NYSE-owner ICE's profit rises as London calls

(Adds details from conference call, CEO quotes, background information)

By John McCrank and Richa Naidu

Nov 1 (Reuters) - Intercontinental Exchange Inc (NYSE: ICE - news) , which saw a jump in profits in the latest quarter, is evaluating opportunities to expand in Britain following the UK's vote to leave the European Union, the head of the exchange and clearing house operator said on Tuesday.

The owner of the New York Stock Exchange said recent acquisitions helped drive a 12.4 percent increase in third-quarter net income, to $344 million, or $2.86 per share, from $306 million, or $2.76 per share, a year earlier.

ICE in December bought financial data firm Interactive Data Corp (IDC) for $5.2 billion and energy software house Trayport for $650 million. Those businesses contributed $261 million to ICE's $1.1 billion in adjusted revenue during the quarter, up 32.1 percent from a year earlier.

ICE's future ownership of London-based Trayport is uncertain after Britain's competition watchdog ruled last month that ICE would have to sell the recently acquired firm to preserve competition in the utility derivatives trading industry.

ICE said on Tuesday it would appeal the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) decision, which it said relied largely on the views of "conflicted third parties" and "a simplistic assessment of market dynamics."

"We believe that CMA's decision under such a speculative and vague theory is disproportionate and it would be a terrible precedent for future merger and acquisition activities in Europe," ICE Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Sprecher said on an earnings conference call.

Sprecher said another development in Britain - the country's vote to leave the EU, or "Brexit" - might present opportunities for ICE. The exchange operator was in active talks with UK officials on helping preserve London's role as a financial center, he said.

The London Stock Exchange Group is seeking regulatory approval for a planned $27 billion merger with Germany's Deutsche Boerse (LSE: 0H3T.L - news) . The companies have said the combined entity would be co-headquartered in London and Frankfurt, but the London base was called into question after June's Brexit vote.

"Because this important asset could be leaving the city of London, we believe that this may create new opportunities for us as a leading infrastructure provider as we see the ability to continue to invest in the UK," Sprecher said on the call.

ICE considered a counter-bid for the LSE, but shelved the plans in May, partially due to uncertainty around the Brexit vote.

ICE said then it still had the right to reconsider and make an offer for LSE within six months. (Reporting by John McCrank in New York and Richa Naidu in Bengaluru; editing by Ted Kerr and Jonathan Oatis)