St. Jude Medical Post Higher Quarterly Profit

Medical device maker St. Jude Medical Inc said on Wednesday its quarterly earnings rose as expenses fell.

First-quarter net earnings were $222 million, or 78 cents per diluted share, compared with $212 million, or 67 cents per diluted share, in the year ago period.

Adjusted earnings were 92 cents per share. On that basis, analysts, on average, expected earnings of 91 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Quarterly sales fell to $1.34 million from $1.40 million a year ago.

Looking ahead, it expects second-quarter earnings per share to be between 93 cents and 95 cents, and 2013 EPS to be between $3.68 to $3.73.