Feb 8 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO) Operating cash cost...

Feb 8 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO)

• Operating cash cost improvements (including exploration and evaluation savings) of $2.0 billion (pre- tax) over 2016 and 2017, in line with previous guidance
• Rio tinto ltd says full-year net earnings $4.617 billion versus loss of $866 million a year ago
• fy underlying earnings $5.1 billion versus $4.54 billion a year ago
• Final dividend of 125 us cents per share ($2.3 billion) will be paid in april 2017
• Capital expenditure expected to be around $5.0 billion in 2017 and around $5.5 billion in each of 2018 and 2019
• "Gearing ratio of 20 to 30 per cent through cycle."
• production guidance is unchanged from q4 operations review.
• effective tax rate on underlying earnings of approximately 27 to 30 per cent expected in 2017.
• "gearing ratio of 20 to 30 per cent through cycle."
• Net debt as of dec 31 reduced to $9.6 billion
• Additional free cash flow of $5.0 billion by end of 2021 from productivity improvements.
• Full year dividend of 170 us cents per share
• "expects total cash returns to shareholders over longer term to be in a range of 40 to 60 per cent of underlying earnings in aggregate through cycle."
• share buy-back of $0.5 billion in rio tinto plc shares over course of 2017
• "regulatory investigations could ultimately "expose group to material financial cost"