Zimmer Holdings Inc. on Thursday reported third-quarter earnings of $149.9 million, or 70 cents per diluted share, a 30 percent decrease from the $215 million, or 95 cents per share, reported for the same three months of 2008.

The Warsaw-based orthopedics manufacturer posted third-quarter net sales of $976 million, an increase of 2 percent over last year’s third quarter.

Zimmer paid $67 million cash to buy back 1.5 million shares of stock in a $1.25 billion repurchase program the directors have extended until Dec. 31, 2010.

sslater@jg.net