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LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - Home Retail, theretailer at the centre of a bidding war, said sales at its Argosstores open over a year fell 1.1 percent in the eight weeks toFeb. 27, an improvement on the year overall, helped by itsupgraded home delivery service.
The company said on Thursday that the stronger finish to theyear put it on track to report group benchmark profit before taxin line with the current consensus of market expectations of 93million pounds ($132 million).
British supermarket Sainsbury's and South Africangroup Steinhoff International both want to buy HomeRetail, and have been given until March 18 to formalise bids.
On Feb. 27 Home Retail completed the 340 million poundsdisposal of its Homebase home improvement business to Australiangroup Wesfarmers, leaving it with just the Argosbusiness.
($1 = 0.7048 pounds) (Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Sarah Young)
