* Sees FY op profit of 570 bln yen vs previous forecast 535 bln
* Q3 op profit 156 bln yen vs 121 bln yen analyst view
* Q3 op profit margin 5.3 pct, still off 8 pct goal (Adds company comment, U.S. discounts, margins, graphic)
By Chang-Ran Kim
YOKOHAMA, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co lifted its annual earnings forecast on Monday, expecting its highest operating profit in seven years due to favourable currency movement and further cost cuts.
Japan's No. 2 carmaker by sales also lowered its global sales forecast by 150,000 vehicles to 5.3 million, expecting weaker sales particularly in China and Russia due to weaker-than-expected overall demand in those markets.
Nissan raised its operating profit projection to 570 billion yen ($4.79 billion) for the year to end-March from the previously forecast 535 billion yen. A poll of 29 analysts by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S puts the profit at 589.9 billion yen.
For October-December, operating profit nearly doubled to 156.0 billion yen, eclipsing the 121.42 billion yen estimate of 12 analysts. Growth was helped by a low base of comparison from the year-earlier quarter, when earnings were pushed down by increased marketing and other spending.
Nissan also changed its dollar rate assumption to 108.8 yen for the year from 104 yen, lifting the value of revenue made in the United States, its biggest market.
"We anticipate good full-year results as our product offensive and positive momentum in North America and Western Europe offsets volatility in other markets," Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn said in a statement.
However, strong sales growth in the U.S. was achieved partly by offering consumers incentives well above the industry average. In the third quarter, discounts cost Nissan around $3,500 per vehicle, according to researcher Autodata.
"Our profitability in the United States still lags competitors," Corporate Vice President Joji Tagawa told a news conference. "This year, we'll aim to improve this by controlling costs and incentives more, as well as improving product pricing."
The launch of bigger, higher-margin vehicles such as the Murano SUV and Titan pickup trucks should also help, Tagawa said.
Nissan has said improving profitability is its top near-term priority, with a target of 8 percent operating margin by the year to March 2017.
So far this year, Nissan said its margin was 5.9 percent under its own calculation that includes Chinese profits under previous accounting standards.
For the third quarter only, Nissan reported a 5.3 percent margin, far short of compatriot Toyota Motor Corp's 10.6 percent and just below the 5.4 percent at Honda Motor Co , which is grappling multi-million-vehicle recalls for air bag problems.
($1 = 118.9300 yen) (Editing by Christopher Cushing)