Mining giant BHP
(ASX:BHP) has announced its half year results for FY19 with profit sliding 8 per cent to US$3.8 billion compared to the year earlier period.
The result was weaker than the US$4.2 billion expected by analysts.
Revenue was flat at US$21.6 billion.
Earnings were down 3 per cent to US$10.5 billion.
BHP will maintain its interim dividend of 55 US cents despite the softer than expected results.
The dividend means BHP has now announced US$13.2 billion in cash returns to shareholders in the past six months.
BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie says a strong second half is expected to partially offset the impacts from operational outages in the first half with unit costs across the business forecast to improve.
Shares in BHP
(ASX:BHP) closed 0.03 per cent higher to $37.01 yesterday.