Aug 26 (Reuters) - Footwear retailer DSW Inc (DSW.N) posted a second-quarter profit that easily beat market expectations and raised its full-year profit forecast, as increased sales from new stores partially offset lower gross margins.

Women's shoes at DSW Inc. - Photo: www.dsw.com

The company now sees full-year earnings at 37 cents a share to 45 cents a share, up from its prior view of 30 cents a share to 35 cents a share.

For the second quarter, the Columbus, Ohio-based company posted net income of $7.6 million, or 17 cents a share, compared with $11 million, or 25 cents a share, last year.

Net sales at the company, which sells branded footwear for men and women at discounted prices, rose 3.4 percent to $369.5 million.

Analysts on average were expecting earnings of 10 cents a share, before special items, on revenue of $370.1 million, according to Reuters Estimates.

Shares of the company closed at $14.02 Tuesday 25 August on the New York Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Mihir Dalal in Bangalore; Editing by Aradhana Aravindan)