SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics on Tuesday said operating profit likely fell 59.7 per cent in the July-September period to 4.1 trillion won (S4.9 million) as earnings from its market-leading smartphone division likely continued to shrink.

The guidance, released ahead of final third-quarter figures due around end-October, was lower than a 5.6 trillion won mean estimate of 43 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

It would mark the company's fourth consecutive quarter of declining operating profit.

Samsung also said third-quarter sales likely fell 20.5 per cent to 47 trillion won, compared with a mean forecast for 50.9 trillion won by the Thomson Reuter I/B/E/S survey.