Subscriber additions help DirecTV beat profit estimates

(Reuters) - DirecTV, the No.1 U.S. satellite TV company, reported a quarterly profit above analysts' estimates as it added more subscribers than expected, helped by its exclusive Sunday NFL broadcasts.

The company, which is being bought by AT&T Inc, said it expects 2015 profit of about $6 (4 pounds) per share. Analysts on average were expecting $6.19 per share.

The company said revenue from the U.S. business is expected to rise in the mid-single digits as it raises package prices, regional sports fee and set-top box lease fees.

"This year's price increase is one of the highest in our history," CFO Patrick Doyle said on a conference call.

Average revenue per U.S. user rose to $117.30 from $111.74 in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, DirecTV said on Thursday.

The Sunday games package gives DirecTV an edge over cable TV competitors.

NFL games are among the most-viewed television programs. DirecTV sells its package for about $300 a year.

"This has also helped the satellite company attract more customers and command higher monthly subscription fees," research firm Trefis said in a pre-earnings note.

DirecTV added 149,000 net subscribers in the United States, much more than the 93,000 additions a year earlier.

Analysts had expected net additions of 56,000, according to market research firm StreetAccount.

The company's U.S. revenue rose 5.4 percent to $7.14 billion, while revenue from Latin America declined about 2 percent. Total revenue increased 3.8 percent to $8.92 billion.

Net income attributable to the company fell to $778 million, or $1.53 per share, from $810 million, or $1.53 per share.

Analysts on average had expected a profit of $1.40 on revenue of $8.91 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

(Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das and Don Sebastian)