The group - which runs stores in airports and train stations, selling everything from books and sandwiches to Bluetooth headphones - posted a headline profit before tax of 143 million pounds ($175.63 million) for the year ended Aug. 31, up 96% from last year.

Analysts on average had expected a profit of 142.9 million pounds, according to a company-compiled consensus.

($1 = 0.8142 pounds)

(Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)