DirecTV Profit Falls on Costs to Attract Subscribers

DirecTV Group Inc., the largest U.S. satellite-television provider, reported a 11 percent drop in profit after it raised marketing costs to gain subscribers amid the recession and increasing competition.

Net income fell to $407 million, or 40 cents a share, from $455 million, or 40 cents, a year earlier, DirecTV said today in a statement. Analysts on average had projected profit of 44 cents a share, based on estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales rose 8.6 percent to $5.22 billion,