UPDATE 2-Buffalo Wild Wings posts higher Q1 profit, shares rise

(Adds analyst's comments, conference call details, updates share movement)

By Shivani Singh

BANGALORE, April 29 (Reuters) - Restaurant operator Buffalo Wild Wings Inc (BWLD.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted an 18 percent rise in quarterly earnings, helped by higher restaurant and same-store sales, sending its shares up 12 percent after the bell.

Comparable restaurant sales rose 4.1 percent at company restaurants and 2.1 percent at franchise restaurants, despite an environment of uncertain consumer spending.

Sales at company-owned restaurants grew 22.3 percent to $86.9 million during the quarter.

Results were also helped by lower-than-expected labor and operating costs, Morgan Keegan analyst Destin Tompkins said.

Labor costs rose about 23 percent to $25.9 million, while operating costs increased about 16 percent to $13.3 million during the quarter.

Average weekly sales for company-owned restaurants rose 5.6 percent to $41,438 in the first quarter, well above the 4.1 percent same-store sales, which suggests that new units continue to do well, Tompkins added.

The analyst has an "outperform" rating on the stock, which rose to $29.00 in trading after the bell. The shares closed at $25.88 Tuesday on Nasdaq.