Intel forecasts first-quarter below estimates, shares fall

(Reuters) - Intel Corp forecast current-quarter revenue and profit below analysts' estimates and missed on fourth-quarter revenue expectations on Thursday, as a slowdown in China hit demand for its data centre chips.

The company's shares fell 7.7 percent in extended trading and also undid part of a chip stock rally earlier in the day due to better-than-feared quarterly results from a clutch of chipmakers such as Texas Instruments Inc, Xilinx Inc and Lam Research Corp.

Intel forecast first-quarter revenue of $16 billion and adjusted earnings of 87 cents per share.

Analysts on average were expecting revenue of $17.35 billion and a profit of $1.01 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Intel has turned to the server chips it supplies data center operators for growth in recent years. However, fourth-quarter revenue in that higher-margin business came in at $6.07 billion, below expectations of $6.35 billion, according to financial and data analytics firm FactSet.

The company said data center missed expectations "on softer China demand" and "cloud deceleration".

Intel reported net income of $5.20 billion, or $1.12 per share, for the fourth-quarter ended Dec. 29, compared with a loss of $687 million, or 15 cents per share, a year earlier.

Net revenue rose to $18.66 billion from $17.05 billion, but missed estimates of $19.01 billion.

Excluding items, the company earned $1.28 per share, above expectations of $1.22.

(Reporting by Sonam Rai in Bengaluru and and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)