UPDATE 2-EXFO Electro-Optical posts Q3 loss, sees weak Q4

* Q3 loss $0.39/shr vs yr-ago profit $0.16/shr * Results hit by $21.7 mln goodwill impairment charge

* Sales drop 10 pct to $43.6 mln

* Sees Q4 loss $0.06 to $0.10/shr (Recasts, adds analyst's comment, details)

By R. Manikandan

BANGALORE, June 30 (Reuters) - Canada's EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering Inc (EXF.TO) posted a wider-than-expected third-quarter loss, hurt by a goodwill impairment charge and foreign exchange losses, and forecast a weak fourth quarter.

The company also said it cut its workforce by 5 percent, or 65 employees, and would incur pre-tax charges of about $1.3 million in the fourth quarter.

EXFO sees fourth-quarter net loss of 6 cents to 10 cents per share, on sales of $33 million to $38 million.

Analysts on average were expecting fourth-quarter earnings of 2 cents a share, on revenue of $45.5 million.

"Fourth-quarter should be the worst. I would suspect that would be their bottom quarter and should improve after that," analyst Kris Thompson of National Bank Financial said by phone.