Nice Systems Q4 profit tops estimates, sees better 2016

JERUSALEM, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Israeli software provider Nice Systems reported a higher than expected 12 percent rise in fourth-quarter net profit and forecast further growth in 2016.

Nice said on Thursday it earned $1.09 per diluted share excluding one-time items in the quarter, up from 97 cents a year earlier. Revenue grew 5.4 percent to $273.6 million, or up 8.3 percent excluding foreign currency effects.

Analysts had forecast Nice would earn $1.03 a share on revenue of $271.7 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

For the first quarter, Nice expects revenue of $220-$230 million and adjusted EPS of 71 cents to 77 cents.

For all of 2016, it projects revenue of $995 million to $1.015 billion and adjusted EPS of $3.38 to $3.52. The outlook includes the acquisition of Nexidia, which is expected to close by the end of the first quarter.

Its EPS grew 17 percent in 2015 to $3.18, while revenue rose 6 percent to $927 million.

Nice declared a cash dividend for the fourth quarter of 16 cents a share, unchanged from the third quarter.

Nice is banking on analytical tools, which allow companies to delve into large amounts of data to spot fraud and fend off security threats, to deliver faster growth amid slowing sales growth of systems helping call centres and surveillance of buildings and transport networks.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer)