Last Update 07 Dec 25
Fair value Increased 0.12%ATRL: Major Defence And Nuclear Contracts Will Support Share Momentum Into 2025
The analyst price target for AtkinsRéalis Group has been modestly increased to approximately C$115 from about C$114.50, as analysts point to a series of recent target raises from major brokerages and a steady outlook on revenue growth and profitability to support the higher valuation.
Analyst Commentary
Recent Street research on AtkinsRéalis Group reflects a generally constructive stance, with multiple firms lifting their price targets despite one notable downward revision. The overall pattern suggests confidence in the company’s execution and earnings trajectory, tempered by valuation and expectation risks at higher price levels.
Bullish Takeaways
- Bullish analysts continue to ratchet targets higher into the C$120 to C$125 range, signaling increased conviction that earnings growth can sustain a higher valuation band over the medium term.
- Successive target increases over recent months point to improving visibility on project pipelines and margin expansion, reinforcing expectations for consistent revenue and profit growth.
- Repeated Outperform and Buy style ratings indicate that, in the view of bullish analysts, operational execution remains ahead of prior assumptions, which they see as justifying potential upside relative to the broader sector.
- The step ups from prior targets in the C$110 to C$115 area toward the mid C$120s suggest that upside revisions to earnings estimates are being embedded into models rather than treated as one off re ratings.
Bearish Takeaways
- The recent reduction of a C$131 target to C$120 highlights concerns that earlier expectations may have run ahead of fundamentals, introducing the risk of multiple compression if growth underdelivers.
- Some cautious analysts appear focused on the stock’s strong year to date performance, arguing that a larger portion of anticipated operational improvements may already be reflected in the share price.
- Higher target dispersion around the C$110 to C$125 range underscores uncertainty around the pace and durability of margin gains, particularly in more complex or long dated projects.
- With valuation now anchored closer to the upper end of historical ranges, bearish analysts flag limited room for execution missteps before sentiment and estimates could be revised lower.
What's in the News
- Appointed to a major framework agreement with Rolls Royce Submarines to deliver nuclear propulsion and engineering capabilities for the UK Defence Nuclear Enterprise, with a potential value of up to £400 million over five years plus a two year extension option (Key Developments).
- Chosen as lead consultant for the USDOT SMART Grant I 80 Enhancing Corridor Communications Roadmap Project, helping design and pilot the first cross country digital infrastructure corridor in the United States (Key Developments).
- Selected by Hydro One Networks as Owner's Engineer for the multi year expansion of the Bowmanville Switching Station, a key grid project enabling connection of four planned Small Modular Reactors at the Darlington New Nuclear Project (Key Developments).
- Completed repurchase of 2,219,458 shares, or 1.28% of shares outstanding, for a total of CAD 178.7 million under the buyback announced March 13, 2025 (Key Developments).
- Added as a constituent of the FTSE All World Index (USD), increasing its visibility to global index and passive investors (Key Developments).
Valuation Changes
- Fair Value estimate has risen slightly to approximately CA$114.53 from about CA$114.39, reflecting a marginally higher intrinsic valuation.
- Discount Rate has increased modestly to roughly 7.65 percent from about 7.62 percent, indicating a slightly higher assumed cost of capital or risk premium.
- Revenue Growth assumption is essentially unchanged at around 7.10 percent, with only an immaterial adjustment in the model inputs.
- Net Profit Margin forecast remains effectively flat at approximately 7.10 percent, signaling no meaningful shift in expected profitability.
- Future P/E multiple has edged up slightly to about 21.67x from roughly 21.63x, suggesting a marginally higher valuation multiple applied to forward earnings.
Key Takeaways
- Surging demand in nuclear and infrastructure markets, supported by government policies and technology leadership, drives strong backlog growth and recurring revenue opportunities.
- Strategic shift toward high-value services and disciplined capital allocation is expanding margins and positioning the company for sustained, outsized growth across core end markets.
- Revenue and earnings growth face significant risks from project delays, reliance on nuclear contracts, acquisition integration challenges, and persistent margin volatility in key markets.
Catalysts
About AtkinsRéalis Group- Provides professional services and project management, and capital investment services in United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and internationally.
- Record backlog growth, especially in Nuclear (backlog up 223% YoY to $5.6B), reflects surging demand as global energy transition and decarbonization accelerate; this large contracted pipeline is likely to drive sustained revenue and EBITDA growth for several years.
- Strategic capital allocation-industry-leading balance sheet, recent debt paydown, and clear priority on reinvesting in organic and bolt-on M&A-positions AtkinsRéalis to capture outsized revenue growth in expanding end markets (transport, water, renewables, power) as infrastructure spending increases globally.
- Margin expansion is materializing as the company pivots away from lower-margin fixed-price construction, with high-value services (engineering, advisory, project management) now driving segment adjusted EBITDA margin increases (e.g., 16% in Engineering Services, 25% in Nuclear), supporting improved long-term profitability and net margins.
- Government policy tailwinds and announced multi-year public infrastructure commitments in core markets (e.g., $1.3T UK infrastructure plan, Canadian infrastructure investments, U.S. Department of Transportation contracts) underpin predictable and recurring revenue streams ahead as infrastructure renewal and urbanization trends persist.
- Acceleration of nuclear new build and life extension projects-underpinned by AtkinsRéalis' technology leadership and strategic partnerships (EDF, SMR projects)-creates a multi-year growth opportunity, directly supporting both top-line revenue and recurring earnings, placing the company at the center of the global shift toward resilient, low-carbon energy infrastructure.
AtkinsRéalis Group Future Earnings and Revenue Growth
Assumptions
How have these above catalysts been quantified?- Analysts are assuming AtkinsRéalis Group's revenue will grow by 7.4% annually over the next 3 years.
- Analysts assume that profit margins will shrink from 24.7% today to 7.0% in 3 years time.
- Analysts expect earnings to reach CA$896.4 million (and earnings per share of CA$5.33) by about September 2028, down from CA$2.5 billion today.
- In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 21.6x on those 2028 earnings, up from 6.1x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the CA Construction industry at 24.5x.
- Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 5.15% per year for the next 3 years.
- To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 7.39%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.
AtkinsRéalis Group Future Earnings Per Share Growth
Risks
What could happen that would invalidate this narrative?- Lowered 2025 organic revenue growth outlook in key Engineering Services Regions (USLA and EMEA), as a result of project delays, contract terminations, and reprioritization of major programs (e.g., in Saudi Arabia and EMEA), increases risk of slower long-term revenue growth than previously targeted.
- Organic revenue contraction in core U.S. and EMEA geographies-despite short-term optimism-signals potential structural demand fluctuations and exposes the business to ongoing economic volatility, which could weigh on future revenue and profitability.
- Execution risk surrounding the company's aggressive bolt-on and tuck-in acquisition strategy, including integration challenges and potential overpayment, could result in unexpected write-downs or impairment charges that negatively affect earnings and capital allocation effectiveness.
- Heavy reliance on nuclear segment growth and large, lumpy CANDU/new build contracts introduces revenue concentration risk; failure to secure new nuclear build or life-extension wins, or regulatory/capacity bottlenecks, could materially impair medium
- and long-term revenue and earning streams.
- Persistent historic issues in fixed-price/LSTK and lower-margin segments, as well as exposure to project delays, volatile government funding, and cost overruns, may continue to constrain margin expansion and lead to earnings volatility, hindering sustainable improvements in net margins.
Valuation
How have all the factors above been brought together to estimate a fair value?- The analysts have a consensus price target of CA$110.714 for AtkinsRéalis Group based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of CA$124.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just CA$95.0.
- In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be CA$12.8 billion, earnings will come to CA$896.4 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 21.6x, assuming you use a discount rate of 7.4%.
- Given the current share price of CA$94.21, the analyst price target of CA$110.71 is 14.9% higher. Despite analysts expecting the underlying buisness to decline, they seem to believe it's more valuable than what the market thinks.
- We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.
How well do narratives help inform your perspective?
Disclaimer
AnalystConsensusTarget is a tool utilizing a Large Language Model (LLM) that ingests data on consensus price targets, forecasted revenue and earnings figures, as well as the transcripts of earnings calls to produce qualitative analysis. The narratives produced by AnalystConsensusTarget are general in nature and are based solely on analyst data and publicly-available material published by the respective companies. These scenarios are not indicative of the company's future performance and are exploratory in nature. Simply Wall St has no position in the company(s) mentioned. Simply Wall St may provide the securities issuer or related entities with website advertising services for a fee, on an arm's length basis. These relationships have no impact on the way we conduct our business, the content we host, or how our content is served to users. The price targets and estimates used are consensus data, and do not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and they do not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Note that AnalystConsensusTarget's analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

