• A robust financial performance in the context of a rapid deterioration in market conditions.
• Underlying EBITDA up 25% to US$13.9 billion and Underlying EBIT up 24% to US$11.9 billion.
• Strong Underlying EBIT margin(1) of 46% despite significant pressures from lower prices and a
lagged effect of input costs benefit.
• Record net operating cash flow(2) of US$13.1 billion, up 74%, which is an excellent result given
market conditions and our strong growth pipeline.
• Attributable profit up 2% to US$6.1 billion and EPS up 3% to 110.1 US cents (both measures
excluding exceptional items).
• Strong balance sheet with net debt decreased by 51% to US$4.2 billion. Gearing of 9.5% and
Underlying EBITDA interest cover of 86.6 times.
• Interim dividend of 41.0 US cents per share, an increase of 41% on last year’s interim dividend.
• A disciplined and value-accretive commitment to invest through the cycle, with one iron ore and
three oil and gas projects sanctioned during the half-year.
Half-year ended 31 December 2008
US$M 2007 US$M Change
Revenue 29,780 25,539 16.6%
Underlying EBITDA (4) 13,939 11,167 24.8%
Underlying EBIT (4) (5) 11,899 9,623 23.7%
Profit from operations 7,224 9,486 (23.8%)
Attributable profit – excluding exceptional items 6,128 5,995 2.2%
Attributable profit 2,617 6,017 (56.5%)
Net operating cash flow (2) 13,094 7,528 73.9%
Basic earnings per share – excluding exceptional items (US cents) 110.1 106.8 3.1%
Basic earnings per share (US cents) 47.0 107.2 (56.2%)
Underlying EBITDA interest coverage (times) (4) (6) 86.6 34.9 148.1%
Dividend per share (US cents) 41.0 29.0 41.4%

Refer to page 15 for footnotes, including explanations of the non-GAAP measures used in this announcement.
The above financial results are prepared in accordance with IFRS and are unaudited. All references to the prior period are to the half-year
ended 31 December 2007 unless otherwise stated.

Dividend
An interim dividend for the half-year ended 31 December 2008 of 41.0 US cents per share will be paid to shareholders on 17 March 2009.
The dividend to be paid by BHP Billiton Limited will be fully franked for Australian taxation purposes.
Dividends for the BHP Billiton Group are determined and declared in US dollars. However, BHP Billiton Limited dividends are mainly paid in Australian dollars, and BHP Billiton Plc dividends are mainly paid in pounds sterling and South African rands to shareholders on the UK section and the South African
section of the register, respectively. Currency conversions were based on the foreign currency exchange rates two business days before the declaration of the dividend. Please note that all currency conversion elections had to have occurred by the Currency Conversion Date, being 2 February 2009.
Any currency conversion elections made after this date will not apply to this dividend.
The timetable in respect of this dividend will be:
Currency conversion 2 February 2009
Last day to trade cum dividend on JSE Limited 20 February 2009
Ex-dividend Australian Securities Exchange 23 February 2009
Ex-dividend Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) 23 February 2009
Ex-dividend London Stock Exchange (LSE) 25 February 2009
Ex-dividend New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) 25 February 2009
Record 27 February 2009
Payment 17 March 2009