BHP ramps up shale gas spending

Article Excerpt

BHP BILLITON LTD. ADRs $64 (New York symbol BHP; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Resources sector; ADRs outstanding: 2.7 billion; Market cap: $172.8 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Dividend yield: 2.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.bhpbilliton.com) plans to spend $4.5 billion in 2012 to develop its North American shale gas properties. This spending will rise to $5.5 billion a year by 2015, and to $6.5 billion a year in 2020. BHP can easily afford these outlays; its cash flow was $30.1 billion, or $10.92 per ADR, in the year ended June 30, 2011. These investments will help BHP profit as more coal-burning power plants in the U.S. convert to natural gas. As well, the company plans to export liquefied natural gas to Europe and Asia. BHP Billiton is a buy. buy…