(Reuters) - Office Depot Inc (>> Office Depot Inc) reported on Tuesday a quarterly loss in line with analyst expectations, as tight cost controls helped offset weak sales at the second-largest U.S. office supply retailer.

The news came as the company awaits regulatory approval for its deal to buy smaller rival OfficeMax Inc (>> OfficeMax Inc).

In the second quarter, Office Depot's net loss after preferred stock dividends was $64.4 million, or 23 cents a share, compared with $64.3 million, or 23 cents a share, a year earlier.

Excluding merger-related expenses and charges related to restructuring and impairment, the loss was 10 cents a share, in line with analyst expectations, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Lackluster demand for laptops and belt-tightening by its federal customers hurt sales, which fell 4 percent to $2.42 billion, while analysts had expected $2.43 billion.

(Reporting By Dhanya Skariachan)

Stocks treated in this article : OfficeMax Inc, Office Depot Inc