UPDATE 1-Maybank Q2 profit up 15 pct on regional growth

* Q2 net 1.3 bln ringgit vs 1.13 bln year ago

* Targets 15.6 pct loan growth in 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Malaysia's biggest

lender Maybank reported a 15 percent rise in

second-quarter net profit and gave an upbeat outlook, driven by

strong business growth in its Southeast Asian subsidiaries.

Malaysian banks have reported robust earnings in recent

quarters, riding on growth back home and in Singapore and

Indonesia, although a possible euro zone recession may slow

global growth and earnings for the lenders.

"Notwithstanding the global challenges, the group expects to

maintain a satisfactory performance for the next financial year

ending 31 Dec, 2012 in view of expected growth in key markets

that the group operates," Maybank said in a statement on

Thursday.

Maybank said it was targeting growing loans and debt

securities by 15.6 percent in the financial year ending Dec

2012. The lender has changed its financial year-end to Dec. 31

from June 30 previously and the first new financial year ended

on Dec 31 with a shorter six-month period.

Its second-quarter net profit rose to 1.3 billion ringgit

($429 million) from 1.125 billion ringgit in the same quarter of

the previous year. Analysts generally do not provide detailed

quarterly estimates of Malaysian companies.

Out of the 24 analysts tracking the stock, 13 have either a

Buy or Strong Buy ratings, eight have Holds and three have

Underperforms or Sells.

Maybank's shares were steady at 8.70 ringgit prior to the

earnings announcement, versus a flat broader market.

($1 = 3.0260 Malaysian ringgit)

(Reporting by Niluksi Koswanage and Yantoultra Ngui; Editing by

Muralikumar Anantharaman)