News: Australia's Broadspectrum triples H1 profit, issues earnings upgrade

SYDNEY, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Australia's Broadspectrum Ltd (BRS), which runs the country's offshore immigration detention camps, said first half net profit tripled and upgraded its earnings guidance as it fends off a takeover bid from Spain's Ferrovial FER.MC.

Net profit came in at A$25 million ($18 million) for the six months to Dec. 31, up from A$8.4 million, as the company benefited from an extension on its Department of Immigration and Border Protection contract.

The company, which has been resisting takeover approaches from Ferrovial since 2014, said it expects pre-tax earnings of up to A$300 million for the full fiscal year, better than the A$285 million result it forecast in December and up from the previous year's A$265 million.

($1 = 1.4069 Australian dollars)