Advance Auto Parts announced higher quarterly profits Wednesday.

The Roanoke-based company said it earned $75.4 million, or 79 cents a share, on revenue of nearly $1.24 billion during the three months that ended July 12.

That compares with year-ago earnings of $68.4 million, or 64 cents a share, on revenue of $1.17 billion.

Revenue and profit are running ahead of expectations, helping offset higher fuel costs to deliver goods to a burgeoning commercial customer segment, officials said.

The company said it will speed up store improvements designed to reverse the diminished sales and earnings growth it saw in 2006 and 2007.

In a climate of cautious new-store development, Advance said it opened 36 new locations during the latest quarter, bringing the companywide total to 3,325.

The company sells automotive replacement parts, accessories and maintenance supplies for domestic and imported cars and light trucks.

It is the only large, publicly-traded company based in the Roanoke Valley and is led by a recently hired chief executive officer who is working part time from an office in Minneapolis.

Since CEO Darren Jackson came aboard, the company has shifted some jobs to Minneapolis and has been looking for a building in which to establish a permanent regional office there.

Spokeswoman Shelly Whitaker said the company employs between 1,500 and 1,600 in the Roanoke Valley, but intends to buy or lease space in Minneapolis for a permanent regional office of 125.

Two of three new executive hires announced during the past few days will work in Minnesota.

They are Kevin Wiederhold, hired as vice president of human resources, and Joyce Maruniak, as vice president of supply chain development. The third hire, Rick Maynard, a new regional vice president, will live in the Roanoke area, the company said.

Jackson will cut back his time from working a few days a week in Roanoke to every other week in the near future, Whitaker said.

He will be in his Minneapolis office this morning for a scheduled conference call to discuss company finances that will be open to analysts, investors, employees, reporters and others, she said. The company's board, which meets in various cities at different times of the year, was meeting this week in Minneapolis.