BHP makes corporate history

BHP Billiton has posted the biggest interim profit in Australian corporate history.

The company has announced a half-year after-tax profit of A$5.9 billion, a rise of almost 48 per cent from last year.

Revenue is up 16.3 per cent after record production volumes for aluminium, copper, nickel and gas.

BHP says it will return billions of dollars to shareholders over the next 18 months, including a A$1.5 billion off-market buyback of its Australian-listed shares.

Investors will get an interim dividend of nearly 24 cents a share.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA