UPDATE 1-Big 5 Sporting sees Q3 EPS at upper end of prior view

* Sees Q3 EPS at or near upper end of $0.27-$0.34

* Q3 same-store sales rise 1.6 pct

Sept 29 (Reuters) - Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp (BGFV.O) said it expects third-quarter earnings to be at or near the upper end of its previous forecast, helped by tight expense management and improved merchandise margins.

The sporting goods retailer had earlier forecast earnings of 27 cents a share to 34 cents a share for the period ended Sept. 27.

Analysts on average expect the company to earn 31 cents per share, before special items, according to Reuters Estimates.

The El Segundo, California-based company said sales at stores open at least a year, or same-store sales, rose 1.6 percent in the third quarter.

Shares of the company closed at $15.32 Monday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Krishna N. Das in Bangalore; Editing by Anne Pallivathuckal)