Quinton also says the firm is cooperating with a separate probe of provincial construction and political corruption.

At a March 14 hearing in Montreal, an SNC-Lavalin vice president testified that executives allegedly solicited as as much as $1 million in what may have been illegal political donations from employees between 1998 and 2010.

Quinton confirms "an internal investigation under way" related to the testimony by Senior Vice President Yves Cadotte but disputes press reports that the payments were illegal at the time.

Card is nonetheless trying to get beyond the still-unfolding scandal, including the naming of the ">company's first chief compliance officer. "We have budgeted adequate expenses to manage the process," he said.

Card acknowledged that bids the company made "didn't get adequate attention in the past. We've put a much more rigorous process in place. I review top projects in every business unit" every few months, he said. "It was not done that way in the past."

The company also will hold a "summit" for global project managers in April, he said.

"We had begun to change due diligence processes last year," Card said. He noted that the number of issues of concern had dropped, "although it was not at zero."

The company is set to unveil major strategy changes at a meeting in May.

A number of analysts that follow SNC-Lavalin cut share price targets on the firm following the results announcement, but most reaffirmed buy ratings, believing the company still held long-term value for investors, according to published reports in Canada.