UPDATE 1-FormFactor posts wider Q3 loss, sees weak Q4 rev

* Q3 loss/shr $0.48/ shr vs $0.29 yr ago

* Q3 rev falls 17 pct

* Sees 10 pct sequential rev decline in Q4

By Manasi Phadke

BANGALORE, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Semiconductor equipment maker FormFactor Inc (FORM.O) posted a wider quarterly loss due to a deep slump in the dynamic random access memory market, and forecast a weak fourth quarter.

The company, which makes wafer probe cards for the semiconductor industry, expects fourth-quarter revenue to fall about 10 percent sequentially.

Based on third-quarter sales of $43.8 million, a 10 percent decline would imply revenue of $39.4 million for the fourth quarter.

Analysts expect revenue of $47.5 million for the period, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

In a conference call, a company official said the current quarter was impacted by the timing of some orders which were expected during the period.

"The fourth quarter is suffering because of some orders being pulled into Q3 and some pushed out into Q1 and Q2," Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Gary Hsueh said.

Gross margins are also expected to fall from third-quarter levels, the company said on a conference call.

For the third-quarter, FormFactor posted a loss of $23.9 million, or 48 cents a share, compared with a loss of $14 million, or 29 cents a share, a year ago.

Excluding items, FormFactor, whose customers include Elpida Memory 6665.T, Powerchip Semiconductor (5346.TWO) and Intel Corp (INTC.O), posted a loss of 42 cents a share.

Revenue fell 17 percent to $43.8 million.

Analysts expected FormFactor to post a loss of 41 cents a share, before items, on revenue of $39.6 million.

Shares of the Livermore, California-based company closed at $17.87 Wednesday on Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Manasi Phadke in Bangalore, Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)