UPDATE 1-Piraeus Bank H1 net up 30 pct, meets forecasts

(Adds details, confirms targets)

ATHENS, July 31 (Reuters) - Piraeus Bank (BOPr.AT), Greece's fourth-largest lender, said on Thursday first-half net profit grew 30 percent to 283.8 million euros ($443.3 million), meeting forecasts, boosted mainly by expansion abroad.

Analysts in a recent Reuters poll forecast, on average, group net earnings of 281.7 million euros, with estimates ranging from 277 to 290 million euros.

Piraeus Bank said group net interest income rose 35 percent to 556 million euros, with its net interest margin (NIM) steady at 3 percent.

The lender, also present in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Albania, Cyprus, Egypt, Ukraine and the United States said profit from international activity almost tripled to 71 million euros from 24.6 million euros in the same period last year.

Its loan book expanded 42 percent to 36.3 billion euros with mortgages and consumer loans up 26 and 39 percent respectively.

Piraeus Bank also confirmed its 2008 net profit target of more than 600 million euros, it said in a presentation sent by e-mail on Thursday.

The company also said it was committed to achieving its business plan through to 2010.

(Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and George Hatzidakis; editing by Sue Thomas)