Australia's Primary Health H1 profit falls 24 pct

SYDNEY, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Australian medical centre operator Primary Health Care Ltd (PRY.AX: Quote, Profile, Research) reported a 23.7 percent fall in first-half net profit, hit by the interest costs of buying a 20 percent stake in its takeover target Symbion Health Ltd SYB.AX.

Net profit fell to A$20.4 million ($18.4 million) for the six months to December from A$26.8 million a year earlier.

Primary declared its A$2.7 billion offer for medical testing group Symbion final last week and said if it secured a 50.1 percent interest in Symbion by Feb. 12, it would make the bid unconditional.

Symbion said it might consider reversing its rejection of the A$4.10 a share offer if Primary won majority ownership. ($1=A$1.11) (Reporting by Ben Wilson)