MARK BENDEICH, London | Monday
MINING and metals group Billiton Plc grabbed Australia’s prized Worsley alumina refinery, buying a 56% stake in the plant from U.S. aluminium giant Alcoa Inc for $1.49bn.
Billiton, in its second major acquisition in less than a week, said its total stake in the outback refinery, one of the world’s most efficient, would rise to 86% and that it would fund the deal partly through a $750m share offer.
Billiton shares fell 6.7% in London after news of the acquisition and share issue to 280 pence per share in morning trade. The $1.49bn price tag was at the top end of market expectations. Billiton shares have fallen 14% so far this year, underperforming the mining sector by 11.6%.
Alcoa is selling its controlling stake in Worsley as a result of its merger with Reynolds Metals Co.
”I believe this acquisition establishes Billiton as the world’s premier upstream aluminium producer,” Billiton chairman and chief executive Brian Gilbertson said.
Billiton, which last week announced a $1.15bn agreed bid for Canadian copper miner Rio Algom Ltd, said it had given its Japanese partners in Worsley an option to increase their stake and still leave Billiton in control.
Billiton also reported a 51% surge in net profit for the year ended June 30 to $577m, at the high end of market expectations. It also declared a total dividend for the year of 11.25 U.S. cents per share, up 7% on 1998/99.
The leap in profit was largely driven, as expected, by stronger aluminium and nickel prices. Billiton also announced it had shaved $64 million off the company’s cost base in 1999/00.- Reuters