The Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB) share price is in focus today after the company announced the Supreme Court has approved the scheme of arrangement for Rubik Australia to acquire all Qube shares, and the board declared a fully franked special dividend of 34.65 cents per share.

What did Qube report?

• The Supreme Court of NSW approved Rubik Australia’s acquisition of 100% of Qube shares.
• Qube declared a fully franked special dividend of $0.3465 per ordinary share.
• Trading in Qube shares will be suspended at close today, with scheme implementation scheduled for 14 August 2026.
• Scheme consideration for shareholders is $5.20 cash per share, less the interim and special dividends.
• Key scheme dates: Special Dividend Record Date is 14 July, payment on 23 July, Scheme Record Date is 24 July, Implementation Date is 14 August 2026.

What else do investors need to know?

The court’s approval means the scheme is now legally effective and Qube has lodged the orders with ASIC. Shareholders (other than UniSuper, which will receive shares in Rubik Australia Holdings) set to receive cash for their Qube shares need to be on the register at 7:00 pm, 24 July 2026.

The total cash payment per Qube share from Rubik Australia will be reduced by the sum of both the $0.0535 interim dividend declared in February and the $0.3465 special dividend. The special dividend record date is 14 July 2026 and payment will be made on 23 July 2026.

What’s next for Qube?

Trading in Qube shares on the ASX will be suspended after today’s close. The scheme implementation remains on track for 14 August 2026, when eligible shareholders can expect payment. Any changes to the timetable will be communicated through the ASX.

This acquisition marks a significant turning point for Qube, with the board expressing confidence shareholders are being fairly compensated. Investors should keep an eye out for further updates on the transition process.

Qube share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Qube shares have risen 21%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Qube shares: Scheme now effective and special dividend declared appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have fallen further into the red in Wednesday morning trade.

At the time of writing, the ASX mining giant’s shares are down around 3% for the day, and are changing hands at $56.98 a piece.

The latest slump means BHP shares have now tumbled 13% from an all-time high recorded in mid-June.

Thanks to a strong rally earlier in the year, the shares are still 25% higher year to date and around 49% higher than this time last year.

What caused the latest sell-off?

Improved copper prices and overall commodity tailwinds helped BHP shares reach a new all-time high in mid-June.

But this was quickly followed by another softening in the price of both copper and iron ore, which dragged BHP shares lower. 

Copper futures are now around US$6.12 per pound, down from a high of around a $6.6 per pound in June. 

Iron ore prices have also fallen close to an annual low of around US$98 per tonne. In mid-May, the metal was trading around the US$111 per tonne mark.

Ongoing conflict in the Middle East, sustained inflation concerns, slowing steel demand, and uncertainty about China’s property sector all also weighed heavily on investor sentiment over the past month.

The question now is, what’s next for BHP shares?

Are BHP shares a buy, sell, or hold?

If broker analysis is anything to go by, the mining giant’s shares are now trading around fair value.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on BHP shares. Although the average $62.66 target price implies a potential 10% upside at the time of writing.

TradingView data shows the same sentiment. The majority of analysts (13 out of 19) have a hold rating on BHP shares. Another four rate the mining stock as a strong buy, and two rate the shares as a sell or strong sell.

The average $63.54 target price implies a potential 11% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. But the range between the maximum and minimum target prices is huge. Some forecast the shares to fall around 31% to $39.19. Meanwhile, others are bullish that BHP shares could soar 64% to $93.75 over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

Morgan Stanley is one of the more bullish brokers among the bunch. The investment bank recently reaffirmed its buy rating on BHP shares and maintained a 12-month price target of $67.50. The broker likes that BHP is exposed to surging copper demand and thinks the company’s iron ore operations are performing well.

Elsewhere, DZ Bank recently upgraded its stance on BHP shares from sell to hold. The broker has an average price target of $65 per share.

Catapult Wealth also has a buy rating on BHP shares, citing a robust balance sheet and an attractive dividend yield.

Meanwhile, Sanlam Private Wealth has a hold rating on the mining giant and flags concerns around a cost blowout and impairment at the company’s Jansen potash project and the potential for more industrial action at BHP’s Pilbara operations.

The post BHP shares slump 13% from their peak: Are the ASX mining shares a buy, sell or hold? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are back in the red on Wednesday as investors digest the gold producer’s latest update.

At the time of writing, the Ramelius share price is down 3.51% to $2.885.

The move adds to a difficult start to the year for the ASX 200 gold stock. Ramelius shares are now down around 5% over the past month and 30% in 2026.

Ramelius has now closed out FY26, and the market is getting its first look at how the June quarter finished.

Let’s take a closer look at the announcement.

Stronger finish to the year

According to the release, Ramelius produced 53,466 ounces of gold in the June quarter.

That represents a 40% increase on the prior quarter and lifted full-year production to 192,182 ounces.

This means Ramelius finished FY26 inside its guidance range of 185,000 to 205,000 ounces. Management said this was the 6th year in a row that the company has met its production guidance.

The stronger quarter was helped by improved haulage rates, particularly at Dalgaranga, while the Never Never underground operation remained on track.

Managing Director Mark Zeptner said the June quarter was a strong finish to the year and showed “consistent delivery” from the operations team.

Cash and gold balance grows

Ramelius also finished the quarter in a strong financial position.

The company reported underlying free cash flow of $183 million. This included growth capital and exploration, but came before dividends, share buybacks, and tax payments.

It ended June with cash and gold of $649.6 million.

Ramelius also kept returning money to shareholders during the quarter. It paid a fully-franked interim dividend of $54.4 million and completed $30.5 million of share buybacks.

The total buybacks now stand at $140.7 million under the company’s $250 million buyback program.

Why are Ramelius shares falling?

Ramelius hasn’t yet provided final all-in sustaining costs (AISC) for the June quarter. These figures will be included in the full quarterly report, which is due on 29 July.

Until those numbers land, investors don’t have the full margin detail, even though production and cash flow both look healthy.

There is also a lot happening across the project pipeline.

At Mt Magnet, stage one circuit works have started, while stage two and three works are close to completion. The camp expansion, wind project, and major project recruitment are also moving along.

Ramelius is also working through the Edna May Hub transaction. The company estimates this could deliver almost $600 million of pre-tax value once cash, retained free cash flow, and share consideration are included.

The post $650 million in cash and gold, guidance hit: Why this ASX 200 stock is still falling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.