HK fashion chain Esprit H2 net down 19 pct

HONG KONG, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Esprit Holdings Ltd (0330.HK), the world's No.8 apparel retailer by market value, on Thursday posted a 19 percent fall in fiscal second-half profit, lagging forecasts amid slower sales growth, euro weakness and soaring costs.

Esprit recorded a net profit of HK$1.53 billion ($196 million) for its second half ended June, down from HK$1.89 billion a year earlier.

The result was lower than an average estimate of HK$1.73 billion from 13 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Competing with Hennes & Mauritz AB (HMb.ST), Inditex SA (ITX.MC), and GAP Inc (GPS.N), Esprit posted a net profit of HK$4.23 billion for the year ended June, compared with a profit of HK$4.745 billion for the previous fiscal year.

Its shares have fallen more than 13 percent so far this year, underperforming a 4.5 percent fall in the Hang Seng Index .HSI. The stock was up 1.4 percent at midday on Thursday. (US$1=HK$7.77) (Reporting by Donny Kwok and Michelle Chen; Editing by Chris Lewis)