UPDATE 1-Tractor Supply sees strong Q2 profit; shares rise

* Sees Q2 shr $1.48 to $1.50 vs. est $1.24 * Raises '09 profit view

* Says trims mktg costs, moves to direct mktg

* Shares rise more than 9 pct before the bell

July 8 (Reuters) - Tractor Supply Co (TSCO.O) forecast second-quarter profit above analysts' estimates and raised its full-year earnings outlook on tighter control of marketing expenses, sending the retailer's shares up more than 8 percent.

For the second quarter, the U.S. retail farm and ranch store chain, which chose direct marketing over television advertisements to cut costs, expects to earn $1.48 to $1.50 per share.

Analysts on average were expecting a profit of $1.24 a share, before items, according to Reuters Estimates.

Tractor Supply said it now sees 2009 earnings of $2.78 to $2.92 a share, up from its prior outlook of $2.58 to $2.74 per share.

Analysts on average were looking for a profit of $2.64 a share, before special items.

The company, which sees macroeconomic and consumer-spending environment to remain challenging through the rest of the year, said it expects 2009 sales of $3.15 billion to $3.25 billion. It had earlier forecast sales of $3.2 billion to $3.3 billion.

Tractor Supply shares were up $3.75 at $44.10 in trading before the bell. They closed at $40.35 Tuesday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Viraj Nair; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)