27 March 2017
SOUTH32 TO RETURN AN ADDITIONAL US$500M TO SHAREHOLDERS
South32 Limited (ASX, LSE, JSE: S32; ADR: SOUHY) (South32) today announced that it intends to return an additional US$500M to shareholders, equating to 4.5% of the Group's current market capitalisation [1]. This capital management program, which complements the Group's dividend policy, will initially take the form of an on-market share buy-back in Australia.
South32 Chairman, David Crawford said: "The combination of our operating leverage, strong balance sheet and simple capital management framework is designed to maximise returns and reward shareholders as financial performance improves. Today's announcement further demonstrates our disciplined approach to capital management and our confidence in the Group's cash generating capacity."
South32 Chief Executive Officer, Graham Kerr said: "Our net cash balance continues to build giving us the financial strength and flexibility to invest in our existing operations, pursue opportunities where we can create value and return excess capital to shareholders. This US$500M capital management program meaningfully increases shareholder returns and follows the recent announcement of our US$192M interim dividend."
The timing and number of shares purchased under the on-market share buy-back will be contingent upon the prevailing share price and market conditions. The on-market share buy-back is not subject to shareholder approval and will be funded from existing cash reserves. The Announcement of Buy-back (Appendix 3C) lodged on the Australian Securities Exchange and voluntarily disclosed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at: http://www.hemscott.com/nsm.do.
The US$500M capital management program is expected to be completed over a 12 month period and all alternatives will continue to be assessed to ensure this capital is returned in an efficient manner.
About South32
South32 is a globally diversified mining and metals company with high quality operations in Australia, Southern Africa and South America. Our purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources, improving people's lives now and for generations to come. We are trusted by our owners and partners to realise the potential of their resources. We have a simple strategy to maximise the potential of our assets and shareholder returns by optimising our existing operations, unlocking their potential and identifying new opportunities to compete for capital.
Notes
[1] On the basis of the closing price of A$2.72 per share on the Australian Securities Exchange on 24 March 2017, the Group had a market capitalisation of US$11.0B.
Further information
Further information on South32 can be found at www.south32.net.
JSE Sponsor: UBS South Africa (Pty) Ltd
27 March 2017
