[webosdropout]

BlackBerry Shares Jump as Lenovo CEO Mentions Possible Deal - Bloomberg

BlackBerry shares jumped the most in more than a month after Lenovo Group Ltd. (992)�s chief executive officer was quoted in a French financial newspaper as saying his company may eventually consider buying the smartphone maker.

Lenovo�s Yang Yuanqing told Les Echos that a deal with Waterloo, Ontario-based BlackBerry �could possibly make sense, but first I need to analyze the market and understand what exactly the importance of this company is.�

The remarks echoed comments made in January by Lenovo Chief Financial Officer Wong Wai Ming, who told Bloomberg News that the company was �looking at all opportunities,� including BlackBerry. The Canadian smartphone maker began a review of its strategic options last year after losing market share to Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Samsung Electronics Co., raising speculation that it could be a takeover target.

Shares of BlackBerry, formerly known as Research In Motion Ltd. (BB), rose 9.7 percent to $14.32 at 12:30 p.m. in New York, the biggest intraday gain since Feb. 5. The stock had climbed 10 percent this year before today.

Any foreign bid for BlackBerry would need regulatory approval. The Canadian government automatically reviews all foreign takeovers of companies with asset values of more than C$344 million ($335 million) to determine whether the transactions are of �net benefit� to the country.
Not Talking

When asked in January about Wong�s comments, BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins said he didn�t know why the Lenovo executive had made those remarks.

�As always with these topics, we will talk about things when they are ready to be talked about and ready to be announced,� Heins said in an interview at the time. �There are other constituents in the process that need to be involved -- if there would be anything.�

BlackBerry reports quarterly results on March 28, when Heins is expected to update investors on any developments in the strategic review. In the past, he hasn�t ruled out an acquisition of BlackBerry, while stressing that he�s more focused on striking a licensing deal or forging some other partnership.

He said in January that he�s potentially open to licensing the new BlackBerry 10 software -- including to other handset makers, known as original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs.

�If OEMs come around and the business case makes sense as a whole, we would certainly consider it,� he said. �We�d not be prudent not to consider it.�

[GTiLeo]

another talk about Lenovo looking into buying into the smartphone market, i guess they can't make as much money in the desktop PC market anymore

[playbookster]

How could Lenovo possibly afford to buy BlackBerry? Lenovo total asset worth 15 billion, BlackBerry 13 billion.. a partnership is more likely


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[GTiLeo]

How could Lenovo possibly afford to buy BlackBerry? Lenovo total asset worth 15 billion, BlackBerry 13 billion.. a partnership is more likely


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i was un aware that the value of Lenovo was so close to BBRYs oh well this helps me out as my stocks are bringing me back to break even on this silly already heard news. its simply just a general saying from the CEo that hes considerign buying a smartphone company not that it will be BBRY. i'm sorry but Wall Street is dumb, they are just lookign for any old excuse to make it look like they were right making their BS assumptions that BBRY was done. how wrong they are

[GTiLeo]

How could Lenovo possibly afford to buy BlackBerry? Lenovo total asset worth 15 billion, BlackBerry 13 billion.. a partnership is more likely


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Lenovo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

as of 2012

[RECOOL]

The only deal I forsee is they become our new hardware partners.They got the means to produce mass amounts, quickly and at good Nice quality and are top player in china market.Being in the Pc game could help BB later on.

It could be a good partnership.Only problem is BB would still want a high profit slice.Would lenovo play the position of the current hardware provider.

[Emu the Foo]

Do not want!!!

[gordo51]

I read elsewhere that Lenova was having trouble distinguishing their Android phones from Samsung. A high end Lenova phone running the OS10 could do that. BlackBerry could get a share of potentially massive sales in China where they currently have little presence. Could be a win-win.

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[donmateo]

Not gonna happen. Stocks probably jumped more in response to finally getting some US release confirmation.

[bbmme]

They do make nice laptops eh=)

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[Masahiro]

I don't know. I'm thinking of buying BlackBerry myself. I got to save up my weekly allowance a bit more though.

[richardat]

How could Lenovo possibly afford to buy BlackBerry? Lenovo total asset worth 15 billion, BlackBerry 13 billion.. a partnership is more likely


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LOL!

Sigh.....I don't even know where to begin...suffice it to say, Lenovo shouldn't have any problems financially in buying RIM.

[world traveler and former ceo]

LOL!

Sigh.....I don't even know where to begin...suffice it to say, Lenovo shouldn't have any problems financially in buying RIM.

more likely partnership or liscensing arrangement ... win-win ....

[Dapper37]

Looks to me like the Lenovo CEO is having a bit of fun at the expence of the BlackBerry shorts! LHAO and so am I.
I do expect to see a licensing deal coming for the Chinese market. Why not help their partner out with the parasite they're dealing with! It costs nothing!
These shorts are not long for this world!!!

[BergerKing]

I wouldn't mind a Galaxy - style phone running BB10. I'd really consider it in a New York second. Especially if packaged in an S4 format.

[BryantCarpio]

A partnership would make a lot of sense. BlackBerry has stated that QNX is the future of computing and they have introduced the future of mobile computing. Why not partner with Lenovo to incorporate something with their laptops, or a tablet?????

[BergerKing]

A partnership would make a lot of sense. BlackBerry has stated that QNX is the future of computing and they have introduced the future of mobile computing. Why not partner with Lenovo to incorporate something with their laptops, or a tablet?????

Or even an Ultrabook? Their are many places one could go.

[CDM76]

Can't see this happening. The Gov of Canada uses BB as it's "secure" phones and issues them to everyone from politicians to police to spies. Candian Gov would not let a foreign power (company) control their security that much. I guess anything is possible, but I dont see it happening until BB is replaced as the security leader in the mobile market.

However, I COULD see a partnership being developed. Sharing the technologies. Mutually building devices with Lenovo doing product design and development while BB does the software design and development. THAT would be a great partnership with a lot of potential.

[richardat]

more likely partnership or liscensing arrangement ... win-win ....

Well as I said financially there wouldn't be a problem for Lenovo, but given the political situation, that might not be an option at all, so I agree that some other arrangement is more likely! In any case, I doubt anything will happen for quite some time.

[Dapper37]

Well as I said financially there wouldn't be a problem for Lenovo, but given the political situation, that might not be an option at all, so I agree that some other arrangement is more likely! In any case, I doubt anything will happen for quite some time.

What make you think that financially Lenovo could pull this off! At best they can cause the stock to go up! their doing pretty good at that already. I believe thats the point!

[kevinnugent]

Lenovo are owned by the Chinese government aren't they? I think they can afford it.

[doc-hill]

They tried acces by asking now buying?... Hope not.... Do not want my buiseness in Chineese control..... Sorry..

[kevinnugent]

Just sayin'. Although I don't think there's anyway that Blackberry will be bought by Lenovo. There's too many political issues. They may license BB10 to put on cheap phones in China though.

[semperfi45]

They tried acces by asking now buying?... Hope not.... Do not want my buiseness in Chineese control..... Sorry..

I'm with you on this one.

[playbookster]

No Lenovo does not have the financial means to buy out bbry unless they were willing to take on massive debt

http://business.rawsignal.com/news/S...74591&d=130312

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