SNC narrows its focus with asset sales

Article Excerpt

SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $58 (Toronto symbol SNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 150.2 million; Market cap: $8.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 1.0; Dividend yield: 1.8%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.snclavalin.com) is a leading Canadian engineering and construction company. It specializes in four areas: oil and gas, mining and metallurgy, infrastructure and power. As part of a plan to simplify its holdings, the company recently agreed to sell its operations in France and Monaco. This includes businesses that operate and maintain 19 regional airports. SNC has yet to reveal how much it will receive for those European businesses. However, they are less profitable than its main operations, so selling should boost the company’s overall profits. The company has also completed the sale of its real estate management business; it operates buildings on behalf of a variety of clients. The company received $45 million for this business. That’s equal to 67% of the $67 million, or $0.45 a share, that SNC earned in…