*

Around 20 billion euros to go to investments, acquisitions

and

shareholder returns

*

Focus on expansion in North America, Asia, emerging

countries

(Adds detail on business goals, share move and revenue in

paragraphs 2-3, 5)

By Mateusz Rabiega

Oct 6 (Reuters) - Saint-Gobain plans to spend

around 12 billion euros ($14 billion) to grow its business

through organic investments and acquisitions under its 2026-2030

strategy, while earmarking roughly 8 billion euros for

shareholder returns, the French construction group said on

Monday.

The company will focus on growing its construction chemicals

segment, as well as expanding in high-growth markets of North

America and Asia-Pacific, as it turns more toward industrial and

non-residential sectors, it said in a statement.

As part of its strategy, the company wants to seize

opportunities, including the demand from rising population and

urbanisation in Asia and emerging countries, a potential market

recovery in Europe, and strong long-term needs in North America.

Ultimately, the group expects high-growth markets to account

for close to 60% of its sales in the long term, versus around

50% today.

Saint-Gobain shares rose over 1% in early trading before

reversing course as French stocks plunged after the unexpected

resignation of the country's new Prime Minister Sebastien

Lecornu. The shares were down 2.4% by 1138 GMT.

Saint-Gobain wants to pay out around 6 billion euros in

dividends, and 2 billion in share buybacks, it said.

The company also raised the financial targets for the next

four years, compared to the ones it had set for 2021-2025, and

said it aimed to outperform the wider market with

mid-single-digit percentage growth in sales on average.

It targets a core profit (EBITDA) margin of between 15% and

18%, up from 13% to 15% expected in the previous strategy.

($1 = 0.8539 euros)

(Reporting by Mateusz Rabiega in Gdansk, editing by Milla

Nissi-Prussak and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)