ABU DHABI: Adnoc Distribution, the fuel distribution unit of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), on Thursday reported a 55 percent rise in third-quarter profit, driven by improved margins and lower costs.

Net profit for the three-month period ended Sept.30 was 558 million dirhams ($152 million), compared with 360 million dirhams in the year-ago period, the company said in a statement.

Revenue rose 24 percent to 5.9 billion dirhams. "We have made significant progress across all three pillars of our strategy – fuel, non-fuel and cost-efficiency initiatives," Saeed Mubarak Al Rashdi, acting chief executive of the company, said in the statement.

(Reporting By Stanley Carvalho, Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) ((stanley.carvalho@thomsonreuters.com; + 9712 6444431; Reuters Messaging: stanley.carvalho.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))