Top U.S. office supply chain Staples Inc reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on strength in its international business.

Net income rose to $176.4 million, or 25 cents a share, in the second quarter, from $129.8 million, or 18 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding special items, it earned 22 cents a share. On that basis, analysts on average were expecting 19 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Sales rose 5.2 percent to $5.82 billion, while analysts expected $5.65 billion.

(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan; editing by John Wallace)