BHP Group Limited BHP announced that it inked a binding deal with Global Infrastructure Partners (“GIP”), which is part of BlackRock, Inc. BLK, for BHP’s stake in Western Australia Iron Ore's (“WAIO”) inland power network. This deal will help BHP Group with its funding, as well as retain operational control over WAIO’s infrastructure.
Details of BHP’s Deal With GIP
BHP Group has an 85% interest in WAIO that includes four main joint ventures in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The partnership between BHP and BlackRock’s GIP will establish a trust entity where BHP will hold a 51% stake in WAIO and GIP will own the remaining 49% for a funding of $2 billion.
BHP will continue to operate WAIO, including its inland power infrastructure, per the agreement. The company will pay a tariff to the entity for 25 years, based on its WAIO inland power share. WAIO will continue to focus on its long-term strategy to increase iron ore production to 305 million tons per annum.
The deal is expected to close toward the end of fiscal 2026, subject to closing conditions and approvals.
BHP will incorporate the net proceeds from this deal and assess the same under the company’s capital allocation framework. The deal showcases the company’s disciplined approach to capital portfolio management, as well as supporting the company's balance sheet flexibility.
BHP Group Stock’s Price Performance
BHP shares have gained 13.8% in a year compared with the industry’s 22.7% growth.
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BHP’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks from the basic materials space are OR Royalties Inc. OR and Agnico Eagle Mines AEM. OR and AEM sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
The consensus estimate for OR Royalties’ 2025 earnings is pegged at 82 cents per share. The estimate indicates year-over-year growth of 57.7%. OR Royalties’ shares have surged 80% in a year.
The consensus estimate for Agnico Eagle Mines’ 2025 earnings is pegged at $7.77 per share. The estimate indicates a year-over-year jump of 83.6%. It has an average trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.6%. Agnico Eagle Mines’ shares have surged 107.6% in a year.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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