BHP May Raise Dividend After Bid Dumped, Goldman Says

BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s biggest mining company, may raise its dividend in the first half after scrapping a $40 billion takeover bid for Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., Goldman Sachs & Partners Australia Pty said.

BHP resumed plans to purchase $4.2 billion of its shares under a $13 billion buyback program suspended in 2007, the Melbourne-based company said today after announcing it abandoned its offer for the world’s largest fertilizer maker.