Helen of Troy Corp. posted a better-than-expected profit in its latest quarter, as the consumer products company saw growth in its housewares and health divisions.

The maker of Hot Tools hair stylers and Dr. Scholl's backed its outlook for the year ending in February, despite a slow start to the cold-and-flu season and foreign exchange pressures.

In all for its fiscal third quarter, Helen of Troy reported a profit of $46.8 million, or $1.63 a share, down from $55.4 million, or $1.92 a share, a year earlier.

Excluding certain items, profit was $2.07 a share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected $1.93 a share in adjusted earnings.

Revenue grew 2.3% to $445.5 million, while analysts had forecast $441 million in revenue.

On a core basis, sales were up 1.6%.

Sales in the company's housewares segment, which includes brands like OXO and Good Grips, rose 2.1%. Helen of Troy cited the introduction of kitchen electronics and metal bakeware products for the growth.

Health and home sales, which include brands like Vicks and Febreze, rose 5.3%. Nutritional segments, formed from its acquisition of Healthy Directions, said sales dipped 2.5% as the company continues to shift from direct mail to online.

Beauty sales ticked down 0.3%, but the company noted it is seeing a good response to its new products and branding of appliances.

Founded in 1968 as a wig shop in downtown El Paso, Texas, Helen of Troy has grown into a personal-care products behemoth, whose brands also include Revlon and Braun.

One of the original "inverters"—companies that relocate their headquarters abroad to lower taxes—Helen of Troy reorganized into a Bermuda-based company in 1993. In response, the U.S. Treasury adopted in 1996 what became known as the Helen of Troy rule, requiring shareholders to pay gains on shares converted into stock in the new company.

Write to Chelsey Dulaney at Chelsey.Dulaney@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 07, 2016 17:05 ET (22:05 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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