On Tuesday, BMO Capital Markets adjusted its stance on Aecon Group Inc. (ARE:CN) (OTC: AEGXF) stock, downgrading it from Outperform to Market Perform. Alongside this change, the firm also revised the price target to Cdn$17.50 from the previous Cdn$18.50, signaling a more conservative outlook on the construction and infrastructure development company's near-term financial performance.
The downgrade was prompted by Aecon Group's recent financial developments, particularly the absence of expected settlement payments linked to the Coast GasLink project. Furthermore, the company faces additional costs to complete other legacy fixed-price projects. These factors are anticipated to exert a substantial drag on cash flow into 2024 and potentially into 2025.
BMO Capital's analyst pointed out that the outlook for Aecon Group has become more cautious due to diminishing prospects for recovering cost overruns. The analyst stated, "The lack of settlement payments related to the Coast GasLink project was disappointing.
The additional costs to complete the other legacy fixed-price projects suggests a more pronounced cash flow drag in 2024 that could potentially carry over into 2025, with prospects for partial recoveries of cost overruns appearing to diminish."
The revised price target and stock rating reflect BMO Capital's assessment of Aecon Group's financial challenges in the near term. The company, which is involved in key infrastructure and construction projects, now faces a tighter financial outlook according to the firm's analysis.
Aecon Group's financial performance and project management strategies will be closely watched by investors as the company navigates the challenges outlined by BMO Capital Markets. The firm's updated rating and price target are now set to guide market expectations for the company's stock performance in the coming period.
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