Dollar General Corp posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as it attracted bargain-seeking consumers who spent more per visit, and the discount retailer raised its profit outlook.

The company, which prices most of its merchandise below $10, said profit was $141.2 million, or 41 cents a share, in the second quarter ended July 30, up 50.9 percent from $93.6 million, or 29 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, Dollar General reported a profit of 42 cents per share, beating analysts' average forecast of 38 cents , according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Sales rose 11 percent to $3.21 billion, in line with analyst estimates. Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year, rose 5.1 percent.

Dollar General raised its adjusted full year 2010 earnings forecast to a range of $1.68 to $1.74 from a previous range of $1.62 to $1.69. That compares with Wall Street estimates of $1.72 per share.

Dollar General expects same-store sales to be up by between 4 percent and 6 percent.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba; Editing by Derek Caney)