Helen of Troy Limited posted an increase in net earnings and sales for the second quarter and six months ended Aug. 31, 2009.

Second quarter sales jumped 5.6% to $162.2 million, while net earnings climbed 50.1% to $15.9 million compared with the same period a year earlier.

Sales for the six months ended Aug. 31, 2009 rose 2.5% to $306 million, while net earnings for the first half of this fiscal year increased 88.3% to $30.4 million.