NEW YORK (AP):

Visa Inc says its profit rose a better-than-expected 41 per cent in the most recent quarter, as more money changed hands using its credit and debit cards.

San Francisco-based Visa earned US$422 million, or 51 cents a share, for the April-to-June period, up from US$299 million in the same period a year ago, before the company went public.

The results, reported Wednesday after the market closed, included litigation and restructuring costs and beat expectations. Analysts had anticipated 48 cents per share, according to Thomson Financial.

Shares closed up US$2.48, or 3.3 per cent, at US$78.45 in regular trading. They have risen 30 per cent during Visa's third fiscal quarter.