Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing forecasts 8.4% rise in operating profit next year

TOKYO, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Japan's Fast Retailing, owner of clothing brand Uniqlo, said on Thursday it expects operating profit to climb 8.4% to 270 billion yen ($2.38 billion) next year.

For the year ended in August, it reported 249 billion in operating profit. That compared with the 245.7 billion yen forecast in a Refinitiv poll of 13 analysts, and earnings of 149.3 billion yen a year ago.

The company's shares have fallen 22% year-to-date, compared with a 4.1% advance in the benchmark Nikkei 225 index.

($1 = 113.4900 yen) (Reporting by Rocky Swift in Tokyo; Editing by Tom Hogue)