ATLANTA (Reuters) - Electronics retailer RadioShack Corp reported a higher third quarter profit on Thursday helped by demand for digital television converters and video games.
But the company cautioned that sales and earnings trends slowed in September and expects the "challenging retail environment" to continue.
Net earnings were $50.2 million, or 39 cents a share, in the third quarter, compared with $46.3 million, or 34 cents a share, a year earlier. There were fewer shares outstanding as RADIOSHACK (RSH.NY)repurchased stock.
Analysts expected profit of 36 cents, according to Reuters Estimates.
Sales rose 6.4 percent to $1.02 billion, helped by a 45 percent rise in online sales.
Same-store sales, or those at stores open at least a year, rose 7.7 percent, aided by analog-to-digital converter boxes ahead of the transition of TV broadcast signals to digital in early 2009. The retailer also cited strong sales of laptop computers, video games and navigation systems.
(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Derek Caney)
