Bridgestone's operating profit to fall 26% - paper

TOKYO, July 12 (Reuters) - Japan's Bridgestone Corp (5108.T), one of the world's biggest tyre makers, will likely see its group operating profit for the current business year fall 26 percent from a year ago, hurt by rising rubber prices, a Japanese newspaper reported on Saturday.

Bridgestone's group operating profit for the year ending on Dec. 31 is now forecast to fall to about 185 billion yen ($1.74 billion), down from the company's initial estimate of 195 billion yen, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun financial daily said in its morning edition.

Analysts' average forecast for Bridgestone's operating profit this year is about 189 billion yen, according to Thomson Reuters estimates.

Sales are expected to top the company's initial forecast, but they are likely to be offset by the rise in rubber prices and the company delaying passing the costs onto product prices, the newspaper said without citing sources.

The newspaper said sales are forecast to rise 9 percent to about 3.7 trillion yen, exceeding the initial projection by 140 billion yen.

The company's group sales for the half year ended June 30 are expected to have risen 8 percent to about 1.75 trillion yen, while operating profit will likely have fallen 7 percent to around 95 billion yen, the newspaper said. (Editing by Kim Coghill) ($1=106.21 Yen)