Share buyback

On 2 February 2006 Rio Tinto announced a US$4 billion capital management programme, to include a special dividend of US$1.5 billion (paid on 6 April 2006) and a US$2.5 billion share buy-back for 2006/07. The programme was increased by US$3 billion to US$7 billion on 27 October 2006. The share buy back programme was discontinued on 12 July 2007 following the announcement of the Alcan transaction.

The capital management status at 11 July 2007 was as follows:

Summary US$m
Ltd off-market share buy-back on 9th May 2005 774
Plc share buy-back completed by 31st December 2005 103
Plc share buy-back in January 2006 95
Total buy-back completed from 2005/06 programme 973
Special dividend paid on 6th April 2006 1,494
Plc buy-back from 2006/07 programme in 2006 2,300
Plc buy-back to date from 2006/07 programme in 2007 1,641
Total capital return to date from 2005/06 and 2006/07 programmes 6,408
Amount outstanding from current $7 billion programme 1,565

 

Total plc shares bought back and held as treasury shares since 20 October 2005   Average price (£) Total (£m) Total (US$m)
74,978,671 28.10 2,185 4,139

 

Summary Number of shares
Plc shares in issue at 31st December 2005 1,068,422,633
Plc shares issued in 2006 2,382,591
Plc shares bought back in 2006 and held as treasury shares - 47,140,000
Plc shares in issue at 31st December 2006 1,023,665,224
Plc shares issued in 2007 836,806
Plc shares bought back to date in 2007 and held as treasury shares - 27,700,000
Total plc shares in issue currently held by public  996,802,030

The Australian off-market share buy-back scheme has now finished.  You can access the Australian Taxation Office website to obtain taxation related information about Rio Tinto Limited's off-market share buy-back completed on 9 May 2005. 

The Australian Taxation Office website also has information on the Class Ruling for Rio Tinto Limited shareholders, who disposed of ordinary shares under Rio Tinto Limited's off-market share buy-back completed on 9 May 2005. 

Unsolicited shareholder contact

Shareholders of Alcan Inc.

Share price

£PLC 64.02 -0.98
12 May 2008 03:21
London: RIO.L

A$LTD 145.86 -0.66
12 May 2008 12:16
Aus: RIO.AX

$ADR PLC 505.14 -8.06
11 May 2008 22:16
US: RTP

20 minute delayed share price

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