UPDATE 1-RightNow Technologies Q4 beats; Q1 EPS view misses

* Q4 adj. EPS $0.10 vs est $0.06

* Q4 rev $41.6 mln, up 15 pct

* Sees Q1 adj. EPS $0.06-$0.08 vs est $0.09

* Shares down 3 pct after market

Feb 3 (Reuters) - Software maker RightNow Technologies Inc (RNOW.O) posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings, helped by growth in software, hosting and support revenue, but forecast first-quarter earnings below analysts' estimates.

The company forecast first-quarter adjusted earnings of 6 cents to 8 cents a share, on revenue of $40 million to $42.5 million.

Analysts on average were looking for first-quarter earnings of 9 cents a share, on revenue of $40.3 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

RightNow Technologies, posted a fourth-quarter net income of $2.6 million, or 8 cents per share, compared with net income of $692,000, or 2 cents per share, last year.

Revenue rose 15 percent to $41.6 million, beating analysts' estimates of $39.8 million.

Software, hosting and support revenue grew 21 percent to $32.2 million.

Excluding special items, the company earned 10 cents a share, trumping analysts' expectations of 6 cents a share.

Shares of the company down 3 percent at $16.08 in after-market trade. They closed at $16.52 Wednesday on Nasdaq.

For alerts, double click [ID:nWNAB2600] (Reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed in Bangalore; Editing by Unnikrishnan Nair)