Rumblings that Research In Motion could be acquired resurfaced today courtesy of Lenovo. Company Chief Financial Officer Wong Wai Ming said that such a move was under consideration during an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland:
“We are looking at all opportunities – RIM and many others. We’ll have no hesitation if the right opportunity comes along that could benefit us and shareholders.”
No final decision has been taken yet but Lenovo has held talks with RIM and its bankers to discuss various options. The story coincides with comments made this week by RIM CEO Thorsten Heins that selling the company’s hardware unit remained an option.
With its PC business waning as worldwide sales decline, Lenovo is looking to other sectors to maintain its profits. Both the smartphone and tablet markets are strong and RIM happens to offer both. While organic growth remains the priority, acquistions would certainly help Lenovo establish itself in new markets.
The acquisition would not be without its challenges. RIM stock has been on a tear ahead of its launch and would likely continue their climb if the BlackBerry 10 launch is strong. It could end up being pricier than Lenovo is willing to pay. The deal would also require approval from both Canadian and U.S. regulators as well as a review by the Canadian government to determine whether it would be of “net benefit” to the country.
Lenovo is not the first company to have expressed an interest in buying all or parts of RIM. Samsung has been mentioned a few times and IBM, Microsoft, Nokia and even Amazon have all been rumoured interested parties in the past.
Read more: Bloomberg