The family-owned group said revenue grew by 9% over the period from a year earlier to 27.6 billion euros (£23.8 billion), while current operating profit advanced by about 260 million euros to 1.12 billion euros.

This beat the median average of analysts' estimates for both indicators, according to consensus figures distributed by the company.

The telecoms division added 220,000 new mobile plan customers as well as 110,000 new high-speed fibre clients in the third-quarter.

Bouygues confirmed its full-year targets, including an improvement in group profitability and the generation of 300 million euros of free cash flow at Bouygues Telecom.

(Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Kim Coghill)