[cjcampbell]

Without PE's big commit, Mike L has no way to do it alone. Market does not believe that.

Actually Fairfax can make a deal happen without other PEs' help, but not Mike L.

Is seems US PE firms are not interested so far.

You keep making bold and grandiose assumptions yet there is absolutely no way you could possibly know who PW or ML have been talking to and who has shown an interest. Just because nobody with "knowledge of the situation" has spoken to the press doesn't mean stuff's not happening. And to the notion that no US PE firms have shown interest, yet we don't know this, you do realize there is money in Canada too right?

[Ribes Nigrum]

I think it's "monkey"

"MegaBlackBerry" yeah that's it the Z30...

It's a beautiful stock price red Q5! Buy one! Help us go green!

[OMGitworks]

Still shocked BBRY isn't trading even close to $9. Does the market think ML and PW are BOTH full of it?????

[cjcampbell]

Still shocked BBRY isn't trading even close to $9. Does the market think ML and PW are BOTH full of it?????

From my logic, which is only mine by the way, I can't see many buyers at or near 9 as, for now, there is very little profit to be had should PW's deal go through. The swings between the high 7's and low 8's gives profits to both camps while we wait it out.

[fin2007]

You keep making bold and grandiose assumptions yet there is absolutely no way you could possibly know who PW or ML have been talking to and who has shown an interest. Just because nobody with "knowledge of the situation" has spoken to the press doesn't mean stuff's not happening. And to the notion that no US PE firms have shown interest, yet we don't know this, you do realize there is money in Canada too right?

I do not have made any wrong or delusional assumption yet.

All my guesses turn out to be right, unfortunately.

[sentimentGX4]

Still shocked BBRY isn't trading even close to $9. Does the market think ML and PW are BOTH full of it?????

Lazardis never said he was paying 9 USD/share. Wall Street thinks Watsa is full of it so his bid price has no bearing on another serious party's bid. Whatever Lazardis bids could either be lower or higher than the current share price.

We're once again in wild acquisition share price speculation territory. The difference is that Watsa has now helped test the 9 USD/share waters and no one is scrambling to buy at the price point so we know that BBRY max value should not be much higher than 9 USD.

[fin2007]

Lazardis never said he was paying 9 USD/share. Wall Street thinks Watsa is full of it so his bid price has no bearing on another serious party's bid. Whatever Lazardis bids could either be lower or higher than the current share price.

We're once again in wild acquisition share price speculation territory. The difference is that Watsa has now helped test the 9 USD/share waters and no one is scrambling to buy at the price point so we know that BBRY max value should not be much higher than 9 USD.

We should be grateful to PW, at least he put a floor on the share price, otherwise I would seriously believe bbry could trade around 6 now with all the bad news out every day.

[kfh227]

Still shocked BBRY isn't trading even close to $9. Does the market think ML and PW are BOTH full of it?????

This is fairly normal. In addition to the risk of no actual purchase being made, there is also the time value of money involved in this.

Posted via CB10

[jhowe204]

Aren't Prem and Laz "boys" that go way back? I know this is business but am I the only one who thinks something fishy is going on? It could be good or it could be bad...

[morganplus8]

Morgan, you think PW never thought of this situation? Could he have some trick up his sleeve? Anyway I hope the actions of Mike give BlackBerry a boost and confidence in the market. I do hope Mike gets his act together to make a bid, just for the sake of keeping BlackBerry in one piece.

It's a beautiful stock price red Q5! Buy one! Help us go green!

You have to wonder about the relation between Prem and Mike. Prem cut Mike out of the loop by offering to finance the purchase and stuff the assets into a shell company taking 30% of the shares. There is no room for another major shareholder in that scenario. So Prem and Mike are on the outs, Mike has to protect his investment and he is doing so with the help of others. There is no way in h.e.l.l. this deal is going through below $ 10.00/shr and Mike has plenty of money to challenge anyone that wants to take his shares away from him. If he holds 10% this company the deal will stall out at $ 9.00/shr with no one giving into that low of a deal. It's almost as if they are fighting it out now. Mike and his partner are just 12 million shares away from stopping Prem in his tracks. For all we know, he has the shares this week.

So it is interesting to see them choose sides on the deal, both will strong cash and a company they know very well. I think Prem would fold at his breakup price and Mike might even step aside if the right deal came along. But it isn't at $ 9.00/shr for either of them!

[Corbu]

From the G&M article above:

"Mr. Lazaridis, founder of what was then Research In Motion and former co-CEO, and Mr. Fregin, also a founder and former vice-president of operations, each control almost 41.7 million BlackBerry shares, or 8 per cent each."

Sorry to everyone for reporting the G&M story too quickly, at face value, without having taken the time to read the Schedule 13D. The share ownership situation has since been clarified.

[morganplus8]

Still shocked BBRY isn't trading even close to $9. Does the market think ML and PW are BOTH full of it?????

I can't understand why you feel that way. There is no offer, nothing, just some talk about taking the company private. There are no credible sources stepping up and saying they want to buy BlackBerry, you no why? I believe it is because they are in talks. Do you think that anyone close to the action would risk their lives talking to the Wall Street Enquirer? NO! We get 3 weeks into a "possible" offer to purchase, and everyone is going crazy! LOL

The stock is higher than it would be if it weren't for all of this noise. To think it should be at $ 9.00 because Mike is holding hands with another man isn't what makes arbs part with their money. They already own stock and can't just keep buying into the fluff of the media. They need to know that the end game is $ 9.00 or more. If Mike comes along tomorrow and announces that he has made a firm offer for BB at $ 11.00/shr and he has the blessing of Prem to turn over his shares, then you will see $ 11.00/shr. The news has to be more than just street talk.

I find it more interesting that Mike is not on the deal with Prem, he also sees huge potential in BBRY, it must be huge to come out of retirement. Others will see this too. Mike is a genius, he will crunch the numbers and come back with a decent offer.
I don't see the stock going to an arbitrary price like $ 9.00/shr until there is an offer to purchase the company for the same.

[leafs123]

Interesting developments. Good luck to all who are still holding and hope it works out.

Posted via CB10

[OMGitworks]

This is fairly normal. In addition to the risk of no actual purchase being made, there is also the time value of money involved in this.

Posted via CB10

I know but a 12% premium in a short time span from a solid buyer? If Warren Buffet had offered $9/share the SP would be trading right near $9, probably higher after today's news. I just can't believe the distrust people seem to have for the PW offer, very disrespectful. Is ML going to offer less than $9, can't see that either.

M+8- I just thought PW's reputation and his statements about not looking to lower the price would have been enough for the arbs. Now with all this other activity it sure looks like $9 is a at least a decent starting point.

[tmb2013]

I know but a 12% premium in a short time span from a solid buyer? If Warren Buffet had offered $9/share the SP would be trading right near $9, probably higher after today's news. I just can't believe the distrust people seem to have for the PW offer, very disrespectful.

M+8- I just thought PW's reputation and his statements about not looking to lower the price would have been enough for the arbs. Now with all this other activity it sure looks like $9 is a at least a decent starting point.

The market is reflecting, quite honestly, Watsa's reputation.

You people need to figure out who you're cheering for.

[OMGitworks]

Sounds like some people should be adding the IANAL (I Am Not A Lawyer) disclaimer to some of their posts.

Or, if you are one, maybe identify yourself as such, and whether you're actually qualified in the area you're weighing in on.

I only swim with the other bottom feeders in waters south of the border and am not licensed to practice north of the border so take it for what it is worth.....

[kfh227]

I know but a 12% premium in a short time span from a solid buyer? If Warren Buffet had offered $9/share the SP would be trading right near $9, probably higher after today's news. I just can't believe the distrust people seem to have for the PW offer, very disrespectful.

M+8- I just thought PW's reputation and his statements about not looking to lower the price would have been enough for the arbs. Now with all this other activity it sure looks like $9 is a at least a decent starting point.

Fairfax has a market cap of $8 b or so. Can't check right now. It's buying a $2.2b company less cash.

This would not be a blip on the radar for Berkshire given its market cap.

Posted via CB10

[OMGitworks]

The market is reflecting, quite honestly, Watsa's reputation.

You people need to figure out who you're cheering for.

I am out of BBRY for some time now, no skin in this game. I though Prem was knows as a stand up, value investor and that his reputation was stellar?

[kfh227]

Oh, Mike will probably bid $9.50. Prem is not upping his bid. If a third bidder comes in, then and only then will a bidding war bwgin.

Posted via CB10

[tmb2013]

I am out of BBRY for some time now, no skin in this game. I though Prem was knows as a stand up, value investor and that his reputation was stellar?

No.

[cjcampbell]

No.

Care to elaborate?

[peter9477]

No.

Yes, actually.

[morganplus8]

Sorry to everyone for reporting the G&M story too quickly, at face value, without having taken the time to read the Schedule 13D. The share ownership situation has since been clarified.

It is true that the G & M corrected their earlier statement but not as you have stated:

"Mr. Lazaridis, former co-CEO and founder of what was then Research In Motion, and Mr. Fregin, also a founder and former vice-president of operations, together control 41.7 million shares.

BlackBerry is up for auction and has signed a tentative deal that would see Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. lead a consortium to acquire the company for $4.7-billion (U.S.) or $9 a share.

BlackBerry shares have been trading well below that mark, and remain there today, however, as markets question whether the Fairfax deal will get done, despite repeated assurances from Fairfax, which already holds almost 10 per cent of the company.

Other potential suitors, such as U.S. private equity firm Cerberus, have also considered bidding. Industry players such as Google Inc., Cisco Systems Inc. and SAP AG are also reportedly eyeing BlackBerry and its assets.

BlackBerry recently posted a quarterly loss of almost $1-billion, and is slashing some 40 per cent of its work force while retreating from the consumer market amid fierce competition with Apple Inc. and its iPhone, Samsung and its Galaxy, and smartphones operating with Google's wildly popular Android system.

(Editor's note: An earlier online version of this story incorrectly stated that Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin together control some 16 per cent of BlackBerry. This online version has been corrected.)"

[morganplus8]

M+8- I just thought PW's reputation and his statements about not looking to lower the price would have been enough for the arbs. Now with all this other activity it sure looks like $9 is a at least a decent starting point.

I guess my point in all of this is that we have no offer. The arbs are investing other people's money and they can't buy a major chunk of a company based upon no offer. Prem will eventually make a formal offer and the stock will move up on that news. I bought more at $ 8.00/shr because I think we will get a formal offer from somebody soon. It might not be Prem though.

[Shanerredflag]

He has had a couple run ins with some hedgies down south...they all sued each other and I do believe Prem lost. That's buisness and not really sure how it speaks to his character.

Posted via CB10