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* Screwfix estate could hit 612 stores
* Group overhaul on track
* H1 profit fall beats forecasts
* Cautious outlook weighs on shares (Recasts, adds quotes, shares)
By Neil Maidment
LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Kingfisher, Europe'slargest home improvements retailer, said it could open 200 moreof its strongly performing trade-focused British Screwfixstores, where sales have surged on demand for "do it for me"projects over "do it yourself".
The group, which also runs the B&Q chain in Britain andCastorama and Brico Depot in France and other countries, said itcould take its 412-strong Screwfix estate past the 600 mark at arate of almost 60 openings a year, targeting bigger cities.
"What we are aiming with the 200 stores is to put Screwfixreally close to the tradesmen because they won't drive very farto find a Screwfix. Time is money for them," new Chief ExecutiveVeronique Laury told reporters on Tuesday.
The expansion adds to a bigger plan to reshape Kingfisherannounced by Laury in March, which includes closing 60 B&Qstores, cutting product lines, developing unified garden andbathroom businesses and starting a revitalisation programme forbig stores across Europe.
The group said it was pleased with progress on its plans,with a new IT system and B&Q store closures on track, as itposted a 2.3 percent fall in adjusted pretax profit to 384million pounds ($592 million) for the 26 weeks to Aug.1, due toadverse foreign exchange movements and weak trade in France.
That was slightly ahead of an analyst forecast of 380million pounds supplied by the company, though shares in thefirm were down 2.8 percent to 350 pence at 0757 GMT on thegroup's cautious overall outlook.
"In the short term, whilst we remain encouraged by themacroeconomic backdrop in the UK, we remain cautious on theoutlook for France," Chief Financial Officer Karen Witts said.
Improving markets in Britain and Poland helped push grouplike-for-like sales up by 2.0 percent in the half, helpingoffset weaker demand in France, its biggest division, where lowconsumer confidence and a weak housing market is hitting trade.
In Britain, Screwfix, which supplies tools, plumbing andelectrical equipment predominantly to tradesmen, grew underlyingsales by 16.5 percent, helped by new ranges and strong growth inorders from mobile phones.
The group's larger UK business B&Q, aimed at the massmarket, saw a 0.7 percent rise in underlying sales.
Laury said the Screwfix expansion would not eat into B&Qprofits as the two businesses served different needs - with thestrongest growing categories at Screwfix being electricals andplumbing, compared to wallpaper and paint at B&Q.
($1 = 0.6483 pounds) (Editing by Jon Boyle)
