Ford profit tops expectations

DEARBORN, Michigan (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co reported a profit that beat Wall Street expectations.

Excluding one-time items, Ford's quarterly profit fell to 65 cents per share from 68 cents a year ago.

Analysts, on average, had expected earnings of 60 cents per share excluding one-time items, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue rose 13 percent to $35.5 billion.

Net income of $2.4 billion in the quarter, or 59 cents per share, was down $201 million from a year ago when per-share net income was 61 cents per share.

Ford has now posted eight straight quarterly net profits after recording net losses totaling $30 billion from 2006 through 2008 when it cut jobs, sold unprofitable brands and reshaped a lineup laden with large SUVs and pickup trucks.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman and Bernie Woodall; Editing by Derek Caney)