DUBAI, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Samba Financial Group 1090.SE , Saudi Arabia's third-largest bank by assets, reported a 12 percent fall in fourth-quarter net profit on Thursday, missing analysts' forecasts.

The bank made a profit of 1.09 billion riyals ($290.6 million) in the three months to Dec. 31, down from 1.23 billion a year earlier, it said in a bourse statement.

That was short of the 1.37 billion riyals forecast by three analysts polled by Reuters.

($1 = 3.7505 riyals)

(Reporting by Tom Arnold; editing by Jason Neely) ((Tom.Arnold@thomsonreuters.com; +97144536265; Reuters Messaging: tom.arnold.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))