UPDATE 2-Spice FY profit soars on strong utility markets

* FY pretax profit up 58 pct to 32.3 mln stg

* FY dividend up 25 pct

* Buys Australian telecoms firm ComGroup for 6.9 mln stg

* Shares reverse early gains to trade down 4 percent

(Adds company, analyst comment, shares, details)

By Rhys Jones

LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Utility support services group Spice (SPI.L) met expectations as full-year profit rose 58 percent, driven by acquisitions and growing regulatory markets, and said it had bought Australian telecoms company ComGroup.

Spice, which has supply and distribution divisions, on Monday reported a pretax profit of 32.3 million pounds ($52.33 million) on revenue 24 percent higher at 386 million pounds for the year to May 1.

Spice was expected to report a pretax profit of 32 million pounds for the year, according to a poll of eight analysts by Reuters Estimates.