MOSCOW - LUKOIL, Russia's second largest oil producer, missed forecasts with a 40 percent tumble in third-quarter profit as oil prices fell and the rouble depreciated against the dollar.

The company, 20 percent owned by U.S. oil major ConocoPhilips, saw its net income attributable to shareholders dropped to $2.056 billion in the three months to end September, down from $3.472 billion in the same period last year.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected net profit to fall to $2.215 billion.

LUKOIL shares traded 1.2 percent lower at 0758 GMT, underperforming the broader Russian market, MICEX , and MICEX's oil and gas indexes .MCXOG.

Sales came in at $21.91 billion, below the poll forecast of $23.27 billion.

The decrease in sales was due to a significant decrease in hydrocarbon prices compared to the third quarter of 2008, the company said in a statement.

Moreover, the devaluation of the rouble against the U.S. dollar in 2009 also seriously affected our average realized prices in Russia.

Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell to $3.70 billion from $5.66 billion in the third quarter of 2008 compared to forecast of $3.925 billion.

The company did not provide an outlook statement, but will hold a press conference at 1300 GMT. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by John Bowker/Will Waterman)

Russia Conocophillips