UDPATE 1-Equinix posts quarterly profit, raises 2008 outlook

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April 23 (Reuters) - Equinix Inc (EQIX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a provider of data centers and Internet exchange services, posted a surprise first-quarter profit as revenue surged 86 percent and raised its 2008 revenue outlook, sending its shares up 7 percent.

The company also forecast second-quarter revenue above Wall Street expectations.

For the first quarter, Equinix posted net income of $5.4 million, or 15 cents a share, compared with a loss of $4.5 million, or 15 cents a share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose 86 percent to $158.2 million.

Analysts expected a loss of 13 cents a share, excluding exceptional items, on revenue of $151.3 million, according to Reuters Estimates.

For 2008, the company sees revenue of $685 million to $700 million, up from its prior view of $650 million to $665 million.

Analysts were looking for revenue of $658.6 million for the year.

Equinix -- whose customers include Google Inc (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), BT Group Plc (BT.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and AT&T Inc (T.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) -- said it added 160 new customers in the first quarter, bringing the total number of customers worldwide to 1,994.