LONDON (Bloomberg) - Tesco plc., Britain's largest retailer, said annual profit rose 9.1 percent as sales increased in the UK and at the Homeplus unit in Korea.

Net income climbed to £2.33 billion ($3.56 billion) in the year ended February 27, from £2.13 billion a year earlier, the Cheshunt, England-based grocer said in a statement yesterday. That matched the 2.3 billion-pound median estimate of 12 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. So-called trading profit, the earnings measure preferred by most analysts, rose 12 percent.

Tesco doubled rewards on the Clubcard loyalty programme and cut prices on its 'Finest' food range to lure shoppers as food price inflation slowed. The retailer's UK market share rose to 30.3 percent in the three months through March 21, according to Kantar Worldpanel data. Revenue at Homeplus grew 33 percent, making Korea one of its best-performing international markets.

The results "reflect a combination of resilient underlying sales and good cost control", Sam Hart, an analyst at Charles Stanley & Co., said in a report before the release. "Tesco's long-term growth prospects are the best in the UK food retail sector, given potential in overseas markets and retailing services." Mr. Hart has an "accumulate" rating on the shares.

Net debt was reduced to £7.9 billion from £9.6 billion a year earlier after the retailer sold property assets and reduced inventory by stocking less food in its backroom storage. Tesco said it expects to cut borrowings to £7.5 billion by the end of the new financial year.

The grocer will pay a final dividend of 9.16 pence a share, increasing the total for the year by 9.1 percent to 13.05 pence.

Tesco stock has climbed 2.2 percent this year, compared with J Sainsbury plc.'s 6.6 percent increase and Carrefour SA's 13 percent gain.