NEW YORK (Reuters) - Campbell Soup Co reported lower quarterly profit and cut its full-year forecast, hurt by declining U.S. soup sales.
Campbell, the world's largest soup maker, said net income was $239 million, or 71 cents per share, in the fiscal second quarter, ended on January 30, down from $259 million, or 74 cents per share, a year earlier.
Sales fell to $2.13 billion from $2.15 billion a year earlier.
Campbell, which also makes V8 juices and Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers, said it expects 2011 earnings per share to fall between 1 and 3 percent, on sales expected to range from down 1 percent to up 1 percent. In November, it forecast growth of 2 percent to 4 percent for earnings and 1 percent to 3 percent for sales.
U.S. soup sales fell 4 percent in the quarter, Campbell said.
(Reporting by Martinne Geller, editing by Dave Zimmerman)
