Raytheon said Thursday sales in the defense contractor's first quarter grew nearly 9 percent to reach $5.8 billion. However, the company saw profit decline to $429 million, down about 22 percent from the same three-month period a year earlier. Tom Kennedy, Raytheon’s chief executive, said during a morning call with analysts that demand in the Middle East helped to drive the contractor’s sales growth. The company’s missile systems unit reported a 17 percent boost in quarterly sales. Kennedy said the...