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Topic: Growth Stocks

STANTEC INC. $31.87 – Toronto symbol STN

STANTEC INC. $31.87 (Toronto symbol STN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (780-917-7288; www.stantec.com; Shares outstanding: 94.0 million; Market cap: $3.1 billion; Dividend yield: 1.3%) sells a range of consulting, project-delivery, design and technology services. Its clients operate in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, transportation and construction.

In the three months ended June 30, 2015, Stantec’s acquisitions and the stronger U.S. dollar boosted its revenue by 12.0%, to $593.9 million from $530.3 million a year ago. However, earnings fell 2.6%, to $43.2 million, or $0.46 a share, from $44.3 million, or $0.47. The decline came from fewer oil and gas projects and the cost of integrating recently purchased firms.

Meantime, Stantec continues to grow through acquisitions. One of its latest is VI Engineering, a 30- person electrical-engineering firm based in Houston. VI’s clients include MidAmerican Energy, Statoil, Public Service Electric and Gas, Valero Refining, Bayer and Enterprise Products Partners.

Stantec cuts its costs by sharing administrative expenses, financing and employee benefits among its divisions. But continually buying new firms (it has made 25 acquisitions over the past three and a half years) adds risk, including the risk of writedowns.

The company raised its dividend by 13.5% with the June 2015 payment, to $0.105 from $0.0925. The shares now yield 1.3%.

Stantec is a hold.

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