SUNNYVALE, Calif. (AP) -- GPS-technology company Trimble Navigation Ltd. said Tuesday that its third-quarter profit sank 60 percent on lower demand for its products but it forecast growth next year.

The profit for the quarter ended Oct. 2 was $15.6 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with a profit of $39.1 million, or 31 cents per share in the prior-year period.

Adjusted profit was 25 cents per share.

Revenue in the quarter fell 18 percent to $269.7 million from $328.1 million a year earlier.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters, who generally exclude one-time items from their estimates, were expecting a profit of 26 cents per share with revenue of $271.8 million.

Sales across all four of Trimble's business were down, led by engineering and construction and advanced devices, which declined 22 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

"Although economic conditions remain volatile and uncertain, we now believe we have the capability to provide double digit revenue growth in 2010 with significantly higher earnings growth," said Steven Berglund, Trimble's president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

For the fourth quarter, Trimble expects revenue in the range of $265 million and $270 million and adjusted earnings per share between 19 cents and 21 cents. Analysts are expecting third-quarter earnings of 24 cents a share on revenue of $264.4 million.

In after-hours trading, Trimble's shares rose 70 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $22, after shedding 13 cents to close the regular session at $21.30.