The steps included the appointment of nonferrous-metals head Andrew Mackenzie as chief executive — he replaces former head Marius Kloppers, who oversaw heavy cost increases in recent years as expenditure and costs spiraled. The mining giant saw underlying earnings before interest, depreciation, taxes, and amortization drop a hefty 29.3% in 2012 to $13.2 billion, with total revenue slumping 14.1% during the period to $32.2 billion. The company has since announced severe capex scale-backs and divestments in an effort to improve the balance sheet and provide a stable platform for future growth. How do BHP Billiton's dividend prospects rate against the competition? Source: Digital Look. BHP Billiton plc (ADR) (NYSE: BBL ) currently trades on a P/E readout of 12.7 for 2013, trading at a discount to both the FTSE 100 and its mining counterparts.