SYDNEY, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Australian rail freight company Aurizon Holdings Ltd AZJ.AX on Monday posted an 18 percent rise in half yearly underlying profit after it cut costs and charged higher prices for the use of its tracks.
The Brisbane-based company reported an underlying profit, excluding one-off items, of A$279 million ($214.22 million) for the six months to Dec. 31, up from A$237 million a year earlier.
On a bottom-line basis, including impairment charges and redundancy costs, Aurizon reported a A$54 million net profit in the first half, up from a A$108 million loss a year earlier.
Aurizon on Monday reaffirmed its full-year guidance of underlying earnings before interest and tax of A$900 million to A$950 million, having reported underlying EBIT of A$488 million in the first half. ($1 = 1.3024 Australian dollars)