* Reiterates 2009 EPS growth target of at least 7 percent
* H1 recurring EPS 4.68 euros vs f'cast 4.61 euros
* Net asset value per share 131.7 eur vs f'cast 139 eur
* Shares close down 0.7 percent
(Adds details)
PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) - Unibail-Rodamco, Europe's largest property investor, posted a forecast-beating rise in first-half earnings on Wednesday and reiterated its aim for earnings per share growth of at least 7 percent this year.
The Franco-Dutch retail investment specialist, whose peers include Land Securities and Hammerson, had recurring earnings of 4.68 euros per share in the first six months of 2009, it said in a statement.
This compared to an average of forecasts by four analysts polled by Reuters Estimates of 4.61 euros per share and 4.34 euros a year earlier.
Unibail said net asset value per share was 131.7 euros at the end of June, compared with 172 euros a year earlier and an analyst forecast for 139 euros per share.
The company had a property portfolio of 22.8 billion euros at the end of June, compared with just under 25 billion at the end of 2008.
Shares in Unibail-Rodamco closed down 0.7 percent at 113.50 euros on Wednesday, compared with a broadly flat benchmark CAC 40 index.
In May, Land Securities posted a full-year pretax loss of 4.77 billion pounds versus a loss of 988 million in the previous year. It added that it saw market conditions remaining challenging, with rising vacancies and weaker rental values putting rental income under pressure. (Reporting by Sophie Taylor; Editing by James Regan)