H&R Block Inc , the largest U.S. tax preparer, reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss, hurt by a larger loss in tax services, and reaffirmed its earnings view for the full year.

For the first quarter ended July 31, the company incurred a net loss of $133.6 million, or 40 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $132.7 million or 41 cents a share, a year ago.

Revenue from continuing operations grew 1.3 percent to $275.5 million.

Improved pre-season results from business services and lower corporate expenses were partially offset by an expected larger loss in tax services, the company said in a statement.

Net loss from continuing operations was $130.6 million, or 39 cents a share, compared with a loss of $128.4 million, or 39 cents a share last year.

Analysts were expecting the company to report a loss of 37 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates.

Loss from tax services was at $172 million, up from $163.7 million last year.

For fiscal 2010, the company maintained its view on earnings from continuing operations to be in the range of $1.60 and $1.80 per share.

Shares of the company closed at $17.01 on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Brenton Cordeiro in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)