Feb 27 (Reuters) - Autodesk ( ADSK ) forecast annual

revenue and profit above Wall Street estimates on Thursday,

boosted by strong demand for its design and engineering software

across industries such as construction and manufacturing.

The company also said it would reduce its workforce by about

9%, representing roughly 1,350 employees, and laid out plans to

invest more heavily in cloud and artificial intelligence, adding

that it would reallocate resources towards those areas.

Companies across sectors such as architecture, engineering,

construction and product design are making extensive use of

Autodesk's ( ADSK ) 3D design solutions, with the software maker's

artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities

further driving spending on its products.

Autodesk ( ADSK ) saw a 23% jump in total billings to $2.11 billion

in the fourth quarter ended January 31.

The company's international operations have particularly

shown strength, while analysts have also noted that the company

was outpacing peers in the manufacturing sector, driven by the

performance of its 'Fusion' design software.

Shares of the San Francisco, California-based company were

up about 2% in extended trading.

Autodesk ( ADSK ) expects full-year revenue between $6.90 billion and

$6.97 billion, largely above analysts' average estimate of $6.90

billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

It projected an adjusted profit between $9.34 and $9.67 per

share for its fiscal year 2026, also above the $9.24 per share

estimated by analysts.

The company reported total revenue of $1.64 billion in the

fourth quarter, up 12% from last year and above analysts'

average estimate of $1.63 billion. It posted an adjusted profit

of $2.29 per share, beating estimates of $2.14 per share.