Nov 3 (Reuters) - Big 5 Sporting Goods Corp (BGFV.O) reported better-than-expected quarterly results, helped by tighter cost controls and improving traffic, and forecast a fourth-quarter profit above Wall Street expectations.

Columbia Omnishade sunglasses at Big 5 Sporting Goods - Photo: www.big5sportinggoods.com

The sporting goods retailer projected a fourth-quarter profit of 28 cents a share to 38 cents a share.

Analysts on average were expecting a profit of 26 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

For the third quarter, net income rose to $8 million, or 37 cents a share, from $4.5 million, or 21 cents a share, a year-ago.

Net sales rose 4 percent to $231.6 million.

Analysts on average expected a profit of 33 cents per share, before items, on revenue of $231.4 million.

Selling and administrative expense as a percentage of net sales improved to 28.2 percent, compared with 29.6 percent in the prior year.

Big 5 Sporting's profit has topped market expectations for the past four quarters, as the sporting goods retailer rigorously controlled personnel and advertising expenses to combat the soft sales climate.

Shares of the El Segundo, California-based company closed at $15.50 Tuesday 3 November on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Viraj Nair in Bangalore; Editing by Unnikrishnan Nair)