STANTEC INC. $32.04 - Toronto symbol STN

STANTEC INC. $32.04 (Toronto symbol STN; TSINetwork Rating: Extra Risk) (780-917-7288; www.stantec.com; Shares outstanding: 94.4 million; Market cap: $3.0 billion; Dividend yield: 1.3%) continues to grow by acquisition. Its latest is VOA Associates, a 280-person architecture and planning firm based in Chicago. VOA’s recent Chicago projects include the 32-story Wabash “vertical campus” Building at Roosevelt University and waterfront reconstruction of the landmark Navy Pier. Stantec cuts its costs by sharing administrative expenses, financing and employee benefits among its divisions. But continually buying new firms adds risk, including the risk of writedowns. Stantec is still a hold.

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