By Christopher Bjork 

MADRID--Spain's Gas Natural SDG SA said Wednesday its first-quarter net profit edged higher, as the country's largest gas distributor got a boost from a recent acquisition in Chile.

In a regulatory filing, Gas Natural said net profit rose 0.5% to 404 million euros ($451.9 million) in the January-March quarter. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization grew almost 12% to EUR1.37 billion. Almost all of the growth in ebitda came from Compania General de Electricidad, the Chilean firm Gas Natural acquired last year.

The $3.3 billion purchase in Chile also helped boost quarterly sales, which rose 16% on the year to EUR7.28 billion.

Profit growth at Gas Natural was lower than sales growth, reflecting partly a drop in income from its regulated natural gas operations in Spain following changes in legislation. It also sold a telecommunications business recently, which had contributed to results last year.

Write to Christopher. Bjork at Christopher.Bjork@wsj.com

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