LOS ANGELES (Bloomberg) - Walt Disney Co. said fourth-quarter profit rose 12 percent on ESPN's "Monday Night Football" and theme-park gains, reflecting CEO Robert Iger's focus on television and tourism.

Net income rose to $877 million, or 44 cents a share, from $782 million, or 36 cents, a year earlier, Burbank, California- based Disney said today in a statement. Sales gained 3.2 percent to $8.93 billion, shy of the $9 billion average of 19 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Mr. Iger's emphasis on TV and theme parks, Disney's largest businesses, extended profit gains for the eighth-straight quarter since he took the top job.

The cable division has been fueled by Iger's decision to add Nascar races and football games on ESPN and gains at the Disney Channel from productions such as "High School Musical 2".

"The key driver was significant growth at cable networks, with a strong performance at the Disney Channel," said Anthony DiClemente, a Lehman Bros. analyst in New York, who rates the shares "neutral" and doesn't own them.

Excluding a two-cent tax gain, profit of 42 cents in the period ended September 29 met the average of 20 analysts' estimates.

Disney, the second-biggest US media company, fell 45 cents to $33.18 in extended trading.

The shares rose 13 cents to $33.63 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading and are little changed this year.

Operating profit at Disney's cable networks gained 30 percent to $1.1 billion as Mr. Iger, 56, expanded sports and family TV fare, increasing advertising sales and fees from cable operators. Revenue rose 24 percent to $2.8 billion.

The ESPN sports network benefited from adding Nascar races and an extra week of Monday Night Football. The Disney Channel drew more than 17 million viewers to the debut of "High School Musical 2," setting a basic cable record.

Theme-park profit rose 8.6 percent to $430 million after the company raised one-day adult and children's admission prices at Walt Disney World in Florida, its largest resort, by as much as seven percent in August. Sales rose 10 percent to $2.79 billion.

"The price of oil and gasoline hasn't had an impact on our attendance," chief financial officer Thomas Staggs said on a conference call. "We have actually seen continued strength in attendance and see continued strength in bookings."

Time Warner Inc., the world's largest media company, and News Corp., controlled by Rupert Murdoch, reported yesterday gains in operating profit driven by cable channels and films.

Mr. Iger said last month the company will renovate its California Adventure park, part of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. In October, Disney agreed to buy oceanfront property in Hawaii for $144 million, outlining plans for a resort with an 800-room hotel.

"Let's face it, we had a problem at California Adventure," Mr. Iger said on the conference call. "It is not as successful and the returns not as strong as we would like. The only way to grow that business is to fix and expand that business."

Of 30 analysts who follow the company, 18 recommend buying Disney shares and 12 suggest holding the stock. None say investors should sell it.

Profit in consumer products rose 10 percent to $153 million on sales of $590 million, a 4.6 percent gain. Royalty fees on North American sales of Disney merchandise in Children's Place stores and products from the Pixar film "Cars" drove results. The division also includes Disney's video-game business.

Mr. Iger led the $8.06 billion purchase of the Pixar animation studio in January 2006, three months after taking over from Michael Eisner, 65, who ran Disney for 20 years before stepping down in September 2005. The purchase was designed to protect Disney's leadership in the field.

Broadcasting, which includes Disney's Internet business, had an operating loss of $30 million on lower revenue from DVDs, ABC shows sold into syndication and the shut-down of Disney's mobile phone service. Sales fell 5.5 percent to $1.23 billion.

Excluding sports, ABC had a 23 percent drop in primetime ratings among viewers ages 18 to 49, an audience advertisers prize, Jonathan Jacoby, a Banc of America Securities LLC analyst in New York, wrote in an October 22 report.

Profit at Disney's film studio declined 21 percent to $170 million on sales of $1.53 billion, a drop of 24 percent. Movie releases in the quarter could not match the success of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Cars" released in the year-ago quarter, Mr. Jacoby wrote.