UPDATE 2-DirecTV cash growth, buybacks help shares

* Q3 EPS $0.37 vs Wall Street view $0.39

* Q3 rev $5.47 bln vs Wall Street view $5.42 bln

* Added a net 136,000 U.S. subscribers

* Shares up 3 pct in noon trade (Adds analyst comment, share movement)

NEW YORK, Nov 5 (Reuters) - U.S. satellite television operator DirecTV Group Inc (DTV.O) reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly profit, but anticipation of further cash flow growth that could fuel more share buybacks helped lift its shares 3 percent.

DirecTV added 136,000 net subscribers in the U.S. in the third quarter, which was lower than the 156,000 it added in the year-earlier period. Average monthly churn, the industry term for subscriber losses, rose to 1.72 percent from 1.64 percent.

Kaufman Bros analyst Todd Mitchell had expected churn to fall to 1.55 percent and 175,000 net subscriber additions.

Net profit was $366 million, or 37 cents per share, in the quarter, compared to $363 million, or 33 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts were expecting earnings per share of 39 cents.

DirecTV said third-quarter revenue rose 10 percent to $5.47 billion, above the average Wall Street forecast of $5.42 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.