Domino's Pizza profit tops estimates on increased sales

Domino's Pizza Inc , the second-largest U.S. pizza chain, on Tuesday reported quarterly profit that topped Wall Street's expectations as same-store sales increased in the United States and abroad.

Net income grew to $26 million, or 44 cents per share, for the company's fiscal third-quarter, ended September 9. Domino's posted a profit of $22.1 million, or 36 cents per share, a year earlier when the company had 5.4 percent more shares outstanding.

Excluding items related to writing off deferred financing fees and interest expense, the company earned 43 cents per share in the latest quarter. That was 2 cents better than analysts had expected, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue rose to $378.1 million from $376.3 million.

Sales at stores open at least one year were up 3.3 percent in the United States and up 5 percent internationally.

Domino's competes with Yum Brands Inc's Pizza Hut chain and Papa John's International Inc . (Reporting By Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)