UPDATE 2-Sonus posts profit, but sees weakness in 2nd half

(Recasts; adds details, share movement, comments from conference call)

BANGALORE, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Telecommunications-gear maker Sonus Networks Inc (SONS.O) reported quarterly earnings that beat market estimates as it was helped by strong growth in its products segment, but said it sees weakness in the second half of the year, sending its shares down more than 16 percent.

The company is not in a position to reaffirm its previous outlook or provide revised estimates for the second half of the year, Chief Executive Officer Richard Nottenburg said in a conference call with analysts.

At the beginning of year, Sonus set an outlook of 20 percent revenue growth for 2008 with much of that growth anticipated to take place in the second half.

The company posted a second-quarter profit of $126,000, or breakeven a share, compared with a loss of $7 million, or 3 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Excluding items, it earned 3 cents a share.

Revenue rose 16 percent to $87.9 million in the quarter. Product revenue rose 20 percent to $62.4 million.

Analysts expected earnings of 2 cents a share, before items, on revenue of about $86.2 million, according to Reuters Estimates.

Sonus shares fell 16 percent to $3.50 in trading after the bell. They closed at $4.19 Monday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by S John Tilak and Aftab Ahmed in Bangalore; Editing by Anil D'Silva)