** Shares of Simonds Group SIO.AX rise 46.7% to A$0.220, their biggest intraday pct gain in nearly 9 years

** Stock hits highest since Feb. 3, 2024

** Home builder says it will pay A$10 million ($6.22 million) to buy Dennis Family Homes, another builder which has 300 homes under construction

** Says deal will start boosting Simonds' earnings from Q1 FY26 and is expected to boost revenue by A$200 million that year

** Stock gained 57.1% YTD

($1 = 1.6082 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Jasmeen Ara Shaikh in Bengaluru)

((Jasmeenaraislam.shaikh@thomsonreuters.com))