18th Aug 2020 05:15
(Alliance News) - Anglo-Australian mining firm BHP Group PLC said Tuesday it lowered its annual dividend, as profit and revenue declined on lower prices and an increase in the closure of mines and rehabilitation provisions, as a result of Covid-19.
For the year to the end of June, pretax profit dropped by 10% to USD13.51 billion from USD15.05 billion the year before, as revenue declined by 4.3% to USD42.39 billion from USD44.29 billion.
BHP's revenue performance came in short of company-compiled expectations, which stood at USD43.07 billion.
Profit from operations decreased by 11% to USD14.42 billion from USD16.11 billion the prior year, while underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation slipped by 5% to USD22.07 billion from USD23.16 billion.
The underlying Ebitda was just ahead of consensus expectations, which had the figure at USD22.01 billion.
BHP said its performance was hurt by lower prices, particularly in coal, copper and petroleum, lower volumes including a decline in copper grades and petroleum fields, and a rise in the closure and rehabilitation provisions for closed mines.
BHP declared an annual dividend of 120 US cents, down 10% from 130 cents the year before, as net debt as at June 30 was USD12.04 billion, up 28% year-on-year from USD9.45 billion.
Looking ahead, BHP said it expects petroleum output for its current financial year to be in the range of 95 million to 102 million barrels of oil equivalent, reflecting a 6% to 13% fall from 109 million barrels of oil equivalent produced for the 2020 financial year.
Copper production is set to be between 1.48 million and 1.65 million tonnes, a 5% to 14% drop from 1.72 million tonnes. Iron ore output is expected to be between 244 million and 253 million tonnes, reflecting a 2% drop to 2% rise from 248 million tonnes produced in the 2020 financial year.
The metallurgical coal forecast is between 40 million and 44 million tonnes, marking a 3% fall to 7% increase from 41 million tonnes. Finally, energy coal is expected to be between 22 million to 24 million tonnes, reflecting a 5% drop to 4% increase from 23 million tonnes.
"BHP delivered a strong set of results for the 2020 financial year that reflect the strength, resilience and quality of our people and our portfolio. In a year marked by the challenges of the global Covid-19 pandemic, social unrest in Chile and commodity price volatility, we were safer, more reliable and lower cost," said Chief Executive Officer Mike Henry.
"We are moving to concentrate our coal portfolio on high quality coking coals, with greatest potential upside for quality premiums as steel makers seek to improve blast furnace utilisation and reduce emissions intensity. In oil and gas, we will continue to invest in opportunities that are resilient under a range of price scenarios, and which are aligned to our strengths. We will seek to divest oil and gas assets that are mature or which are likely to realise greater value under different ownership," Henry added.
Shares in BHP were marginally higher at AUD39.87 on Tuesday in Sydney.
By Dayo Laniyan; [email protected]
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