Infosys Q1 profit up 17 pct, beats estimates

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Infosys Technologies Ltd beat expectations with a 17 percent rise in quarterly profit and raised its full-year forecast at the lower end on hopes for a pick up in outsourcing demand from overseas clients.

India's No. 2 software services exporter forecast consolidated revenue to fall 3.1-4.6 percent to $4.45-$4.52 billion in the year to March 2010. It expects earnings to decline 11.1-12.3 percent in dollar terms.

That compares with its April forecast of earnings to fall 11.1-15.1 percent on a revenue fall of 3.1-6.7 percent.

"We believe that in the short term the global economic environment will continue to be challenging," said S. Gopalakrishnan, the chief executive of the Nasdaq-listed company, which kicks off the sector's results.

The Indian software sector's scorching pace of growth has halted as many leading customers are struggling to stay afloat, have gone bankrupt, or are tackling severe cost cuts, leaving little room to boost technology spending.

Infosys, rivals Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro also face competition from big players, IBM, Accenture and Hewlett-Packard who have raided their home-turf and are winning contracts.

Analysts said reduced pace of deal cancellations and signs of stability in the key financial sector was positive, but a pick-up in the sector's growth was unlikely.

"Still there are concerns and their guidance shows they are not very optimistic about business recovery in the IT sector. Let's wait for a quarter or two," said K.K Mital, head of portfolio management services at Globe Capital in New Delhi.

Infosys, which develops applications, supply chains and runs back-office services, said net profit rose to 15.27 billion rupees ($314 million) in April-June, its fiscal first quarter, from 13.02 billion a year ago.