Shares in Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB) have rocketed to a record high after the company announced that Macquarie Asset Management had launched a takeover bid for the company.

Macquarie Asset Management (MAM) is offering $5.20 per share for the logistics provider, well above its last trading price of $4.07 and substantially more than the shares’ highest level over the past 12 months of $4.59.

Qube shares jumped 16.7% to be changing hands for $4.75 early on Monday.

The takeover bid is conditional on several matters, including satisfactory due diligence and a unanimous recommendation for the Qube board.

Board backs the deal

The board said in a statement to the ASX on Monday that it had granted Macquarie a period of exclusive due diligence until 1 February.

The company said further:

The proposal follows an earlier unsolicited, non-binding and indicative offer at a lower value and a period of negotiation, which included the provision of limited due diligence information to facilitate a meaningfully improved proposal from MAM. After careful evaluation of the Proposal, the Board of Qube determined it appropriate to enter into a Process Deed with MAM. The Process Deed grants MAM a period of exclusive due diligence access from the date of the deed until 1 February 2026.   

The Qube board has indicated that, at this stage, the directors intend to unanimously support the proposal in the absence of a better offer and subject to an independent expert’s report concluding that the deal is in the best interests of shareholders.

Qube Chair John Bevan said:

The proposal from Macquarie Asset Management is a reflection of the strength of Qube’s business model and our assets, and the quality of our people and culture. We look forward to continuing to engage constructively in the best interests of our shareholders.

Under the agreement announced to the ASX on Monday, the Qube board has also agreed to allow MAM to match any competing bid that might arise.

Qube travelling well

Qube last financial year reported record underlying revenue of $4.46 billion, up 27.3%, and lifted its fully franked dividend by 7.1% to 9.8 cents per share.

Managing Director Paul Digney told the company’s recent annual general meeting that in the first quarter of the current financial year, the company’s performance across all markets had been in line with expectations.

Based on the performance to date, the company was expecting to deliver “solid” underlying earnings per share and net profit growth over the full year, Mr Digney said.

The company did receive a high vote against its remuneration report, with the votes against its adoption coming in at 18.3%.

The post Qube shareholders sitting pretty after Macquarie takeover bid launched appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

After a sharp rally in recent months, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares look expensive. The iPhone maker’s stock has climbed to fresh highs, reflecting investors’ growing confidence that the company has emerged from its growth lull and is heading into a stronger product and earnings cycle.

Apple is still a hardware-focused business, but the story now leans more on services and the steady influence of its installed base. That shift, together with a clearer artificial intelligence road map, helps explain why the stock still carries a premium valuation.

1. Growth is back on track

After a sluggish stretch last year, Apple’s revenue has begun to reaccelerate. Revenue grew 4%, 5%, 0%, and then 8% year over year across the four quarters of fiscal 2025 (respectively), lifting full-year growth to more than 6% from just 2% growth in fiscal 2024.

Importantly, this accelerated growth was driven by both hardware and services revenue.

2. A powerful iPhone 17 cycle

The current iPhone 17 cycle is a key driver of that rebound. iPhone revenue grew double digits year over year in the third quarter of fiscal 2025 and increased again in the fourth quarter as the new iPhone 17 lineup launched. Of course, the new iPhone models were available only for a few weeks during the fiscal fourth quarter. So, the real test will be during the important holiday period, which aligns with Apple’s first quarter of fiscal 2026 (the current quarter).

But based on management’s comments on the latest iPhone models in the company’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call, we already know the iPhone 17 is probably going to do well this holiday season. “We’re constrained today on several models of the iPhone 17,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in the company’s latest earnings call. “There’s not a ramp issue. It’s just we have very strong demand and we’re working very hard to fulfill all the orders that we have.”

In addition, management specifically guided for double-digit year-over-year growth in iPhone revenue for the period.

3. Services tilt the business toward higher margins

Apple’s important services business, which is home to the App Store, Apple’s native apps like Apple Music and Apple TV, and other services such as AppleCare, continues to grow faster than the rest of the company and carries a much higher gross margin than hardware sales. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, services revenue grew 15% year over year, compared with 8% for the company as a whole. In addition, the important segment represented close to 30% of total revenue during the quarter.

That shift toward recurring revenue sources in Apple’s services business, including app store fees, cloud storage, payments, advertising, and subscriptions, should make Apple’s business more resilient and — importantly — more profitable. After all, Apple’s services business commands a gross margin of about twice that of the company’s hardware business.

4. Guidance signals more momentum

Management’s outlook adds another pillar to the bullish case. For the current quarter ending in December, Apple expects total revenue to grow 10% to 12% year over year, and iPhone revenue to grow at a double-digit rate.

Viewing this guidance in light of the company’s recent acceleration in the back half of fiscal 2025, that guidance suggests the current momentum is not just a one-quarter blip tied to product timing but something more sustainable.

5. AI as a future catalyst

The final reason many investors remain comfortable owning Apple at a premium multiple is the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to drive another hardware upgrade cycle. Apple has talked more openly this year about integrating AI across devices, from on-device models that power smarter photo and messaging features to a revamped Siri expected in 2026.

The company has begun to ramp up capital spending and AI-related research and development. If AI features start to require more powerful devices better suited for fast-changing computing needs, Apple is positioned to capture that demand through new products in existing product lines and potentially even entirely new product lines enabled by AI.

Taken together, these five pillars help explain why the market is willing to pay a rich price for Apple shares and why I personally remain bullish on the stock over the long haul.

Trading at around 32 times forward earnings, the stock isn’t cheap, and any unexpected setbacks in iPhone demand or services growth could pressure that multiple — especially if AI initiatives disappoint. Still, I believe the upside opportunity outweighs the risks.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post 5 reasons I still love Apple stock, even after it soared higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Daniel Sparks and his clients have positions in Apple. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you are wanting to supercharge your portfolio, then it could be worth turning to WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares.

That’s because analysts at Bell Potter believe they could deliver huge returns over the next 12 months.

What is the broker saying about the tech stock?

Bell Potter highlights that the logistics solutions technology company held its annual general meeting last week and reaffirmed its guidance for FY 2026. It was pleased with the update and sees it as the first hurdle cleared. It said:

WiseTech held its AGM today and reaffirmed its FY26 guidance of revenue b/w US$1.39-1.44bn, EBITDA b/w US$550-585m and EBITDA margin b/w 40-41%. The company also flagged that the new commercial model will go live on 1st December and “a large number of customers” are expected to transition on that date.

There was, however, little update on the launch of Container Transport Optimisation (CTO) with only the comment “we are focused on our initial launch of CTO with revenue generation commencing during the year.” WiseTech also flagged its upcoming investor day on 3rd December and said it will provide details on “the rollout of our new commercial model, and progress relating to CTO and the e2open integration.”

In response to the meeting, the broker has trimmed its estimates modestly. Nevertheless, it believes WiseTech Global will meet its guidance this year. It adds:

We have modestly downgraded our EBITDA forecasts in FY26, FY27 and FY28 by 1%, 2% and 2% mainly for conservatism. The downgrades have been driven by 2-3% reductions in our revenue forecasts which has been partially offset by increases in our margin forecasts. In FY26 we now forecast revenue and EBITDA of US$1.40bn and US$569m which is towards the lower end of the guidance range for the former and close to the middle for the latter.

That is, we see more risk at revenue than EBITDA this year, particularly with the greater-than-usual revenue skew to H2. Any weakness or miss at revenue, however, we would expect to be offset by a stronger margin.

WIseTech Global shares tipped to rise

According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the company’s shares with a reduced price target of $100.00.

Based on the current WiseTech Global share price of $69.05, this implies potential upside of 45% for investors over the next 12 months. It concludes:

The next potential catalyst is the upcoming investor day and, in particular, any details around the launch of the new commercial model. A high uptake of the CargoWise Value Pack, for instance, would be bullish in our view.

The post Why WiseTech Global shares could rise 45% in a year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) stock has roared higher over the past several years as artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a game-changing technology. The company designs the most powerful AI chips around — they’re known as graphics processing units (GPUs) and are key to the development and use of AI. So, the idea is, if you invest in Nvidia, you’ll benefit as this technology revolution marches on.

The company has demonstrated this as AI, for the past few years, already has been supercharging its revenue growth. Nvidia has reported double- and triple-digit gains quarter after quarter, and the stock price has taken off too, advancing 1,200% over the past five years.

But, as this has unfolded, valuations of Nvidia and other AI players have climbed too, prompting investors to worry about the potential formation of an AI bubble. And this concern has weighed on the S&P 500 and Nvidia in recent weeks — they declined more than 2% and 7%, respectively, from the start of November through the Nov. 19 market close.

Are Nvidia and other AI stocks in a bubble? Here’s what Nvidia chief Jensen Huang says.

The message from other tech giants

Before we zoom in on Huang’s comments, though, let’s take a quick look at the current AI picture. Though some investors have worried about an AI bubble, we haven’t seen evidence of a slowdown in demand for AI products and services. Tech giants from Amazon to Alphabet and Broadcom all have reported earnings over the past several weeks — and each one has spoken of high demand for AI products and services.

Cloud service providers are building out infrastructure to keep up with this soaring demand — and this has been driving their revenue growth as well as growth at chip companies such as Nvidia, Broadcom, and Advanced Micro Devices. All of this supports Huang’s prediction, delivered a few months ago, for as much as $4 trillion in AI infrastructure spending by the end of the decade.

As mentioned, though, as investors piled into AI stocks, valuations climbed. The S&P 500, as seen through the S&P 500 Shiller CAPE ratio, has been trading at one of its most expensive levels ever. And this has prompted some investors to start thinking about the possibility of an AI bubble taking shape.

Why Huang’s view is key

Now, let’s consider what Nvidia’s Huang has to say about the matter. He, as the leader of a company with great visibility on what’s happening next in the AI market, is well-positioned to address this subject. After all, Nvidia is in close contact with its customers as they plan future orders, so the chip giant sees if momentum is slowing or set to continue.

Huang, during Nvidia’s earnings call on Wednesday, said the following:

“There’s been a lot of talk about an AI bubble. From our vantage point, we see something very different.”

The idea is that, though a company such as Nvidia has seen tremendous growth in recent years, we are still in the early days of the AI boom. Huang sees three major shifts in progress: the transition from central processing unit (CPU) computing to GPUs, the broad use of generative AI, and the growing use of agentic AI systems. And these, all requiring AI products and services, should keep powering earnings higher at Nvidia.

“Our singular architecture enables all three transitions,” Huang added.

Nvidia’s revenue climbs 62%

Nvidia’s fiscal 2026 third-quarter earnings reinforce all of this. The company reported a 62% increase in revenue to a record level of $57 billion and maintained high profitability on sales, with gross margin of more than 73%. And the demand picture looks bright too, with Nvidia saying its installed base of GPUs is in use at 100% and “the clouds are sold out.”

Considering all of this, Nvidia, trading for around 40x forward earnings estimates, looks reasonably priced.

So, today, in the wake of Nvidia’s earnings report, investors may breathe a sigh of relief as Huang offers evidence that the top AI stock isn’t in a bubble — and instead could continue to deliver growth well into the future as the AI boom evolves.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Is Nvidia in an AI bubble? Here’s what Jensen Huang says. appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Adria Cimino has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX dividend share Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS) has sparked renewed interest among income-focused investors. Over the past 12 months, the share price has increased by 21%, although it has slowed down slightly in the past month.

With solid operational momentum, improving cash flow and attractive dividend yields, the wholesale distribution heavyweight is emerging as a compelling pick if you’re after passive income.

Resilient food and liquor distribution

Metcash’s diversified business – spanning food, liquor, and hardware divisions – is showing strength. The food and liquor divisions are resilient, as they distribute food and liquor to hundreds of independent retailers across Australia, including IGA, Cellarbrations, IGA Liquor, The Bottle-O, Porters, and Thirsty Camel.

The ASX dividend share also operates a foodservice component, which supplies commercial customers, including hotels, restaurants, cafes, and others.

Softer market hits hardware division

Metcash is also the second-largest player in the Australian hardware market, as it owns businesses such as Mitre 10, Home Hardware, and Total Tools. The hardware business has gone through a few difficult years because of weak construction activity. Now, it looks like things might turn around.

After a challenging FY25, analysts are projecting that the company’s earnings could increase by approximately 10% to $300 million in FY26 (and another 10% in FY27).

The latest trading update was a step in the right direction. In the 18 weeks to 31 August 2025, total sales excluding tobacco increased 5.1% (or 1.1% including tobacco). Total food sales were up 8.6% excluding tobacco sales, total liquor sales were up 1.5%, and Total Tools and Hardware Group sales were up 1.8%.

Reliable payouts

On the income reliability front, Metcash has paid two fully franked dividends every year since 2017. The business pays around 70% of its underlying net profit as a dividend, which led to a total dividend per share of 18 cents in FY25. That translates into a trailing grossed-up dividend yield of 6.75%, including franking credits.

UBS projects the ASX dividend share to increase its payout every year between FY25 to FY29. That could be great news for investors focused on passive income.

Most analysts also predict moderate to strong upside from Metcash’s share price of $3.76 at the time of writing. They have set an average price target of $4.30, which suggests a share price gain of 15%. That could lift total Metcash earnings, including dividends, past the 20% mark.  

Broker Shaw and Partners sees the ASX dividend share as a good option for income investors, but it only rates it as a hold. It notes:

We suggest holding Metcash for stable income and defensive positioning. It offers a solid dividend yield, resilient earnings and reliable cash flow in uncertain markets. Its exposure to essential consumer goods and regional retail provides downside protection, making it a suitable hold for income-focused investors seeking stability over aggressive growth.

The post Up 21% this year! This fast-recovering ASX dividend share might not be a bargain forever appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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.

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining giant closed on Friday trading for $40.37. In morning trade on Monday, shares are swapping hands for $40.61 apiece, up 0.6%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 1.1% at this same time.

There are a lot of moving parts potentially impacting the BHP share price today.

So, let’s dig in.

BHP share price up on axed Anglo American takeover

After making no less than three bids in its $74 billion takeover offer for global miner Anglo American (LSE: AAL) in 2024, BHP eventually walked away from the table.

But the Aussie mining giant didn’t lose interest in acquiring Anglo American and recently resumed acquisition discussions that were reported in the media late last week.

Today, however, the BHP share price could be impacted after the miner announced that following preliminary discussions with the Anglo American board, it is no longer considering a merger of the two companies.

The ASX 200 miner stated:

Whilst BHP continues to believe that a combination with Anglo American would have had strong strategic merits and created significant value for all stakeholders, BHP is confident in the highly compelling potential of its own organic growth strategy.

This means that BHP will not be making any further bids for Anglo American in the medium term, with a few possible exceptions.

Those include a third party announcing a firm intention to make an offer for Anglo American. Or if Anglo American’s board agrees to today’s statement aside.

What else is happening with the ASX 200 miner?

The BHP share price is in the green today despite media reports that China isn’t done with its efforts to take greater control of iron ore pricing in its arrangements with BHP.

The government has reportedly told Chinese commodity traders and steel mills to no longer buy low-grade iron ore referred to as ‘Jingbao fines’. The share price impact on the ASX 200 miner today appears to be limited, as this only represents a small percentage of BHP’s iron ore exports to China.

China is said to be making the move to reduce the global influence of the US dollar on its trading practices.

According to Carolin Kautz, a China analyst at SinoVise (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):

They have been pushing for companies to settle in [yuan], and now they have more leverage to do this. They want to reduce their reliance on American dollars…

This is not about turning the yuan into a reserve currency. Beijing is offering settlement in its own currency to reduce dollar dependence, especially for partners in the Global South. The structural barriers like capital controls haven’t gone away.

What else is impacting the BHP share price?

The ASX 200 miner should be enjoying some modest tailwinds from the 0.3% boost in the iron ore price over the weekend. The industrial metal is trading for US$104.245 per tonne.

Copper, BHP’s number two revenue earner and growing, is also up 0.4% to US$10,777.50 per tonne.

The post Why is the BHP share price lifting today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) shares are starting the week in a positive fashion.

In morning trade, the health imaging technology company’s shares are up almost 3% to $258.50.

Why are Pro Medicus shares rising?

Investors have been bidding the company’s shares higher today after it announced three more contract wins ahead of its annual general meeting.

This update is hot on the heels of an announcement last week which revealed that the company has signed a five-year, $44 million contract with Advanced Radiology Management in the United States.

According to today’s release, its wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, Visage Imaging Inc, has signed three new contracts with a combined minimum contract value of $29 million. These contracts will be fully cloud-deployed and are planned to be completed within the next six months.

The first contract is a $6.5 million five-year contract with Children’s of Alabama, which is a leading paediatric hospital in Birmingham, Alabama.

The second is a $9.5 million, seven-year contract with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. It is a cancer research and treatment facility located in Buffalo, New York.

The final one is with Vancouver Clinic, which is a physician-owned and governed group in Vancouver, Southwest Washington. That contract is worth a minimum of $13M over a seven-year period.

Management notes that these new contracts bring the company’s minimum total contract value (TCV) for sales for the first half of FY 2026 to $273 million.

Commenting on today’s news, Pro Medicus’ founder and CEO, Dr Sam Hupert, said:

They comprise a children’s hospital, a cancer center, and a physician-owned and run regional healthcare provider. This diversity reinforces our belief that our product is ideally suited to virtually all segments of the market, from smaller groups all the way through to some of the largest IDN’s and academic medical centers in the US.

The good news is that Pro Medicus’ sales pipeline remains strong despite its recent wins. And with a major conference on the horizon, it could be a very busy period for the company. Dr Hupert commented:

Despite very robust sales in the half, our pipeline remains strong with a broad range of opportunities both in terms of size and market segments. We also have the all-important RSNA conference in Chicago later this month which is shaping up to be our biggest yet.

The post Pro Medicus shares charge higher on big news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.