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DWA - DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., the studio run by Jeffrey Katzenberg, said third-quarter profit rose more than fourfold on sales of ``Shrek the Third,' this year's second-highest grossing U.S. film.

Profit jumped to $47 million, or 47 cents a share, from $10.5 million, or 10 cents, a year earlier, Glendale, California-based DreamWorks Animation said today in a statement. Sales almost doubled to $160.8 million.

``Shrek the Third' has earned $321 million in U.S. ticket sales, second only to Sony Corp.'s ``Spider-Man 3,' according to Box Office Mojo LLC. DreamWorks Animation's ``Bee Movie,' in theaters Nov. 2, will generate $175 million in U.S. ticket sales, said Evan Wilson, an analyst with Pacific Crest Securities in Portland, Oregon.

``More than anything, investors are focused on the launch of the `Shrek the Third' DVD, and the launch of `Bee Movie' this weekend,' Wilson said in an interview. He rates the shares ``outperform' and doesn't own any. Their success ``will dictate the near-term direction of the stock,' he said.

DreamWorks Animation, which competes with Walt Disney Co.'s Pixar unit, rose 42 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $32.53 at 4:02 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The stock has gained 10 percent this year after rising 20 percent in 2006.