Jacobs Engineering profit up 46 pct, lifts outlook

NEW YORK, April 21 (Reuters) - Jacobs Engineering Group Inc (JEC.N), which provides technical, professional and construction services, said on Monday its second-quarter profit rose almost 46 percent, helped by higher sales.

Net income in the fiscal second quarter rose to $99.3 million, or 80 cents per share, compared with $67.2 million, or 55 cents per diluted share, in the same period a year earlier.

Analysts had forecast the company would earn 77 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates.

The company also raised its fiscal 2008 earnings forecast to a range of $3.00 to $3.30 per share. (Reporting by Emily Chasan; Editing by Braden Reddall)