* Still sees 2009 EBIT at break-even to slightly positive
* Outlook excludes any negative impact from Chrysler
* Sees 2009 new orders down significantly
* Shares up 5 percent (Adds background, comment)
FRANKFURT, May 12 (Reuters) - Germany's Kuka, which makes welding robots, has extended credit lines maturing next year and cut its exposure to struggling Detroit carmakers, it said on Tuesday, but warned that 2009 orders will drop sharply.
Kuka stuck to its 2009 outlook and said operating profit will be at break-even to slightly positive, but added this forecast excluded the possible negative impact from developments at Chrysler, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and other customers. Chief executive Horst Kayser told reporters Kuka has reduced its risk exposure to Chrysler to 10.4 million euros ($14.2 million) and to 8.5 million at General Motors.
He said the company managed to extend until 2011 credit lines that were originally set to mature in 2010 and that it was in talks with lenders for extensions of other credit lines.
With automotive and other industrial customers slashing capital spending since the last quarter of last year, Kuka skipped its dividend for 2008 and launched cost-cutting measures to save 50 million euros this year.
It has expanded this restructuring by slashing around 10 percent in personnel costs and said further adjustments will be made, without providing details.
Kuka gave a profit warning last month when it released preliminary figures on EBIT, sales and new orders, two weeks ahead of schedule.
First-quarter new orders fell 47 percent to 212 million euros while EBIT broke even compared to a 16 million profit the year before.
By 1010 GMT the company's shares were up 5.1 percent to 11.69 euros, outpacing a 0.1 percent drop in Germany's midcap index.
However, Kuka's shares have fallen by more than 12 percent so far this year, while the MDAX has risen by 1.5 percent. (Editing by Rupert Winchester)
($1 = 0.7336 euro)