Aecon invests in Churchill

Article Excerpt

THE CHURCHILL CORP. $18.02 (Toronto symbol CUQ: SI Rating: Speculative) (780-454-3667; www.churchillcorporation.com; Shares outstanding: 24.5 million; Market cap: $441.8 million; No dividends paid) has completed its $180-million share and debenture issue. The funds will help pay for its $380-million purchase of Seacliff Construction. Seacliff provides general-contracting, electrical contracting and earth-moving services, mostly in western Canada. Aecon Group (Toronto symbol ARE) bought three million of Churchill’s new shares. It also bought existing Churchill shares in the open market. Together, these purchases give it a 14.9% stake in Churchill. Aecon is one of Canada’s largest construction and infrastructure-development companies. Aecon hopes the investment will let both companies explore areas of mutual interest. However, it says it does not intend to acquire control of Churchill. Churchill is still a buy. buy…