BHP rejects activist demands

Article Excerpt

BHP BILLITON LTD. ADRs $34 (New York symbol BHP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; ADRs outstanding: 1.6 billion; Market cap: $54.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.6; Dividend yield: 3.2%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.bhpbilliton.com) is a leading producer of iron ore, oil and natural gas, copper and coal. It operates in Australia, the U.S., U.K., Chile and South Africa. Activist investment firm Elliott Management owns 4.1% of BHP and has announced several proposals to help unlock the company’s value. Those include incorporating BHP as a single corporation based in Australia (right now, it’s headquartered in both Australia and the U.K.); and spinning off its U.S. oil operations as a separate firm. Elliott claims these moves, along with using BHP’s excess cash flow to buy back shares, would increase the stock price by about 50%. The company has rejected Elliott’s proposals. It feels new drilling technology (including fracking) will improve the profitability of its U.S. shale oil properties. As well, trading in Australia and the U.K….