Feb 8 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) Ltd RIO.AX
* 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" Source text for Eikon: ID:nASX2X263x Further company coverage: RIO.AX