UPDATE 2-Tesoro suspends dividend, shares off 6 percent

* Q4 net loss $1.30/share vs year-ago profit

* Suspending dividend

* Shares fall 6 percent in post-market trading

* Q1 spending cut by $100 mln

(Updates share prices, adds details, background)

HOUSTON, Feb 2 (Reuters) - U.S. independent refiner Tesoro Corp (TSO.N) said on Tuesday it is suspending its dividend as it reported a fourth-quarter loss on weak fuel demand.

The shares of the San Antonio company tumbled 6 percent to $12.26 after the close of regular trading.

Tesoro and other refiners that process oil into fuels such as diesel and gasoline have suffered the double blow of falling demand and higher crude prices.

"Depressed consumer demand for transportation fuels significantly impacted the company's gross margins," said Bruce Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Tesoro.

Net loss in the quarter was $179 million, or $1.30 cents per share, compared with a profit of $97 million, or 70 cents per share in the same quarter a year ago.

To conserve cash, Tesoro said it is halting its quarterly payout to shareholders for the foreseeable future. The company also plans to cut capital spending in the first quarter by $100 million to $150 million. (Reporting by Anna Driver in Houston; editing by Bernard Orr and Andre Grenon)