UPDATE 2-Amerisource earnings beat Street, raises forecast

* Q2 net income rises 7 percent

* Sees FY 2009 EPS at $3.18-$3.30 (Adds details)

NEW YORK, April 23 (Reuters) - Drug wholesaler AmerisourceBergen Corp (ABC.N) reported a 7 percent rise in quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by generic drug sales and cost controls, and raised its fiscal year forecast.

Fiscal second-quarter net earnings were $143.4 million, or 94 cents per share, compared with $133.9 million, or 82 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, earnings were 7 cents ahead of the average estimate of earnings, according to Reuters Estimates.

Revenue fell 2.5 percent to $17.3 billion, hurt by one less business day than in the year-earlier period and by the loss of business last July with a large retail drug chain.

Valley Forge, Pennsylvania-based Amerisource increased its fiscal year forecast for earnings from continuing operations to a range of $3.18 to $3.30 per share, a 10 percent to 14 percent increase over the prior year. It previously forecast $3.08 to $3.25 per share.

The company said the higher forecast stems primarily from an expectation of fewer outstanding shares and reduced interest expense.

Amerisource continues to expect revenue growth of 1 percent to 3 percent for the fiscal year. (Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf and Debra Sherman; Editing by Derek Caney, Dave Zimmerman)