care insurance payouts, one of the largest such amounts ever. Securities regulators opened a probe into the company’s accounting practices after the massive insurance charge. The inquiry, which initially focused on long-term service agreements for maintenance of power plants, jet engines, and other industrial equipment, was later expanded to include GE’s review of its insurance business. Tuesday’s notice marks the first public indication that the SEC staff is considering recommending a regulatory action. GE, however, said the Wells notice is neither a formal allegation nor a finding of wrongdoing. “GE has fully cooperated with the SEC’s investigation related to past reserve practices at our run-off insurance subsidiary, as we have disclosed since 2018,” a company representative said. “We strongly disagree with the recommendation of the SEC staff and will provide a response through the Wells notice process.” GE shares were down 3.9% late on Tuesday afternoon.