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Cultura

LinkedIn's sales outlook again falls short


    SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - LinkedIn Corp forecast 2014 revenue below Wall Street's expectations, underscoring concerns about its ability to sustain its rapid growth and helping to drag its shares more than 3 percent lower on Thursday.

    The social networking company, which is geared toward connecting professionals with prospective employers, foresees revenue of $500 million to $505 million this quarter, compared with an average Wall Street forecast of $505.1 million.

    For all of 2014, it expects sales of $2.06 billion to $2.08 billion - up from a previous forecast, but still lagging analysts' $2.11 billion target.

    Its shares slid to $155.80 in afterhours trading from a close of $161.22 on the New York Stock Exchange.

    LinkedIn's tepid outlook overshadowed a higher-than-expected 46 percent increase in first-quarter revenue to $473.2 million, versus the $466.6 million expected by analysts on average, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

    And it posted non-GAAP earnings of 38 cents a share, better than the 34 cents expected.

    (Reporting by San Francisco newsroom; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Andre Grenon)