Wartsila Q2 operating profit misses forecast

HELSINKI, July 18 (Reuters) - Finnish ship and power plant engine maker Wartsila reported a surprise fall in second-quarter operating profit due to slightly weaker-than-expected sales.

April-June operating profit, excluding one-off items, fell 3 percent year-on-year to 113 million euros ($138 million), missing an average forecast of 120 million euros in a Reuters poll of analysts.

Wartsila repeated on Wednesday it expects full-year 2012 sales to grow around 5-10 percent year-on-year and its operating profit margin to be 10-11 percent.

($1 = 0.8188 euros) (Reporting by Helsinki Newsroom; Editing by Mark Potter)