July 25 (Reuters) - Farming supplies retailer Tractor

Supply ( TSCO ) missed analyst estimates for second-quarter

sales on Thursday, hit by tepid demand for its products

including truck tools and fertilizers.

Demand for the company's higher-margin discretionary items,

such as lawn mowers, generators and consumables such as

livestock, fell as value-seeking consumers prioritized spending

on daily essentials amid inflationary pressures.

Shares of the company were down about 3% in premarket

trading.

Earlier in July, analysts from Telsey Advisory Group had

raised concerns about pressure on net sales from softness in the

company's agricultural customer base and a drop in farmer

incomes.

For the second quarter ended June 29, Tractor Supply ( TSCO ) posted

net sales of $4.25 billion, compared with analysts' estimates of

$4.28 billion, according to LSEG data. It earned a profit of

$3.93 per share, in line with estimates.

For the full year, it forecast net sales between $14.8

billion and $15.0 billion, compared with its prior view of $14.7

billion to $15.1 billion.

However, easing transportation costs and efficient product

cost management were able to partly combat the losses in demand

and lift the company's margins.

The company's quarterly gross margins expanded by 43 basis

points to 36.6%.

Tractor Supply ( TSCO ) now expects annual profit per share between

$10.00 and $10.40, compared with its prior forecast of $9.85 to

$10.50 per share.