Starbucks' cafe sales growth accelerates

By Lisa Baertlein

(Reuters) - Starbucks Corp reported higher quarterly profit on Thursday, as cafe sales heated up in its U.S.-dominated Americas region.

Sales at Starbucks shops open at least 13 months jumped 8 percent in the Americas for the fiscal third quarter ended June 28. Analysts polled by Consensus Metrix had expected a rise of 6.3 percent.

Starbucks' Americas region, which includes the United States, Canada and Latin America, contributes the majority of company revenue.

The world's biggest coffee chain's net earnings jumped 22 percent to $626.7 million, or 41 cents per share.

Revenue rose 18 percent to $4.88 billion.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Andrew Hay)