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Any juice left for BlackBerry brand?

Wednesday, May 30, 2012 - 02:08

May 30 - The clock is ticking on Research in Motion as it explores its options after hiring bankers to review the business. Two analysts share different views on which direction the BlackBerry maker could go. Bobbi Rebell reports.

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PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL Call it the Black- and Blue-Berry. Research in Motion has been beaten to a pulp- and is now looking for a white knight: someone that can come in and save it from the downward spiral that has taken 75 percent of the value off its stock- and made its signature BlackBerrys fond memories for happy iPhone and Android users. The company has hired JP Morgan and RBC Capital Markets to explore options- which could include a sale of all or parts of the company or licensing agreements. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek calls the situation disastrous, but says there are companies that might be interested in some sort of deal. SOUNDBITE: PETER MISEK, MANAGING DIRECTOR, JEFFERIES & CO (ENGLISH) SAYING: "The handful of players that would make sense in that scenario would be either an Amazon, or a Microsoft, potentially Facebook. But frankly Facebook is not interested in the corporate side so that would be a less clean situation. A Samsung might be interested to some extent, and then the Chinese we think would be interested. " REPORTER ON-CAMERA: BOBBI REBELL, REUTERS (ENGLISH) SAYING: One element that could lure in buyers: the patents. Those alone could be worth an estimated $6 billion- just about equal to the current market value of the company. JMP Securities Alex Guana just raised his rating on the stock from sell to neutral. SOUNDBITE: ALEX GUANA, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, JMP SECURITIES (ENGLISH) SAYING: "I think the most likely scenario for Research in Motion in terms of preserving what value is left of the company comes in a break up scenario and I think that there is some value in the brand, some value in the 78 million or so subscribers that are out there and that value would be in the hands of a large wireless handset player such as a Huawei or a Samsung that could take advantage of that brand." But the clock is ticking on RIM's value- especially because their next generation of devices, with the new operating system, are not coming out until later this year; just about when the iPhone 5 is expected. Bobbi Rebell, Reuters.