Australian energy company Alinta Ltd. reported a 62.5 percent rise in first-half net profi

t on Thursday, driven by strong retail gas demand, and lifted its full-year earnings outlook by as much as 27 percent.

Investors applauded the result, driving Alinta shares up 5. 6. percent to about a 5-month high of A $6.81.

Alinta, whose $1.24 billion purchase of U. S. -based Duke Energy Corp's Asia-Pacific power assets in March transformed it from Western Australia's biggest gas retailer and distributor into a national player, said acquisitions would remain a key part of its growth strategy.

"We'll continue to pursue... anywhere from 20—100 percent ownership, but more importantly the operational rights and fees that go with that for operating these assets," Alinta Chief Executive Officer Bob Browning told a briefing.

Alinta said net profit for the 6 months ended June 30 was A $45.6 million ($32.8 million), up from A $28.1 million. "The consensus for the full year was around A $62 million and they've more or less blown that out of the water with their guidance for the next half," said Patersons Securities analyst Rob Brierley.

When it bought the Duke operations, Alinta said calendar 2004 earnings per share would be 27.6 cents a share and flagged a dividend of 38 cents a share.

On Thursday, it lifted that forecast.

"Given the strong first-half performance by Alinta, the full-year forecast has now been adjusted to 32—35 cents diluted EPS (earnings per share) for the full 2004 financial year," Alinta said, adding full-year dividends would be 40 to 42 cents a share. It said the target excludes a one-off gain on the sale of telecommunications group Uecomm.

Browning said Alinta was seeking a 20—25 percent stake in the Dampier-to-Bunbury pipeline in Western Australia state and would team up with Macquarie Bank Ltd. and Alcoa Inc. to lodge a bid by the Aug. 27 deadline.

"The majority of the ownership would, be held by Macquarie and ultimately DUET," Browning told Reuters, referring to a A $565 million utility investment fund partly managed by Macquarie Bank.

Alinta and Alcoa are two of the biggest customers for the gas pipeline, which is controlled by U. S. -based Epic Energy but fell into receivership in April after creditors owed A $1.85 billion ended a debt standstill.

Epic is controlled by America's largest natural gas pipeline operator, El Paso Corp. and U. S. utility giant Dominion Resources Inc..

Browning said Alinta had no immediate plans to sell any of the Duke assets—comprising 2,300 km (1,380 miles) of pipelines and 450 megawatts of thermal power generation—and was looking at ways to leverage them and grow profits.

By early afternoon Alinta shares had eased off their highs to stand 5 percent higher at A $6.77 in a slightly firmer overall market. ($1=A $1.39)

The net profit of. Alinta in the first half of last year was ______ .

A．A $62 million

B．A $45.6 million

C．A $28.1 million

D．A $27 million