Brisa 9-mo net profit edges up 1.7 pct, above fcast

LISBON Oct 29 (Reuters) - Portugal's leading motorway operator Brisa (BRI.LS) on Thursday posted a 1.7 percent rise in nine-month net profit, boosted by a sustained recovery in traffic volumes and an almost 9 percent drop in operating costs.

Brisa, which operates more than half of Portugal's paid highways, said net profit in January-September totaled 111.9 million euros ($164.9 million).

Total revenues grew 1.2 percent to 512.3 million euros with toll revenues up 2 percent at 453.8 million euros. The third quarter sustained the traffic recovery that started in the second quarter of this year, Brisa said.

Brisa added that earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) grew 5.5 percent to 374.4 million euros. Operating costs fell 8.9 percent to 137.8 million euros.

Analysts in a Reuters survey had forecast a net profit of 109 million euros, total revenues of 506 million euros and EBITDA of 367 million euros. (Reporting by Shrikesh Laxmidas and Andrei Khalip)