UPDATE 1-Lawson Software Q4 profit in line; shrs fall on outlook
* Forecasts Q1 results below Wall Street view
* Q4 adj EPS of 10 cents meets estimates
* Q4 revenue falls 20 pct
* Shares fall 9 percent
July 9 (Reuters) - Business software maker Lawson Software Inc (LWSN.O) posted a fourth-quarter profit that was in line with Wall Street expectations, but forecast first-quarter results below estimates, sending its shares down 9 percent.
The company, which competes with bigger rivals SAP (SAPG.DE) and Oracle (ORCL.O), said it was not providing outlook for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2010.
Lawson forecast first-quarter earnings of 5 cents a share, excluding items, on revenue of $160 million to $165 million.
Analysts were looking for earnings of 8 cents a share, excluding items, on revenue of $165.7 million, according to Reuters Estimates.
Net income for the fourth-quarter rose to $9.8 million, or 6 cents per share, from $3.7 million, or 2 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 20 percent to $186.2 million, hurt by currency fluctuations.
Excluding items, the company posted earnings of 10 cents a share. License fees declined 19 percent, while consulting revenue dropped 34 percent.
Analysts expected earnings of 10 cents a share, excluding exceptional items, on revenue of $177.1 million.
Shares of the St. Paul, Minnesota-based company were trading down at $5 after the bell. They closed at $5.40 Thursday on Nasdaq. (Reporting by Shrutika Verma in Bangalore; Editing by Vinu Pilakkott)
