Retailer Canadian Tire Corp Ltd reported a better- than-expected quarterly profit as sales of sports gear and apparel rose.

Revenue from the company's Canadian Tire retail stores rose 4.5 per cent to $1.91 billion in the second quarter ended July 2. The business accounted for more than half of the company's total revenue.

Revenue in its FGL Sports brand, which sells sports and related products, rose 12.8 per cent to $496.5 million.

Retail sales at its Mark's brand, under which the company sells casual and work clothing and footwear, increased 4.1 per cent to $260.9 million.

However, Canadian Tire's petroleum retail sales fell 6.8 per cent to $432 million.

Total retail sales, which exclude revenue generated from Canadian Tire's financial services and real estate investment trust businesses, rose 3.1 per cent to $3.98 billion.

Its selling, general and administrative expenses rose 5.4 percent.

Net income attributable to the company rose 8.1 per cent to $179.4 million, or $2.46 per share, beating the average analyst estimate of $2.33, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Total revenue increased nearly 3 per cent to $3.35 billion, topping the average estimate of $3.31 billion.