Campbell Soup Co , the world's largest soup maker, reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by a fall in advertising and promotion expenses, and the company stood by its forecast for the fiscal year.

For the first quarter ended October 30, net earnings attributable to Campbell Soup were $265 million, down from $279 million a year earlier. Per share earnings were unchanged at 82 cents due to a decline in outstanding shares.

Sales fell 1 percent to $2.16 billion.

Analysts on average were expecting a profit of 79 cents a share on sales of $2.21 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Marketing and selling expenses fell 6 percent to $261 million.

Campbell expects fiscal 2012 adjusted earnings per share to fall 5 to 7 percent, with sales flat to up 2 percent.

(Reporting by Mihir Dalal in New York; Editing by Derek Caney and John Wallace)