LUXEMBOURG/NUREMBERG (dpa-AFX) - Software provider Suse earned significantly more than expected in its day-to-day business in the first quarter. Below the line, the Linux specialist with operational headquarters in Nuremberg even posted a profit. Before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization as well as special items, earnings rose by 28 percent to 67.1 million U.S. dollars, as the SDax-listed company announced on Thursday. The corresponding margin climbed from 34 to 40 percent, the company justified this among other things with a restructuring in sales. Analysts on the stock market had expected an average operating profit of just over 58 million dollars. Meanwhile, sales grew by ten percent to 168.4 million dollars. Suse achieved a net profit of 6.2 million dollars, after a loss of 12.8 million dollars in the same quarter of the previous year. The management around boss Melissa Di Donato confirmed the forecasts./men/stk