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Aecon reports year-end 2024 results

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Aecon Group Inc.
Aecon Group Inc.

TORONTO, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aecon Group Inc. (TSX: ARE) (“Aecon” or the “Company”) today reported results for the fourth quarter and year-end 2024 including full year revenue of $4.2 billion and backlog of $6.7 billion at December 31, 2024.

“Driven by robust year-end backlog, significant new contract awards, contributions from strategic acquisitions, solid recurring revenue, and a strong bid pipeline, revenue in 2025 is expected to be stronger than 2024,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aecon Group Inc. “Aecon is actively engaged in delivering several major long-term projects under more collaborative models and is focused on advancing them to the construction phase in 2025 and 2026. Aecon will maintain a disciplined capital allocation approach and remains focused on strategic investments in its operations to support access to new markets.”

HIGHLIGHTS

All quarterly financial information contained in this news release is unaudited.

  • Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 of $4,243 million was $401 million, or 9%, lower compared to 2023. The lower revenue was primarily driven by decreased activity on mainline pipeline work in industrial operations following the achievement of substantial completion on a large project in 2023, and in urban transportation solutions from a decrease in light rail transit (“LRT”) work as three LRT projects near completion.

  • Operating loss of $60.1 million (operating margin(4) of -1.4%) compared to operating profit of $240.9 million in 2023 (operating margin of 5.2%). Lower year-over-year operating profit was driven by a decrease in other income of $186.2 million primarily due to a lower year-over-year gain related to the sale of a 49.9% interest in the Bermuda International Airport concessionaire (“Skyport”) of $133.1 million and a lower gain on the sale of Aecon Transportation East (“ATE”) of $27.5 million. In addition, lower gross profit of $73.1 million contributed to the year-over-year decrease in operating profit. This decrease was primarily due to lower gross profit related to the four fixed price legacy projects of $57.6 million from negative gross profit in 2024 of $272.8 million compared to negative gross profit in 2023 of $215.2 million. These four fixed price legacy projects are discussed in Section 5 “Recent Developments”, Section 10.2 “Contingencies”, and Section 13 “Risk Factors” in the Company’s December 31, 2024 Management’s Discussions and Analysis (“MD&A”).

  • Adjusted EBITDA(1)(2) of $82.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 (Adjusted EBITDA margin(3) of 1.9%) compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $143.4 million (Adjusted EBITDA margin of 3.1%) in 2023.

  • Loss attributable to shareholders of $59.5 million (diluted loss per share of $0.95) for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to profit attributable to shareholders of $161.9 million (diluted earnings per share of $2.10) in 2023.

  • Adjusted loss attributable to shareholders(1)(2) of $61.6 million (diluted adjusted loss per share(1)(2) of $0.99) for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to adjusted profit attributable to shareholders(1)(2) of $160.9 million (diluted adjusted earnings per share(1)(2) of $2.09) in 2023.

  • Reported backlog at December 31, 2024 of $6,662 million compared to backlog of $6,157 million at December 31, 2023. New contract awards of $4,747 million were booked in 2024 compared to $4,505 million in 2023.

  • On December 2, 2024, Aecon’s subsidiary, Aecon Utilities Group Inc., acquired Ainsworth Power Construction, an electrical services and power systems business unit of Ainsworth Inc.

  • On December 17, 2024, Aecon closed the previously disclosed acquisition of United Engineers & Constructors (“United”).

  • On December 23, 2024, Aecon’s common shares were added to the S&P/TSX Composite Index – the principal benchmark for Canadian equity markets which includes the largest and most liquid publicly traded companies in Canada.

  • Subsequent to year-end:

    • An Aecon joint operation was awarded a collaborative contract by Ontario Power Generation which includes the definition phase work for the retube, feeder and boiler replacement of Units 5, 6, 7 and 8 at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario. Aecon holds a 50% interest in the joint operation and its share of the approximately $1.1 billion early works portion of the contract was added to its Construction segment backlog in the fourth quarter of 2024. The remaining portion of the contract is valued at approximately $1 billion, and Aecon will add its share to backlog in the first quarter of 2025.

    • An Aecon-led consortium completed the collaborative development phase and reached commercial close on the Scarborough Subway Extension Stations, Rail and Systems progressive design-build transit project. Aecon’s share of the target price contract is valued at over $2.8 billion and will be added to its backlog in the first quarter of 2025.