Feb 27 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO) : 2019 PRODUCTION...

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO) :

• 2019 PRODUCTION GUIDANCE IS UNCHANGED FROM OUR Q4 OPERATIONS REVIEW
• FY NET EARNINGS $ 13,638 MILLION VERSUS $8,762 MILLION
• FY UNDERLYING EARNINGS $8,808 MILLION VERSUS $8,627 MILLION
• FINAL DIVIDEND OF 180 US CENTS PER SHARE
• CAPITAL EXPENDITURE TO STAY AT AROUND $6.0 BILLION IN 2019 AND AROUND $6.5 BILLION IN 2020
• EFFECTIVE TAX RATE ON UNDERLYING EARNINGS OF APPROXIMATELY 30% IN 2019
• GLOBAL TRADE IN SCRAP COPPER DISRUPTED BY CHINA'S LOW-QUALITY SCRAP IMPORT RESTRICTIONS, AND DISRUPTIONS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE INTO 2019
• PILBARA UNIT CASH COSTS OF $13-14 PER WET METRIC TONNE (EXCLUDING FREIGHT) IN 2019
• IN 2021, WE EXPECT TO INVEST $6.5 BILLION IN OUR BUSINESS
• MARKET EXPECTS TOTAL COPPER DEMAND TO BE SOLID AT A COMPOUND ANNUAL GROWTH RATE (CAGR) OF AROUND 2% PER YEAR (2019-2023)
• "WE CONTINUE TO EXPECT IMPACT OF SECTION 232 ON CHINA TO BE MINIMAL"
• EXPECT LIMITED DISRUPTION TO ROBE VALLEY LUMP AND FINES SHIPMENTS
• SPECIAL DIVIDEND OF 243 US CENTS PER SHARE
• ENCOURAGING COPPER MINERALISATION DISCOVERED IN PILBARA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA; COMMENCED PHASE 2 DRILLING TO ASCERTAIN SCALE
• NET CASH AS AT DEC 31, 2018 $255 MLN VS NET DEBT OF $3,845 MLN AS AT DEC 31, 2017

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