Thursday, October 30, 2008

UPDATE 2-Gen-Probe 3nd-quarter profit rises 68 percent

* Net profit rises 68 pct to $29.1 mln

* Revenue rises to $121.2 mln from $101.7 mln

* Shares unchanged after hours (Adds earnings details, outlook, updates stock price)

said on Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 68 percent on higher sales of its clinical diagnostics products and blood screening tests.

Gen-Probe raised its outlook for full-year 2008 earnings and its shares fell slightly in after-hours trading.

The company said net income increased to $29.1 million, or 53 cents per share, from $17.3 million, or 31 cents per share, in the same 2007 period.

Analysts, on average, expected a profit of 46 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates.

Product sales rose 11 percent to $108.3 million, while total revenue rose to $121.2 million from $101.7 million.

Gen-Probe raised its full-year earnings forecast to between $1.91 and $1.93 per share from a previous range of $1.83 to $1.87. The average analyst estimate for full-year earnings was $1.86 per share.

Gen-Probe shares were unchanged in extended trading after closing up 41 cents at $45.88 during the regular session. (Reporting by Deena Beasley; Editing by Andre Grenon)

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