Samsung Elec estimates Q3 profit at record $7.3 bln

SEOUL Oct 5 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co, the world's biggest technology firm by revenue, estimated its July-September operating profit at a record 8.1 trillion Korean won ($7.3 billion), d ri ven by strong sales of its Galaxy smartphones.

The South Korean firm's guidance - ahead of full quarterly results by Oct. 26 - was higher than an average forecast of 7.6 trillion won by 16 analysts polled by Reuters.

Samsung, valued at around $197 billion, estimated its July-September sales at 52.0 trillion won, compared with a market forecast for 51.7 trillion won.

Samsung shares have risen 7.2 percent since a U.S. court ruled on Aug. 24 that the Korean firm copied parts of rival Apple Inc's iPhone and awarded the California-based firm more than $1 billion in damages. Apple is up less than 1 percent.