Thai Big C Q2 net profit up 10 pct, below forecasts

BANGKOK, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Thai hypermarket operator Big C Supercenter PCL (BIGC.BK) reported a 10 percent rise in quarterly net profit as rising sales outpaced higher expenses, but the result was below market expectations.

Big C, 36 percent owned by the French Casino Group (CASP.PA), posted a second-quarter net profit of 599 million baht ($18 million), or 0.75 baht per share, below the average forecast of 659 million baht from four analysts polled by Reuters.

The result compared with a 545 million baht profit a year earlier and 767 million baht in the previous quarter. ($1=33.65 Baht) (Reporting by Ploy Chitsomboon; Editing by Alan Raybould)