30th Aug 2005 07:01
BHP Billiton PLC29 August 2005 29 August 2005 To:Australian Stock ExchangeLondon Stock Exchange CC:New York Stock ExchangeSwiss Stock ExchangeJSE Securities Exchange SADeutsche BankUBS Zurich BHP Billiton Limited On-market Share Buy-back Please find attached, for the information of your markets, a notice in the form(Appendix 3D) required by the Listing Rules of the Australian Stock Exchangeadvising of a change to the BHP Billiton Limited on-market share buy-backprogram. The program has been extended by 12 months to 30 September 2006. In addition,the maximum number of shares that may be purchased by BHP Billiton Limited underthe buy-back program has been increased from 186 million to 358 million. Theincreased number represents less than 10 percent of the issued share capital ofBHP Billiton Limited at 30 June 2005, and is now consistent with BHP BillitonPlc's authority to purchase up to approximately 10 percent of its issued sharecapital. Previously up to 186 million shares could be bought back on-market under the BHPBilliton Limited program and cancelled, less the aggregate number of BHPBilliton Plc shares known to BHP Billiton Limited to have been purchased byNelson Investment Limited since 1 July 2001. The Nelson structure was dismantledin 2001 and no further BHP Billiton Plc shares will be purchased by Nelson.Therefore, the BHP Billiton Plc shares purchased by Nelson will no longer betaken into account in determining the number of shares that may be bought backon market by BHP Billiton Limited under its program. The level of share purchases undertaken by BHP Billiton Limited will continue toremain subject to prevailing market conditions and alternative capitalinvestment opportunities available to the Group.Karen WoodCompany Secretary Rule 3.8A Appendix 3D Changes relating to buy-back (except minimum holding buy-back) Information and documents given to ASX become ASX's property and may be madepublic. Introduced 1/9/99. Origin: Appendix 7B. Amended 13/3/2000, 30/9/2001. Name of entity ABN BHP Billiton Limited 49 004 028 077 We (the entity) give ASX the following information. 1 Date that an Appendix 3C or the last Appendix 3D was given to ASX 16 September 2004 Information about the change Complete each item for which there has been a change and items 9 and 10. Column 1 Column 2 (Details announced to market (Details of change to buy-back in Appendix 3C or last proposals) Appendix 3D) On-market buy-back 2 Name of broker who will act on the company's behalf 3 Deleted 30/9/2001. 4 If the company intends to buy back a 186 million 358 million maximum number of shares - that number Note: This requires a figure to be included, not a percentage. The reference to a maximum number is to the total number including shares already bought back and shares remaining to be bought back. If the total has not changed, the item does not need to be completed. Column 1 Column 2 (Details announced to market (Details of change to buy-back in Appendix 3C or last proposals) Appendix 3D) 5 If the company intends to buy back a maximum number of shares - the number remaining to be bought back 6 If the company intends to buy-back shares Up to and including 30 Up to and including 30 September within a period of time - that period of September 2005 2006 time; if the company intends that the buy-back be of unlimited duration - that intention 7 If the company intends to buy back shares if conditions are met - those conditions All buy-backs 8 Any other change 9 Reason for change Increasing the maximum number of shares that BHP Billiton Limited can buy-back,and extension of period of buy-back program for capital management purposes. BHPBilliton Limited buy-back authority is now consistent with the BHP Billiton Plcbuy-back authority. 10 Any other information material to a shareholder's decision whether to accept theoffer (eg, details of any proposed takeover bid) Compliance statement 1. The company is in compliance with all Corporations Act requirementsrelevant to this buy-back. 2. There is no information that the listing rules require to be disclosedthat has not already been disclosed, or is not contained in, or attached to,this form. Sign here: Date: 29 August2005 Company secretary Print name: Karen J Wood BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209Registered in Australia Registered in England and WalesRegistered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH UnitedVictoria 3000 KingdomTelephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015 Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111 The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
BHP Group