MADRID (AFP) -- Spain's Ferrovial, the fast changing construction company that bought British airports operator BAA last year, said Monday its nine months earnings got a significant boost from the acquisition.

For the nine months to September, net profit jumped 142.6 percent from a year earlier to 808.8 million euros (55 million dollars) but this was still at the lower end of analyst forecasts for 808 to 842 million euros.
Stripping out the acquisition and other exceptional items, net earnings were up 25.7 percent at 318.2 million euros.
Gross operating profit rose 58.2 percent to 2.34 billion euros while sales increased 26 percent to 10.86 billion euros, of which the traditional construction business accounted for 35 percent, down from 44 percent in 2006.
The airports division accounted for 27 percent of sales, up from 13 percent.
Ferrovial shares were up 0.50 percent at 60 euros in midday trade, with the stock market showing a gain of 0.72 percent.