UPDATE 1-DCC H1 earnings down 8.7 percent, beats forecast
* H1 EPS down 8.7 pct to 50.07 cents, vs forecast 48 cents
* Says will acquire Shell Direct Austria for 18.3 mln euros
* Sees flat year operating profit and adjusted EPS
* Shares up 1.2 percent in early trading
(Adds detail, comment)
DUBLIN, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Irish business services group DCC (DCC.I) posted an 8.7 percent fall in first-half adjusted earnings, beating forecasts, and said it was buying Shell's (RDSa.L) oil distribution business in Austria.
Adjusted earnings per share in the six months to the end of September fell to 50.07 cents, above a forecast for 48 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
DCC, whose interests range from oil to cosmetic, forecast both operating profit and adjusted earnings per share for full year 2009-10, on a constant currency basis, would be "broadly in line with last year".
Sterling's weakness versus the euro would result in both reported operating profit and reported adjusted EPS being around 5-10 percent behind last year, in line with market expectations.
DCC shares were up 1.2 percent to 19.6 euros at 0807 GMT.
DCC Energy, the group's largest division, announced it has reached conditional agreement for the acquisition of Shell Direct Austria (SDA). DCC's investment in SDA on a cash free/debt free basis, net of an adjustment for working capital, will be of 18.3 million euros.
The group's energy division's operating profit grew 11 percent, or 22.9 percent in constant currency terms, to 25.2 million euros.
DCC reported a 6.7 percent drop in overall operating profit to 56.6 million euros, up 0.9 percent on constant currency terms. (Reporting by Antonella Ciancio; Editing by Dan Lalor)
