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Our common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SGR.” The closing price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on April 19, 2004 was $12.69 per share.

We have granted the underwriter an option to purchase a maximum of 306,000 additional shares to cover over-allotments of shares.

Investing in our common stock involves risks. See “Risk Factors” on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the prospectus to which it relates is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information other than that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. The information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be accurate only as of their respective dates.

We are offering to sell, and are seeking offers to buy, the common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and the offering of the common stock in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus must inform themselves about and observe any restrictions relating to the offering of the common stock and the distribution of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus outside the United States. This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus by any person in any jurisdiction in which it is unlawful for such person to make such an offer or solicitation.

This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this common stock offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into the prospectus. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, gives more general information, some of which does not apply to this offering.

If the description of the offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

Unless we have indicated otherwise, or the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to “Shaw,” “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” or similar terms are to The Shaw Group Inc. and its subsidiaries, including the operations of businesses we acquired prior to the date of acquisition.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for certain forward-looking statements. The statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus that are not historical facts (including without limitation statements to the effect that we “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “foresee,” or other similar expressions) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those anticipated by us. All comments concerning our expectations for future revenue and operating results are based on our forecasts for our existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions. They are subject to change based upon various factors, including but not limited to the risks and uncertainties mentioned in “Risk Factors” and those factors summarized below:


	•	cyclical changes in demand for our products and services;

	•	liabilities associated with various acquisitions, including the Stone & Webster and IT Group transactions;

	•	our ability to successfully identify, integrate and complete acquisitions;

	•	delays or difficulties related to our significant Engineering, Procurement and Construction projects including additional costs, reductions in revenues or the payment of liquidated damages;

	•	our dependence on subcontractors and equipment manufacturers;

	•	the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of our contracts;

	•	the nature of our contracts, particularly fixed-price contracts;

	•	risks associated with being a government contractor;

	•	our ability to fund our remaining repurchase obligations under the LYONs on the initial put date of May 1, 2004;

	•	our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and impair our ability to fulfill our obligations under our Senior Notes and Credit Facility;

	•	any non-compliance with the covenants in our Credit Facility, indenture relating to our Senior Notes and indemnity agreements with our sureties and our ability to obtain waivers and/or amendments;

	•	our ability to collateralize letters of credit upon non-compliance with covenants in our credit facility;

	•	covenants in our Credit Facility, indenture relating to our Senior Notes and indemnity agreements with our sureties that restrict our ability to pursue our business strategies;

	•	our liquidity position;

	•	our ability to obtain surety bonds or other means of credit support for projects;

	•	changes in the estimates and assumptions we use to prepare our financial statements;

	•	the effect of our percentage-of-completion accounting policies;

	•	our ability to obtain new contracts for large-scale domestic and international projects and the timing of the performance of these contracts;

	•	the cyclical nature of the individual markets in which our customers operate;

	•	changes in the political and economic conditions of the countries in which we operate;


	•	currency fluctuations;

	•	our dependence on one or a few significant customers;

	•	potential professional liability, product liability, warranty and other potential claims;

	•	potential contractual and operational costs related to our environmental and infrastructure operations;

	•	risks associated with our integrated environmental solutions businesses;

	•	changes in environmental laws and regulations;

	•	limitation or expiration of the Price Anderson Act’s nuclear contractor indemnification authority;

	•	the presence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive products, services and pricing;

	•	our failure to attract and retain qualified personnel;

	•	changes in the U.S. economy and global markets as a result of terrorists’ actions;

	•	a determination to write-off a significant amount of intangible assets acquired through acquisitions or long-lived assets;

	•	various legal, regulatory and litigation risks;

	•	work stoppages and other labor problems;

	•	our competitors’ ability to develop or otherwise acquire equivalent or superior technology; and

	•	our ability to retain key members of our management.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus supplement or as of the date of the report or document in which they are contained, and we undertake no obligation to update such information. We urge you to carefully review and consider the disclosures made in this prospectus supplement, including the disclosure in “Risk Factors,” our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and incorporated by reference herein that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC (File No. 1-12227). You may read and copy any documents that are filed at the SEC Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may also obtain copies of these documents at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at its Washington address. Please call the SEC at l-800-SEC-0330 for further information.

Our filings are also available to the public through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

The following documents we filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) are incorporated herein by reference:


	•	The description of our common stock contained in our Form 8-A dated September 26, 1996, including any amendment to that form that we may have filed in the past, or may file in the future, for the purpose of updating the description of our common stock;


	•	The description of our rights to purchase Series A Junior participating preferred stock contained in our Form 8-A dated July 30, 2001, including any amendment to that form that we may have filed in the past, or may file in the future, for the purpose of updating the description of the rights;

	•	our Definitive Proxy Statement filed on Schedule 14A relating to the 2004 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on December 24, 2003;

	•	our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003 filed with the SEC on October 20, 2003;

	•	our Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/ A for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003 filed with the SEC on November 12, 2003;

	•	our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended November 30, 2003 and February 29, 2004 filed with the SEC on January 14, 2004 and April 14, 2004, respectively; and

	•	our Current Reports on Form 8-K and Form 8-K/ A filed with the SEC on September 3, 2003; October 16, 2003; October 17, 2003; October 17, 2003; October 17, 2003; October 20, 2003; October 24, 2003; October 24, 2003; October 28, 2003; October 29, 2003; November 19, 2003; November 19, 2003; November 20, 2003; November 21, 2003; December 24, 2003; January 14, 2004; February 4, 2004; April 14, 2004 and April 14, 2004.

All documents filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this filing and prior to the termination of this offering (excluding any information furnished pursuant to Item 9 or Item 12 on any current report on Form 8-K) shall be deemed to be incorporated in this prospectus supplement and to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for all purposes to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus supplement or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement.

We will provide without charge to each person to whom this prospectus supplement is delivered, upon written or oral request of such person, a copy of any or all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. Requests for such copies should be directed to the following address and telephone number:


	The Shaw Group Inc.
	4171 Essen Lane
	Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809
	(225) 932-2500

You should rely only on the information specifically incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus supplement.

We also maintain a website at http://www.shawgrp.com. However, the information on our website is not part of this prospectus supplement.

Industry and market data and other statistical information used throughout this prospectus supplement are based on internal company research, independent industry publications, government publications and other published independent sources. Although we believe that these sources are reliable, we have not independently verified the information and cannot guarantee its accuracy and/or completeness.

The following summary contains information about us and the offering of our common stock. It does not contain all of the information that you need to consider in making your investment decision. For a more complete understanding of us and the offering, you should consider carefully all of the information in this prospectus supplement and, to the extent not inconsistent, the accompanying prospectus, particularly the information set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” and the financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement or incorporated by reference herein. Except as otherwise indicated herein, or as the context may otherwise require, (i) the words “we,” “our,” “us,” “Company” and “Shaw” refer to The Shaw Group Inc. and its subsidiaries, including the operations of businesses we acquired prior to the date of acquisition, (ii) “IT Group” refers to The IT Group, Inc., whose business and assets we purchased in May 2002, (iii) “Stone & Webster” refers to Stone and Webster, Incorporated, whose business and assets we purchased on July 14, 2000 (we now operate Stone & Webster, Inc., a subsidiary we formed to acquire those assets), (iv) “Credit Facility” refers to our senior secured credit facility under a credit agreement dated March 17, 2003, as amended from time to time; (v) “Senior Notes” refers to our 10 3/4% Senior Notes Due 2010; (vi) pro forma financial data and information contained in this prospectus supplement give effect to this offering and the anticipated use of proceeds of this offering and (vii) references to our fiscal years refer to the twelve month period ended August 31 of such years (for example, our fiscal 2003 is the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003).

We offer a broad range of services to clients in the environmental and infrastructure, power and process industries worldwide. We are a leading provider of consulting, engineering, construction, remediation and facilities management services to the environmental, infrastructure and homeland security markets. In Engineering News-Record’s, or ENR’s, 2003 rankings based on revenue, we placed in the top 10 nationally in 8 of 12 categories of environmental services. We are also a vertically-integrated provider of comprehensive engineering, consulting, procurement, pipe fabrication, construction and maintenance services to the power and process industries. Based on revenue, we ranked third overall among power contractors and placed second and third among fossil fuel and nuclear contractors in the 2003 ENR rankings, respectively.

We provide our services to a diverse customer base that includes federal agencies (such as the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE), federally-owned entities (such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, or TVA), state and local governments (such as the New York City Department of Sanitation and South Florida Water Management District), and Fortune 500 companies and other private sector clients (such as Dow Chemical Co., BASF, Fluor Corp. and Entergy Corp.). Our approximately 17,000 employees deliver our services through a network of approximately 175 locations, predominantly in the United States, including approximately 15 fabrication and manufacturing facilities. Our revenues for our fiscal year ended August 31, 2003 were approximately $3.3 billion. For the three and six months ended February 29, 2004, our revenues were $691.2 million and $1,340.4 million, respectively, and our backlog at February 29, 2004 was approximately $5.5 billion. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SGR.”

Through organic growth and a series of strategic acquisitions, we have significantly expanded our expertise and the breadth of our service offerings. In July 2000, we acquired the assets of Stone & Webster, a leading global provider of engineering, procurement, construction and consulting services to the power, process and environmental and infrastructure markets. When combined with our existing pipe fabrication capabilities, this acquisition transformed us into a vertically-integrated provider of engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC, services. In May 2002, we significantly increased our position in the environmental and infrastructure markets, particularly in the federal services sector, through the acquisition of the assets of IT Group. This acquisition further diversified our end market, customer and contract mix and provided new opportunities to cross-sell services, such as environmental remediation services, to our existing power and process EPC customers. At February 29, 2004, our backlog of

On October 29, 2003, we closed an underwritten public offering of 23,000,000 shares of our common stock. We realized approximately $217.5 million of net proceeds from this offering. Approximately $194.7 million of the net proceeds were used to repurchase a portion of our outstanding Liquid Yield Option^TM Notes, or LYONs.

Pursuant to a tender offer which commenced on October 20, 2003 and expired on November 17, 2003, we completed the purchase of approximately $280.4 million principal amount at maturity of LYONs. We repurchased the LYONs that were tendered to us at $675 per $1,000 principal amount at maturity, or an aggregate cost of approximately $189.3 million. On November 26, 2003, we purchased an additional $8.0 million aggregate principal amount at maturity of LYONs at an aggregate cost of approximately $5.4 million, pursuant to a private purchase. We funded these repurchases with the net proceeds of our common stock offering described above. After giving effect to the LYONs repurchased in the tender offer and pursuant to the November 26, 2003 private purchase, approximately $85.0 million principal amount at maturity of LYONs remain outstanding with an aggregate accreted value as of that date of approximately $58.0 million.

On January 1, 2004, we acquired all of the common stock of Energy Delivery Services, Inc., or EDS, from Duke Energy Global Markets, Inc. for a total purchase price of $22.5 million, of which $18.5 million was paid in cash. EDS will be included in our Engineering, Construction and Maintenance, or ECM, segment under the name Shaw Energy Delivery Services, Inc. or Shaw EDS. We believe the acquisition of EDS will give us the opportunity to provide a full line of vertical services to utility companies seeking to upgrade, install and maintain their power grids.

Effective January 30, 2004, we received approval from our bank lenders for a third amendment to our Credit Facility, (Third Amendment), to amend various financial covenants and certain other terms in our Credit Facility and to address the impact of the net loss we reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2004 and the impact that loss would have had on our financial covenants in the future. In particular, the Third Amendment lowered the minimum level of EBITDA required and added a minimum working capital requirement. The Third Amendment also provides for a first lien on certain property, including equipment and real estate as collateral. The Third Amendment also increased our ability to obtain unsecured performance letters of credit outside of the Credit Facility from $50 million to $150 million. The Third Amendment did not change the interest rates or the total capacity to borrow or obtain letters of credit under the Credit Facility.

In accordance with the terms of the indenture governing the LYONs which require us to offer to purchase any or all outstanding LYONs on May 1, 2004, we commenced a tender offer (Tender Offer) on April 2, 2004 to purchase, for cash, any or all outstanding LYONs at a price of $683.61 per $1,000 principal amount at maturity. As of April 1, 2004, there was $85.0 million aggregate principal amount at maturity of LYONs outstanding with an aggregate accreted value as of that date of approximately $58.0 million. We may use a portion or all of the net proceeds from this offering to repurchase LYONs tendered to us in the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer will expire on April 30, 2004, unless the offer is extended by us prior to its expiration. The Tender Offer is subject to other conditions as described in the offer to purchase and company notice that we filed with the SEC as an exhibit to Schedule TO in connection with the Tender Offer.

On April 19, 2004, we announced that our subsidiary, Stone & Webster, Inc. received full notice to proceed on its previously announced power project known as Astoria Energy. In September 2003, we were

Our corporate offices are located at 4171 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809. Our telephone number is (225) 932-2500.

The number of shares of our common stock shown above to be outstanding after this offering is based on 61,183,489 shares, the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 13, 2004, and excludes:


	•	5,331,655 shares of treasury stock;

	•	5,386,939 shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options at a weighted average exercise price per share of $16.51;

	•	2,767,711 shares of common stock reserved for additional grants under our stock option plans; and

	•	98,000 shares of common stock reserved for future restricted stock awards.

Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus supplement assumes no exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option in this offering. See “Underwriting.”

You should carefully consider all of the information in this prospectus supplement. In particular, you should evaluate the specific risk factors set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus supplement for a discussion of certain factors that you should consider before investing in the common stock.

Investing in our common stock will provide an investor with an equity ownership interest. Shareholders will be subject to risks inherent in our business. The performance of our shares will reflect the performance of our business relative to, among other things, general economic and industry conditions, market conditions and competition. The value of the investment may increase or decrease and could result in a loss. An investor should carefully consider the following factors as well as other information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement before deciding to invest in shares of our common stock.

This prospectus supplement also contains or incorporates forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including the risk factors described below and the other factors described elsewhere in this prospectus supplement.

The demand for our products and services depends on conditions in the environmental and infrastructure industries and the power generation industry, which accounted for approximately 54.8% and 31.6%, respectively, of our backlog as of February 29, 2004, and, to a lesser extent, on conditions in the petrochemical, chemical and refining industries. These industries historically have been, and will likely continue to be, cyclical in nature and vulnerable to general downturns in the domestic and international economies.

For example, since fiscal 2002, there has been a slowdown in construction activity and new construction awards for power generation projects, primarily as a result of less activity by certain independent power producers who had encountered financing and liquidity problems. These factors contributed to the cancellation or suspension of a number of projects by our customers in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, resulting in a reduction of our backlog at that time, with minimal activity during fiscal 2003 and the first two quarters of fiscal 2004, resulting in a decrease in our new business.

Our results of operations have varied and may continue to vary depending on the demand for future projects from these industries. Our results of operations may also be adversely affected by cancellations of existing projects by our customers or difficulties in collecting amounts owed to us for work completed or in progress. For example, we recently announced a loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2004 that was, in part, attributable to such factors. We may continue to experience additional losses in the future.

As of February 29, 2004, our backlog was approximately $5.5 billion. There can be no assurance that the revenues projected in our backlog will be realized or, if realized, will result in profits. Further, project terminations, suspensions or adjustments in scope may occur with respect to contracts reflected in our backlog. For example, during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2002, three domestic power projects previously reflected in our backlog were suspended or cancelled, resulting in a reduction of our backlog of approximately $300.0 million.

Reductions in backlog due to cancellation by a customer or for other reasons adversely affect, potentially to a material extent, the revenue and profit we actually receive from contracts projected in backlog. In the event of project cancellation, we may be reimbursed for certain costs but typically have no contractual right to the total revenues reflected in our backlog. In addition, projects may remain in our backlog for extended periods of time. If we were to experience significant cancellations or delays of projects in our backlog, our financial condition could be significantly adversely affected.

We define backlog as a “working backlog” which includes projects for which we have received a commitment from our customers. This commitment may be in the form of a written contract for a specific project, a purchase order or an indication of the amount of time or material we need to make available for a customer’s anticipated project. In certain instances, the engagement is for a particular product or project for which we estimate anticipated revenue, often based on engineering and design specifications that have not been finalized and may be revised over time. Also, we estimate (based on our prior experience) the amount of future work we will receive for multi-year government contracts for which funding is approved on an annual or periodic basis during the term of the contract. In the Environmental & Infrastructure segment, many of these contracts are multi-year indefinite delivery order, or IDO, agreements with the federal government. These contracts do not initially provide for a specific amount of work, and we derive the contract backlog of IDO agreements from our historical experience with similar awards and customers, and such backlog averages approximately 75% of the total unfunded awards. Estimates are reviewed periodically and appropriate adjustments are made to the amounts included in backlog and in unexercised contract options. Our backlog does not include any awards (funded or unfunded) for work expected to be performed more than five years after the date of our financial statements. The amount of future actual awards may be more or less than our estimates.

Our backlog for maintenance work is derived from maintenance contracts, some of which do not specify actual dollar amounts of maintenance work, in which case our backlog is based on an estimate of work to be performed in light of such customers’ historic maintenance requirements. Accordingly, the amount of future actual awards may be more or less than our estimates.

We also include in backlog commitments from certain individual customers that have committed to more than one significant EPC project and other customers who have committed to multi-year orders for environmental, piping or maintenance services. There can be no assurance that the customers will complete all of these projects or that the projects will be performed in the currently anticipated time-frame.

In July 2000, we acquired substantially all of the operating assets and assumed certain liabilities of Stone & Webster and during fiscal 2002, we acquired substantially all of the operating assets and assumed certain liabilities of The IT Group, Inc. We believe, pursuant to the terms of the agreements for the Stone & Webster and IT Group asset acquisitions, that we assumed only certain liabilities, which we refer to as assumed liabilities, specified in those agreements. In addition, those agreements provide that certain other liabilities, including but not limited to, certain outstanding borrowings, certain leases, certain contracts in process, completed contracts, claims or litigation that relate to acts or events occurring prior to the acquisition date, and certain employee benefit obligations are specifically excluded from our transactions. We refer to these as excluded liabilities. There can be no assurance, however, that we do not have any exposure related to the excluded liabilities.

In addition, some of the former owners of companies that we have acquired are contractually required to indemnify us against liabilities related to the operation of their companies before we acquired them and for misrepresentations made by them in connection with the acquisitions. In some cases, these former owners may not have the financial ability to meet their indemnification responsibilities. If this occurs, we may incur unexpected liabilities.

Any of these unexpected liabilities could have a material adverse effect on us and our financial condition.

From time to time, we have made acquisitions to pursue market opportunities, increase our existing capabilities and expand into new areas of operation. We plan to pursue select acquisitions in the future. If we are unable to identify acquisition opportunities or complete acquisitions we have identified, our business

could be materially adversely affected. In addition, we may encounter difficulties integrating our future acquisitions and in successfully managing the growth we expect from the acquisitions. In addition, our expansion into new businesses, such as with our IT Group acquisition, may expose us to additional business risks that are different from those we have traditionally experienced. To the extent we encounter problems in identifying acquisition risks or integrating our acquisitions, we could be materially adversely affected. Because we may pursue acquisitions around the world and may actively pursue a number of opportunities simultaneously, we may encounter unforeseen expenses, complications and delays, including difficulties in employing sufficient staff and maintaining operational and management oversight.

Our strategy is and has been to pursue strategic acquisitions in markets where we currently operate as well as in markets in which we have not previously operated. We may have difficulties identifying attractive acquisition candidates in the future, or we may be unable to acquire desired businesses or assets on economically acceptable terms. In the event we are unable to complete future strategic acquisitions, we may not grow in accordance with our expectations or our historical experience.

Our EPC projects generally involve complex design and engineering, significant procurement of equipment and supplies, and extensive construction management. Many of our EPC projects involve design, engineering, procurement and construction phases that may occur over extended time periods, often in excess of two years. We may encounter difficulties in the design or engineering, equipment and supply delivery, schedule changes, and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, that impact our ability to complete the project in accordance with the original delivery schedule. In addition, we generally rely on third-party equipment manufacturers as well as third-party subcontractors to assist us with the completion of EPC contracts. In some cases, the equipment we purchase for a project or that is provided to us by the customer does not perform as expected, and these performance failures may result in delays in completion of the project and additional costs to us or the customer to complete the project and, in some cases, may require us to obtain alternate equipment at additional cost. Any delay by subcontractors to complete their portion of the project, or any failure by a subcontractor to satisfactorily complete its portion of the project, and other factors beyond our control may result in delays in the overall progress of the project or may cause us to incur additional costs, or both. These delays and additional costs may be substantial, and we may be required to compensate the project customer for these delays. While we may recover these additional costs from the responsible vendor, subcontractor or other third party, we may not be able to recover all of these costs in all circumstances.

For example, we recorded a $39.3 million pre-tax loss ($26.3 million, net of tax) for the first quarter of fiscal 2004 relating to two EPC projects for gas-fired combined cycle power plants in Michigan and Arizona. The charges were the result of project completion delays. In addition, we have been assessed liquidated damages by the owners due to such delays. We believe that such project completion delays were primarily attributable to our vendors, subcontractors and equipment manufacturers from whom we may recover certain costs. However, there can be no assurance that we will recover any additional costs we incurred as a result of such project completion delays. Recovery of these amounts is dependent upon our negotiations, arbitration and litigation with the owners, subcontractors, vendors and equipment manufacturers.

We are also currently involved in litigation with a customer and a third-party subcontractor relating to the engineering, design, procurement and construction of a gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant in Texas. In this litigation we are seeking payment from the customer for additional costs incurred by us as a result of a fire at the construction site and certain misrepresentations and we are seeking payment from a third-party equipment vendor for additional costs and liquidated damages potentially payable by us as a result of the failure of a turbine during start-up testing. To the extent we do not receive these amounts, we will recognize a charge to earnings. For further information regarding certain legal disputes in which we are

In addition, certain contracts may require that our customers provide us with design or engineering information or with equipment or materials to be used on the project. In some cases, the customer may provide us with deficient design or engineering information or equipment or may provide the information or equipment to us later than required by the project schedule. The customer may also determine, after commencement of the project, to change various elements of the project. Our EPC project contracts generally require the customer to compensate us for additional work or expenses incurred due to customer-requested change orders or failure of the customer to provide us with specified design or engineering information or equipment. Under these circumstances, we generally negotiate with the customer with respect to the amount of additional time required and the compensation to be paid to us. We are subject to the risk that we are unable to obtain, through negotiation, arbitration, litigation or otherwise, adequate amounts to compensate us for the additional work or expenses incurred by us due to customer-requested change orders or failure by the customer to timely provide required items. A failure to obtain adequate compensation for these matters could require us to record an adjustment to amounts of revenue and gross profit that were recognized in prior periods under the percentage of completion accounting method. Any such adjustments, if substantial, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

We rely on third-party equipment manufacturers as well as third-party subcontractors to complete our projects. To the extent that we cannot engage subcontractors or acquire equipment or materials, our ability to complete a project in a timely fashion or at a profit may be impaired. If the amount we are required to pay for these goods and services exceeds the amount we have estimated in bidding for fixed-price work, we could experience losses in the performance of these contracts. In addition, if a subcontractor or a manufacturer is unable to deliver its services, equipment or materials according to the negotiated terms for any reason, including the deterioration of its financial condition, we may be required to purchase the services, equipment or materials from another source at a higher price. This may reduce the profit to be realized or result in a loss on a project for which the services, equipment or materials were needed.

In certain circumstances, we guarantee facility completion by a scheduled acceptance date or achievement of certain acceptance and performance testing levels. Failure to meet any such schedule or performance requirements could result in additional costs, and the amount of such additional costs could exceed projected profit margins. Performance problems for existing and future contracts could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those anticipated by us and could cause us to suffer damage to our reputation within our industry and our client base.

Although approximately 80.7% of our backlog as of February 29, 2004 was from cost-plus contracts, the remaining 19.3% was from fixed-price or unit-price contracts. A significant number of our domestic piping contracts and substantially all of our international piping contracts are fixed-price or unit-price. In addition, a number of the contracts we assumed in the Stone & Webster and IT Group acquisitions were fixed-price contracts, and we will continue to enter into these types of contracts in the future. Under fixed-price or unit-price contracts, we agree to perform the contract for a fixed-price and, as a result, benefit from costs savings and earnings from approved change orders; but we are generally unable to recover any cost overruns to the approved contract price. Under certain incentive contracts, we share with the customer any savings up to a negotiated or target ceiling. When costs exceed the negotiated ceiling price, we may be required to reduce our fee or to absorb some or all of the cost overruns. Contract prices are established based in part on cost estimates that are subject to a number of assumptions, including assumptions regarding future economic conditions. If these estimates prove inaccurate or circumstances change, cost

We enter into contractual agreements with customers for some of our engineering, procurement and construction services to be performed based on agreed upon reimbursable costs and labor rates. Some of these contracts provide for the customer’s review of the accounting and cost control systems to verify the completeness and accuracy of the reimbursable costs invoiced. These reviews could result in reductions in reimbursable costs and labor rates previously billed to the customer.

Many of our contracts require us to satisfy specified design, engineering, procurement or construction milestones in order to receive payment for the work completed or equipment or supplies procured prior to achievement of the applicable milestone. As a result, under these types of arrangements, we may incur significant costs or perform significant amounts of services prior to receipt of payment. If the customer determines not to proceed with the completion of the project or if the customer defaults on its payment obligations, we may face difficulties in collecting payment of amounts due to us for the costs previously incurred or for the amounts previously expended to purchase equipment or supplies. In addition, many of our customers for large EPC projects are project-specific entities that do not have significant assets other than their interests in the EPC project. It may be difficult for us to collect amounts owed to us by these customers against the customer’s more credit-worthy parent company. If we are unable to collect amounts owed to us for these matters, we may be required to record a charge against previously recognized earnings related to the project under percentage-of-completion, or POC, method of accounting.

We are a major provider of services to governmental agencies and therefore are exposed to risks associated with government contracting. For example, a reduction in spending by federal government agencies could limit the continued funding of existing contracts with these agencies and could limit our ability to obtain additional contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. The risks of government contracting also include the risk of civil and criminal fines and penalties for violations of applicable regulations and statutes and the risk of public scrutiny of our performance at high profile sites.

In addition, government customers typically can terminate or modify any of their contracts with us at their convenience, and some of these government contracts are subject to renewal or extension annually. If a government customer terminates a contract or fails to renew or extend a contract, our backlog may be reduced or we may incur a loss, either of which could impair our financial condition and operating results. A termination due to our unsatisfactory performance could expose us to liability and have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete for future contracts and orders. In cases where we are a subcontractor, the prime contract under which we are a subcontractor could be terminated, regardless of the quality of our services as a subcontractor or our relationship with the relevant government agency. Our government customers can also reduce the value of existing contracts, issue modifications to a contract and control and potentially prohibit the export of our services and associated materials.

As a result of our government contracting business, we have been, are and will be in the future, the subject of audits and/or cost reviews by the Defense Contract Audit Agency, which we refer to as DCAA, or by other contracting agencies. Additionally, we have been and may in the future be the subject of investigations by governmental agencies such as the Office of Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency, which we refer to as EPA. During the course of an audit, the DCAA may disallow costs if it determines that we improperly accounted for such costs in a manner inconsistent with Cost Accounting Standards or regulatory and contractual requirements. Under the type of cost-plus government contracts that we typically perform, only those costs that are reasonable, allocable and allowable are recoverable under the Federal Acquisition Regulation and Cost Accounting Standards.

In addition, our failure to comply with the terms of one or more of our government contracts, other government agreements, or government regulations and statutes could result in our being suspended or

To prepare financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, management is required to make estimates and assumptions, as of the date of the financial statements, which affect the reported values of assets and liabilities and revenues and expenses and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. Areas requiring significant estimates by our management include:


	•	contract expenses and profits and application of percentage-of-completion accounting;

	•	recoverability of inventory and application of lower of cost or market accounting;

	•	provisions for uncollectible receivables and customer claims and recoveries of costs from subcontractors, vendors and others;

	•	provisions for income taxes and related valuation allowances;

	•	recoverability of net goodwill;

	•	recoverability of other intangibles and related amortization;

	•	valuation of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in connection with business combinations; and

	•	accruals for estimated liabilities, including litigation and insurance reserves.

As is more fully discussed in “Critical Accounting Policies and Related Estimates That Have a Material Effect on Our Consolidated Financial Statements” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003 and in the notes to our financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, a substantial portion of our revenues are recognized using the POC method of accounting. This accounting method is standard for EPC contracts. The POC accounting practices that we use result in our recognizing contract revenues and earnings ratably over the contract term in proportion to our incurrence of contract costs. The earnings or losses recognized on individual contracts are based on estimates of contract revenues, costs and profitability. Contract losses are recognized in full when determined, and contract profit estimates are adjusted based on ongoing reviews of contract profitability. Further, a substantial portion of our contracts contain various cost and performance incentives and penalties that impact the earnings we realize from the contracts, and adjustments related to these incentives and penalties are recorded when known or finalized, which is generally during the latter stages of the contract. In addition, we record claims when we believe recovery is probable and the amounts can be reasonably estimated. Actual collection of claims could differ from estimated amounts.

Although most of our contracts are cost-plus contracts and our financial loss exposure on cost-reimbursable contracts is generally limited to a portion of our gross margin, it is possible that the loss provisions or adjustments to the contract profit and loss resulting from future changes in our estimates or contract penalty provisions could be significant and could result in a reduction or elimination of previously recognized earnings. In certain circumstances it is possible that such adjustments could be material to our operating results.

A substantial portion of our revenues is directly or indirectly derived from large-scale domestic and international projects. It is generally very difficult to predict whether and when we will receive such awards as these contracts frequently involve a lengthy and complex bidding and selection process which is affected by a number of factors, such as market conditions, financing arrangements, governmental approvals and environmental matters. Because a significant portion of our revenues is generated from large projects, our results of operations and cash flows can fluctuate from quarter to quarter depending on the timing of our contract awards. In addition, many of these contracts are subject to financing contingencies and, as a result, we are subject to the risk that we or the customer will not be able to secure the necessary financing for the project. In certain circumstances, customers may require us to provide credit enhancements, including bonds or letters of credit.

The uncertainty of our contract award timing can also present difficulties in matching workforce size with contract needs. In some cases, we maintain and bear the cost of a ready workforce that is larger than called for under existing contracts in anticipation of future workforce needs for expected contract awards. If an expected contract award is delayed or not received, we would incur costs that could have a material adverse effect on us. Further, our significant customers vary between years, and the loss of any one or more of our key customers could have a material adverse impact on us.

In addition, timing of the revenues, earnings and cash flows from our projects can be affected by a number of factors beyond our control, including unavoidable delays from weather conditions, unavailability of material and equipment from vendors, changes in the scope of services requested by clients or labor disruptions.

Downturns in the businesses that use our ECM services can adversely affect our revenues and operating profit. Many of our customers are in businesses that are cyclical in nature and sensitive to changes in general economic conditions. The demand for our ECM services is dependent upon the existence of projects with engineering, procurement, construction and management needs. Our ECM segment, which primarily services the power generation and process industries, has seen strong growth in the past few years due to previously unmet power needs and deregulation but is now seeing its business opportunities decrease relative to the last few years. Industries such as these and many of the others we serve have historically been and will continue to be vulnerable to general downturns and are cyclical in nature. As a result, our past results have varied considerably and may continue to vary depending upon the demand for future projects in these industries.

Approximately 15% of our fiscal 2003 revenues and 16% of our revenues for the six months ended February 29, 2004 were attributable to projects in international markets, some of which are subject to political unrest and uncertainty. We have operations in Russia, China, the Middle East, Europe and Australia. We expect international revenues and operations to continue to contribute to our growth and earnings for the foreseeable future. International contracts, operations and expansion expose us to risks inherent in doing business outside the United States, including:


	•	uncertain economic conditions in the foreign countries in which we make capital investments, operate and sell products and services;

	•	the lack of well-developed legal systems in some countries in which we operate and sell products and services, which could make it difficult for us to enforce our contractual rights;

	•	expropriation of property;


	•	restrictions on the right to convert or repatriate currency; and

	•	political risks, including risks of loss due to civil strife, acts of war, guerrilla activities and insurrection.

For example, in June 2003 we closed our operations in Venezuela due to the political unrest and the economic uncertainty of doing business in Venezuela. Our results of operations could be materially adversely affected if any of these risks occur.

We generally attempt to denominate our contracts in U.S. dollars; however, from time to time we enter into contracts denominated in a foreign currency. This practice subjects us to foreign exchange risks, particularly to the extent contract revenues are denominated in a currency different than the contract costs. We attempt to minimize our exposure from foreign exchange risks by obtaining escalation provisions for projects in inflationary economies, matching the contract revenue currency with the contract costs currency or entering into hedge contracts when there are different currencies for contract revenues and costs. However, these actions will not always eliminate all foreign exchange risks.

Foreign exchange controls may also adversely affect us. For instance, foreign exchange controls were instituted in Venezuela on February 6, 2003. These controls may limit our ability to repatriate profits from our Venezuelan subsidiary or otherwise convert local currency into U.S. dollars. These limitations could adversely affect us. Further, our ability to obtain international contracts is impacted by the relative strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar to foreign currencies.

Due to the size of many engineering and construction projects, one or a few clients have in the past and may in the future contribute a substantial portion of our consolidated revenues in any one year or over a period of several consecutive years. For example, in fiscal 2003, approximately 13% of our revenues were from PG&E National Energy Group, Inc. Similarly, our backlog frequently reflects multiple projects for individual clients; therefore, one major customer may comprise a significant percentage of backlog at a point in time. An example of this is the TVA, with which we have two contracts representing an aggregate of 10.6% of our backlog at February 29, 2004. Including our backlog from TVA, a Government-owned entity, backlog from the U.S. Government or U.S. Government-owned entities accounted for 61.4% of backlog at February 29, 2004.

Because these significant customers generally contract with us for specific projects, we may lose these customers from year to year as their projects with us are completed. If we do not replace them with other customers or other projects, our business could be materially adversely affected.

Additionally, we have long-standing relationships with many significant customers, including customers with which we have alliance agreements that have preferred pricing arrangements. However, our contracts with these customers are on a project by project basis, and they may unilaterally reduce or discontinue their purchases at any time. The loss of business from any one of such customers could have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.

We engineer, construct and perform services in large industrial facilities in which accidents or system failures can be disastrous. Any catastrophic occurrences in excess of insurance limits at locations engineered or constructed by us or where our products are installed or services performed could result in significant professional liability, product liability, warranty and other claims against us. In addition, under some of our contracts, we must use new metals or processes for producing or fabricating pipe for our customers. The failure of any of these metals or processes could result in warranty claims against us for significant replacement or reworking costs.

Further, the engineering and construction projects we perform expose us to additional risks including cost overruns, equipment failures, personal injuries, property damage, shortages of materials and labor, work stoppages, labor disputes, weather problems and unforeseen engineering, architectural, environmental and geological problems. In addition, once our construction is complete, we may face claims with respect to the performance of these facilities.

Many of our Environmental & Infrastructure segment customers attempt to shift financial and operating risks to the contractor, particularly on projects involving large scale cleanups and/or projects where there may be a risk that the contamination could be more extensive or difficult to resolve than previously anticipated. In this competitive market, customers increasingly try to pressure contractors to accept greater risks of performance, liability for damage or injury to third parties or property and liability for fines and penalties. Prior to our acquisition of the IT Group, it was involved in claims and litigation involving disputes over such issues. Therefore, it is possible that we could also become involved in similar claims and litigation in the future as a result of our acquisition of the assets of IT Group and our participation in environmental and infrastructure contracts.

Environmental management contractors also potentially face liabilities to third parties for property damage or personal injury stemming from exposure to or a release of toxic substances resulting from a project performed for customers. These liabilities could arise long after completion of a project. Although the risks we face in our anthrax and other biological agent work are similar to those faced in our toxic chemical emergency response business, the risks posed by attempting to detect and remediate these biological agents may include risks to our employees, subcontractors and those who may be affected should detection and remediation prove less effective than anticipated. Because anthrax and similar contamination is so recent, there may be unknown risks involved; and in certain circumstances there may be no body of knowledge or standard protocols for dealing with these risks. The risks we face also include the potential ineffectiveness of developing technologies to detect and remediate the contamination, claims for infringement of these technologies, difficulties in working with the smaller, specialized firms that may own these technologies and have detection and remediation capabilities, our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and subcontractors in light of these risks, the high profile nature of the work and the potential unavailability of insurance and indemnification for the risks associated with biological agents and terrorism.

Over the past several years, the EPA and other federal agencies have constricted significantly the circumstances under which they will indemnify their contractors against liabilities incurred in connection with CERCLA, and similar projects.

Certain subsidiaries within our Environmental & Infrastructure division are engaged in two similar programs that may involve assumption of a client’s environmental remediation obligations and potential claim obligations. One program involves our subsidiary, The LandBank Group, Inc., or LandBank, which was acquired in the IT Group acquisition. Under this program, LandBank purchases and then remediates and/or takes other steps to improve environmentally impaired properties. The second program is operated by our subsidiary Shaw Environmental Liability Solutions, LLC, which will contractually assume responsibility for environmental matters at a particular site or sites and provide indemnifications for defined cleanup costs and post closing third party claims in return for compensation by the client. These subsidiaries may operate and/or purchase and redevelop environmentally impaired property. As the owner or operator of such properties, we may be required to clean up all contamination at these sites even if we did not place the contamination there. We attempt to reduce our exposure to unplanned risks through the performance of environmental due diligence, the use of liability protection provisions of federal laws like the Brownfields Revitalization Act and similar state laws and the purchase of environmental and cost cap insurance coverage or other risk management products. However, we cannot assure you that our risk

Our ability to be profitable in this type of business also depends on our ability to accurately estimate cleanup costs. While we engage in comprehensive engineering and cost analyses, if we were to materially underestimate the required cost of cleanup at a particular project, such underestimation could significantly adversely affect us. Further, the continued growth of this type of business is dependent upon the availability of environmental and cost cap insurance or other risk management products. We cannot assure you that such products will continue to be available to us in the future. Moreover, environmental laws and regulations governing the cleanup of contaminated sites are constantly changing. We cannot predict the effect of future changes to these laws and regulations on our LandBank and Environmental Liability Solutions businesses. In addition, prior to the IT Group acquisition, we had not previously conducted this type of business and we have had no material transactions in this business. Additionally, when we purchase real estate in this business, we are subject to many of the same risks as real estate developers, including the timely receipt of building and zoning permits, construction delays, the ability of markets to absorb new development projects, market fluctuations and the ability to obtain additional equity or debt financing on satisfactory terms, among others.

In addition to the environmental risks described above relating to the businesses acquired from IT Group and our environmental remediation business, our operations are subject to environmental laws and regulations, including those concerning:


	•	emissions into the air;

	•	discharges into waterways;

	•	generation, storage, handling, treatment and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes; and

	•	health and safety.

Our projects often involve highly regulated materials, including hazardous and nuclear materials and wastes. Environmental laws and regulations generally impose limitations and standards for regulated materials and require us to obtain a permit and comply with various other requirements. The improper characterization, handling, or disposal of regulated materials or any other failure to comply with federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations or associated environmental permits may result in the assessment of administrative, civil, and criminal penalties, the imposition of investigatory or remedial obligations, or the issuance of injunctions that could restrict or prevent our ability to perform.

In addition, under CERCLA and comparable state laws, we may be required to investigate and remediate regulated materials. CERCLA and these comparable state laws typically impose liability without regard to whether a company knew of or caused the release, and liability for the entire cost of a clean-up can be imposed upon any responsible party. The principal federal environmental legislation affecting our Environmental & Infrastructure subsidiaries and clients include: the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, or NEPA; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, or RCRA; the Clean Air Act; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; and CERCLA, together with the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, or SARA. Our foreign operations are also subject to similar governmental controls and restrictions relating to environmental protection.

We could also incur environmental liability at sites where we have been hired by potentially responsible parties, or PRPs, to remediate contamination of the site. Such PRPs have sought to expand the reach of CERCLA, RCRA and similar state statutes to make the remediation contractor responsible for cleanup costs. These companies claim that environmental contractors are owners or operators of hazardous waste facilities or that the contractors arranged for treatment, transportation or disposal of hazardous substances. If we are held responsible under CERCLA or RCRA for damages caused while performing

The environmental health and safety laws and regulations to which we are subject are constantly changing, and it is impossible to predict the effect of any future changes to these laws and regulations on us. We do not yet know the full extent, if any, of environmental liabilities associated with many of our recently acquired properties undergoing or scheduled to undergo site restoration, including any liabilities associated with the assets we acquired from Stone & Webster and IT Group. We cannot assure you that our operations will continue to comply with future laws and regulations or that any such laws and regulations will not significantly adversely affect us.

The level of enforcement of these laws and regulations also affects the demand for many of our services. Proposed changes in regulations and the perception that enforcement of current environmental laws has been reduced has decreased the demand for some services, as clients have anticipated and adjusted to the potential changes. Future changes could result in increased or decreased demand for some of our services. The ultimate impact of the future changes will depend upon a number of factors, including the overall strength of the economy and clients’ views on the cost-effectiveness of remedies available under the changed regulations. If proposed or enacted changes materially reduce demand for our environmental services, our results of operations could be adversely affected.

The Price Anderson Act, or PAA, comprehensively regulates the manufacture, use and storage of radioactive materials, while promoting the nuclear power industry by offering broad indemnification to nuclear power plant operators and DOE contractors. Because we provide services for the DOE relating to its nuclear weapons facilities and the nuclear power industry in the on-going maintenance and modification, as well as decontamination and decommissioning, of its nuclear power plants, we are entitled to the indemnification protections under the PAA. Although the PAA’s indemnification provisions are broad, it has not been determined whether such indemnification applies to all liabilities that we might incur while performing services as a radioactive materials cleanup contractor for the DOE and the nuclear power industry. In addition, the PAA’s ability to indemnify us with respect to any new contract expired on August 1, 2002, but was reauthorized and extended through December 31, 2004. Because nuclear power remains controversial, there can be no assurance that the PAA’s indemnification authority will be reauthorized and extended when that authority expires again at the end of 2004. If the PAA’s indemnification authority is not extended, our business could be adversely affected by either a refusal of plant operators to retain us or our inability to obtain commercially adequate insurance and indemnification.

In our Environmental & Infrastructure, or E&I segment, we compete with a diverse array of small and large organizations, including national and regional environmental management firms, national, regional and local architectural, engineering and construction firms, environmental management divisions or subsidiaries of international engineering, construction and systems companies, and waste generators that have developed in-house capabilities. Increased competition in this business, combined with changes in client procurement procedures, has resulted in changes in the industry, including among other things, lower contract margins, more fixed-price or unit-price contracts and contract terms that may increasingly require us to indemnify our clients against damages or injuries to third parties and property and environmental fines and penalties. We believe, therefore, these market conditions may require us to accept more contractual and performance risk than we have historically for the environmental and infrastructure segment to be competitive.

The entry of large systems contractors and international engineering and construction firms into the environmental services industry has increased competition for major federal government contracts and programs, which have been a primary source of revenue in recent years for our environmental &

In our engineering, construction and maintenance business, we face competition from numerous regional, national and international competitors, many of which have greater financial and other resources than we do. Our competitors include well-established, well-financed concerns, both privately and publicly held, including many major power equipment manufacturers and engineering and construction companies, some engineering companies, internal engineering departments at utilities and certain of our customers. The markets that we serve require substantial resources and particularly highly skilled and experienced technical personnel.

In our pipe engineering and fabrication business, we face substantial competition on a domestic and international level. In the United States, there are a number of smaller pipe fabricators. Internationally, our principal competitors are divisions of large industrial firms. Some of our competitors, primarily in the international sector, have greater financial and other resources than we do.

Our ability to attract and retain qualified engineers, scientists and other professional personnel in accordance with our needs, either through direct hiring or acquisition of other firms employing such professionals, will be an important factor in determining our future success. The market for these professionals is competitive, and there can be no assurance that we will be successful in our efforts to attract and retain needed professionals. In addition, our ability to be successful depends in part on our ability to attract and retain skilled laborers and craftsmen in our pipe fabrication and construction businesses. Demand for these workers can at times be high and the supply extremely limited.

Terrorist attacks, like those that occurred on September 11, 2001, have contributed to economic instability in the United States, and further acts of terrorism, violence or war could affect the markets in which we operate, our business and our expectations. There can be no assurance that armed hostilities will not increase or that terrorist attacks, or responses from the United States, will not lead to further acts of terrorism and civil disturbances in the United States or elsewhere, which may further contribute to economic instability in the United States. These attacks or armed conflicts may directly impact our physical facilities or those of our suppliers or customers and could impact our domestic or international revenues, our supply chain, our production capability and our ability to deliver our products and services to our customers. Political and economic instability in some regions of the world may also result and could negatively impact our business.

Because we have grown in part through acquisitions, goodwill and other acquired intangible assets represent a substantial portion of our assets. Goodwill was approximately $528.3 million as of February 29, 2004. If we make additional acquisitions, it is likely that we will record additional intangible assets on our books. We also have long-lived assets consisting of property and equipment and other identifiable intangible assets of $184.2 million as of February 29, 2004 which are reviewed for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If a determination that a significant impairment in value of our unamortized intangible assets or long-lived assets occurs, such determination would require us to write off a substantial portion of our assets. Such a write off would negatively affect our earnings.

We have been and may from time to time be named as a defendant in legal actions claiming damages in connection with engineering and construction projects and other matters. These are typically actions that arise in the normal course of business, including employment-related claims and contractual disputes or claims for personal injury or property damage which occurs in connection with services performed relating to project or construction sites. Our contractual disputes normally involve claims relating to the performance of equipment, design or other engineering services or project construction services provided by our subsidiaries.

In May 2001, we issued $790.0 million aggregate principal amount at maturity of 20-year, zero-coupon, unsecured LYONs. The LYONs were issued on an original issue discount basis of $639.23 per $1,000 maturity value of the LYONs. On May 1 of 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2016, holders of LYONs may require us to purchase all or a portion of the LYONs at their accreted value (the original issue price of LYONs increases by 2.25% per year). At May 1, 2004, the first date on which the holders can require us to repurchase the LYONs, the aggregate accreted value will be approximately $58.1 million.

In March 2003, we repurchased $384.6 million aggregate principal amount at maturity of LYONs pursuant to our tender offer for the LYONs and in August 2003, we repurchased another $32.0 million aggregate principal amount at maturity of LYONs in open market purchases. In November 2003, we repurchased $280.4 million aggregate principal amount at maturity pursuant to another tender offer for the LYONs and on November 26, 2003, we purchased $8.0 million aggregate principal amount at maturity of LYONs pursuant to a private purchase. After giving effect to the total repurchases of $705.0 million aggregate principal amount at maturity of LYONs, the aggregate principal amount at maturity of the LYONs that remain outstanding is approximately $85.0 million (or an accreted value of approximately $57.9 million at February 29, 2004). In accordance with the indenture governing the LYONs which requires us to offer to purchase any or all outstanding LYONs on May 1, 2004, we commenced a tender offer on April 2, 2004 to purchase, for cash, any or all of the outstanding LYONs at a price of $683.61 per $1,000 principal amount at maturity. The Tender Offer expires on April 30, 2004 unless extended or earlier terminated.

The closing price of our common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on April 19, 2004 was $12.69 per share. Unless our common stock price increases to a price in excess of $77.03 per share, we anticipate that a substantial portion, and perhaps all, of the remaining outstanding LYONs will be submitted for repurchase as early as May 1, 2004. In the event that holders of LYONs require us to repurchase the LYONs on May 1, 2004, we may, subject to certain conditions, choose to redeem the LYONs in cash or in shares of our common stock, or in a combination of both. If we elect to issue our common stock, the value of the common stock would be determined by reference to the current market value of our common stock at the time of each repurchase.

We have $22.8 million of remaining proceeds held in escrow from our October 29, 2003 equity offering that we are required, under the terms of our Credit Facility, to use to repurchase LYONs. We anticipate that we will have sufficient cash resources to repurchase the remaining $58.1 million in accreted value of the LYONs with cash on May 1, 2004. However, to the extent the accreted value of the LYONs exceeds the $22.8 million in cash designated for such repurchases, if we elect to fund all or substantially all of this repurchase obligation with cash, we will reduce our available cash resources or other forms of liquidity.

The use of cash to repurchase LYONs at a later date could have the effect of restricting our ability to fund new acquisitions or to meet other future working capital needs, as well as increasing our costs of borrowing. If we need to seek to refinance or restructure our obligations under the LYONs, including the incurrence of additional borrowings, we might not be successful in doing so or the refinancing or restructuring might result in terms less favorable to us and the holders of the notes than the terms of the LYONs. Our Credit Facility permits us to repurchase LYONs as long as, after giving effect to the

As of February 29, 2004, we had total outstanding indebtedness of approximately $321.0 million, approximately $7.2 million of which was secured indebtedness, including obligations under capital leases. In addition, as of February 29, 2004, letters of credit issued for our account in an aggregate amount of $206.8 million were outstanding. Our indebtedness could have important consequences, including the following:


	•	it will require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to payments on our indebtedness, including our outstanding 10 3/4% Senior Notes due 2010, or Senior Notes, and may require us to dedicate a portion of our cash flow from operations to repurchase the LYONs, in each case reducing the availability of cash flow to fund acquisitions, working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes;

	•	it will limit our ability to borrow money or sell stock for working capital, capital expenditures, debt service requirements and other purposes;

	•	it will limit our flexibility in planning for, and reacting to, changes in our business;

	•	it may place us at a competitive disadvantage if we are more highly leveraged than some of our competitors;

	•	it may make us more vulnerable to a further downturn in the economy or our business; and

	•	it may restrict us from making additional acquisitions or exploiting other business opportunities.

To the extent that new debt is added to our currently anticipated debt levels, the substantial leverage risks described above would increase.

Our Credit Facility contains certain financial covenants, including a leverage ratio (which becomes more restrictive over time), a minimum fixed-charge coverage ratio, defined minimum net worth and defined minimum earnings before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). We may not be able to satisfy these ratios, especially if our operating results fall below management’s expectations.

As of November 30, 2003, we would not have been in compliance with the minimum EBITDA and leverage ratio covenants contained in the Credit Facility primarily due to pre-tax charges totaling $44.7 million related to three EPC Power projects. We obtained a waiver as of and for the three months ended November 30, 2003. Effective January 30, 2004, we received approval from our bank lenders for the Third Amendment to our Credit Facility to amend various financial covenants and certain other terms in our Credit Facility and to address the impact of the net loss we reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2004 and the impact that loss would have had on our financial covenants in the future. In particular, the Third Amendment lowered the minimum level of EBITDA required and added a minimum working capital requirement.

A future breach of any of these covenants or our inability to comply with the required financial ratios could result in a default under our Credit Facility, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the necessary waivers or amendments. In the event of any default under our Credit Facility not otherwise amended, the lenders thereunder will not be required to lend any additional amounts to us and could elect

to declare all outstanding borrowings, together with accrued interest and other fees, to be due and payable, or require us to apply all of our available cash to repay these borrowings and cash collateralize any outstanding letters of credit at that time. The acceleration of outstanding loans under our Credit Facility in excess of $20.0 million constitutes an event of default with respect to the Senior Notes. If we are unable to repay borrowings with respect to our Credit Facility when due, the lenders thereunder could proceed against their collateral, which consists of substantially all of our assets, including property, equipment and real estate. If the indebtedness under our Credit Facility or the Senior Notes were to be accelerated, we cannot assure you that our assets would be sufficient to repay such indebtedness in full. As of February 29, 2004, we did not have outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility but had outstanding letters of credit of approximately $206.8 million and indebtedness under our Senior Notes of $250.3 million.

In addition, although our Senior Notes contain no cross-default provisions, we have entered into indemnity agreements with our sureties that do contain cross-default provisions. Accordingly, in the event of a default under our Credit Facility, we would need to obtain a waiver or amendment to these provisions. We cannot assure you that we would be successful in obtaining any such amendment or waiver.

Our Credit Facility and the indenture relating to the Senior Notes contain certain restrictions on our ability to, among other things:


	•	incur additional indebtedness or contingent obligations or issue preferred stock;

	•	pay dividends or make distributions to our shareholders;

	•	repurchase or redeem our capital stock or subordinated indebtedness;

	•	make investments;

	•	create liens;

	•	enter into sale/leaseback transactions;

	•	incur restrictions on the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or to make other payments to us;

	•	make capital expenditures;

	•	enter into transactions with our stockholders and affiliates;

	•	sell assets; and

	•	acquire the assets of, or merge or consolidate with, other companies or transfer all or substantially all of our assets.

Our Credit Facility requires us to achieve certain financial ratios, including a leverage ratio (which becomes more restrictive over time) and a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio. We may not be able to satisfy these ratios, especially if our operating results fall below management’s expectations. In addition, in order to remain in compliance with the covenants in our Credit Facility, we may be limited in our flexibility to take actions resulting in non-cash charges, including as a result of our settling claims. These covenants may impair our ability to engage in favorable business activities and our ability to finance future operations or capital needs, including those associated with honoring our repurchase obligations with respect to the LYONs.

A breach of any of these covenants or our inability to comply with the required financial ratios could result in a default under our Credit Facility. See “— Non-compliance with certain covenants in our Credit Facility without waiver or amendment from the lenders of the Credit Facility, could adversely affect our ability to borrow under the Credit Facility.”

Our operations could require us to utilize large sums of working capital, sometimes on short notice and sometimes without the ability to recover the expenditures. Circumstances or events which could create large cash outflows include losses resulting from fixed-price contracts, environmental liabilities, litigation risks, unexpected costs or losses resulting from acquisitions, contract initiation or completion delays, political conditions, customer payment problems, foreign exchange risks, professional and product liability claims and cash repurchases of our LYONs, among others. We cannot provide assurance that we will have sufficient liquidity or the credit capacity to meet all of our cash needs if we encounter significant working capital requirements as a result of these or other factors.

Insufficient liquidity could have important consequences to us. For example, we could:


	•	have less operating flexibility due to restrictions which could be imposed by our creditors, including restrictions on incurring additional debt, creating liens on our properties and paying dividends;

	•	have less success in obtaining new work if our sureties or our lenders were to limit our ability to provide new performance bonds or letters of credit for our projects;

	•	be required to dedicate a substantial portion of cash flows from operations to the repayment of debt and the interest associated with that debt;

	•	fail to comply with the terms of our credit facility;

	•	incur increased lending fees, costs and interest rates; and

	•	experience difficulty in financing future acquisitions and/or continuing operations.

All or any of these matters could place us at a competitive disadvantage compared with competitors with more liquidity and could have a negative impact upon our financial condition and results of operations.

Some of our employees in the United States and abroad are represented by labor unions. We experienced a strike, without material impact on pipe production, by union members in February 1997 relating to the termination of collective bargaining agreements covering our pipe facilities in Walker and Prairieville, Louisiana. A lengthy strike or other work stoppage at any of our facilities could have a material adverse effect on us. From time to time we have also experienced attempts to unionize our non-union shops. While these efforts have achieved limited success to date, we cannot give any assurance that we will not experience additional union activity in the future.

We believe that we have a leading position in technologies for the design and construction of ethylene processing plants. We protect our position through patent registrations, license restrictions and a research and development program. However, it is possible that others may develop competing processes that could negatively affect our market position.

Additionally, we have developed construction and power generation and transmission software which we believe provide competitive advantages. The advantages currently provided by this software could be at risk if competitors were to develop superior or comparable technologies.

Our induction pipe bending technology and capabilities favorably influence our ability to compete successfully. Currently this technology and our proprietary software are not patented. Even though we have some legal protections against the dissemination of this know-how, including non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, our efforts to prevent others from using our technology could be time-consuming, expensive and ultimately may be unsuccessful or only partially successful. Finally, there is

Our success is dependent upon the continued services of our key officers. The loss of any of our key officers could adversely affect us. We do not maintain key employee insurance on any of our executive officers.

The market prices of our common stock may change significantly in response to various factors and events beyond our control, including the following:


	•	the other risk factors described in this prospectus supplement, including changing demand for our products and services;

	•	a shortfall in revenue or net income from that expected by securities analysts and investors;

	•	changes in securities analysts’ estimates of our financial performance or the financial performance of our competitors or companies in our industry generally;

	•	general conditions in our industries;

	•	general conditions in the securities markets;

	•	issuance of a significant number of shares upon exercise of employee stock options or conversion of the LYONs; and

	•	issuance of a significant number of shares of common stock to fund LYONs repurchases.

Our articles of incorporation and by-laws contain certain provisions, such as a provision establishing a classified board of directors (in the event the entire board of directors is increased to twelve or more members), provisions entitling holders of shares of common stock that have been beneficially owned for four years or more to five votes per share, a provision prohibiting shareholders from calling special meetings, a provision requiring super majority voting (75% of the outstanding voting power) to approve certain business combinations and provisions authorizing the board of directors to issue up to 20 million shares of preferred stock without approval of our shareholders. Also, we have adopted a rights plan that limits the ability of any person to acquire more than 15% of our common stock. These provisions could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control or the removal of management, of deterring potential acquirers from making an offer to our shareholders and of limiting any opportunity to realize premiums over prevailing market prices for the common stock. Provisions of our shareholder rights agreement could also have the effect of deterring changes of control.

Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market or otherwise, by the Company or a major shareholder, could depress the market price of our common stock and impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. Other than our directors and executive officers, who have agreed not to sell shares of our common stock for 45 days following this offering except with the consent of the underwriter, none of our existing shareholders has agreed to refrain from making sales of our common stock following this offering.

The issuance of additional equity securities or securities convertible into equity securities would result in dilution of existing shareholders’ equity interest in us. We are authorized to issue, without shareholder approval, 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value, in one or more series, which may give other shareholders dividend, conversion, voting, and liquidation rights, among other rights, which may be superior to the rights of holders of our common stock. Our board of directors has no present intention of issuing any such preferred stock series, but reserves the right to do so in the future. In addition, as of February 29, 2004, we are authorized, under certain circumstances, to issue, without shareholder approval, up to approximately 138,816,511 additional shares of common stock, no par value, including securities convertible into either common stock or preferred stock.

On June 26, 2002, at the recommendation of our audit committee, we dismissed Arthur Andersen LLP as our independent public accountants and engaged Ernst & Young LLP to serve as our independent public accountants for fiscal 2002. Our audited consolidated financial statements as of August 31, 2001 and for the year then ended, which are included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement, have been audited by Arthur Andersen, our former independent public accountants, as set forth in their reports, but Arthur Andersen has not consented to our use of these reports in connection with the sale of the common stock offered hereby.

Arthur Andersen completed its audit of our consolidated financial statements for the year ended August 31, 2001 and issued its report relating to these consolidated financial statements on October 5, 2001. Subsequently, Arthur Andersen was convicted of obstruction of justice for activities relating to its previous work for another of its audit clients and has ceased to audit publicly held companies. We are unable to predict the impact of this conviction or whether other adverse actions may be taken by governmental or private parties against Arthur Andersen. If Arthur Andersen has no assets available for creditors, you may not be able to recover against Arthur Andersen for any claims you may have under securities or other laws as a result of Arthur Andersen’s previous role as our independent public accountants and as author of the audit report for some of the audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.

We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $24.9 million, based on the public offering price of $12.35 per share, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of LYONs tendered to us in the Tender Offer and the replenishment of working capital expended in connection with increased business activity and our acquisition of Shaw EDS.

The following table sets forth our cash and capitalization at February 29, 2004 on (i) an actual basis and (ii) an as adjusted basis to give effect to the issuance of the common stock in this offering (at a public offering price of $12.35 per share). See “Use of Proceeds.”

You should read the following information in conjunction with our historical financial statements and the accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003, as amended, and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the three-month periods ending November 30, 2003 and February 29, 2004, respectively, which are incorporated by reference herein.


(1)	Represents remaining proceeds of $22.8 million plus interest from our October 29, 2003 equity offering.

(2)	At February 29, 2004, we had approximately $206.8 million in letters of credit outstanding, no revolving credit loans outstanding under our credit facility and $3.5 million outstanding under short-term revolving lines of credit for our foreign subsidiaries.

(3)	Includes $1.0 million of obligations under capital leases and $57.9 million of accreted value of LYONs as of February 29, 2004.

(4)	Does not include 2,767,711 shares reserved for issuance under our stock option plans. As of February 29, 2004, options to purchase 5,386,939 shares at a weighted average exercise price of $16.51 had been issued. Also does not include 5,331,655 shares of treasury stock and 98,000 shares for future restricted stock awards.

(5)	Includes $0.9 million of obligations under capital leases as of February 29, 2004.

Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in an underwriting agreement dated April 19, 2004, we have agreed to sell to Credit Suisse First Boston LLC, the underwriter, all of the shares of common stock.

The underwriting agreement provides that the underwriter is obligated to purchase all the shares of common stock in the offering if any are purchased, other than those shares covered by the over-allotment option described below.

We have granted to the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase on a pro rata basis up to 306,000 additional shares at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. The option may be exercised only to cover any over-allotments of common stock.

The underwriter proposes to offer the shares of common stock initially at the public offering price on the cover page of this prospectus supplement and to selling group members at that price less a selling concession of $0.05 per share.

The following table summarizes the compensation and estimated expenses we will pay:

We have agreed that we will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file with the SEC a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) relating to, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge, disposition or filing, without the prior written consent of Credit Suisse First Boston LLC for a period of 45 days from and after the date of this prospectus supplement except for issuances of common stock pursuant to this prospectus supplement, issuances of common stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities or the exercise of warrants or options, in each case issued or outstanding on the date hereof, the filing with the SEC of a universal shelf registration statement under the Securities Act, grants of employee stock options pursuant to the terms of a plan in effect on the date of this prospectus supplement, issuances of common stock pursuant to the exercise of such options or issuances of common stock pursuant to our dividend reinvestment plan.

Our executive officers and directors have agreed that they will not offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares of our common stock, enter into a transaction that would have the same effect, or enter into any swap, hedge or other arrangement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our common stock, whether any of these transactions are to be settled by delivery of our common stock or other securities, in cash or otherwise, or publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement, without, in each case, the prior written consent of Credit Suisse First Boston LLC for a period of 45 days from and after the date of the final prospectus supplement used to sell the common stock to be issued by the Company pursuant to an underwriting agreement dated the date hereof between the Company and the underwriter named therein.

We have agreed to indemnify the underwriter against liabilities under the Securities Act, or contribute to payments that the underwriter may be required to make in that respect.

The shares of common stock have been approved for listing on The New York Stock Exchange subject to official notice of issuance, under the symbol “SGR.”

The underwriter and certain of its affiliates perform various financial advisory, investment banking and commercial banking services for us and our affiliates from time to time, for which they receive reasonable and customary fees and commissions. Affiliates of the underwriter are lenders under our bank credit facility.

In addition, Credit Suisse First Boston LLC has acted as financial advisor to the owners of Astoria Energy, LLC, the customer on our $565.0 million fixed-price EPC contract to build a combined-cycle power plant in Queens, New York. Credit Suisse First Boston LLC has received and in the future may receive compensation from the owners of Astoria Energy, LLC based in part on the successful progress of the project.

In connection with the offering the underwriter may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act.


	•	Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

	•	Over-allotment involves sales by the underwriter of shares in excess of the number of shares the underwriter is obligated to purchase, which creates a syndicate short position. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares over-allotted by the underwriter is not greater than the number of shares that it may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares in the over-allotment option. The underwriter may close out any covered short position by either exercising its over-allotment option and/or purchasing shares in the open market.

	•	Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the common stock in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriter will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option. If the underwriter sells more shares than could be covered by the over- allotment option, a naked short position, the position can only be closed out by buying shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriter is concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

	•	Penalty bids permit the underwriter to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the common stock originally sold by the syndicate member is purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be effected on The New York Stock Exchange or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

A prospectus supplement in electronic format may be made available on the web sites maintained by the underwriter, or selling group members, if any, participating in this offering. The underwriter may agree to allocate a number of shares to selling group members for sale to their online brokerage account holders. Internet distributions will be allocated by the underwriter and selling group members that will make internet distributions on the same basis as other allocations.

Certain legal matters in connection with the issuance of the common stock will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas. The validity of the issuance of the common stock offered hereby and certain other legal matters arising under Louisiana law will be passed upon by Kantrow, Spaht, Weaver & Blitzer (A Professional Law Corporation), Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Certain legal matters arising under North Carolina law will be passed upon by McGuireWoods LLP. The underwriter has been represented by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, New York, New York.

Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, have audited our consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended August 31, 2003 and 2002 included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003, as amended, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement. Our financial statements as of and for the years ended August 31, 2003 and 2002 are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The financial statements of The Shaw Group Inc. as of and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2001 incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement have been audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants, as stated in their report with respect thereto. Arthur Andersen LLP has not consented to the incorporation by reference of their report in this prospectus supplement. Because of Arthur Andersen LLP’s current financial position, you may not be able to recover against Arthur Andersen LLP for any claims you may have under securities or other laws as a result of Arthur Andersen LLP’s activities during the period in which it acted as our independent public accountants. See “Risk Factors — Your ability to recover from our former auditors, Arthur Andersen LLP, for any potential financial misstatements is limited.”

On June 26, 2002, we dismissed Arthur Andersen LLP as our independent auditors and engaged Ernst & Young LLP to serve as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2002. The Arthur Andersen LLP dismissal and the Ernst & Young LLP engagement were recommended by our audit committee and approved by our board of directors and became effective immediately upon such approval.

Arthur Andersen LLP’s reports on our consolidated financial statements for each of the fiscal years ended August 31, 2001 and August 31, 2000 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were such reports qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

During the fiscal years ended August 31, 2001 and August 31, 2000 and through June 26, 2002, there were (i) no disagreements with Arthur Andersen LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement(s), if not resolved to Arthur Andersen LLP’s satisfaction would have caused Arthur Andersen LLP to make a reference to the subject matter of the disagreement(s) in connection with Arthur Andersen LLP’s report or (ii) no reportable events as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K, except for notification from Arthur Andersen LLP in connection with the audit of our August 31, 2000 financial statements that the accounting system of Stone & Webster contained certain material weaknesses in internal accounting controls. We completed our acquisition of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Stone & Webster in a bankruptcy proceeding on July 14, 2000, and eliminated the weaknesses during fiscal 2001. As a result thereof, Arthur Andersen LLP did not include these matters in its management letter for the audit for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2001.

We have previously provided Arthur Andersen LLP with a copy of the foregoing disclosures, and Arthur Andersen LLP has delivered to us a letter dated June 26, 2002 stating that it has found no basis for disagreement with such statements.

During each of the fiscal years ended August 31, 2001 and August 31, 2000 and through June 26, 2002, we did not consult Ernst & Young LLP with respect to the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, whether completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our consolidated financial statements, or any other matters or reportable events as set forth in Items 304(a)(2)(i) and (ii) of Regulation S-K.

We may offer and sell the securities listed above from time to time in one or more classes or series and in amounts, at prices and on terms that we will determine at the time of the offering. The aggregate initial offering prices of the securities offered under this prospectus will not exceed $500 million. Any Debt Securities we issue under this prospectus may be guaranteed by our domestic subsidiaries.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered. Each time securities are offered, we will provide a prospectus supplement and attach it to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement will contain more specific information about the offering and the terms of the securities being offered, including any guarantees by our domestic subsidiaries. The supplements may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell securities without a prospectus supplement describing the method and terms of the offering.

You should carefully read this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, together with the documents we incorporate by reference, before you invest in any of our securities.

Our common stock is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SGR.”

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any dealer, salesman or other person to provide you with additional or different information. This prospectus and any prospectus supplement are not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities to which they relate and are not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation in that jurisdiction. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement or in any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document containing the information.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we refer to as the “SEC,” utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings up to a total dollar amount of $500 million. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of the offering and the offered securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. Any statement that we make in this prospectus will be modified or superseded by any inconsistent statement made by us in a prospectus supplement. You should read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

Unless the context requires otherwise or unless otherwise noted, all references in this prospectus or any accompanying prospectus supplement to “The Shaw Group,” “we” or “our” are to The Shaw Group Inc. and its subsidiaries.

We file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC (File No. 1-12227) pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. You may read and copy any documents that are filed at the SEC Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may also obtain copies of these documents at prescribed rates from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at its Washington address. Please call the SEC at l-800-SEC-0330 for further information.

Our filings are also available to the public through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with them, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to documents previously filed. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus, and information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. The following documents we filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act are incorporated herein by reference:


	•	The description of our common stock contained in our Form 8-A dated September 26, 1996, including any amendment to that form that we may have filed in the past, or may file in the future, for the purpose of updating the description of our common stock;

	•	The description of our rights to purchase Series A Junior participating preferred stock contained in our Form 8-A dated July 30, 2001, including any amendment to that form that we may have filed in the past, or may file in the future, for the purpose of updating the description of the rights;

	•	our definitive proxy statement filed on Schedule 14A relating to the 2004 Annual Meeting of Shareholders;

	•	our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003;

	•	our Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2003;

	•	our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2003; and

	•	our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on September 3, 2003; October 17, 2003; October 17, 2003; October 17, 2003; October 20, 2003; October 24, 2003; October 24, 2003; October 28, 2003; October 29, 2003; November 19, 2003; November 19, 2003; November 20, 2003; November 21, 2003; December 24, 2003; and February 4, 2004.

All documents filed by us pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this filing and until all of the securities described in this prospectus are sold or

until terminate this offering (excluding any information furnished to the SEC) shall be deemed to be incorporated in this prospectus and to be a part hereof from the date of this filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for all purposes to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or in any other subsequently filed document which is also incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.

You may request a copy of these filings (other than an exhibit to a filing unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that filing) at no cost by writing or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number:


	The Shaw Group Inc.
	4171 Essen Lane
	Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809
	Attention: General Counsel
	(225) 932-2500

You should rely only on the information incorporated by reference or provided in this prospectus or the applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer of the securities covered by this prospectus in any state in which the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any other document incorporated by reference in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the dates of those documents.

We also maintain a website at http://www.shawgrp.com. However, the information on our website is not part of this prospectus.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a “safe harbor” for certain forward-looking statements. The statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus that are not historical facts (including without limitation statements to the effect that we “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “foresee,” or other similar expressions) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those anticipated by us. All comments concerning our expectations for future revenue and operating results are based on our forecasts for our existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions. They are subject to change based upon various factors, including but not limited to the risks and uncertainties mentioned in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in Amendment No. 1 to our annual report on Form 10-K/ A and those factors summarized below:


	•	cyclical changes in demand for our products and services;

	•	liabilities associated with various acquisitions, including the Stone & Webster and IT Group acquisitions;

	•	our ability to successfully identify, integrate and complete acquisitions;

	•	delays or difficulties related to our significant Engineering, Procurement and Construction projects, including additional costs, reductions in revenues or the payment of liquidated damages;

	•	our dependence on subcontractors and equipment manufacturers;

	•	the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of our contracts;


	•	the nature of our contracts, particularly fixed-price contracts;

	•	risks associated with being a government contractor;

	•	our ability to fund our remaining repurchase obligation under the LYONs on the initial put date of May 1, 2004;

	•	our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and impair our ability to fulfill our obligations under our Senior Notes and Credit Facility;

	•	non-compliance with the covenants in our Credit Facility, indenture relating to our Senior Notes and bond indemnity agreements and our ability to obtain waivers and/or amendments;

	•	covenants in our Credit Facility, indenture relating to our Senior Notes and bond indemnity agreements that restrict our ability to pursue our business strategies;

	•	our liquidity position;

	•	our ability to obtain surety bonds or other means of credit support for projects;

	•	changes in the estimates and assumptions we use to prepare our financial statements;

	•	the effect of our percentage-of-completion accounting policies;

	•	our ability to obtain new contracts for large-scale domestic and international projects and the timing of the performance of these contracts;

	•	the cyclical nature of the individual markets in which our customers operate;

	•	changes in the political and economic conditions of the foreign countries in which we operate;

	•	currency fluctuations;

	•	our dependence on one or a few significant customers;

	•	potential professional liability, product liability, warranty and other potential claims;

	•	potential contractual and operational costs related to our environmental and infrastructure operations;

	•	risks associated with our integrated environmental solutions businesses;

	•	changes in environmental laws and regulations;

	•	limitation or expiration of the Price Anderson Act’s nuclear contractor indemnification authority;

	•	the presence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive products, services and pricing;

	•	our failure to attract and retain qualified personnel;

	•	changes in the U.S. economy and global markets as a result of terrorists’ actions;

	•	a determination to write-off a significant amount of intangible assets acquired through acquisitions or long-lived assets;

	•	various legal, regulatory and litigation risks;

	•	work stoppages and other labor problems;

	•	our competitors’ ability to develop or otherwise acquire equivalent or superior technology;

	•	our ability to retain key members of our management; and

	•	general economic conditions.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus or as of the date of the report or document in which they are contained, and we undertake no obligation to update such information. We urge you to carefully review and consider the disclosures made in this prospectus, our reports filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference herein, including the disclosure in the “Risk Factors” included therein, that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect our business. Other factors besides those described in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or the documents we incorporate by reference could also affect our actual results.

We provide our services to a diverse customer base that includes federal agencies, federally-owned entities, state and local governments, and Fortune 500 companies and other private sector clients. Our employees deliver our services through a network of international and domestic locations, predominantly in the United States. Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SGR.”

Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we expect to use the net proceeds from the sale of our securities for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things:


	•	the repayment of outstanding indebtedness;

	•	additions to our working capital;

	•	capital expenditure; and

	•	potential future acquisitions.

The precise amount and timing of the application of such proceeds will depend upon our funding requirements and the availability and cost of other funds.

The following table contains our consolidated ratios of earnings to fixed charges and earnings to fixed charges plus dividends for the periods indicated.

For purposes of computing the ratios of earnings to fixed charges and earnings to combined fixed charges plus preferred dividends:


	(1) earnings consist of pretax income (loss) before earnings (losses) from unconsolidated entities and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle, plus cash distributions from unconsolidated entities and fixed charges (excluding capitalized interest) and

	(2) “fixed charges” consist of interest expense, capitalized interest, amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs and the interest portion of rental expense.

	(3) for the three months ended November 30, 2003, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges was less than one-to-one coverage due to a deficiency of approximately $74.9 million.

The Debt Securities will be either our senior debt securities (“Senior Debt Securities”) or our subordinated debt securities (“Subordinated Debt Securities”). The Senior Debt Securities and the Subordinated Debt Securities will be issued under separate Indentures among us, our domestic subsidiaries, if our domestic subsidiaries are guarantors of the Debt Securities, and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (the “Trustee”). Senior Debt Securities will be issued under a “Senior Indenture” and Subordinated Debt Securities will be issued under a “Subordinated Indenture.” Together, the Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture are called “Indentures.”

The Debt Securities may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The particular terms of each series that are offered by a prospectus supplement will be described in the prospectus supplement.

We primarily conduct our operations through subsidiaries unless the Debt Securities are guaranteed by our subsidiaries as described below, the rights of our company and our creditors, including holders of the Debt Securities, to participate in the assets of any subsidiary upon the latter’s liquidation or reorganization, will be subject to the prior claims of the subsidiary’s creditors, except to the extent that we may ourself be a creditor with recognized claims against such subsidiary.

We have summarized selected provisions of the Indentures below. The summary is not complete. The form of each Indenture has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and you should read the Indentures for provisions that may be important to you. In the summary below we have included references to article or section numbers of the applicable Indenture so that you can easily locate these provisions. Whenever we refer in this prospectus or in the prospectus supplement to particular article or sections or defined terms of the Indentures, those article or sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference herein or therein, as applicable. Capitalized terms used in the summary have the meanings specified in the Indentures.

The Indentures provide that Debt Securities in separate series may be issued thereunder from time to time without limitation as to aggregate principal amount. We may specify a maximum aggregate principal amount for the Debt Securities of any series (Section 301). We will determine the terms and conditions of the Debt Securities, including the maturity, principal and interest, but those terms must be consistent with the Indenture. The Debt Securities will be our unsecured obligations.

The Subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our Senior Debt (as defined) as described under “— Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities” and in the prospectus supplement applicable to any Subordinated Debt Securities.

If the prospectus supplement so indicates, the Debt Securities will be convertible into our common stock (Section 301).

If specified in the prospectus supplement, our domestic subsidiaries (the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) will fully and unconditionally guarantee (the “Subsidiary Guarantees”) on a joint and several basis the Debt Securities as described under “— Subsidiary Guarantees” and in the prospectus supplement. The Subsidiary Guarantees will be unsecured obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor. Subsidiary Guarantees of Subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinated to the Senior Debt of the Subsidiary Guarantors on the same basis as the Subordinated Debt Securities are subordinated to our Senior Debt (Article Thirteen).

The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the price or prices at which the Debt Securities to be offered will be issued and will describe the following terms of such Debt Securities:


	(1) the title of the Debt Securities;

	(2) whether the Debt Securities are Senior Debt Securities or Subordinated Debt Securities and, if Subordinated Debt Securities, the related subordination terms;


	(3) whether any of the Subsidiary Guarantors will provide Subsidiary Guarantees of the Debt Securities;

	(4) any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities;

	(5) the dates on which the principal of the Debt Securities will be payable;

	(6) the interest rate that the Debt Securities will bear and the interest payment dates for the Debt Securities;

	(7) the places where payments on the Debt Securities will be payable;

	(8) any terms upon which the Debt Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option;

	(9) any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the Debt Securities;

	(10) the portion of the principal amount, if less than all, of the Debt Securities that will be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity of the Debt Securities;

	(11) whether the Debt Securities are defeasible;

	(12) any addition to or change in the Events of Default;

	(13) whether the Debt Securities are convertible into our common stock and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which conversion will be effected, including the initial conversion price or conversion rate and any adjustments thereto and the conversion period;

	(14) any addition to or change in the covenants in the Indenture applicable to the Debt Securities; and

	(15) any other terms of the Debt Securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the Indenture (Section 301).

Debt Securities, including Original Issue Discount Securities, may be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. Special United States federal income tax considerations applicable to Debt Securities sold at an original issue discount may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, special United States federal income tax or other considerations applicable to any Debt Securities that are denominated in a currency or currency unit other than United States dollars may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The indebtedness evidenced by the Subordinated Debt Securities will, to the extent set forth in the Subordinated Indenture with respect to each series of Subordinated Debt Securities, be subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all of our Senior Debt, including the Senior Debt Securities, and it may also be senior in right of payment to all of our Subordinated Debt (Article Twelve of the Subordinated Indenture). The prospectus supplement relating to any Subordinated Debt Securities will summarize the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture applicable to that series including:


	•	the applicability and effect of such provisions upon any payment or distribution respecting that series following any liquidation, dissolution or other winding-up, or any assignment for the benefit of creditors or other marshaling of assets or any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings;

	•	the applicability and effect of such provisions in the event of specified defaults with respect to any Senior Debt, including the circumstances under which and the periods in which we will be prohibited from making payments on the Subordinated Debt Securities; and


	•	the definition of Senior Debt applicable to the Subordinated Debt Securities of that series and, if the series is issued on a senior subordinated basis, the definition of Subordinated Debt applicable to that series.

The prospectus supplement will also describe as of a recent date the approximate amount of Senior Debt to which the Subordinated Debt Securities of that series will be subordinated.

The failure to make any payment on any of the Subordinated Debt Securities by reason of the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture described in the prospectus supplement will not be construed as preventing the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Subordinated Debt Securities arising from any such failure to make payment.

The subordination provisions described above will not be applicable to payments in respect of the Subordinated Debt Securities from a defeasance trust established in connection with any legal defeasance or covenant defeasance of the Subordinated Debt Securities as described under “— Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.”

If specified in the prospectus supplement, the Subsidiary Guarantors will guarantee the Debt Securities of a series. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the following provisions will apply to the Subsidiary Guarantees of the Subsidiary Guarantors.

Subject to the limitations described below and in the prospectus supplement, the Subsidiary Guarantors will, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guarantee the punctual payment when due, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, of all our payment obligations under the Indentures and the Debt Securities of a series, whether for principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Debt Securities or otherwise (all such obligations guaranteed by a Subsidiary Guarantor being herein called the “Guaranteed Obligations”). The Subsidiary Guarantors will also pay all expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) incurred by the applicable Trustee in enforcing any rights under a Subsidiary Guarantee with respect to a Subsidiary Guarantor (Section 1302).

In the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, a Subsidiary Guarantor’s Subsidiary Guarantee will be subordinated in right of payment to the Senior Debt of such Subsidiary Guarantor on the same basis as the Subordinated Debt Securities are subordinated to our Senior Debt. No payment will be made by any Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee during any period in which payments by us on the Subordinated Debt Securities are suspended by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture (Article Fourteen of the Subordinated Indenture).

Each Subsidiary Guarantee will be limited in amount to an amount not to exceed the maximum amount that can be guaranteed by the relevant Subsidiary Guarantor without rendering such Subsidiary Guarantee voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally (Section 1306).


	(1) remain in full force and effect until either (a) payment in full of all the applicable Debt Securities (or such Debt Securities are otherwise satisfied and discharged in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Indenture) or (b) released as described in the following paragraph;

	(2) be binding upon each Subsidiary Guarantor; and

	(3) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the applicable Trustee, the Holders and their successors, transferees and assigns.

In the event that a Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to be a Subsidiary, either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance occurs with respect to the series or all or substantially all of the assets or all of the Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor is sold, including by way of sale, merger, consolidation or otherwise, such Subsidiary Guarantor will be released and discharged of its obligations under its Subsidiary

Guarantee without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, and no other person acquiring or owning the assets or Capital Stock of such Subsidiary Guarantor will be required to enter into a Subsidiary Guarantee (Section 1304). In addition, the prospectus supplement may specify additional circumstances under which a Subsidiary Guarantor can be released from its Subsidiary Guarantee.

The Debt Securities of each series will be issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, only in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof (Section 302).

At the option of the Holder, subject to the terms of the applicable Indenture and the limitations applicable to Global Securities, Debt Securities of each series will be exchangeable for other Debt Securities of the same series of any authorized denomination and of a like tenor and aggregate principal amount (Section 305).

Subject to the terms of the applicable Indenture and the limitations applicable to Global Securities, Debt Securities may be presented for exchange as provided above or for registration of transfer (duly endorsed or with the form of transfer endorsed thereon duly executed) at the office of the Security Registrar or at the office of any transfer agent designated by us for such purpose. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Debt Securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in that connection. Such transfer or exchange will be effected upon the Security Registrar or such transfer agent, as the case may be, being satisfied with the documents of title and identity of the person making the request. The Security Registrar and any other transfer agent initially designated by us for any Debt Securities will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement (Section 305). We may at any time designate additional transfer agents or rescind the designation of any transfer agent or approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a transfer agent in each Place of Payment for the Debt Securities of each series (Section 1002).

If the Debt Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in part, we will not be required to (1) issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Debt Security of that series (or of that series and specified tenor, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of redemption of any such Debt Security that may be selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (2) register the transfer of or exchange any Debt Security so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any such Debt Security being redeemed in part (Section 305).

Some or all of the Debt Securities of any series may be represented, in whole or in part, by one or more Global Securities that will have an aggregate principal amount equal to that of the Debt Securities they represent. Each Global Security will be registered in the name of a Depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable prospectus supplement, will be deposited with such Depositary or nominee or its custodian and will bear a legend regarding the restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer thereof referred to below and any such other matters as may be provided for pursuant to the applicable Indenture.

Notwithstanding any provision of the Indentures or any Debt Security described in this prospectus, no Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Debt Securities registered, and no transfer of a


	(1) the Depositary has notified us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or has ceased to be qualified to act as such as required by the applicable Indenture, and in either case we fail to appoint a successor Depositary within 90 days;

	(2) an Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities represented by such Global Security has occurred and is continuing and the Trustee has received a written request from the Depositary to issue certificated Debt Securities; or

	(3) other circumstances exist, in addition to or in lieu of those described above, as may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

All Debt Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security or any portion thereof will be registered in such names as the Depositary may direct (Sections 205 and 305).

As long as the Depositary, or its nominee, is the registered holder of a Global Security, the Depositary or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner and Holder of such Global Security and the Debt Securities that it represents for all purposes under the Debt Securities and the applicable Indenture (Section 308). Except in the limited circumstances referred to above, owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security will not be entitled to have such Global Security or any Debt Securities that it represents registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificated Debt Securities in exchange for those interests and will not be considered to be the owners or Holders of such Global Security or any Debt Securities that is represents for any purpose under the Debt Securities or the applicable Indenture. All payments on a Global Security will be made to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the Holder of the security. The laws of some jurisdictions require that some purchasers of Debt Securities take physical delivery of such Debt Securities in definitive form. These laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in a Global Security.

Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global Security will be limited to institutions that have accounts with the Depositary or its nominee (“participants”) and to persons that may hold beneficial interests through participants. In connection with the issuance of any Global Security, the Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of Debt Securities represented by the Global Security to the accounts of its participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in a Global Security will be shown only on, and the transfer of those ownership interests will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary (with respect to participants’ interests) or any such participant (with respect to interests of persons held by such participants on their behalf). Payments, transfers, exchanges and other matters relating to beneficial interests in a Global Security may be subject to various policies and procedures adopted by the Depositary from time to time. None of us, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustees or the agents of ourself, the Subsidiary Guarantors or the Trustees will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the Depositary’s or any participant’s records relating to, or for payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a Global Security, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial interests.

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of interest on a Debt Security on any Interest Payment Date will be made to the Person in whose name such Debt Security (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest (Section 307).

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, principal of and any premium and interest on the Debt Securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of such Paying Agent or Paying Agents as we may designate for such purpose from time to time, except that at our option payment of any interest on Debt Securities in certificated form may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address appears in the Security Register. Unless otherwise indicated in the

applicable prospectus supplement, the corporate trust office of the Trustee under the Senior Indenture in The City of New York will be designated as sole Paying Agent for payments with respect to Senior Debt Securities of each series, and the corporate trust office of the Trustee under the Subordinated Indenture in The City of New York will be designated as the sole Paying Agent for payment with respect to Subordinated Debt Securities of each series. Any other Paying Agents initially designated by us for the Debt Securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at any time designate additional Paying Agents or rescind the designation of any Paying Agent or approve a change in the office through which any Paying Agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a Paying Agent in each Place of Payment for the Debt Securities of a particular series (Section 1002).

All money paid by us to a Paying Agent for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Debt Security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable will be repaid to us, and the Holder of such Debt Security thereafter may look only to us for payment (Section 1003).

We may not consolidate with or merge into, or transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets to, any Person (a “successor Person”), and may not permit any Person to consolidate with or merge into us, unless:


	(1) the successor Person (if any) is a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of any domestic jurisdiction and assumes our obligations on the Debt Securities and under the Indentures;

	(2) immediately before and after giving pro forma effect to the transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, has occurred and is continuing; and

	(3) several other conditions, including any additional conditions with respect to any particular Debt Securities specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, are met (Section 801).


	Unless otherwise specified in the prospectus supplement, each of the following will constitute an Event of Default under the applicable Indenture with respect to Debt Securities of any series:

	(1) failure to pay principal of or any premium on any Debt Security of that series when due, whether or not, in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture;

	(2) failure to pay any interest on any Debt Securities of that series when due, continued for 30 days, whether or not, in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, such payment is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture;

	(3) failure to deposit any sinking fund payment, when due, in respect of any Debt Security of that series, whether or not, in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, such deposit is prohibited by the subordination provisions of the Subordinated Indenture;

	(4) failure to perform or comply with the provisions described under “— Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets”;

	(5) failure to perform any of our other covenants in such Indenture (other than a covenant included in such Indenture solely for the benefit of a series other than that series), continued for 60 days after written notice has been given by the applicable Trustee, or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series, as provided in such Indenture;

	(6) Indebtedness of ourself, any Significant Subsidiary or, if a Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed the series, such Subsidiary Guarantor, is not paid within any applicable grace period after


	final maturity or is accelerated by its holders because of a default and the total amount of such Indebtedness unpaid or accelerated exceeds $20.0 million;

	(7) any judgment or decree for the payment of money in excess of $20.0 million is entered against us, any Significant Subsidiary or, if a Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed the series, such Subsidiary Guarantor, remains outstanding for a period of 60 consecutive days following entry of such judgment and is not discharged, waived or stayed;

	(8) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization affecting us, any Significant Subsidiary or, if a Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed the series, such Subsidiary Guarantor; and

	(9) if any Subsidiary Guarantor has guaranteed such series, the Subsidiary Guarantee of any such Subsidiary Guarantor is held by a final non-appealable order or judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable or invalid or ceases for any reason to be in full force and effect (other than in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture) or any Subsidiary Guarantor or any Person acting on behalf of any Subsidiary Guarantor denies or disaffirms such Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee (other than by reason of a release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its Subsidiary Guarantee in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture) (Section 501).

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default with respect to The Shaw Group described in clause (8) above) with respect to the Debt Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, either the applicable Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series by notice as provided in the Indenture may declare the principal amount of the Debt Securities of that series (or, in the case of any Debt Security that is an Original Issue Discount Debt Security, such portion of the principal amount of such Debt Security as may be specified in the terms of such Debt Security) to be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default with respect to The Shaw Group described in clause (8) above with respect to the Debt Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal amount of all the Debt Securities of that series (or, in the case of any such Original Issue Discount Security, such specified amount) will automatically, and without any action by the applicable Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable. After any such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of accelerated principal (or other specified amount), have been cured or waived as provided in the applicable Indenture (Section 502). For information as to waiver of defaults, see “— Modification and Waiver” below.

Subject to the provisions of the Indentures relating to the duties of the Trustees in case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, each Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders have offered to such Trustee reasonable indemnity (Section 603). Subject to such provisions for the indemnification of the Trustees, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Debt Securities of that series (Section 512).

No Holder of a Debt Security of any series will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to the applicable Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or a trustee, or for any other remedy thereunder, unless:


	(1) such Holder has previously given to the Trustee under the applicable Indenture written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Debt Securities of that series;

	(2) the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series have made written request, and such Holder or Holders have offered reasonable indemnity, to the Trustee to institute such proceeding as trustee; and


	(3) the Trustee has failed to institute such proceeding, and has not received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of that series a direction inconsistent with such request, within 60 days after such notice, request and offer (Section 507).

However, such limitations do not apply to a suit instituted by a Holder of a Debt Security for the enforcement of payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on such Debt Security on or after the applicable due date specified in such Debt Security or, if applicable, to convert such Debt Security (Section 508).

We will be required to furnish to each Trustee annually a statement by certain of our officers as to whether or not we, to their knowledge, are in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of the applicable Indenture and, if so, specifying all such known defaults (Section 1004).

Modifications and amendments of an Indenture may be made by us, the Subsidiary Guarantors, if applicable, and the applicable Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected by such modification or amendment; provided, however, that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security affected thereby:


	(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Debt Security;

	(2) reduce the principal amount of, or any premium or interest on, any Debt Security;

	(3) reduce the amount of principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Debt Security payable upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof;

	(4) change the place or currency of payment of principal of, or any premium or interest on, any Debt Security;

	(5) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment due on or any conversion right with respect to any Debt Security;

	(6) modify the subordination provisions in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, or modify any conversion provisions, in either case in a manner adverse to the Holders of the Subordinated Debt Securities;

	(7) except as provided in the applicable Indenture, release the Subsidiary Guarantee of a Subsidiary Guarantor;

	(8) reduce the percentage in principal amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for modification or amendment of the Indenture;

	(9) reduce the percentage in principal amount of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series necessary for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or for waiver of certain defaults; or

	(10) modify such provisions with respect to modification, amendment or waiver (Section 902).

The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may waive compliance by us with certain restrictive provisions of the applicable Indenture (Section 1009). The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities of any series may waive any past default under the applicable Indenture, except a default in the payment of principal, premium or interest and certain covenants and provisions of the Indenture which cannot be amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Debt Security of such series (Section 513).

Each of the Indentures provides that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Debt Securities have given or taken any direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action under such Indenture as of any date:


	(1) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that will be deemed to be Outstanding will be the amount of the principal that would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of maturity to such date;

	(2) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Debt Security is not determinable (for example, because it is based on an index), the principal amount of such Debt Security deemed to be Outstanding as of such date will be an amount determined in the manner prescribed for such Debt Security; and

	(3) the principal amount of a Debt Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies or currency units that will be deemed to be Outstanding will be the United States-dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner prescribed for such Debt Security, of the principal amount of such Debt Security (or, in the case of a Debt Security described in clause (1) or (2) above, of the amount described in such clause).

	Certain Debt Securities, including those owned by us, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any of our other Affiliates, will not be deemed to be Outstanding (Section 101).

	Except in certain limited circumstances, we will be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Debt Securities of any series entitled to give or take any direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action under the applicable Indenture, in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture. In certain limited circumstances, the Trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by Holders. If a record date is set for any action to be taken by Holders of a particular series, only persons who are Holders of Outstanding Debt Securities of that series on the record date may take such action. To be effective, such action must be taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of such Debt Securities within a specified period following the record date. For any particular record date, this period will be 180 days or such other period as may be specified by us (or the Trustee, if it set the record date), and may be shortened or lengthened (but not beyond 180 days) from time to time (Section 104).

Each Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding Debt Securities of any series issued thereunder, when:


	(a) all outstanding Debt Securities of that series that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Debt Securities that have been replaced or paid and Debt Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to us) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

	(b) all outstanding Debt Securities of that series that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable or will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee and in any case we have irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds money in an amount sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of interest, to pay the entire indebtedness of such Debt Securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the Stated Maturity or redemption date;


	(2) we have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable by us under the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of that series; and


	(3) we have delivered an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of that series have been satisfied (Article Four).

If and to the extent indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect, at our option at any time, to have the provisions of Section 1502, relating to defeasance and discharge of indebtedness, which we call “legal defeasance” or Section 1503, relating to defeasance of certain restrictive covenants applied to the Debt Securities of any series, or to any specified part of a series, which we call “covenant defeasance” (Section 1501).

Legal Defeasance. The Indentures provide that, upon our exercise of our option (if any) to have Section 1502 applied to any Debt Securities, we and, if applicable, each Subsidiary Guarantor will be discharged from all our obligations, and, if such Debt Securities are Subordinated Debt Securities, the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture relating to subordination will cease to be effective, with respect to such Debt Securities (except for certain obligations to convert, exchange or register the transfer of Debt Securities, to replace stolen, lost or mutilated Debt Securities, to maintain paying agencies and to hold moneys for payment in trust) upon the deposit in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Debt Securities of money or United States Government Obligations, or both, which, through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on such Debt Securities on the respective Stated Maturities in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture and such Debt Securities. Such defeasance or discharge may occur only if, among other things:


	(1) we have delivered to the applicable Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that we have received from, or there has been published by, the United States Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or there has been a change in tax law, in either case to the effect that Holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and legal defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and legal defeasance were not to occur;

	(2) no Event of Default or event that with the passing of time or the giving of notice, or both, shall constitute an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit or, with respect to any Event of Default described in clause (8) under “— Events of Default,” at any time until 121 days after such deposit;

	(3) such deposit and legal defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which we are a party or by which we are bound;

	(4) in the case of Subordinated Debt Securities, at the time of such deposit, no default in the payment of all or a portion of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any of our Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing, no event of default shall have resulted in the acceleration of any of our Senior Debt and no other event of default with respect to any of our Senior Debt shall have occurred and be continuing permitting after notice or the lapse of time, or both, the acceleration thereof; and

	(5) we have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that such deposit shall not cause the Trustee or the trust so created to be subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Sections 1502 and 1504).

Covenant Defeasance. The Indentures provide that, upon our exercise of our option (if any) to have Section 1503 applied to any Debt Securities, we may omit to comply with certain restrictive covenants (but not to conversion, if applicable), including those that may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, the occurrence of certain Events of Default, which are described above in clause (5) (with respect to such restrictive covenants) and clauses (6), (7) and (9) under “Events of Default” and any

that may be described in the applicable prospectus supplement, will not be deemed to either be or result in an Event of Default and, if such Debt Securities are Subordinated Debt Securities, the provisions of the Subordinated Indenture relating to subordination will cease to be effective, in each case with respect to such Debt Securities. In order to exercise such option, we must deposit, in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Debt Securities, money or United States Government Obligations, or both, which, through the payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on such Debt Securities on the respective Stated Maturities in accordance with the terms of the applicable Indenture and such Debt Securities. Such covenant defeasance may occur only if we have delivered to the applicable Trustee an Opinion of Counsel that in effect says that Holders of such Debt Securities will not recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance were not to occur, and the requirements set forth in clauses (2), (3), (4) and (5) above are satisfied. If we exercise this option with respect to any Debt Securities and such Debt Securities were declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default, the amount of money and United States Government Obligations so deposited in trust would be sufficient to pay amounts due on such Debt Securities at the time of their respective Stated Maturities but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on such Debt Securities upon any acceleration resulting from such Event of Default. In such case, we would remain liable for such payments (Sections 1503 and 1504).

If we exercise either our legal defeasance or covenant defeasance option, any Subsidiary Guarantees will terminate (Section 1304)

Notices to Holders of Debt Securities will be given by mail to the addresses of such Holders as they may appear in the Security Register (Sections 101 and 106).

We, the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustees and any agent of us, the Subsidiary Guarantors or a Trustee may treat the Person in whose name a Debt Security is registered as the absolute owner of the Debt Security (whether or not such Debt Security may be overdue) for the purpose of making payment and for all other purposes (Section 308).

The Indentures and the Debt Securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York (Section 112).

As of February 13, 2004, our authorized capital stock was 220,000,000 shares. Those shares consisted of (a) 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value, none of which were outstanding; and (b) 200,000,000 shares of common stock, no par value, of which 61,180,489 shares were outstanding. Of the 61,180,489 shares of common stock outstanding, 377,773 shares are shares of restricted stock. In addition, at February 13, 2004, we had issued options to purchase 5,368,939 shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $16.52 per share and 2,883,277 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our stock option plans. In addition, as of February 13, 2004, 705,398 shares of our common stock had been reserved for issuance in the event holders of our remaining Liquid Yield Option^TM Notes due 2021 (the “LYONs”) convert their LYONs into shares of common stock. The following summary of certain provisions of our capital stock does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by our articles of incorporation and by-laws, which are incorporated in this prospectus by reference as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, and by the provisions of applicable law.

Cumulative voting is prohibited in the election of directors. Our common stock is not redeemable, does not have any conversion rights and is not subject to call by us. Holders of our common stock have no preemptive rights to maintain their respective percentage of ownership in future offerings or sales of stock by us. In addition to the voting rights described below, ownership of our common stock entitles holders to the right:


	•	to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available for dividends; and

	•	in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, to share equally and ratably in the assets available for distribution after payment of all liabilities and subject to any prior rights of any holders of preferred stock then outstanding.

The shares of our common stock presently outstanding are fully paid and non-assessable, and any shares issued by us pursuant to this prospectus will be fully paid and non-assessable when issued. Our common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SGR.”

Each outstanding share of common stock for which there has been no change in beneficial ownership during the four years preceding the record date will entitle its holder to five votes on each matter properly submitted to our shareholders for their vote, waiver, release or other action. Holders of shares that have changed beneficial ownership within the four-year period will be entitled to only one vote per share. A change in beneficial ownership of an outstanding share of common stock is deemed to have occurred whenever a change occurs in any person or persons who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, agreement, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, have or share any of the following:


	•	voting power, which includes, without limitation, the right to vote or the power to direct the voting power of the share of common stock;

	•	investment power, which includes, without limitation, the power to direct the sale or other disposition of the share of common stock;

	•	the right to receive or to retain the proceeds of any sale or other disposition of the share of common stock; or

	•	the right to receive or to retain any distributions, including, without limitation, cash dividends, in respect of the share of common stock.

Applying the general rules set forth above, the following events or conditions are specifically deemed to involve a change in beneficial ownership of a share of common stock:


	•	in the absence of proof to the contrary provided in accordance with procedures set forth below, an outstanding share of common stock is transferred of record into the name of any other person, or upon the issuance of shares in a public offering;

	•	in the case of an outstanding share of common stock held of record in the name of a corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, voting trustee, bank, trust company, broker, nominee or clearing agency, if it has not been established according to the procedures set forth below that there has been no change in the person or persons who direct the exercise of the rights referred to in the preceding set of bullet points with respect to the outstanding share of common stock during the four years immediately preceding the record date;

	•	in the case of an outstanding share of common stock held of record in the name of any person as a trustee, agent, guardian or custodian under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act as in effect in any jurisdiction, there is a change in the beneficiary of the trust, the principal of the agent, the ward of the guardian, the minor for whom the custodian is acting or a change in the trustee, agent, guardian or custodian; or

	•	in the case of outstanding shares of common stock beneficially owned by a person or group of persons, who, after acquiring, directly or indirectly, the beneficial ownership of five percent of the outstanding shares of common stock, fails to notify us of the person’s or group’s ownership within ten days after the acquisition.

Contrary provisions in our articles of incorporation aside, no change in beneficial ownership of an outstanding share of common stock will be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of:


	•	any transfer without valuable consideration, including, without limitation, transfers effected by:


	•	bequest or inheritance;

	•	operation of law upon the death of an individual; or

	•	other transfers without valuable consideration, such as gifts made in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing provisions of our articles of incorporation;


	•	any changes in the beneficiary of a trust, or any distribution of an outstanding share of common stock from the trust, by reason of the birth, death, marriage or divorce of any natural person;

	•	the adoption of any natural person prior to the age of 18;

	•	the passage of a given period of time;

	•	the attainment by any natural person of a specific age;

	•	the creation or termination of any guardianship or custodial arrangement;

	•	any appointment of a successor trustee, agent, guardian or custodian with respect to an outstanding share of common stock if neither the successor has nor its predecessor had the power to vote or to dispose of the share of common stock without further instructions from others;

	•	any change in the person to whom dividends or other distributions in respect of an outstanding share of common stock are to be paid pursuant to the issuance or modification of a revocable dividend payment order;

	•	any issuance of a share of common stock by us or any transfer by us of a share of common stock held in treasury other than in a public offering of the share, unless otherwise determined by the board of directors at the time of authorizing the issuance or transfer;

	•	any giving of a proxy in connection with a solicitation of proxies subject to the provisions of Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;


	•	any transfer, whether or not with consideration, among individuals related or formerly related by blood, marriage or adoption, defined as relatives, or between a relative and any person controlled by one or more relatives where the principal purpose for the transfer is to further the estate tax planning objectives of the transferor or of relatives of the transferor;

	•	any appointment of a successor trustee as a result of the death of the predecessor trustee who was a natural person;

	•	any appointment of a successor trustee who was specifically named in a trust instrument prior to the effective date of this offering; or

	•	any appointment of a successor trustee as a result of the resignation, removal or failure to qualify of a predecessor trustee or as a result of mandatory retirement pursuant to the express terms of a trust instrument; provided, that less than 50% of the trustees administering any single trust will have changed, including in the percentage the appointment of the successor trustee, during the four-year period preceding the appointment of the successor trustee.

All determinations concerning changes in beneficial ownership, or the absence of any change, are made by our board of directors or by a transfer agent for our common stock at our request. Written procedures designated to facilitate the determinations have been established and may be amended by our board of directors. These procedures should provide the manner of proof of facts that will be accepted and the frequency with which such proof may be required to be renewed. We and any transfer agent will be entitled to rely on any information concerning beneficial ownership of the outstanding shares of our common stock coming to our attention from any source and in any manner reasonably deemed by us to be reliable. However, neither we nor any transfer agent will be charged with any other knowledge concerning the beneficial ownership of outstanding shares of our common stock.

In the event of any stock split or stock dividend of our common stock, each share acquired by reason of the split or dividend will be deemed to have been beneficially owned by the same person from the acquisition date of the share from which it originated.

Each outstanding share of our common stock, whether at any particular time the holder thereof is entitled to exercise five votes or one vote, shall be identical to all other shares of our common stock in all respects, and together the outstanding shares of common stock will constitute a single class of our shares.

Our board of directors is authorized to provide for the issuance of 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series. Our board may, without any further vote or action by our shareholders, fix for any series the:


	•	number of shares;

	•	voting powers;

	•	designations;

	•	preferences; and

	•	relative, participating, optional or other special rights and qualifications including:


	•	dividend rights;

	•	the dividend rate;

	•	terms of redemption;

	•	the redemption price or prices;

	•	conversion rights; and

	•	liquidation preferences.

Undesignated preferred stock may enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a tender offer, proxy contest, merger or otherwise, and to thereby protect the continuity of our management. The issuance of shares of a new series of preferred stock may adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock. For example, any new series of preferred stock issued will rank prior to our common stock as to dividend rights, liquidation preference or both and may be convertible into shares of common stock. As a result, the issuance of shares of a new series of preferred stock may discourage bids for our common stock or may otherwise adversely affect the market price of our common stock. Our board may issue preferred stock without shareholder approval and with voting or conversion rights that could adversely affect the voting power of holders of our common stock.

On July 9, 2001, our board of directors declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of our common stock. The dividend was paid on July 31, 2001 to the shareholders of record on that date.

These rights, which are governed by a rights agreement dated July 9, 2001 between us and Wachovia Bank, N.A., as rights agent, protect shareholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics. In general terms, the rights work by imposing a significant penalty upon any person or group which acquires 15% or more of our outstanding common stock without the approval of our board. The rights should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by our board. The following is a summary description of the rights. The rights agreement is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and this summary is qualified by reference to specific terms of the rights agreement.

The Rights. The rights will initially trade with, and will be inseparable from, the shares of common stock. The rights are evidenced only by certificates that represent shares of common stock. New rights will accompany any new shares of common stock we issue after July 31, 2001 until the distribution date described below.

Exercise Price. Each right will allow its holder to purchase from us one one-hundredth of a share of our junior participating preferred stock for $170, once the rights become exercisable. This portion of a share of junior participating preferred stock will give the shareholder approximately the same dividend, voting and liquidation rights as would one share of common stock. Prior to exercise, the right does not give its holder any dividend, voting or liquidation rights.


	•	10 days after the public announcement that a person or group has become an acquiring person by obtaining beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock, or, if earlier,

	•	10 business days, or a later date determined by our board before any person or group becomes an acquiring person, after a person or group begins a tender or exchange offer which, if completed, would result in that person or group becoming an acquiring person.

The date when the rights become exercisable is referred to as the distribution date. Until that date, the common stock certificates will also evidence the rights, and any transfer of shares of common stock will constitute a transfer of rights. After that date, the rights will separate from the common stock and be evidenced by book-entry credits or by rights certificates that we will mail to all eligible holders of common stock. Any rights held by an acquiring person are void and may not be exercised.

Our board may reduce the threshold at which a person or group becomes an acquiring person from 15% to not less than 10% of the outstanding common stock.


	•	Flip In. If a person or group becomes an acquiring person, all holders of rights except the acquiring person may, for $170, purchase shares of our common stock with a market value of $340, based on the market price of the common stock prior to such acquisition;

	•	Flip Over. If we are later acquired in a merger or similar transaction after the rights distribution date, all holders of rights except the acquiring person may, for $170, purchase shares of the acquiring corporation with a market value of $340 based on the market price of the acquiring corporation’s stock, prior to such merger.

Preferred Share Provisions. Each one one-hundredth of a preferred share, if issued:


	•	will not be redeemable;

	•	will entitle holders to quarterly dividend payments of $.01 per share, or an amount equal to the dividend paid on one share of common stock, whichever is greater;

	•	will entitle holders upon liquidation either to receive $1 per share or an amount equal to the payment made on one share of common stock, whichever is greater;

	•	will have the same voting power as one share of common stock; and

	•	if shares of our common stock are exchanged via merger, consolidation, or a similar transaction, will entitle holders to a per share payment equal to the payment made on one share of common stock.

The value of one one-hundredth interest in a preferred share should approximate the value of one share of common stock.

Redemption. Our board may authorize a redemption of the rights for $.01 per right at any time before any person or group becomes an acquiring person. If we redeem any rights, we must redeem all of the rights. Once the rights are redeemed, the only right of the holders of rights will be to receive the redemption price of $.01 per right. The redemption price will be adjusted if we have a stock split or stock dividends of our common stock.

Exchange. After a person or group becomes an acquiring person, but before an acquiring person owns 50% or more of our outstanding common stock, we may extinguish the rights by exchanging one share of common stock or an equivalent security for each right, other than rights held by the acquiring person.

Anti-Dilution Provisions. Our board may adjust the purchase price of the preferred shares, the number of preferred shares issuable and the number of outstanding rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a stock split, a reclassification of the preferred shares or common stock. No adjustments to the exercise price of less than 1% will be made.

Amendments. The terms of the rights agreement may be amended by our board without the consent of the holders of the rights. However, our board may not amend the rights agreement to lower the threshold at which a person or group becomes an acquiring person to below 10% of our outstanding common stock. In addition, the board may not cause a person or group to become an acquiring person by lowering this threshold below the percentage interest that such person or group already owns. After a person or group becomes an acquiring person, our board may not amend the agreement in a way that adversely affects holders of the rights.

Under Louisiana law, the acquisition of voting power, which is called a “control share acquisition,” of an “issuing public corporation” that results in the purchaser acquiring voting power in excess of 20%, 33%

or 51% of the total voting power of the issuing public corporation requires approval of a majority of the voting power of the issuing public corporation and each class entitled to vote separately on the proposal, excluding the shares of the acquiring person, any officer of the issuing public corporation and any employee of the issuing public corporation who is also a director of the corporation. Shares acquired in a control share acquisition without such approval will have no voting rights and under certain circumstances may be subject to redemption by the corporation. The restrictions imposed under the law are applicable to all Louisiana corporations that fall within the definition of an “issuing public corporation,” as we do, unless the issuing public corporation’s articles of incorporation or by-laws contain a provision expressly disclaiming them. Our by-laws provide that these restrictions do not apply to certain acquisitions of shares directly from us that have been approved by our board. Therefore, these restrictions contained in Louisiana law apply to us only in certain circumstances.

In addition, if particular elections were to be made by our board of directors under the Louisiana Business Corporation Law, unless specified price and procedural requirements were met, business combinations involving us and any holder of 10% or more of our outstanding voting stock could be required to be approved by at least:


	•	80% of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of the outstanding voting stock; and

	•	two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by holders of our voting stock other than the voting stock of the 10% holder.

This provision could be regarded as a deterrent to a takeover of us and could be applied selectively by our board of directors.

Our articles of incorporation contain provisions requiring the indemnification of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Section 83 of the Louisiana Business Corporation Law, including circumstances in which indemnification is otherwise discretionary. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and certain of our officers providing for indemnification of such officers and directors. We believe that these provisions and the indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers.

Our articles of incorporation provide that if the number of directors constituting our entire board of directors is increased to twelve or more members, then at the next meeting of our shareholders at which directors are to be elected, the board of directors will be divided into three classes, the members of which will serve staggered three-year terms. We believe that a classified board of directors could help to ensure the continuity and stability of our board and the business strategies and policies determined by them. The classified board provision, if implemented, could have the effect of making the removal of incumbent directors more time-consuming and could discourage a third party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, even though an attempt might be beneficial to us and our shareholders.

Our by-laws establish an advance notice procedure with regard to the nomination, other than by or at the direction of our board or a committee thereof, of candidates for election as directors. This is called the “nomination procedure” with respect to the election of directors, or with respect to other matters to be brought before an annual meeting of our shareholders, the “business procedure.”

The nomination procedure requires that a shareholder give prior written notice, in proper form, of a planned nomination for our board of directors to our secretary. The requirements as to the form and timing of that notice are specified in our by-laws. If the election inspectors determine that a person was not nominated in accordance with the nomination procedure, the person will not be eligible for election as a director.

Although our by-laws do not give our board any power to approve or disapprove shareholder nominations for the election of directors or of any other business desired by shareholders to be conducted at an annual or any other meeting, our by-laws may:


	•	have the effect of precluding a nomination for the election of directors or precluding the conduct of business at a particular annual meeting if the proper procedures are not followed; and

	•	may discourage or deter a third party from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, even if the conduct of the solicitation or the attempt might be beneficial to us and our shareholders.

Under the business procedure, a shareholder seeking to have any business conducted at an annual meeting must give prior written notice, in proper form, to our secretary. The requirements as to the form and timing of that notice are specified in our by-laws. If the chairman or other officer presiding at a meeting determines that an item of business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the business procedure, then that item of business will not be conducted at the meeting.

Our articles of incorporation contain provisions requiring the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of our capital stock to amend specific provisions of the articles, including provisions relating to the removal of directors.

Our articles of incorporation require the approval of the holders of at least 75% of our outstanding shares of our common stock, not including shares held by a related person, to approve some business combinations and related transactions. The term “related person” includes any individual, corporation, partnership or other entity which owns beneficially, directly or indirectly, more than five percent of the outstanding shares of our common stock. The term “business combination” includes, among other things:


	•	any merger or consolidation of us or a subsidiary of ours which constitutes more than 50% of our assets, other than a merger or consolidation which results in our voting securities outstanding immediately prior to the merger or consolidation continuing to represent more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity;

	•	any sale, lease, exchange, transfer of other disposition of more than 50% of our assets;

	•	any reclassification of our common stock; and

	•	our liquidation or dissolution.

We may offer fractional shares of preferred stock, rather than full shares of preferred stock. If we decide to offer fractional shares of preferred stock, we will issue receipts for depositary shares. Each depositary share will represent a fraction of a share of a particular series of preferred stock. The prospectus supplement will indicate that fraction. The shares of preferred stock represented by depositary shares will be deposited under a depositary agreement between us and a bank or trust company that meets certain requirements and is selected by us (the “Bank Depositary”). Each owner of a depositary share will be entitled to all the rights and preferences of the preferred stock represented by the depositary share. The depositary shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the depositary agreement. Depositary receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional shares of preferred stock in accordance with the terms of the offering.

We have summarized selected provisions of a depositary agreement and the related depositary receipts. The summary is not complete. The forms of the depositary agreement and the depositary receipts relating to any particular issue of depositary shares will be filed with the SEC via a Current Report on Form 8-K prior to our offering of the depositary shares, and you should read such documents for provisions that may be important to you.

If we pay a cash distribution or dividend on a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the Bank Depositary will distribute such dividends to the record holders of such depositary shares. If the distributions are in property other than cash, the Bank Depositary will distribute the property to the record holders of the depositary shares. However, if the Bank Depositary determines that it is not feasible to make the distribution of property, the Bank Depositary may, with our approval, sell such property and distribute the net proceeds from such sale to the record holders of the depositary shares.

If we redeem a series of preferred stock represented by depositary shares, the Bank Depositary will redeem the depositary shares from the proceeds received by the Bank Depositary in connection with the redemption. The redemption price per depositary share will equal the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share of the preferred stock. If fewer than all the depositary shares are redeemed, the depositary shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as the Bank Depositary may determine.

Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the preferred stock represented by depositary shares are entitled to vote, the Bank Depositary will mail the notice to the record holders of the depositary shares relating to such preferred stock. Each record holder of these depositary shares on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the preferred stock) may instruct the Bank Depositary as to how to vote the preferred stock represented by such holder’s depositary shares. The Bank Depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the amount of the preferred stock represented by such depositary shares in accordance with such instructions, and we will take all action which the Bank Depositary deems necessary in order to enable the Bank Depositary to do so. The Bank Depositary will abstain from voting shares of the preferred stock to the extent it does not receive specific instructions from the holders of depositary shares representing such preferred stock.

The form of depositary receipt evidencing the depositary shares and any provision of the depositary agreement may be amended by agreement between the Bank Depositary and us. However, any amendment that materially and adversely alters the rights of the holders of depositary shares will not be effective

unless such amendment has been approved by the holders of at least a majority of the depositary shares then outstanding. The depositary agreement may be terminated by the Bank Depositary or us only if (1) all outstanding depositary shares have been redeemed or (2) there has been a final distribution in respect of the preferred stock in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of our company and such distribution has been distributed to the holders of depositary receipts.

We will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. We will pay charges of the Bank Depositary in connection with the initial deposit of the preferred stock and any redemption of the preferred stock. Holders of depositary receipts will pay other transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and any other charges, including a fee for the withdrawal of shares of preferred stock upon surrender of depositary receipts, as are expressly provided in the depositary agreement to be for their accounts.

Upon surrender of depositary receipts at the principal office of the Bank Depositary, subject to the terms of the depositary agreement, the owner of the depositary shares may demand delivery of the number of whole shares of preferred stock and all money and other property, if any, represented by those depositary shares. Partial shares of preferred stock will not be issued. If the depositary receipts delivered by the holder evidence a number of depositary shares in excess of the number of depositary shares representing the number of whole shares of preferred stock to be withdrawn, the Bank Depositary will deliver to such holder at the same time a new depositary receipt evidencing the excess number of depositary shares. Holders of preferred stock thus withdrawn may not thereafter deposit those shares under the depositary agreement or receive depositary receipts evidencing depositary shares therefor.

The Bank Depositary will forward to holders of depositary receipts all reports and communications from us that are delivered to the Bank Depositary and that we are required to furnish to the holders of the preferred stock.

Neither the Bank Depositary nor we will be liable if we are prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond our control in performing our obligations under the depositary agreement. The obligations of the Bank Depositary and us under the depositary agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of our duties thereunder, and neither of us will be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any depositary shares or preferred stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. Further, both of us may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or upon information provided by persons presenting preferred stock for deposit, holders of depositary receipts or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine.

The Bank Depositary may resign at any time by delivering to us notice of its election to do so, and we may at any time remove the Bank Depositary. Any such resignation or removal will take effect upon the appointment of a successor Bank Depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. Such successor Bank Depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000.

We may issue warrants for the purchase of our common stock. Warrants may be issued independently or together with Debt Securities, preferred stock or common stock offered by any prospectus supplement and may be attached to or separate from any such offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the particular issue of warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants. The following summary of certain provisions of the warrants does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all provisions of the warrant agreements.

You should refer to the prospectus supplement relating to a particular issue of warrants for the terms of and information relating to the warrants, including, where applicable:


	(1) the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon exercise of the warrants and the price at which such number of shares of common stock may be purchased upon exercise of the warrants;

	(2) the date on which the right to exercise the warrants commences and the date on which such right expires (the “Expiration Date”);

	(3) United States federal income tax consequences applicable to the warrants;

	(4) the amount of the warrants outstanding as of the most recent practicable date; and

	(5) any other terms of the warrants.

Warrants will be offered and exercisable for United States dollars only. Warrants will be issued in registered form only. Each warrant will entitle its holder to purchase such number of shares of common stock at such exercise price as is in each case set forth in, or calculable from, the prospectus supplement relating to the warrants. The exercise price may be subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of events described in such prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the Expiration Date (or such later date to which we may extend such Expiration Date), unexercised warrants will become void. The place or places where, and the manner in which, warrants may be exercised will be specified in the prospectus supplement relating to such warrants.

Prior to the exercise of any warrants, holders of the warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of common stock, including the right to receive payments of any dividends on the common stock purchasable upon exercise of the warrants, or to exercise any applicable right to vote.

We may sell securities pursuant to this prospectus in or outside the United States (a) through underwriters or dealers, (b) through agents or (c) directly to one or more purchasers, including our existing shareholders in a rights offering. The prospectus supplement relating to any offering of securities will include the following information:


	•	the terms of the offering;

	•	the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

	•	the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;

	•	the purchase price of the securities from us;

	•	the net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities;

	•	any delayed delivery arrangements;

	•	any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;


	•	any initial public offering price;

	•	any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

	•	any commissions paid to agents.

If we use underwriters in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers.

During and after an offering through underwriters, the underwriters may purchase and sell the securities in the open market. These transactions may include stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”).


	•	Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

	•	Over-allotment involves sales by the underwriters of shares in excess of the number of shares the underwriters are obligated to purchase, which creates a syndicate short position. The short position may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of shares that they may purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing shares in the open market.

	•	Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the common stock in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option. If the underwriters sell more shares than could be covered by the over- allotment option, a naked short position, the position can only be closed out by buying shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

	•	Penalty bids permit the representatives to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the common stock originally sold by the syndicate member is purchased in a stabilizing or syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions.

These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of the offered securities or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the offered securities. As a result, the price of the offered securities may be higher than the price that might otherwise exist in the open market. These transactions may be effected on The New York Stock Exchange or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.

If we use dealers in the sale of securities, the securities will be sold directly to them as principals. They may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale.

We may sell the securities directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. We may sell securities upon the exercise of rights that we may issue to our securityholders. We may also sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 with respect to any sale of those securities.

We may sell the securities through agents we designate from time to time. Unless we inform you otherwise in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.

We may have agreements with the agents, dealers and underwriters to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, or to contribute with respect to payments that the agents, dealers or underwriters may be required to make. Agents, dealers and underwriters may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their business.

Our legal counsel, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., Houston, Texas, will pass upon certain legal matters in connection with the offered securities. The validity of issuance of the offered securities and other matters arising under Louisiana law are being passed upon by Kantrow, Spaht, Weaver & Blitzer (A Professional Law Corporation), Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Any underwriters will be advised about other issues relating to any offering by their own legal counsel.

Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors, have audited our consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended August 31, 2003 and 2002 included in Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended August 31, 2003, as set forth in their report, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Our financial statements as of and for the years ended August 31, 2003 and 2002 are incorporated by reference in reliance on Ernst & Young LLP’s report, given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

The combined financial statements of The Shaw Group Inc. for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2001 incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement, have been audited by Arthur Andersen LLP, independent public accountants, as stated in their report with respect thereto. Arthur Andersen LLP has not consented to the incorporation by reference of their report in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement. Because Arthur Andersen LLP has ceased conducting business and is in the process of liquidation, you may not be able to recover against Arthur Andersen LLP for any claims you may have under securities or other laws as a result of Arthur Andersen LLP’s activities during the period in which it acted as our independent public accountants.

On June 26, 2002, we dismissed Arthur Andersen LLP as our independent auditors and engaged Ernst & Young LLP to serve as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2002. The Arthur Andersen dismissal and the Ernst & Young engagement were recommended by our audit committee and approved by our board of directors and became effective immediately upon such approval.

Arthur Andersen’s reports on our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2001 did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were such reports qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles.

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2001 and through June 26, 2002, there were (i) no disagreements with Arthur Andersen on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement(s), if not resolved to Arthur Andersen’s satisfaction would have caused Arthur Andersen to make a reference to the subject matter of the disagreement(s) in connection with Arthur Andersen’s report or (ii) no reportable events as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

We have previously provided Arthur Andersen with a copy of the foregoing disclosures, and Arthur Andersen has delivered to us a letter dated June 26, 2002 stating that it has found no basis for disagreement with such statements.

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2001 and through June 26, 2002, we did not consult Ernst & Young with respect to the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, whether completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our consolidated financial statements, or any other matters or reportable events as set forth in Items 304(a)(2)(i) and (ii) of Regulation S-K.


			Underwriting
	Price to		Discounts and		Proceeds to
	Public		Commissions		The Shaw Group

Per Share		$12.35		$0.09		$12.26
Total		$25,194,000		$183,600		$25,010,400


Prospectus Supplement	Page

About This Prospectus Supplement		i
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements		ii
Where You Can Find More Information		iii
Industry and Market Data		iv
Prospectus Supplement Summary		S-1
Risk Factors		S-5
Use of Proceeds		S-23
Capitalization		S-24
Underwriting		S-25
Legal Matters		S-27
Experts		S-27
About This Prospectus		1
Where You Can Find More Information		1
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements		2
The Company		5
Use of Proceeds		5
Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Earnings to Fixed Charges
Plus Dividends		5
Description of Debt Securities		6
Description of Capital Stock		17
Description of Depositary Shares		24
Description of Warrants		26
Plan of Distribution		26
Legal Matters		28
Experts		28


Issuer		The Shaw Group Inc.

Common stock offered		2,040,000 shares

Common stock to be outstanding after this offering		63,223,489 shares if the underwriter does not exercise its option to purchase additional shares.

Over-allotment option		306,000 shares.

Use of proceeds		We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including the repurchase of LYONs tendered to us in the Tender Offer and the replenishment of working capital expended in connection with increased business activity and our acquisition of Shaw EDS.

New York Stock Exchange market symbol		SGR.



				At February 29, 2004

							As Adjusted for
				Actual			this Offering


				(In thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents				$	107,411		$	132,296

Escrowed cash(1)				$	23,229		$	23,229

Short-term borrowings and current maturities of long-term debt:
	Short-term borrowings (revolving lines of credit)(2)			$	3,536		$	3,536
	Current maturities of long-term debt(3)				65,699			65,699

		Total short-term borrowings and current maturities of long-term debt			69,235			69,235

Long-term debt, excluding current portion:
	Revolving credit facility(2)				—			—
	Other long-term debt(5)				251,810			251,810

		Total long-term debt, excluding current portion			251,810			251,810

		Total debt			321,045			321,045

Shareholders’ equity:
	Preferred stock, no par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding				—			—
	Common stock, no par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 61,183,489 shares, actual, issued and outstanding, and 63,223,489 shares, as adjusted(4)				719,100			743,985
	Retained earnings				239,416			239,416
	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(14,891	)		(14,891	)
	Unearned stock-based compensation				(4,965	)		(4,965	)
	Treasury stock, 5,331,655 shares				(99,913	)		(99,913	)

		Total shareholders’ equity			838,747			863,632

			Total capitalization	$	1,159,792		$	1,184,677



	Per Share				Total

	Without		With		Without		With
	Over-allotment		Over-allotment		Over-allotment		Over-allotment

Underwriting Discounts and Commissions paid by us	$	0.09	$	0.09	$	183,600	$	211,140
Expenses payable by us	$	0.06	$	0.06	$	125,000	$	147,500


	*Demand for our products and services is cyclical and vulnerable to downturns in the industries to which we market our products and services.*


	*The dollar amount of our backlog, as stated at any given time, is not necessarily indicative of our future earnings.*


	*We may incur unexpected liabilities associated with the Stone & Webster and IT Group acquisitions, as well as other acquisitions.*


	*Difficulties integrating our acquisitions could adversely affect us.*


	*Our inability to complete acquisitions could impact our growth strategy.*


	Our significant Engineering, Procurement and Construction projects may encounter difficulties that may result in additional costs to us, reductions in revenues or the payment of liquidated damages.


	*Our dependence on subcontractors and equipment manufacturers could adversely affect us.*


	*Our failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of our contracts could adversely affect us.*


	*The nature of our contracts could adversely affect us.*


	*We are subject to the risks associated with being a government contractor.*


	*Actual results could differ from the estimates and assumptions that we use to prepare our financial statements.*


	*Our use of percentage-of-completion accounting could result in a reduction or elimination of previously reported profits.*


	*Our results of operations depend on the award of new contracts and the timing of the performance of these contracts.*


	*We are vulnerable to the cyclical nature of the markets we serve.*


	*Political and economic conditions in foreign countries in which we operate could adversely affect us.*


	*Foreign exchange risks may affect our ability to realize a profit from certain projects or to obtain projects.*


	*Our dependence on one or a few customers could adversely affect us.*


	*Our projects expose us to potential professional liability, product liability, warranty and other claims.*


	*Our environmental and infrastructure operations may subject us to potential contractual and operational costs and liabilities.*


	*We are exposed to certain risks associated with our integrated environmental solutions businesses.*


	*Environmental factors and changes in laws and regulations could increase our costs and liabilities and affect the demand for our services.*


	*The limitation or the expiration of the Price Anderson Act’s indemnification authority could adversely affect our business.*


	*We face substantial competition in each of our business segments.*


	*Our failure to attract and retain qualified personnel could have an adverse effect on us.*


	*Terrorists’ actions have and could continue to negatively impact the U.S. economy and the markets in which we operate.*


	*If we must write off a significant amount of intangible assets or long-lived assets, our earnings will be negatively impacted.*


	*We are and will continue to be involved in litigation.*


	*Our repurchase obligations under the LYONs could result in adverse consequences.*


	*Our indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and impair our ability to fulfill our obligations under our Senior Notes and our Credit Facility.*


	Non-compliance with covenants in our Credit Facility without waiver or amendment from the lenders of the Credit Facility, could adversely affect our ability to borrow under the Credit Facility.