Affiliated Computer 3Q profit edges higher, sales up

DALLAS—Affiliated Computer Services Inc., which runs back-office business operations for companies, said Thursday its fiscal third-quarter profit edged higher, and revenue jumped as the company signed on new customers.

For the three months ended March 31, the company earned $82.6 million, or 85 cents per share, up from $82.1 million, or 82 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier.

Excluding costs related to the company's stock options investigation and a legal settlement gain, ACS earned 91 cents per share in the latest quarter.

Revenue rose 7 percent to $1.54 billion from $1.44 billion.

Analysts, on average, expected a profit of 87 cents per share on sales of $1.55 billion, according to a poll by Thomson Financial. Analysts typically exclude one-time items from their estimates

Shares rose 93 cents to close at $53.90. In aftermarket activity, the stock added another $1.10, or 2 percent, to $55.