LAURENTIAN GROUP SEES HIGHER SHARE NET
<Laurentian Group Corp> said it
expects 1987 earnings per share will show about the same
proportionate increase as in 1986.
    Last year, the company had 25.7 mln dlrs operating profit,
or 76 cts per share, up from 11.1 mln dlrs, or 59 cts per
share, in 1985. Shares outstanding increased to 39 mln from
27.8 mln.
    The American holding company, Laurentian Capital Corp, will
show a substantial improvement this year, chairman Claude
Castonguay said before the annual meeting.
    Laurentian Capital Corp, which recently acquired two small
U.S. life insurance companies, had 1986 profit of 1.1 mln U.S.
dlrs, or eight cts per share, compared to seven mln U.S. dlrs,
or 68 cts per share.
    Castonguay said Laurentian Group Corp, the parent firm,
plans to fill out its national financial services distribution
system and make further acquisitions if the right opportunity
occurs.
    The company also may expand this year in continental
Europe, in conjunction with La Victoire, a French insurance
company, he said.
 Reuter
