May 12 (Reuters) - British catering company Compass Group Plc said on Wednesday its margins in the third quarter would improve sequentially, supported by the company's cost cutting measures after reporting a pandemic-slump in first-half profit.

The company, which serves office workers, school kids, seniors in old age homes and armed forces across 45 countries, said underlying operating profit fell 64.5% to 290 million pounds ($409.74 million) in the six months to March 31.

($1 = 0.7078 pounds) (Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)