SDL says 1st-qtr performance below its expectations

April 25 (Reuters) - Translation software company SDL Plc said performance in the first quarter was slightlybehind its expectations, hurt by its language services andtechnology businesses.

Revenue at SDL's core language services division wasmarginally ahead over the year-ago period, but profit fell dueto pricing pressures and investments made as the companytransitions to automated translations.

The company's technology unit recorded broadly flat revenuegrowth in the first quarter, slightly behind managementexpectations.

SDL said bookings in the technology unit's campaignmanagement, analytics and social intelligence business - whichprovides social media monitoring and marketing analytictechnology - were below its estimates.

"We are making very good progress with our investment insales and marketing, the returns from which we expect to startseeing in the form of bookings in the second half of thefinancial year," Chief Executive Mark Lancaster said.

Shares in the company were down 2 percent at 377.4 pence at0734 GMT on Thursday on the London Stock Exchange. (Reporting by Brenton Cordeiro in Bangalore; Editing by RoshniMenon)