BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Walmart is reporting better-than-expected profit and revenue for the first quarter with rising e-commerce sales.

The company posted a first-quarter profit of US$2.13 billion on Thursday, or 72 US cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were US$1.14 per share, which is 2 US cents better than industry analysts were expecting, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.

The Bentonville, Arkansas, company's revenue was US$122.69 billion, beating projections for US$120.08 billion.

Shares of Walmart Inc. are up almost 3 per cent before the opening bell.