Fairfield, Conn. — General Electric's fourth quarter earnings declined 44 percent to $3.7 billion and revenue fell 5 percent to $46.2 billion for the three months ended Dec. 31.

Sales at GE’s consumer and industrial division, which includes major appliances, lighting, electrical distribution equipment and licensed consumer electronics, slid 17 percent to $2.7 billion for the period while profits fell 86 percent to $36 million.

Fourth quarter sales at the conglomerate’s GE Capital Services unit, which provides financing for manufacturers, distributors, dealers and consumers, fell 18 percent during the quarter, the company said.