Best Buy cites slowing in Canada

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) Chief Executive Brad Anderson said on Thursday the electronics retailer was starting to see slower activity in Canada.

"I think we're starting to see ... a little slowdown in terms of Canada sympathetic with the U.S. market," Anderson said in an interview on the CNBC network.

He also said some U.S. consumers who were grappling with higher food costs were also finding it harder to buy pricey electronics.

But Anderson cited "pretty robust activity" in some product categories such as gaming and computers.

Best Buy, which competes with Circuit City Stores Inc CC.N, is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings next week.

Last month, Best Buy cut its full-year outlook, saying fourth quarter sales were trending less than it expected as the softer U.S. economy hurt January store traffic. It forecast annual profit of $3.05 to $3.10 a share, down from a view in December of $3.10 to $3.20 a share.

Analysts currently expect a profit of $3.07 a share for the year, according to Reuters Estimates.

Best Buy's shares were up 12 cents, or 1 percent, at $42.40 in late New York Stock Exchange trading.

(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Andre Grenon)