SNC forecasts big earnings jump

Article Excerpt

SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $57 (Toronto symbol SNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 175.4 million; Market cap: $10.0 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.2; Divd. yield: 2.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.snclavalin.com) is a leading Canadian engineering and construction firm specializing in large infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges and water-treatment plants. The company recently paid $3.6 billion for U.K.-based engineering firm WS Atkins plc. That firm specializes in industrial projects such as railways, nuclear power plants, water-treatment facilities and highways. The purchase should cut SNC’s exposure to cyclical oil and gas clients. Before the agreement, those clients supplied a high 46% of its revenue. Excluding costs related to the purchase, SNC’s earnings will likely improve from $2.58 a share in 2016 to an estimated $3.20 for 2017. The stock trades at 17.8 times that estimate. SNC expects Atkins and its cost savings to expand the company’s earnings to $5.00 a share in 2020. However, SNC still faces federal criminal charges over accusations it…