UPDATE 2-Galiform ups profit guidance, shares rise

* Says 2009 profit likely to top market forecasts

* Howden Joinery sales down 3.3 pct H2 to Oct. 4

* Howden Joinery sales up 3.1 Oct. 5 to Oct. 31

* To open 8 stores by end of yr, 20-30 in 2010

* Shares up 10.3 pct at 1221 GMT

(Adds detail, analyst comment, updates shares)

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - British kitchen supplier Galiform (GFRM.L) said on Thursday its full-year profit would likely exceed market expectations as it posted improving sales and announced the resumption of its store opening programme.

Shares in the firm, which had already tripled over the last year, rose as much as 12.5 percent to a 12-month high of 91.8 pence, after it said pretax profit for 2009 was unlikely to be less than the top end of the current range of market expectations, which is 50 million pounds ($82.9 million) according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Analysts at Numis Securities upgraded their 2009 profit forecast to 56 million pounds from 40 million pounds and their forecast for 2010 to 63 million pounds from 47 million pounds.