DCC sees significant growth after profit rise

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - Support services group DCC said it expected to see "very significant" profit growth this year after it posted a 6.8 percent rise in full-year pretax profit, beating analyst expectations.

The Dublin-based company, whose activities range from oil distribution to waste management and food distribution, said on Tuesday pretax profit rose to 199.6 million pounds ($312.5 million) for the year ended March 31, from 186.9 million a year earlier.

It was expected to report profit of 192.75 million, according to a Thomson Reuters poll of nine analysts.

The company also announced its largest ever acquisition of French gas company Butagaz for 464 million euros and the placing of new ordinary shares, in part to fund its purchase. ($1 = 0.6388 pounds) (Reporting by Li-mei Hoang, Editing by Paul Sandle)