MetLife Inc , the largest publicly traded U.S. life insurer, issued profit forecasts for the fourth quarter and 2010 that could beat average Wall Street expectations.

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued before a scheduled MetLife investor day, the company said it expected to post operating earnings per share in the fourth quarter of between 90 cents and 95 cents, compared to the average analyst forecast of 91 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The New York-based insurer also estimated that its full-year 2010 results, on the same basis, would be within a range of $4.00 to $4.40 a share, compared to expectations of $4.11 a share.

MetLife's stock closed at $35.33 on Friday, and has more than tripled since it hit a 52-week low of $11.37 in March.

(Reporting by Lilla Zuill and Elinor Comlay; Editing by Derek Caney)