Tim Hortons profit up despite tough winter weather

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 30 (Reuters) - Coffee and doughnut chain Tim Hortons (THI.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) (THI.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday that first-quarter profit was 4.3 percent higher, as sales grew despite tough winter weather conditions.

Net earnings rose to C$61.8 million ($61.4 million), or 33 Canadian cents per diluted share, in the quarter ended March 30, from C$59.2 million, or 31 Canadian cents a share, in the same period a year earlier, the company reported. ($1=$1.01 Canadian) (Reporting Allan Dowd, editing by Rob Wilson)