Take the long view with SNC scandal

Article Excerpt

SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $41 (Toronto symbol SNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 151.6 million; Market cap: $6.2 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.8; Dividend yield: 2.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.snclavalin.com) replaced most of its senior management following the discovery of $56 million U.S. in unusual payments it made in 2011 to help win Libyan construction contracts. SNC has also strengthened its oversight and compliance procedures in response to allegations that it used bribes to win certain contracts in Quebec. These issues haven’t stopped the company from winning new deals. For example, MEG Energy (Toronto symbol MEG) recently hired SNC to design a new processing facility at its oil sands operation in Alberta. However, SNC lost $37.7 million, or $0.25 a share, in the three months ended June 30, 2013. That’s mainly due to a $70.1-million charge related to delays building an oil-and-gas project in Algeria. The company also set aside $47.0 million to cover potential losses on a..