Operating profit at the world's biggest listed security services provider was 1.76 billion crowns ($162.3 million) on sales growth before acquisitions of 7%, against a year-earlier 1.39 billion.

Chief Executive Magnus Ahlqvist said in a statement demand remained strong in the quarter but added:

"We are facing a global environment with increasing uncertainty and we are, as always, continuously working to ensure preparedness and strength also in more challenging times."

Securitas in July bought Stanley Black & Decker's electronic security division for $3.2 billion in its biggest acquisition to date, bringing back activities it had floated as a standalone business in 2006.

Shares in Securitas, whose biggest competitor is privately held U.S. group Allied Universal after it bought G4S last year, were up 2% at 1215 GMT, taking a year-to-date drop to 8%.

($1 = 10.8464 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik)