BHP announces record dividends

Mining giant BHP Billiton paid shareholders a record dividend of 63 US cents (50p) per share, 17 cents above its policy of paying 50 per cent of underlying attributable profit.

The total dividend for BHP’S financial year was 118 cents, far higher than the 83 cents paid out a year earlier.

BHP’S pre-tax profit rose to $14.8 billion, while underlying earnings also showed an increase, by 20 per cent, to $23.18bn.