Chipmaker AMD forecasts current-quarter revenue above estimates

(Reuters) - Advanced Micro Devices Inc forecast current-quarter revenue above analysts' estimates and raised its full-year expectations, betting on robust demand for its graphics chips and its new Ryzen processors for PCs. The company's shares rose 8.2 percent to $15.27 in extended trading on Tuesday. AMD said it now expected annual revenue to increase by "a mid to high-teens percentage", compared with its previous forecast of low double-digit percentage revenue growth. The chipmaker also said it expected current-quarter revenue to increase about 23 percent from the second quarter, which represents a mid-point of about $1.50 billion, plus or minus 3 percent. Analysts on average were expecting $1.39 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Sales in AMD's unit that makes processors, such as the Polaris chips used in PCs, rose 51.5 percent to $659 million in the second quarter. The company reported a net loss of $16 million, or 2 cents per share, in the three months ended July 1, compared with a profit of $69 million, or 8 cents per share, a year earlier. The year-ago quarter included a $150 million pre-tax gain related to its ATMP (assembly, test, mark and pack) joint venture transaction. Excluding items, the company earned 2 cents per share. Analysts on average had expected the company to breakeven on a per share basis. Revenue rose 19 percent to $1.22 billion, ahead of analysts' average estimate of $1.16 billion. (Reporting by Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)