SNC-Lavalin Group Inc., Canada's biggest engineering and construction company, is pretty sure that its 2010 results will be higher than 2009. The big Montreal-based engineering group posted higher fourth-quarter earnings and elevated its dividend by 13%. It also mentioned its C$10.8 billion backlog.

Profit earned in the last quarter of 2009 was $98.7 million or 65 cents a share, more from $75 million, or 49 cents a share, in the previous year, on revenue of $1.58 billion, low from $1.9 billion.

CEO Pierre Duhaime told that on one hand power group, chemicals and petroleum products and concessions contributed more to the profit, while on the other hand, mining and metals, infrastructure and environmental projects contributed less.

Mr. Duhaime said, "With a strong revenue backlog and diverse prospects in Canada and outside Canada, we expect our 2010 net income to be as high or higher than 2009".

Genuity Capital Analyst Maxim Sytchev said, "SNC Lavalin's performance this year has been nothing short of remarkable as it proved once again that the company's diversification across geographies, contract types and development cycles can withstand the stress test of plunging commodity prices and difficult credit conditions".