NEW YORK, Nov. 4, 2009 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Corp., the U.S. largest cable operator, posted on Wednesday a 22.5 percent increase in third-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street expectations.

The company reported net income of 944 million U.S. dollars, or 33 cents a share, compared with 771 million dollars, or 26 cents a share in the same period last year.

Excluding the effects of a one-time tax benefit and finance charge, Comcast earned 28 cents a share, beating the average estimate of 25 cents a share.

Revenue was up 3 percent to 8.802 billion dollars, falling just shy of expectations for revenue of 8.850 billion dollars.

The company's operating results displayed the enduring strength of the cable business amid rising competition and a stinging economic slump.

However, Comcast's ad revenue was down 16 percent for the quarter, a slight moderation in decline compared to a 20 percent decline in the second quarter.