MONTREAL - Molson Coors Brewing Co. says weaker sales in Canada contributed to a decrease in overall adjusted profits for the third quarter, just before it closed a blockbuster acquisition that made it the world's third-largest beer maker.

The Montreal- and Denver-based brewery says its underlying profits decreased 14.3 per cent to US$222.7 million in the three months ended Sept. 30, from US$259.9 million a year ago.

That translated into US$1.03 per diluted share, compared to US$1.40 per share a year earlier.Net income for the three months ended Sept. 30 was US$202.5 million, up from US$16.6 million a year earlier, when it recorded US$275 million of impairment charges for some European brands.

Overall revenues fell 6.9 per cent to US$947.6 million on lower beer volumes including its flagship Coors Light brand.

In Canada, underlying pretax profits decreased 14.8 per cent to US$91.6 million on lower volumes and higher costs.