Topic: How To Invest

Pat: What is your recommendation on Chicago Bridge & Iron? Thank you.

Article Excerpt

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company NV, $77.85, symbol CBI on New York (Shares outstanding: 107.5 million; Market cap: $8.4 billion; www.cbi.com), is one of the world’s leading engineering and construction companies. It specializes in projects in the energy, petrochemical and natural resource industries. Netherlands-based Chicago Bridge was founded in 1889. The company’s projects include oil and gas processing plants, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, nuclear containment systems, offshore structures, bulk liquid terminals and water storage and treatment facilities. Chicago Bridge also provides a range of maintenance and repair services. Customers include Shell, ExxonMobil, PetroChina, Chevron, Rosneft, BP, ConocoPhillips and Saudi Aramco. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is Chicago Bridge’s biggest shareholder, with an 8.9% interest. In December 2012, Chicago Bridge acquired the Shaw Group for $3.3 billion, partly to expand its reach in the nuclear power market. To further spur its growth in this area, it just signed an agreement to provide engineering, construction, project management and support services for nuclear plants that will…