Boston, MA 10/22/2013 (wallstreetpr) – That the products and services market has continued to dwindle for BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) is the reason the company is seeking out buyers, aggressively. But it now seems that good buyers are also too hard to come by, just as a good market for its products. So could the potential buyers be waiting for BBRY to wear out a little more so that it can get closer to their budget for it?
As time ticks away, time is also running out for BBRY. It means that before a good deal comes to the table, the company has to continue its cost cutting measures which include trimming of the workforce. But also, its patent portfolio is aging, thus meaning that it might not make the most out of its portfolio assets. In view of these challenges, BBRY, the pioneer in smartphones, is quickly losing in value and perhaps Fairfax Financial Holdings’ offer of $4.7 billion might soon be the best deal the Ontario Waterloo company can bargain for. However, sources privy to the deal have indicated that Fairfax’s offer might run until November 4, before anything substantial can be known from the bid.
While Fairfax bid remains on the cards, BBRY is also courting SAP, Cisco and Google Inc as possible buyers. But this group appears more interested in its intellectual property assets and server networks than taking over the entire entity; thus further complicating the buyout deal for the beleaguered BBRY. However, these deals still make a lot of sense for BBRY because they serve as fallback strategies in case Fairfax bid doesn’t go through.
Other buyers that have also been mentioned in the BBRY potential buyer-lineup include Intel Corp, LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics. With some 986 patents as of last year, BBRY is said to be worth between $1 billion and $3 billion in intellectual property alone. And this is a strength that the Canadian phone maker is so determined to capitalize on, but again, it depends on how the potential buyers view and value these intellectual properties.
