SAO PAULO, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras (PETR4.SA) on Thursday posted a stronger than expected 48% surge in third-quarter profit, boosted by higher prices for Brent crude .
Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as it is formally known, reported net profit of 46.1 billion reais ($9.01 billion), above the 43.37 billion reais forecast of analysts polled by Refinitiv.
Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 50.5% from a year earlier to 91.42 billion reais, also beating analysts' 88 billion reais estimate.
The average price of Brent crude over July to September was $100.85, Petrobras said, significantly higher than the $73.47 it recorded a year earlier.
Earlier on Thursday, Petrobras had said it would distribute some 43.68 billion reais ($8.5 billion) in dividends.