Uncertainty weighs on SNC

Article Excerpt

SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. $38 (Toronto symbol SNC; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 175.6 million; Market cap: $6.7 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.6; Dividend yield: 3.0%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.snclavalin.com) is down nearly 40% from its recent peak of $62 in June 2018. That’s due to several factors, including unexpected costs related to a contract for its mining business. SNC is now trying to recover those costs from the client. A diplomatic dispute between Canada and Saudi Arabia has also forced the company to write down the value of its Saudi operations by $1.24 billion. Meantime, SNC is still trying to settle charges that it used bribes to win construction contracts in Libya between 2001 and 2011. If it can’t, it may decide to sell or spin off some of its Canadian operations. SNC-Lavalin is still a hold. hold…