May 4 - Dietary supplement distributor Herbalife Ltd posted better-than-expected quarterly results, as growing demand in the U.S. and Asia-Pacific region offset weakness in other markets.
The company also backed its 2009 earnings outlook of $2.90 a share to $3.10 a share.
Herbalife shares rose 8 percent to $24.71 in trading after the bell. They closed at $22.90 Monday on the New York Stock Exchange.
For the first quarter ended March 31, the Los Angeles, California based company reported net income of $41.5 million, 67 cents per share, compared with $62.4 million, or 93 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding charges, Herbalife earned 68 cents a share. Analysts on average were expecting earnings of 60 cents a share, before special items, according to Reuters Estimates.
Revenue fell 14 percent to $521.7 million, but still beat market expectations of $513.9 million.
Volume points in the Asia-Pacific region rose 36.4 percent during the quarter, while those in the United States rose 5.2 percent, partly offsetting declines in markets like Mexico, China and South & Central America.