* Q2 shr ex-items $0.86 vs $0.79 expected

* Q2 sales up 9 pct to $4.35 bln

* Sees full-year EPS $3.65

* Shares up 1.5 pct

April 26 (Reuters) - Industrial conglomerate Tyco International Ltd, which is breaking up later this year, reported higher-than-expected quarterly earnings on Thursday, helped by stronger profit in its commercial fire and security business, and said the split-up was on track to be completed in September.

Shares gained 1.5 percent to $55.51 in early trading.

Net earnings rose to $327 million, or 70 cents per share, in the second quarter ended March 30, from $315 million, or 66 cents per share, a year earlier.

Earnings from continuing operations excluding special items were 86 cents a share, beating estimates by 7 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Sales rose 9 percent to $4.35 billion, compared with Wall Street estimates of $4.22 billion. Sales of fire and security products rose, but Tyco installed fewer systems because of weak construction markets. The fire and security business is Tyco's biggest.

The company raised its full-year profit forecast, saying it now expects earnings of about $3.65 a share, which matches Wall Street estimates.

Tyco, which has targeted September for a planned break-up of the industrial conglomerate, said it was making good progress but declined to elaborate or take questions on the break-up during its analyst conference call.

Last month, Pentair Inc reached a $4.6 billion stock deal to absorb Tyco's flow-control business, roughly doubling Pentair's size and making it the largest player in its sector, majority-owned by Tyco shareholders.

Tyco has said the split would allow its three businesses -- ADT North America residential security, flow control products and services, and the fire and security business -- to have more options for growth, both from within and through acquisitions.