JERUSALEM, May 7 (Reuters) - Israeli software provider Nice Systems reported a 26 percent rise in quarterly profit that topped estimates, boosted by continued growth in its analytics products and cost-cutting measures.
Nice said on Thursday it earned 72 cents per diluted share excluding one-time items in the first quarter, up from 57 cents a year earlier. Revenue grew 7.5 percent to $246.1 million.
The company said revenue would have risen 10 percent if not for a negative impact from foreign exchange rates.
Analysts forecast Nice would earn 69 cents a share ex-items on revenue of $243.9 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Nice itself in February had estimated adjusted EPS of 66-72 cents and revenue of $240-$248 million.
For the second quarter, Nice foresees revenue of $249-$257 million and adjusted diluted EPS of 67-73 cents. It also raised its 2015 adjusted EPS estimate to $3.10-$3.21 from $3.06-$3.20, but maintained a full year revenue outlook of $1.065-$1.085 billion.
Nice declared a cash dividend for the first quarter of 16 cents a share, unchanged from the fourth quarter.
It added that the company's board had authorised a new share buy-back programme of up to $100 million.
(Reporting by Steven Scheer, editing by David Evans)