DETROIT -- American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. said its first-quarter net income rose 14 percent, helped by record sales resulting from its acquisition last year of Metaldyne Performance Group Inc.

The Detroit-based driveline supplier's Q1 sales of $1.86 billion increased $810 million year-over-year as it looks to achieve its projected full-year revenue of $7 billion, the company .

First-quarter net income was $89.4 million, or 78 cents per share, up from $78.4 million, or 99 cents per share, at the same point last year.

Excluding restructuring costs and other one-time items, American Axle's earnings equated to 98 cents per share. Wall Street analysts on average expected 81 cents per share, according to Zacks Investment Research.

American Axle completed a $3.3 billion acquisition of powertrain supplier Metaldyne in April 2017, reducing the company's reliance on its largest customer, General Motors, and positioning it for $7 billion in revenue this year.

Last month, American Axle sold "non-core assets" of its aftermarket powertrain business to a Florida-based private equity firm for $50 million. Benefits of the sale will be recorded in the company's second-quarter report.

The company had 2017 revenue of $6.27 billion, and pre-merger revenue of $3.95 billion in 2016. The supplier is planning 50-plus near-term major projects and launches aimed at growing and diversifying business.