Topic: Dividend Stocks

SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $38 – Toronto symbol SNC

SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $38 (Toronto symbol SNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 152.5 million; Market cap: $5.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.7; Dividend yield: 2.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.snclavalin.com) earned $106.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2014, up 0.6% from $106.1 million a year earlier. Earnings per share were unchanged at $0.70. These figures exclude a gain on the sale of AltaLink, which operates power lines in Alberta.

Revenue jumped 32.7%, to $2.8 billion from $2.1 billion, due to the recent acquisition of U.K.-based Kentz, which provides engineering and construction services to the oil and gas industry.

The stock has suffered lately, mainly due to formal charges against the company for using bribes to win construction contracts in Libya between 2001 and 2011. These are the same allegations that prompted SNC to replace its senior executives in 2012 and bring in a new program to enforce ethical practices.

However, SNC plans to sell its 16.77% stake in Highway 407, a toll highway north of Toronto. This interest could be worth $3 billion. The company has also raised its dividend by 4.2%. The new annual rate of $1.00 a share yields 2.6%.

SNC-Lavalin is still a buy.

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