BHP board to consider capital management - CEO

SYDNEY, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Top global miner BHP Billiton's board will consider capital management when the company's net debt is cut to around $25 billion, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

"If we deliver that level of indebtedness towards the end of this financial year, I'll come back to you at the full year with the authority of our board to talk about future capital management that may be possible in that instance," CEO Andrew Mackenzie told reporters, after the company reported a 31 percent rise in first-half profit.

(Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Richard Pullin)

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Keywords: BHPBILLITON RESULTS/CAPITAL