American Science & Engineering Inc fka ASEI

[BSWB]

Aug 6 (Reuters) - American Science and Engineering Inc. (ASEI.O: Quote, Profile, Research) posted a higher quarterly profit, helped by an increase in international orders for its x-ray inspection systems and said it would begin paying dividends.

Shares of the x-ray inspections maker rose more than 9 percent to $64.65 in late electronic trade, after closing at $59.13 Monday on the Nasdaq.

The Billerica, Massachusetts-based company declared a quarterly cash dividend of 20 cents a share, payable on Sept. 5 to stockholders as of record Aug 20.

For the latest first quarter, American Science posted net income of $6.2 million, or 66 cents a share, on total net sales and contract revenue of $44.5 million.

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKBNG12654720070806?rpc=44

Net income stood at $6.0 million, or 41 cents a share, on total net sales and contract revenue of $29.9 million in the year-ago quarter.

Analysts were expecting earnings of 48 cents a share, including stock option expense, on revenue of $37.1 million for the quarter, according to Reuters Estimates. (Reporting by Neha Pathania in Bangalore)