UPDATE 1-Deutsche Bahn nudges 2008 forecast down -sources

(Adds Deutsche Bahn denial in para 4-5)

By Markus Wacket

BERLIN, Sept 2 (Reuters) - German rail operator Deutsche Bahn[DBN.UL] has slightly lowered its operating profit forecast for 2008, company sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

The company's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) would come in 100 million euros lower than previously forecast at around 5.3 billion euros, the sources said.

The company, which is planning an initial public offering later this year, had expected to have operating results after interest of slightly over 1.8 billion euros but had now lowered that target to somewhat below 1.8 billion, the sources said.

Deutsche Bahn later denied the report, calling the story "completely made up".

Deutsche Bahn spokesman Oliver Schumacher said in a statement: "The forecasts we made at the mid-year news conference on Aug. 18 in Frankfurt are still valid. Everything else is nonsense."

The German government plans to sell a 24.9 percent stake in Deutsche Bahn's passenger transport, logistics and services businesses. The track, stations and energy supply will remain the property of the state.

A listing is expected in late October or November.

Some 80-90 percent of the shares are expected to go to long-term institutional investors, with only 10 percent likely to go to retail investors and employees. The IPO promises to be Germany's biggest stock flotation in eight years. (Reporting by Markus Wacket; Writing by Erik Kirschbaum, editing by Will Waterman)