Why Are Blackberry Shares Surging?

John Chen’s new strategy starts to take shape.

| More on:
The Motley Fool

It is very difficult for anyone to admit their own mistakes. In a corporate setting, this can be one of the biggest benefits of bringing in new management. Sometimes a company needs to press the undo button, and this is far more likely to happen when a new leader is in charge, and doesn’t have to reverse his own decisions.

So it should not be a major surprise that Blackberry (TSX:BB)(Nasdaq:BBRY) is bringing back its “belt” of five function keys that sit between the screen and keyboard, according to a Globe and Mail report. While this move on its own may not seem earth-shattering, the decision is very significant symbolically.

The belt used to be a favourite among Blackberry’s most loyal users, but was removed with the release of the company’s most recent phones. That decision was made as part of a push to compete more aggressively on the consumer side with Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) and Android phones. But the move backfired, accelerating Blackberry’s decline in market share. In fact the decision was a perfect example of the Blackberry’s flawed strategy, which ended up alienating the company’s most loyal enterprise users.

New CEO John Chen has already made it very clear that he plans to bring Blackberry back to its enterprise roots. His latest move shows that he is serious.

Is Ford switching to QNX?

There is more good news for Blackberry. Bloomberg is reporting that Ford (NYSE:F) will be switching from Microsoft’s (Nasdaq:MSFT) Windows to Blackberry’s QNX for the next-generation Sync system.

Ford’s decision represents a major vote of confidence for QNX, which Mr. Chen has already identified as a key pillar of Blackberry’s future. The news is also a major blow to Microsoft, since Ford was by far the company’s largest customer for in-vehicle technology. But it should not have come as a surprise. There have been numerous complaints about Ford’s in-car technology, which have hurt the company in consumer surveys.

Foolish bottom line

The market is also still digesting Facebook’s (Nasdaq:FB) decision to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion, and trying to decipher what it means for Blackberry Messenger. That may be part of the reason why Blackberry’s shares are continuing their ascent.

But most importantly, investors are starting to get a clearer picture of what John Chen was talking about late last year. In Blackberry’s most recent earnings call, he identified the shift to enterprise, QNX, and BBM as three of Blackberry’s pillars in its recovery. And although the company is still in the early innings, these recent news items have given investors much more hope. Time will tell if that hope is well-founded.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Benjamin Sinclair holds no positions in any of the stocks mentioned in this article.

More on Investing

Nuclear power station cooling tower
Metals and Mining Stocks

If You’d Invested $1,000 in Cameco Stock 5 Years Ago, This Is How Much You’d Have Now

Cameco (TSX:CCO) stock still looks undervalued, despite a 258% rally. Can the uranium miner deliver more capital gains to shareholders?

Read more »

Businessman holding tablet and showing a growing virtual hologram of statistics, graph and chart with arrow up on dark background. Stock market. Business growth, planning and strategy concept
Dividend Stocks

TFSA Magic: Earn Enormous Passive Income That the CRA Can’t Touch

If you're seeking out passive income, with zero taxes involved, then get on board with a TFSA and this portfolio…

Read more »

Man with no money. Businessman holding empty wallet
Dividend Stocks

2 Stocks Under $50 New Investors Can Confidently Buy

There are some great stocks under $50 that every investor needs to know about. Here’s a look at two great…

Read more »

potted green plant grows up in arrow shape
Stocks for Beginners

3 Growth Stocks I’m Buying in April

These three growth stocks are up in the last year, and that is likely to continue on as we keep…

Read more »

clock time
Tech Stocks

Long-Term Investing: 3 Top Canadian Stocks You Can Buy for Under $20 a Share

These three under-$20 stocks offer excellent buying opportunities for long-term investors.

Read more »

Arrowings ascending on a chalkboard
Energy Stocks

Beat the TSX With This Cash-Gushing Dividend Stock

Canadian Natural Resources stock is well set up to beat the TSX as it continues to generate strong cash flows…

Read more »

think thought consider
Dividend Stocks

Down 10.88%: Is ATD Stock a Good Buy After Earnings?

Alimentation Couche-Tard (TSX:ATD) stock might not be the easy buy-case it once was. Here’s a look at what happened.

Read more »

money cash dividends
Dividend Stocks

TFSA Dividend Stocks: Earn $1,200/Year Tax-Free

Canadian stocks like Fortis are a must-have in your portfolio to earn tax-free yields for decades.

Read more »