MONTREAL - SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. reported a fourth-quarter profit of $52.4 million as its revenue improved by more than 30 per cent compared with a year earlier.

The Montreal-based engineering and construction firm says its profit attributable to shareholders amounted to 30 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Dec. 31.

That compared with a profit of $1.6 million or a penny per share in the final quarter of 2016.

Revenue totalled $2.92 billion, up from $2.21 billion.

The company says its quarterly dividend will rise by five per cent to 28.7 cents per share, payable March 22.

On an adjusted basis, SNC-Lavalin says it earned $172.7 million or 98 cents per diluted share in its most recent quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $116.1 million or 77 cents per diluted share a year earlier.