UPDATE 1-Taser posts first-quarter loss

* Q1 loss $0.01/shr vs EPS $0.02 year ago

* Revenue up more than 9 pct

* R&D expenses double

April 23 (Reuters) - Stun-gun maker Taser International Inc (TASR.O) posted a quarterly loss hurt by an increase in research and development expenses.

For the first quarter, the company reported a net loss of $467,759, or 1 cent a share, compared with a net income of $1.2 million, or 2 cents a share, a year ago.

Revenue rose 9 percent to $24.6 million, helped by growth from international customers.

Income from operations, excluding stock-based compensation charges and depreciation and amortization, was $1.1 million, compared with $2.5 million for same period last year.

Research and development expenses rose to $4.2 million.

Analysts on average were expecting the company to post a loss of 1 cent a share, before special items, on revenue of $21.4 million, according to Reuters Estimates. Shares of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based company closed at $5.11 Wednesday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay in Bangalore; Editing by Vinu Pilakkott)