UPDATE 2-Mexico's Walmex beats forecast, net up 6 pct

* Walmex Q1 net profit up 6 pct, beats forecast

* Revenue rose 8 pct amid tough economic conditions

* CEO says company prepared for more hard times (Recasts, adds details on revenue, sales, quotes)

MEXICO CITY, April 14 (Reuters) - Top Mexican retailer Wal-Mart de Mexico posted a higher-than-expected quarterly net profit as cost controls and operating efficiencies, like better deals with suppliers, helped it counter tough economic times.

The company, known as Walmex (WALMEXV.MX), said it earned 3.456 billion pesos ($243 million) between January and March, 6 percent above the 3.255 billion pesos in the year-earlier period.

Analysts, on average, had forecast net profit of 3.397 billion pesos ($239 million).

Walmex' cost control strategy allowed it to post a small increase in both its operating and profit margins. Analysts had expected margins to contract.

Walmex was also able to counter a negative calendar effect: February 2009 had one fewer day than in 2008, while the Easter holidays fell in April this year, as opposed to March in 2008.

"Despite the impact on sales due to the current economic environment and an adverse calendar, we managed to improve gross margin and keep our cost policy," Chief Executive Eduardo Solorzano said in a press release.