June 8 (Reuters) - Upscale department store operator Neiman Marcus Group Inc [NMRCUS.UL] reported a third-quarter profit as luxury spending continued to rebound and the retailer sold more full-price goods.

Photo: www.neimanmarcus.com

Neiman Marcus said net income for its fiscal third quarter, ended May 1, was $18.5 million, compared with a loss of $3.1 million, a year earlier.

Neiman Marcus said sales at its speciality stores open at least a year and at its online and catalog unit rose 9.1 percent during the quarter, while overall sales rose nearly 11 percent to $895.2 million.

Last month, rival Saks Inc (SKS.N) reported quarterly profits that beat Wall Street, reflecting the luxury sector's improving fortunes.

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus operates 41 stores across the United States and two Bergdorf Goodman stores in Manhattan. It also has 28 clearance centers called Last Call and six smaller boutiques called Cusp.

The retailer said in April that Neiman Marcus Stores Chief Executive Karen Katz would replace Burton Tansky as CEO in October.

The retailer was acquired by an investor group led by Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus LLC in October 2005. (Reporting by Abhishek Takle in Bangalore; Editing by Vyas Mohan)