Campbell Soup Co. reported a 71 percent rise in quarterly profit, as more people bought soup during a spell of harsher-than-usual winter weather in the United States.

Net profit attributable to the company rose to $325 million, or $1.03 per share in the second quarter, from $190 million, or 60 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, the world's largest soup maker earned 76 cents per share from continuing operations.

Sales rose 5.5 percent to $2.28 billion in the quarter ended Jan. 26. U.S. soup sales rose 5 percent in the quarter.