View Poll Results: Did you buy shares ?

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  1. BACK-2-BLACK's Avatar


    BlackBerry ejected from the Australian Parliament

    Like a Labor MP during Question Time under Speaker Bronwyn Bishop, the humble BlackBerry smartphone has been kicked out of the Australian Parliament.

    Just a few short years after being given the option to ditch BlackBerry for iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone, Australia's elected members of parliament are now ditching BlackBerry completely.

    The BlackBerry used to be the only phone that members of parliament were allowed to use. Shortly before the 2013 federal election, the Department of Parliamentary Services -- which maintains responsibility for the mobile phones issued to all parliamentarians -- established a "one-stop shop" for the IT needs of the politicians.

    A review of IT for the parliament conducted in 2012 found that "a substantial number of parliamentarians" favoured the iPhone over the BlackBerry they had been issued with, and complained that the phones were unduly restrictive and had high failure rates.

    After the iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy S4, and a number of Windows Phone devices were given security approval by the Australian Signals Directorate, the Department of Parliamentary Services began offering these options in the one-stop shop to cater to those MPs desperate to move away from BlackBerry.

    In 2013, DPS CIO Eija Seittenranta told ZDNet that most MPs had moved away from BlackBerry.

    "[There has] probably been a move to iOS, but there's people who have chosen to stay with BlackBerry, and a small number who have picked the Samsung," she said.

    Almost two years later, the move away from BlackBerry seems to be so overwhelming that DPS has now ceased supporting the device.

    "Support for BlackBerry in the Australian Parliament House environment ceased at the end of June 2015 after the last BlackBerry user in the environment had been migrated to other platforms," a spokesperson for DPS told ZDNet.

    One of the last hold-outs, and father of the House, Liberal MP Philip Ruddock, confirmed this week that he had been forced to move from BlackBerry to the iPhone for emails. However, he said he still uses his Nokia C5 as his regular phone.
    rarsen, morganplus8 and 3MIKE like this.
    07-03-15 11:11 AM
  2. BACK-2-BLACK's Avatar
    as per Motley Fool:

    3 Ways That BlackBerry Ltd. Shares Could Soar


    BlackBerry Ltd. (TSX:BB)(NASDAQ:BBRY) has come a long way since late 2013 when John Chen took over as CEO.

    At that time BlackBerry was struggling to stay afloat and was suffering heavy losses. Now the company is on much sounder footing, and has a more focused strategy. But the stock price remains stuck around $10. So, that begs the question: what�s the next step?

    To help find an answer, we take a look at three scenarios where BlackBerry�s stock takes off.

    1. Traction for the software business

    Under Mr. Chen�s leadership BlackBerry has dramatically refocused towards software. As part of this shift, he has set a very ambitious goal: US$600 million in software-related revenue in FY2016, including US$100 million from BBM.

    Until we heard last quarter�s results, this goal seemed far out of reach. But BlackBerry reported US$137 million in software-related revenue for the first quarter of 2016, which worked out to 157% growth. Now Mr. Chen�s goal seems far more realistic.

    To get to US$600 million, BlackBerry still has a long way to go. The company will likely have to sign more intellectual property deals, as it did last quarter. It will probably have to make more acquisitions. BBM will have to show better results. And most importantly, BlackBerry will have to overcome its damaged brand.

    2. Some big wins for QNX

    QNX may not get much attention in the media, but the operating system is well positioned in the Internet of Things (IoT) marketplace thanks to BlackBerry�s leadership in security.

    Thus far, this isn�t a meaningful contributor to revenues. But IoT is set to grow astronomically�Cisco Systems expects 50 billion devices to be connected to the Internet by 2020, quadruple what we saw in 2010.

    So, this is more of a long-term opportunity for BlackBerry, but in the meantime it would be a great sign to see some contract wins for QNX. It would signal some continuing momentum in a very fast growing market.

    3. A buyout

    Mr. Chen has been very adamant that BlackBerry is not for sale. But eventually, BlackBerry will likely get bought out. The reason is very simple: the company has numerous assets and capabilities that would be worth more in another company�s hands.

    The best example is BlackBerry�s patent portfolio. There�s also the company�s leadership position in security as well as QNX. So, even if Mr. Chen is unsuccessful in his turnaround efforts, BlackBerry will still be a very attractive target. And if he is successful, BlackBerry�s attractiveness as a takeover target will be that much greater.

    That said, BlackBerry remains a very risky stock, so if you�re going to buy it you should only commit a small slice of your savings.
    07-03-15 11:17 AM
  3. BACK-2-BLACK's Avatar
    Not sure who "Trefis" is, but saw the link through the Forbes site..

    Base Case: Trefis Last Updated 30-Jun-15 BlackBerry (BBRY)

    $4.21 Bil
    Market Cap

    $7.96
    Market Price

    $9.26
    Trefis Price

    POTENTIAL UPSIDE & DOWNSIDE TO TREFIS PRICE

    Below are key drivers of BlackBerry's value that present opportunities for upside or downside to the current Trefis price estimate:

    BlackBerry Mobile Phone market share: BlackBerry's market share increased at a fast rate from less than 1% in 2007 to over 3% in 2011, as per our estimates, as smartphone penetration grew. However, during 2012 and 2013, BlackBerry's market share fell to less than 2% and 1% respectively, as the company's newest BB10 based offerings struggled to gain traction owing to competition from Apple and Samsung. Going forward, we expect BlackBerry's market share to decrease to below 0.5% by the end of Trefis forecast period. This is mostly due to the competitive nature of the mobile phone landscape, where iPhones and the Android-based smartphones are becoming increasingly popular. BlackBerry's niche position within the enterprise is also under threat as Google and Apple have been focusing on improving their enterprise mobility offerings. BlackBerry had been pinning its hopes on new handsets such as the Z3, Passport and Classic to drive a turnaround. If BlackBerry is successful in boosting handset sales and is able to grow its market share back to around 1.5% by the end of our forecast period, there could be an upside of about 40% to our estimate for the stock. On the other hand, if BlackBerry fails to do so and its market share approaches 0 by the end of our forecast period, there could be a downside of around 10% to the Trefis price estimate for the stock.

    Software Revenues: BlackBerry's software revenues declined from around $283 million in 2010 to about $242 million in 2013 as many of the company's offering were tied to BlackBerry devices that were rapidly losing market share. However, since 2013, the company has adopted a cross platform strategy for its BES software, supporting Android and iOS based smartphones, in a move that should increase its addressable market considerably. While software revenues fell further to about $223 million in 2014 as the company launched a customer acquisition program called EZ Pass, we expect revenues to grow significantly in 2015, as monetization improves. BlackBerry has also been focusing on selling value-added software and services to the enterprise, besides focusing on increasing revenues from its BlackBerry Messenger and QNX embedded software franchises. We forecast that the company's software revenues will rise to about $900 million by the end of our forecast period. If the company is able to drive significant adoption of its BES 12 platform while monetizing its smaller assets (BBM, QNX, Movirtu, Secusmart) taking software revenue to about $1.2 billion, this could increase our price estimate by 10%. On the other hand if revenues only grow to about $700 million, it could result in a 10% decline in our price estimate.

    BUSINESS SUMMARY

    BlackBerry is a mobile communications company that sells smartphones and software and services that are largely targeted at the enterprise market. The company's hardware business includes a portfolio of mostly premium QWERTY and full-touch smartphone products. BlackBerry Enterprise Server - the company's enterprise mobility management solution - consolidates mobile device management (MDM), security, infrastructure and application management.The company also offers a variety of software and services, including BBM, which is a mobile messaging service and QNX software for embedded systems.

    SOURCES OF VALUE

    BlackBerry's software division contributes the most to the company's value for the following reasons.

    Growth in the mobile device management space

    Mobile security and enterprise mobility management is becoming an increasing focus area for companies, given that employees are using smartphones and tablets for an increasing part of their personal and corporate computing needs. Issues such as data theft, electronic eavesdropping and the increasing prominence of the �bring your own device� trend have made enterprises and mobile companies place a greater emphasis on mobile security and device management. According to Radicati Group, a market research firm, the mobile device management market is expected to more than quadruple to $5.75 billion by 2018. Data security, encryption and device management have typically been Blackberry's strong suite and the company's BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) software is likely to see meaningful growth as the market expands.

    Cross platform support for BES will increase addressable market

    BlackBerry introduced cross platform support for Android and iOS devices with BES 10. This is likely to help to expand the addressable market and user base for BES meaningfully, given that iOS and Android devices together account for over 90% of the smartphone market, compared to BlackBerry which holds under 1% market share.

    Niche Assets Can Add Meaningful Upside

    BlackBerry's software division also houses many of the company's niche and sometimes overlooked assets such as QNX, Movirtu and Secusmart. QNX embedded software could find a meaningful upside if BlackBerry is able to capitalize on the growing Internet of Things trend. Secusmart, which provides high-security voice and data encryption and anti-eavesdropping technologies, could also prove to be another valuable asset as there have been increased global concerns over electronic eavesdropping, surveillance and data theft.

    Higher Margins For Software

    Being a service based division, it has higher margins than the BlackBerry hardware division. While BlackBerry's recent travails have caused smartphone gross margins to fall to the fall considerably, the software division offers margins upwards of 80%.

    KEY TRENDS
    ]Increasing Smartphone Demand and Competition

    While BlackBerry is widely considered to have made the first smartphone, Apple and vendors running Google's Android software have run away with the market in recent years. BlackBerry�s handset business has seen a precipitous decline over the last few years. The company�s global market share has fallen to just 0.5% ( in terms of smartphone operating systems) from close to 14% three years ago, according to IDC. BlackBerry is pinning all its hopes on BB10 OS and new hardware such the BlackBerry Passport and Classic. The QWERTY-based Classic and Passport models will appeal to traditional BlackBerry lovers, and could help the company retain its core user base of government and enterprise users.

    Focus on Software

    Given its current woes in the handset space, BlackBerry has been reworking the strategy for its software business to drive a turnaround.

    BlackBerry introduced cross platform support in BES 10 in order to capitalize on the growing �bring your own device� trend (BYOD), providing support for rival platforms including Android and iOS. The company also invested considerable resources in developing BES 12, which unifies support for BES 10 and BES 5, making it easy for organizations to operate both BB7 and BB10 based devices on a single infrastructure.

    BlackBerry has also looking to attract more customers to its BES 10 and BES 12 platform through its EZ Pass program, which allows organizations running earlier versions of BES or competing Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms to switch to the BES 10 and BES 12 offering for free. The company intends to monetize these users by eventually charging them for technical support and by encouraging them to upgrade to a premium version of the service that offers better security features.

    BlackBerry has been looking to revitalize its BBM messaging service by opening it up to rival platforms such as Android and iOS. BBM has some advantages over rival applications, including security and a proven infrastructure, voice and video calling options as well as channels that allow brands and celebrities to connect with their audience. The cross platform strategy was off to a reasonably strong start, with its active user base growing from about 20 million since the cross platform launch in 2013 to about 91 million users as of Q2 CY 2014.

    Technology Focused Acquisitions

    BlackBerry has made conscious efforts in the recent past to improve its product portfolio, having made quite a few technology-focused acquisitions such as QNX, Secusmart and Movirtu.

    BlackBerry acquired QNX in 2010, with a view to enhance its product portfolio and use the real-time operating system in its smartphones as well as tablets. The software finds wide application in embedded systems - such as automobile infotainment systems - given its low hardware requirements, stability, and flexibility. The growing interest in the �Internet of Things� such as smart homes could be an important growth lever for the QNX business.

    During Q3 CY 2014, BlackBerry acquired Movirtu, a U.K. based start-up that provides a virtual SIM platform that enables users to have their personal and business phone numbers operating on the same smartphone. The technology works on devices running iOS, BlackBerry OS as well as Android devices. The acquisition complements much of the company�s current efforts in the mobile device management space.

    BlackBerry's Efforts to Improve its App Store

    One of the reasons why BlackBerry has been losing share in the smartphone market is that it lacks the strong app ecosystem enjoyed by Apple and Google. The company has been trying to improve its App offering of late, signing a deal with Amazon that will allow the company to offer apps from Amazon's Appstore on its BlackBerry 10 devices. The Appstore will serve to more than double the number of titles available to users of BlackBerry's newest devices and will also introduce several popular apps that were previously unavailable to BlackBerry users. The deal should save the company the time and effort in courting developers to create more apps for its shrinking user base, while allowing it to free up resources to focus on the enterprise and security offerings on which it is betting its future.

    Rising competition in the enterprise space

    BlackBerry has been able to charge a premium for its service and security infrastructure, which is why many corporate IT departments view it as the leader in wireless security. However, rivals such as Apple and Google have come up with their own enterprise-focused solutions by partnering with other companies. For instance, Apple has teamed up with IBM to increase the deployment of its iPhone and iPad devices in the enterprise market. Offerings such as these could hurt BlackBerry's monetization of its core enterprise business.

    Service revenues trend lower

    While BlackBerry services still remains the company�s largest division, accounting for over 45% of consolidated quarterly sales as of Q4 FY2015, the division's revenues have been declining steadily owing to user attrition and customer migration onto other smartphone platforms. Service revenue consists of monthly system access fees (SAF) that the company bills to users of Blackberry 7 (and prior) operating systems. Users of the company�s latest BlackBerry 10 devices get the basic services for free, although they need to pay for value-added encryption or enhanced enterprise mobility services. BlackBerry is projecting 15% decline in service revenues each quarter going forward, as more users migrate onto its new devices such as the Passport and the Classic that don't necessarily need the service.
    07-03-15 11:39 AM
  4. Superfly_FR's Avatar
    I went there very affraid of what I will read. Was in fact pretty decent. May even buy the book ...
    The Rise and Fall of the BlackBerry: An Interview with *Jacquie McNish and*Sean Silcoff*|*Phil Simon
    07-03-15 11:44 AM
  5. Corbu's Avatar
    07-03-15 12:14 PM
  6. Andrew4life's Avatar
    There is no volume at all today.


    Posted via CB10
    07-03-15 12:18 PM
  7. Corbu's Avatar
    My first live experience with BlackBerry CEO John Chen

    Last week I got a chance to attend a press conference featuring BlackBerry CEO John Chen.

    Chen was on hand at the launch of Mackenzie Health’s second phase of its Innovation Unit that will sport BlackBerry devices along with technology from Cisco Systems and ThoughtWire.

    The event was first class and this initiative has a very real chance to improve the healthcare workflow through disruptive technology. You can read the whole story here: BlackBerry/Cisco partnership to push healthcare towards digital age

    But the star of the event was Chen. He came across to be very likeable and sometimes quite funny. In one instance, Chen said Canada had 16 provinces instead of 10. This was taken as a joke by the audience. The point he was making was there are too many regulatory bodies in the country. But there were plenty of other attention-grabbing comments from the BlackBerry leader.

    Here is a sample of his comments:

    John Chen on initiatives…

    “I’m a big fan of initiatives.”

    John Chen on BlackBerry…

    “BlackBerry is an iconic name in Canada and one that everyone has an opinion about; good and bad. One of the major strategies as a worldwide leader is in security and privacy. We are going to come at it from a platform level with software.”

    John Chen on privacy…

    “Privacy and security with the crossroads of communication the verticals that need that are the regulated ones. And, that’s where I see the opportunity: the three-levels of government, healthcare, and financial. We are a mobility company with the most secure platform in hardware and software.”

    John Chen on smartphones…

    “When we build the next smartphone it may be built dirt proof and water proof. The surface of materials is bacteria free and so there will be one less thing for a nurse to wipe down.”

    Chen said that this idea is not necessarily part of BlackBerry’s product road map.

    John Chen on Mackenzie Health…

    “We come from a product standpoint, but those have not really road tested. Working on this MI2 (the name of Mackenzie Health’s Innovation Unit) project has been a learning experience for us. Now we have more than 300 partners in this area. We learn more about how our technology goes into and end-to-end environment to solve problems and make life better for patients.”

    John Chen on regulatory bodies…

    “Each country has a different set of requirements. In Canada, what do we have…16 provinces and all of them with different healthcare requirements?”

    John Chen on human behaviour…

    “One challenge is human behaviour and how to trust it. Earlier the concept of data being shared was talked about. What do you trust? This is a big picture thing and there are lots of road blocks. As a society we need to get this right. It’s not just about healthcare, a technology company or the government. It’s about society and we need to get this right.”

    John Chen on big data…

    “If I approach it from a patient point-of-view I would like to know who owns the data. So if I move I want that data to move with me. If I go to another hospital I don’t want to be walking around with a USB stick. The patient is going to demand this in an open systems way.”

    John Chen on Cisco…

    “We have a lot of tech people here. People who follow the news know that Cisco and us are cross licensing. I think together we can solve any problem thrown at us.”

    John Chen on risk…

    “Eventually you will get a replicated solution. Yes, there is risk here we have taken, but we’ll know more about our product in a real life situation.”

    John Chen on healthcare…

    “This is a society-wide problem. The current model is unsustainable. People are demanding a healthy life. Diseases are found every day and checking into a hospital is just not going to do it. Home care may be a solution and then use the hospital for more critical care. We are working with partners to make home care more of a reality. Those are the opportunities available with technology, mobility, privacy and advocacy.”
    07-03-15 12:53 PM
  8. BACK-2-BLACK's Avatar
    sorry if this has been posted..... but wanted to post a "positive" article !!

    BlackBerry�s back-to-basics approach is starting to show results

    The once-towering tech giant is starting to see promising signs now that it�s returned to its enterprise roots
    Jun 29, 2015 Jessica McDiarmid

    When Marty Beard joined BlackBerry as its chief operating officer in July 2014, he walked into the centre of one of the most ambitious corporate turnarounds ever launched in Canada. The beleaguered company was in the midst of an intense makeover under CEO John Chen, who had assumed his position the previous November, during some of its darkest days. Chen had worked with Beard before, at the software company Sybase Inc., which they led back into the black. Now Chen was going for a repeat performance. �It was a lot of different things going on at once,� says Beard. �We were really, really focused on getting our financial house in order, getting much more financial stability, much more focused on cash flow.�

    In other words, just trying to stay alive.
    BlackBerry CEO John Chen BlackBerry�s transformation into a software company, in three charts

    Not quite a year later, things at BlackBerry are looking up. The company isn�t dead, for one. Its new management team has succeeded in staunching the financial bleeding, opening the door for a potential comeback. That comeback rides on plans that, in some respects, signal a return to BlackBerry�s roots: a focus on the strengths that led to the company�s meteoric rise while largely abandoning what subsequently heralded an even more dramatic downfall. Moving forward, BlackBerry is cooling its efforts on the consumer front, a market that proved notably unreceptive to the Canadian company�s wares; its share of the global smartphone market dropped from about 20% to less than 1% after it shifted its attention away from its business customers. Now it�s aiming to lure them back with its mostly unrivalled security capabilities.

    In the last quarter of its 2014 fiscal year, the company posted a surprise profit of $28 million, compared with a $148-million loss a year earlier. While revenue for that period dropped from $793 million to $660 million, BlackBerry reported positive cash flow of $76 million, along with a $3.27 billion cash balance, which matches the highest in the company�s history. �Our financial viability is no longer in question,� Chen said in March.

    Chen and his management team have aggressively slashed spending. In the last quarter, operating costs dropped more than 61% over the previous year. �Every company has areas you can tighten up, but in the case of BlackBerry, when we came in, there was a lot of opportunity all over the place,� says Beard. �We were just running hard to make things more efficient.� In some cases, that meant reducing its workforce, a process that remains ongoing�the company just indicated plans for more layoffs, though it hasn�t revealed how many (it currently has about 7,000 employees, down from a high of 20,000). In addition to a variety of belt-tightening measures implemented across departments, BlackBerry also put into motion a plan that had been in the works for a long time, outsourcing handset manufacturing to Taiwan-based FoxConn.

    �All of that�s happening at once, and you can see the result, where we were able last quarter to talk about positive cash flow and adding to our cash balance,� says Beard. That, in turn, means BlackBerry can snap up companies that will bolster the capabilities it�s pinning its recovery hopes on: offering superior security to enterprise customers across multiple platforms and devices. That�s a message the company is pushing hard to businesses, governments and �power professionals� with high security needs. �We want [them] to look at BlackBerry as the leader in securing their most important data,� says Beard.

    BlackBerry announced in April that it had acquired the data security company WatchDox to bolster its ability to secure files on any device. Late last year, it completed the acquisition of German voice encryption and anti-eavesdropping company Secusmart. �We�ve always been the best at securing email and securing messages,� says Beard. �Now we secure voice, and with WatchDox, we secure files.�

    It forged a partnership with Google Inc. to allow enterprises running BlackBerry�s BES12 software to integrate Google�s Android for Work tools. It also teamed up with Samsung Electronics to bring BlackBerry security capabilities to the smartphone maker�s handsets and tablets. That means BlackBerry can get its software out to a huge swath of customers, while Samsung can market its now-secure devices to the lucrative enterprise market. The company is also pursuing a strategy to provide security options for the Internet of Things, a move to connect everyday items to the Internet. Estimates suggest anywhere from 26 to 50 billion devices�everything from televisions to toasters�could be connected worldwide within five years, and making those connections secure will be a profitable business. It promises to be a highly competitive field, but given the company�s experience and expertise, BlackBerry aims to come out on top. �Other companies talk about security, but BlackBerry, for 25 years, has been doing it,� says Beard.

    While there are encouraging signs, only time will tell whether the strategy spells a true reversal of fortune. When it comes to engineering a turnaround, cost-cutting is the easy part, says Richard Tse, a technology analyst with Cormark Securities. It�s getting revenues back to where they should be that takes the hard work. �They�re still pretty early in it,� says Tse. �There�s still a long, long way to go.�

    Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research, says that as BlackBerry looks toward a future as an enterprise software and services company, rather than a handset maker, it needs the same infrastructure as any of its competitors. �BlackBerry is doing the right thing, building all that up,� says Dawson. �However, that�s a long slog, and BlackBerry still has a lot of work to do to convince enterprises it�s still relevant and to educate them about its transition to a device-agnostic services company.�

    That transition won�t be easy: BlackBerry has little experience managing Android and iOS devices, and has a relatively small direct sales team and few exclusive distributors. �The way I tend to characterize BlackBerry at this point is that it was on the mountaintop a few years back and has now slid down into the valley beyond it,� says Dawson. �Ahead, there�s another mountain, but the top is clouded, and it�s impossible to see how high it is or whether BlackBerry can even successfully climb it.�

    Jeff Kagan, a U.S.-based analyst, remembers giving a speech back when BlackBerry was �unbeatable.� Smartphone rivals like Apple�s iPhone were just coming onto the market. �I warned BlackBerry, �This is your wake-up call. Do something now, before it�s too late,�� says Kagan. �They just didn�t believe it.� Now, with BlackBerry�s global market share hovering around 0.5%, its only way forward is on the enterprise and software sides, says Kagan. �I don�t think BlackBerry is ever going to see the days it had before, unless there�s a complete transformation in the industry.�

    Independent analyst Carmi Levy is more optimistic. The BlackBerry of today is a �radically different company� than the �disaster� Chen and his team took on 18 months ago, he says. BlackBerry left behind its dismal record in the consumer market and returned to the enterprise clientele that originally made it what it was. �It�s a perfect lesson in exploiting the markets where you can compete, and getting out of the markets where you know you can�t,� says Levy. �BlackBerry is no longer trying to be all things to all people.�

    But convincing the world that it has moved beyond its fall from grace will be tough. �The company really does have one of the more monumental branding challenges in Canadian business history ahead of it,� says Levy. �It has to convince a largely skeptical audience that it remains relevant, but in a very different way.� It�s that branding that will ultimately reconnect BlackBerry back to the market that made it successful in the first place.�

    Beard doesn�t disagree. The company needs to hammer home the message that it has changed, he says, from a BlackBerry device company to a �cross-platform solutions� company. �It�ll take time. That�s one of the challenges,� he says. And the others? �We need to be smart and make sure we stay focused on making money.�

    Beard says the company isn�t too concerned about the proliferation of opinions about it�the articles, the books, the chatter. It�s not looking to the past. �I need to be focused on moving forward. We like what we�re doing, and we understand that it�s going to be a lot of hard work; it�s going to take time. We�re all feeling good about where we�re going.� Asked where that would that be, in an ideal world, Beard doesn�t hesitate: �BlackBerry re-emerges as a clear global leader in mobile security and managing the Internet of Things. And everybody says, �Yep, they�re definitely one of the top players.��

    3MIKE, rarsen, jxnb and 4 others like this.
    07-03-15 12:55 PM
  9. sixaxis_ms's Avatar
    I like the look of the Venize but its a shame that we don't see BBM in the apps

    Posted via CB10
    07-03-15 01:09 PM
  10. BACK-2-BLACK's Avatar
    BlackBerry, AMD, 3D Systems: Declare Independence from These 3 Losers

    NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- With the first half of 2015 now in the books, it's safe to say not everyone is excited with the status of their portfolios.

    Whether buying or selling at the wrong times, mistakes were made. But mistakes can be corrected -- if investors are willing to admit their errors in judgement and move on.

    Consider, for example, BlackBerry (BBRY - Get Report), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD - Get Report) and 3D Systems (DDD - Get Report) -- three losers from which investors should want their freedom. Here's why you should declare your independence from these ball-and-chain stocks that have dragged down so many portfolios.

    The BBRY Café.  [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]-be373fafccd7003c6f1b910cc17056c0.png

    BBRY data by YCharts

    BlackBerry is trying to remain relevant in an environment where it has been left behind in the smartphone race by Apple (AAPL) and Samsung (SSNLF). I say "race" even though the Canadian company has seemingly given up on hardware. Instead, it has turned its attention to software and services -- the type that can run on all platforms, including Apple's iOS and Google's (GOOGL) Android.

    But how much money is there in that business? This is the question that BlackBerry optimists, who are salivating at the stock's cheap price, fail to reconcile. Indeed, trading at less than two times earnings and down some 20% on the year, the stock is really cheap. But it's really cheap for a reason. Lest we forget, BlackBerry was also cheap in June 2013 at $15 per share. Since then, it was fallen some 40%, and longer-term, the shares are down 85% over the past five years.

    In those five years, the only thing that has remained constant is that favorite assertion of investors -- "This time it's different." Granted, new CEO John Chen seems to have a better handle on the company's strength and weaknesses. But from my vantage point, Chen is fighting a losing battle. He may be able to salvage some assets and sell them to as "strengths," it still won't elevate BlackBerry stock beyond its current status as a speculative play. Sell now and move on with your life.

    For similar reasons, it's time to give up on the notion that Advanced Micro Devices can become anything close to what it was when personal computers were still a growth industry. It's no longer the 1990s, and without a mobile strategy, AMD stock -- down 54% and 67% in the past three years and five years, respectively -- will continue to disappoint.

    I say "disappoint" here only in reference to those investors who have high expectations for AMD. The California-based semiconductor company, which has missed its average analyst earnings-per-share estimate for four straight quarters, is known to test investors' threshold for frustration. And with AMD stock up almost 20% in one month and up 6% over the past week, this looks like the perfect setup for another letdown.

    Why has the stock climbed? Rumors have begun to spread suggesting AMD may break up or spinoff parts of its business. There's also speculation that AMD is now the subject of an acquisition. What do you suppose will happen to the stock when neither of these scenarios pan out? The stock will get punished just like it has repeatedly in the past five years.

    Although new CEO Lisa Su remains optimistic about AMD's progress in diversifying its businesses and balance sheet, how long is this "restructuring" going to take? Investors still holding these shares would be better served taking the gains of the past month and moving on to investments with much better prospects.

    Finally, we have 3D Systems -- a company I've always wanted to like, but have never been able to. Just like BlackBerry and AMD, investors in 3D Systems have suffered considerably. Not only is the stock down almost 40% in 2015, but over the past twelve months, more than 64% of its value has evaporated. Although the South Carolina-based company does have the technology to capitalize when -- or if -- the 3-D printing market takes off, 3D is spending tons of cash to secure its position.

    Granted, spending money today for profits in the future is no novelty in the business world. And 3D's "if we build it, they will come" strategy can still work. But it doesn't make the stock a good investment. Not to mention, with competitors like Stratasys (SSYS) and the arrival of Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), which is expected to release its own 3-D printer next year, 3D Systems is far from alone in its pursuits.

    All told, the declines in its stock show that the analysts have gotten this one wrong. Not only does 3D still carry an average 12-month price target of $24 -- 23% higher than its current level -- analysts are still projecting the company will grow earnings at an annual rate of 20% in the next five years.

    Complicating matters, the average analyst earnings estimate for the current quarter has dropped 55% since the start of the quarter, from 20 cents per share to 9 cents. And estimates for the full year, ending in December, is down 42% from 95 cents to 55 cents per share. That's not what investors should want from a stock that's already struggling.
    rarsen, bungaboy and 3MIKE like this.
    07-03-15 01:09 PM
  11. jimmyjamesfc's Avatar
    Although I'm not A fan or rebranding and I think BlackBerry made a mistake of changing the name of the company from RIM, I believe BlackBerry should push software marketing efforts as QNX branding since right now the stigma and baggage of the BlackBerry is to heavy.
    In fact BlackBerry could be marketed as the qwerty keyboard and QNX as the all touch just to get the company gain market share.

    Posted via CB10
    anon(4086547) likes this.
    07-03-15 02:19 PM
  12. bspence87's Avatar
    One thing's for sure:
    The slider is already getting everyone's attention, once again.

    As a shareholder, I'd like to see BlackBerry launch it with Android, otherwise people (Android fans) will be let down and have more reason to claim "another epic fail"

    As a BlackBerry fan, I'd be heartbroken to see it not running BB10. Everything about BB10 is designed for touchscreen, but the Qwerty is so much better for typing. The slider could be the perfect marriage.

    As a dreamer, please dear God let it be dual-OS. The practicality and the headlines would be extremely big and positive.
    3MIKE, bungaboy, spike12 and 6 others like this.
    07-03-15 03:58 PM
  13. moonglampers's Avatar
    O
    Maybe 5 years ago I would have invested, but not now. Overseas is doing well though. Maybe next year after QNX gets up and running .....maybe
    UK of qq
    Maybe 5 years ago I would have invested, but not now. Overseas is doing well though. Maybe next year after QNX gets up and running .....maybe

    Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
    07-03-15 04:02 PM
  14. anon(3066922)'s Avatar
    Exactly.

    The only information we have are the 3 seconds of the slider presentation at MWC. I can remember, Chen said something about a different kind of use or handling in regards of the dual curved screen. And this device was running BB10 obviously.
    I don't believe that Chen shows the world a BB10 device on march and then launches this device with Android.

    Then we have have the official statement that BB is still commited to BB10. This statement would be a blatant lie, if the Slider - the next flagship device - runs on Android only.
    It's android for business. Stay tuned to find out what this actually means. Hypervisor anyone??!!?!?
    07-03-15 06:43 PM
  15. bbjdog's Avatar
    One thing's for sure:
    The slider is already getting everyone's attention, once again.

    As a shareholder, I'd like to see BlackBerry launch it with Android, otherwise people (Android fans) will be let down and have more reason to claim "another epic fail"

    As a BlackBerry fan, I'd be heartbroken to see it not running BB10. Everything about BB10 is designed for touchscreen, but the Qwerty is so much better for typing. The slider could be the perfect marriage.

    As a dreamer, please dear God let it be dual-OS. The practicality and the headlines would be extremely big and positive.
    Market is already flooded with Android phones. Do people actually think that slapping a Android OS on a BlackBerry phone will make people drop what they have and buy that phone. Just buy a Samsung phone.

    Now I agree with you and dual OS would make people change, best of both worlds. Now that would have a better selling advantage. But for me it's still BB10 or nothing!
    Corbu, bungaboy, rarsen and 3 others like this.
    07-03-15 06:44 PM
  16. anon(3066922)'s Avatar
    Market is already flooded with Android phones. Do people actually think that slapping a Android OS on a BlackBerry phone will make people drop what they have and buy that phone. Just buy a Samsung phone.

    Now I agree with you and dual OS would make people change, best of both worlds. Now that would have a better selling advantage. But for me it's still BB10 or nothing!
    I would hope that in Blackberry's home country it would increase sales and take back the android users back to Blackberry. Everyone used to be Blackberry 5 years ago here and now there aren't many left. Mostly business users.
    07-03-15 06:53 PM
  17. BACK-2-BLACK's Avatar
    bbdjdog, these are good questions, and only time will tell...

    but re: BlackDroid devices...

    ...the market sees a whole bunch of Android devices, but, will probably turn and say, "yes, but this one is the only secure one"

    and I'm not saying that in a cheesy, biased way... but because the masses know that Android OS is the vulnerable and less secure to begin with...... they (mass market) "finally" have one they can deem as the "secure one"?

    people may associate the BlackBerry version as the "best" one to get ?
    morganplus8, rarsen, Corbu and 5 others like this.
    07-03-15 06:55 PM
  18. bbjdog's Avatar
    Weekend entertainment

    Corbu, 3MIKE, bungaboy and 2 others like this.
    07-03-15 07:01 PM
  19. bbjdog's Avatar
    bbdjdog, these are good questions, and only time will tell...

    but re: BlackDroid devices...

    ...the market sees a whole bunch of Android devices, but, will probably turn and say, "yes, but this one is the only secure one"

    and I'm not saying that in a cheesy, biased way... but because the masses know that Android OS is the vulnerable and less secure to begin with...... they (mass market) "finally" have one they can deem as the "secure one"?

    people may associate the BlackBerry version as the "best" one to get ?
    I see your point of view, but (you knew it was coming) unless Android is put in a sandbox, only none tech people will buy (consumer space, which BlackBerry is'nt focusing). But hey if BlackBerry can make one more sale it doesn't hurt.
    07-03-15 07:14 PM
  20. BanffMoose's Avatar
    It's android for business. Stay tuned to find out what this actually means. Hypervisor anyone??!!?!?
    Does anyone recall actually seeing a reference that the hypervisor applied to phones? I only recall seeing references to the hypervisor when BlackBerry discussed QNX Car2.

    Are we setting ourselves up for disappointment? I get the hope part.

    Posted via CB10
    howarmat and jxnb like this.
    07-03-15 07:33 PM
  21. Corbu's Avatar
    QNX:

    The BBRY Café.  [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]-c0001f622_e4299c30-21a9-11e5-a7de-0200ac11f432.jpeg

    07-03-15 07:34 PM
  22. bbjdog's Avatar
    QNX:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	C0001F622_e4299c30-21a9-11e5-a7de-0200ac11f432.jpeg 
Views:	1020 
Size:	42.3 KB 
ID:	360798

    Sick picture! Wonder if the sides have been changed?
    zyben likes this.
    07-03-15 08:16 PM
  23. Corbu's Avatar
    Sick picture! Wonder if the sides have been changed?
    They don't appear to have...

    The BBRY Café.  [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]-sne17933.jpg
    The BBRY Café.  [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]-f1silverstone2015_jki1748232.jpg
    The BBRY Café.  [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]-f1silverstone2015_jki1748051.jpg
    rarsen, JLagoon, 3MIKE and 5 others like this.
    07-03-15 08:21 PM
  24. bbjdog's Avatar
    They don't appear to have...

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	sne17933.jpg 
Views:	1007 
Size:	83.9 KB 
ID:	360802
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	f1silverstone2015_jki1748232.jpg 
Views:	1008 
Size:	76.8 KB 
ID:	360803
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	f1silverstone2015_jki1748051.jpg 
Views:	1005 
Size:	77.3 KB 
ID:	360804
    Thanks Corbu!

    Both get air time.
    3MIKE, bungaboy, rarsen and 3 others like this.
    07-03-15 08:37 PM
  25. Bacon Munchers's Avatar
    Evleaks is pretty reputable. I don't get the virtual keyboard on a qwerty device though.
    Yeah. It makes way more sense to me to flip a hardware keyboard off the side. That way, you get the best of all world's. This seems too top heavy as well to have a classic keyboard below a 5" screen top.
    I guess time will tell...


    Happy Friday fellas!

    Oh, haven't kept the short volume up. Sorry, been busy:


    The BBRY Café.  [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]-img_20150703_184243_edit.png
    07-03-15 08:44 PM
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