IBM might be sniffing around RIM’s enterprise services unit:
IBM made an informal approach about possibly acquiring the division, which operates a network of secure servers used to support RIM’s BlackBerry devices, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because the matter is private. The business may be valued at $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion depending on the mix of assets included, according to Berenberg Bank.
No party has shown interest in buying all of RIM or the division that makes its phones, and the Canadian company is inclined to wait for the rollout of BlackBerry 10 phones in early 2013 before making any decisions on a sale, the person said. No talks are currently under way, according to the person.
“If they were to offload this, they are offloading their jewel,” said Adnaan Ahmad, an analyst at Berenberg with a sell rating on RIM’s shares. “They want to give BlackBerry 10 a go, so I don’t think this would happen until next year.”
Samsung might be in need of a new mobile operating system before too long. Broken up, RIM might prove far more valuable than it is whole — and the shareholders could certainly use a break.
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