Feb 10 (Reuters) - Israeli contract chipmaker Tower

Semiconductor forecast first-quarter 2025 revenue

slightly above estimates on Monday, on expectations of resilient

demand for its chips from the automobile sector.

The U.S.-listed shares of the company were up 1% in

premarket trading.

Tower makes analog and mixed-signal semiconductors used

mainly in automobiles for "fabless" firms, which design chips

but outsource their fabrication.

Despite the automobile sector struggling to clear inventory

since its excessive stockpiling during the pandemic, a trend

exacerbated by a slowdown in demand for electric vehicles in the

past year, Tower Semiconductor has been resilient in recent

quarters and has continued to supply its chips.

The chipmaker forecast first-quarter revenue of $358

million, with an upward or downward range of 5%, slightly above

analysts' estimates of $357.5 million, according to data

compiled by LSEG.

Tower posted fourth-quarter revenue of $387.2 million, which

was in-line with estimates.

Net profit for the quarter ending December 31 was $55.1

million, below estimates of $58.7 million, due to taking on its

portion of incremental costs of the greenfield chipmaking plant

in Agrate, Italy.

On an adjusted basis, the company reported quarterly profit

of 59 cents per share, compared with analysts' estimates of 52

cents per share.