South Africa's Kumba Iron posts higher annual earnings

(Reuters) - South Africa's Kumba Iron Ore on Tuesday posted a rise in annual earnings, underpinned by higher iron ore prices and currency gains from a weaker rand/dollar exchange rate.The company, a unit of Anglo American , reported headline earnings per share (HEPS) of 50.88 rand ($3.39) for the year ended Dec. 31, compared with 30.28 rand a year earlier.HEPS is the primary profit measure in South Africa that strips out certain one-off items.