Vitamin-maker NBTY's net income up 12 percent

NBTY Inc. said Wednesday that its net income rose in the fiscal third quarter ended June 30 on higher sales.

The Ronkonkoma-based manufacturer, marketer, distributor and retailer of vitamins, nutritional supplements and related products said net income was $37.3 million in the quarter, up 12 percent from $33.3 million in the same quarter last year.

Net sales were $815.6 million, up 1 percent from $807 million a year earlier.

NBTY is privately owned by the Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C.-based investment fund. Because NBTY's debt is publicly traded, it discloses its financial results.

In May NBTY said it will close its Amityville manufacturing operation in October and outsource the work to a California company, a move that it said will eliminate 214 jobs at that facility.

But a spokeswoman said Wednesday there are 160 open positions at five other NBTY manufacturing, packaging and warehousing facilities in Suffolk County that the affected Amityville workers may apply for.