Google Inc., the world’s No. 1 Internet search engine, said Thursday that third-quarter profit soared sevenfold as sales nearly doubled. The stock jumped 9.4 per cent to a record high in after-hours trading.

After the close of trading, the Mountain View, California-based company said its profit surged 633 per cent to $381.2-million (U.S.) or $1.32 a share from $52-million or 19 cents a year ago.

Excluding certain items, Google earned $1.51 a share. Analysts were expecting earnings of $1.36 a share, on average.

Learn more about Google earnings and Adsense revenue athttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051020.wgoog1020/BNStory/Business/.