SNC-Lavalin eyes better balance sheet

Company staggered into new year

MONTREAL • SNC-Lavalin is projecting higher profits from most of its operations this year despite a soft end to 2016.

The Montreal-based company anticipates that performances from all segments aside from mining will drive a 13 to 32 per cent improvement in adjusted earnings from its core engineering and construction operations.

Still, the $1.70 to $2 per share earnings guidance for the year missed analyst forecasts of $2.28 per share, according to Thomson Reuters.

SNC-Lavalin said it expects to benefit from higher infrastructure spending in North America, global nuclear opportunities and higher oil and gas activities in the Middle East and the U.S. However, it forecasts earnings from mining and metallurgy will remain flat because of softer commodity prices.

Its investment in Highway 407, a toll highway near Toronto, is also expected to generate higher returns, SNCLavalin said.

“We expect 2017 to be another good year for SNCLavalin,” CEO Neil Bruce said in a news release.

While reporting its fourthquarter earnings, SNCLavalin also provided a brief update on the status of its corruption and fraud case, saying a preliminary inquiry scheduled to begin in September 2018 may be expedited to late 2017. SNC-Lavalin, its construction division and its international subsidiary have pleaded not guilty to one count each of fraud and corruption.

The RCMP alleges SNCLavalin paid nearly $47.7 million to public officials in Libya between 2001 and 2011 to influence government decisions. The Mounties also accuse the company of defrauding various Libyan organizations of about $129.8 million.

SNC-Lavalin said it has recovered $15.2 million as of year-end from former vicepresident Riadh Ben Aissa, who pleaded guilty in 2014 in Switzerland to bribery, corruption and money laundering. Aissa was ordered to repay the company $17.2 million plus interest.

In reporting its fourthquarter earnings, the company said it made $1.6 million in net income, or one cent per share, down from $49.2 million or 33 cents per share in the previous year. It attributed the decline to a loss at its core engineering and construction business, partially offset by higher earnings from capital investments including Highway 407.

Revenue fell nearly 17 per cent to $2.21 billion.

SNC-Lavalin said its adjusted earnings during the quarter was 77 cents per share, including 49 cents from its core engineering and construction business, two cents above analyst forecasts.

It also announced that its quarterly dividend will rise by five per cent to 27.3 cents per share, payable March 30.