Sprint Nextel Corp. posted a third-quarter profit Wednesday in its first quarter since Sprint purchased Nextel Communications Inc. in August for $35 billion to create the nation’s third-largest wireless carrier.

The company, based in Reston, Va., with operational headquarters in Overland Park, reported earnings of $516 million, or 23 cents per share, compared with a loss of $1.9 billion, or $1.32 per share, during the same quarter a year ago.

Revenues increased 35 percent to $9.3 billion from $6.9 billion in the year-ago period.