Stantec Inc. research snapshot

STN AI Stock Analysis

STN AI stock analysis currently reads Stantec as a high-quality professional services platform with durable demand in water, infrastructure, environmental services, buildings, and energy. FY2025 net revenue reached C$6.495 billion, net income was C$479.4 million, and adjusted EBITDA margin hit a record 17.6%. Q1 2026 net revenue grew 9.1% to C$1.7 billion, adjusted EPS rose 14.7% to C$1.33, and contract backlog reached a record C$9.0 billion, about 13 months of work. The counterweight is a people-intensive delivery model, the cost and risk of integrating the Page acquisition, near-term operating cash flow pressure, net debt to adjusted EBITDA of 1.3x, a planned CEO transition to Susan Reisbord on October 1, 2026, and a share price about 36% below its 52-week high. At the August 3, 2026 data cutoff, the latest verified close was US$70.49 on July 31, 2026, and market capitalization was about US$8.04 billion. This is informational research, not investment advice.

Current price

$70.49

Market cap

$8.04 billion

AI score

68 / 100

Rating

Profitable engineering platform with a record backlog and record margins, but cyclical execution, acquisition integration, and a CEO transition limit certainty

Trend status

Below the 200-day moving average; testing the 50-day average

Data cutoff (updated monthly)

August 4, 2026

Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.

Research quality check

information Richness
A-level information richness. Stantec has a long public record, audited annual filings, quarterly reports, operating-unit disclosures, market data, and a documented succession plan. The main limitation is that its financial statements are reported in Canadian dollars while the NYSE quote is in US dollars.
bias Check
The main AI research risk is treating record backlog and infrastructure demand as automatic future earnings. This page separates gross revenue from net revenue, company-defined free cash flow from standardized provider data, and reported results from scenario assumptions. It also tests whether AI, price competition, project risk, or acquisitions can weaken returns. A StockAnalysis aggregate price target of US$26.04 was flagged as a likely data anomaly and was not used; recent individual targets cluster around US$85 to US$105.
ai Confidence
High for filed revenue, earnings, cash, backlog, leverage, management announcements, quote math, and technical snapshots. Medium for the persistence of organic growth, the quality of future acquisitions, the impact of AI on engineering work, and the post-transition execution record.
investment Certainty
Medium. Stantec has a long operating history, recurring client relationships, strong cash generation, and a large backlog, but shareholder outcomes still depend on utilization, project execution, acquisition discipline, the Page integration, currency, debt, and the valuation paid for a cyclical professional services business.

Quick verdict table

DimensionConclusionConfidence
Business qualityStantec provides engineering, architecture, environmental, and consulting services that help public and private clients plan, permit, design, and deliver complex assets. Demand is diversified across infrastructure, water, buildings, environmental services, and energy and resources.High
MoatThe moat comes from licensed talent, client relationships, project history, regulatory knowledge, and scale across regions and disciplines. It is useful but less structural than a software moat because people can move and contracts are competed.Medium-high
ManagementGord Johnston has led Stantec for eight and a half years and will become vice chair on October 1, 2026. Susan Reisbord, a former Cardno CEO and current COO of North America, is the board-appointed successor, so continuity is positive but execution under the new CEO remains untested.Medium-high
Financial trendFY2025 net revenue grew 10.7%, net income rose 32.6%, and operating cash flow rose 43.1% to C$862.9 million. Q1 2026 net revenue grew 9.1% and adjusted EBITDA margin reached 16.9%, while operating cash flow turned temporarily negative on Page integration and working capital.High
ValuationAt US$70.49, provider-normalized trailing PE was about 22.91x, P/FCF about 16.54x, and forward PE about 15.97x, with a 0.96% dividend yield. The valuation is not distressed, but the price is below the 200-day average and still requires continued earnings growth.Medium-high
Technical trendThe price was at US$70.49 on July 31, 2026, just below the US$71.08 50-day average and far below the US$89.28 200-day average. RSI at 51.38 was neutral after a rebound, and the 52-week change was about -35.9%.High
Risk levelRisk is medium-high because project overruns, talent retention, public-sector budgets, the Page integration, acquisitions, debt, currency, client concentration, and AI-driven productivity or pricing pressure can affect margins.High
AI confidenceAI confidence is high for reported history and market data, but only medium for forecasts because backlog conversion, margin progression, acquisition integration, and the CEO transition are forward-looking variables.High data confidence
Investment certaintyInvestment certainty is medium. The business is understandable and profitable, but the stock outcome depends on whether backlog converts into durable per-share cash earnings at an acceptable acquisition and debt cost.Medium

STN AI stock forecast

STN AI Stock Forecast Scenarios

The STN AI stock forecast uses conditional ranges rather than a point target. A three-year scenario calculation used provider-normalized EPS of US$3.07, growth assumptions of 18%, 12%, and negative 2%, and terminal multiples of 24x, 18x, and 14x. The exact model outputs were about US$121.10, US$77.60, and US$40.50. These are planning scenarios, not reliable predictions or promises.

Bullish case

$105 to $125

More likely if organic growth stays in the mid to high single digits, the C$9.0 billion backlog converts on schedule, adjusted EBITDA margin holds near the 17.6% to 18.2% target range, the Page acquisition adds per-share value, and the CEO transition is smooth.

Base case

$70 to $85

More likely if 2026 net revenue growth stays within management guidance of 8.5% to 11.5%, adjusted EPS grows near the guided 15% to 18%, net debt to adjusted EBITDA stays within the 1.0x to 2.0x internal range, and the market assigns a normal professional services multiple.

Bearish case

$38 to $50

More likely if public and private clients delay projects, backlog converts with lower margins, the Page integration increases leverage without enough earnings, the CEO transition disrupts execution, or AI and competition pressure billing rates and utilization.

STN AI technical analysis

STN AI Technical Analysis

STN AI technical analysis uses the July 31, 2026 close of US$70.49 and the latest public technical snapshot verified at the August 3, 2026 cutoff. StockAnalysis reported a 50-day moving average of US$71.08, a 200-day moving average of US$89.28, RSI of 51.38, 20-day average volume of 334,879 shares, and a 52-week range of US$66.26 to US$114.52. This static page does not fetch request-time chart data, so confirm levels after the Q2 2026 report on August 12, 2026 or after guidance or management-transition news.

LevelValueWhy it matters
Current price$70.49Latest verified close used for this static page on July 31, 2026.
Near support$66.26 to $69.00The lower end references the reported 52-week low. A close below this zone would weaken the current range structure.
First resistance$71.08The reported 50-day moving average is the first trend-recovery test. The stock is already probing this level, so a reclaim needs volume and stable company guidance.
Major resistance$89.28The reported 200-day moving average is a longer-term trend reference, not a price forecast.
52-week range$66.26 to $114.52This wide range is a practical volatility reference for the August 3 static snapshot.
MomentumRSI 51.38Neutral momentum after a rebound from soft readings. RSI alone does not establish a reversal or a buy signal.
Volume20-day average 334,879 sharesA move through resistance is more informative when participation is above this recent average.
Volatility52-week change -35.91%; beta 0.72The stock has underperformed over the reported year while its five-year beta is below one.
Technical invalidationClose below $66.26A break below the reported 52-week low invalidates the range-recovery setup and calls for a fresh review.
Fundamental invalidationNet debt to adjusted EBITDA above 2.0x without a clear planThis condition would breach management’s stated internal leverage range and can matter more than any chart level.

STN AI trading strategy

STN AI Trading Strategy Framework

The STN AI trading strategy is a rules-based framework, not personalized advice. It combines price confirmation with backlog conversion, organic growth, margin quality, cash flow, debt, the Page integration, and the CEO transition.

Trend-following setup

Watch for STN to hold above US$71.08 and move toward the reported 200-day average near US$89.28 on above-average volume while 2026 guidance, backlog, and margin targets remain intact. The July 31, 2026 close of US$70.49 is just below the 50-day average, so a sustained reclaim is the first trigger.

A failed reclaim or close below US$66.26 can serve as a rules-based invalidation condition. Define position size before entry.

Mean-reversion setup

If STN stabilizes near US$66.26 to US$69.00 without a backlog, guidance, or leverage break, compare price action with cash flow, valuation, and the next earnings report before treating weakness as an opportunity.

Do not average down only because the price fell. Recheck project margins, Page integration, net debt, and the CEO transition first.

Fundamental monitor

Track Q2 2026 results on August 12, 2026, organic net revenue growth, backlog growth and burn, adjusted EBITDA margin, operating cash flow, net debt to adjusted EBITDA, diluted shares, and Susan Reisbord’s first quarter of execution as CEO after October 1, 2026.

Refresh the scenario after earnings, guidance changes, material acquisitions, major project issues, debt increases, or evidence that AI is changing billable work and pricing.

Investment research summary

Four-master Research Compression

Business essence

Stantec sells expert judgment, design capacity, regulatory knowledge, and project delivery to governments, utilities, developers, and industrial clients. Customers pay because infrastructure, water, environmental, and building projects require licensed specialists and a credible record of execution.

Moat

The moat is built from technical credentials, long client relationships, local permitting knowledge, project references, cross-selling across disciplines, and scale across 26,000 employees and more than 450 locations. It can widen with recurring framework work, but it remains exposed to talent mobility and competitive bidding from WSP, AECOM, Jacobs, Tetra Tech, and others.

Munger risk inversion

The thesis fails if backlog proves less profitable than expected, projects overrun, utilization falls, public budgets tighten, the Page acquisition and other deals dilute returns, debt rises, or AI reduces billable hours faster than it creates new work. A record backlog is not the same as record free cash flow.

Management

Gord Johnston has more than 35 years of design and project-management experience and led a period of transformation and acquisition sourcing. Susan Reisbord, a former Cardno CEO and current Stantec North America COO, is scheduled to become CEO on October 1, 2026. The key test is disciplined integration and per-share value creation through the transition.

Industry trend

Water scarcity, climate adaptation, grid investment, data centers, energy transition, urbanization, and aging infrastructure support long-term demand. The sector is still cyclical, project-based, labor-intensive, and sensitive to interest rates, government budgets, permitting, and construction activity.

Valuation and margin of safety

At US$70.49, provider-normalized trailing PE was about 22.91x and P/FCF about 16.54x, with a 0.96% dividend yield. The base three-year model output of US$77.60 offers only modest modeled upside, so the margin of safety depends on continued EPS growth, steady leverage, and acquisition returns rather than a deeply discounted asset value.

Source-backed data

STN Data Table

Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.

MetricValueSourceLast verified
Latest NYSE close$70.49 USD on July 31, 2026StockAnalysisAugust 3, 2026
Market capitalization$8.04 billion USDStockAnalysisAugust 3, 2026
Shares outstanding114.07 millionStockAnalysisAugust 3, 2026
FY2025 net revenueC$6,494.8 million, up 10.7%Stantec 2025 resultsAugust 3, 2026
FY2025 gross revenueC$8,144.2 million, cross-validated with StockAnalysisStantec annual report and StockAnalysisAugust 3, 2026
FY2025 net income and adjusted EPSC$479.4 million net income, up 32.6%; adjusted EPS C$5.30, up 19.9%Stantec 2025 resultsAugust 3, 2026
FY2025 operating cash flow and adjusted EBITDAC$862.9 million operating cash flow, up 43.1%; adjusted EBITDA C$1,143.7 million at a 17.6% marginStantec 2025 resultsAugust 3, 2026
Q1 2026 net revenue and adjusted EPSC$1,694.3 million net revenue, up 9.1%; adjusted EPS C$1.33, up 14.7%Stantec Q1 2026 resultsAugust 3, 2026
Q1 2026 backlog and leverageC$9.0 billion backlog, up 13.2%; net debt to adjusted EBITDA 1.3xStantec Q1 2026 resultsAugust 3, 2026
2026 guidanceNet revenue growth 8.5% to 11.5%; adjusted EBITDA margin 17.6% to 18.2%; adjusted EPS growth 15% to 18%Stantec 2025 results and Q1 2026 resultsAugust 3, 2026
Technical snapshot50-day $71.08, 200-day $89.28, RSI 51.38, average volume 334,879StockAnalysisAugust 3, 2026
CEO successionSusan Reisbord scheduled to become CEO on October 1, 2026; Gord Johnston becomes vice chairStantec announcementAugust 3, 2026
USACE Charleston contractUS$150 million joint venture design contract with a US$1.2 billion total program value, announced July 30, 2026Stantec announcementAugust 3, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

This STN page is an informational research tool, not investment advice, a recommendation, or a promise of returns. Forecast ranges are scenario outputs based on available data and stated assumptions. They may be wrong, stale, or incomplete. Verify current prices, filings, currency effects, taxes, liquidity, and personal suitability before making any decision.