Greg Brown, chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions Inc, speaks during the 13D Monitor's Active-Passive Investor Summit in New York City, U.S., October 17, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo
(Reuters) - Safety and enterprise security services provider Motorola Solutions forecast first-quarter adjusted profit above Wall Street estimates on Thursday, driven by higher demand for its safety and security services.
Government agencies and businesses have been making efforts to strengthen their security and communication infrastructure, aiming to prevent disruptions to operations caused by cyberattacks, benefiting Motorola.
"Strong demand for our safety and security solutions, together with our record backlog, positions us well for another year of strong growth," said CEO Greg Brown.
J.P. Morgan analysts see potential factors driving broader demand in the public safety market this year due to a heightened focus on crime reduction in major cities and enhanced border security, prompting higher investments from key customers such as the police and border patrol.
Motorola's backlog remains at record levels with a strong upgrade cycle for land mobile radio in the early innings, along with robust demand for video analytics solutions across various industries, they said in a note on Monday.
Chicago, Illinois-based Motorola's shares rose 2% in extended trading.
Motorola provides critical communications gear including walkie-talkies, video-surveillance cameras, and software solutions, helping communities served by its customers during emergencies.
In January, Motorola said it would acquire Theatro Labs, a company that makes AI and voice-powered communication and digital workflow software for frontline workers.
Motorola expects first-quarter adjusted profit per share between $2.98 and $3.03, above analysts' average estimate of $2.93 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. Revenue growth is expected to range from 5% to 5.5%.
For fiscal 2025, Motorola forecast adjusted profit between $14.64 and $14.74 per share, the midpoint of which is above estimates of $14.67 per share.
The company sees annual revenue growth of about 5.5%.
Motorola's revenue for the fourth-quarter ended December 31 was $3.01 billion, slightly above estimates of $2.99 billion.
(This story has been refiled to change the image)
(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Alan Barona)
