RIM's earnings just shy of expectations, expects boost next quarter
By Chris Ziegler 
posted March 31st 2010 7:34PM
posted March 31st 2010 7:34PM
The latest quarter of earnings reported by RIM today was a bevy of pretty good news sprinkled in around one moderately negative piece -- quarterly revenue -- which missed the consensus estimate of $4.31 billion by about $230 million. Otherwise, though, the company set a new record for quarterly BlackBerry activations, raking in 4.9 million new accounts to bring the total to 41 million, and annual revenue grew 35 percent to $15 billion versus the year prior. Notably, co-CEO Jim Balsillie chimed in to say that the company is "off to a great start in fiscal 2011 and expect strong shipments, revenue, subscriber and earnings growth in Q1" to the tune of somewhere between $1.31 and $1.38 a share, which beats analyst estimates, so these guys must really like what they've got in store for the all-BlackBerry, all-the-time WES show in Orlando next month. That said, the company still closed down a little over a percent in trading today, so the bottom line -- missing your numbers for the quarter -- clearly counts for something.
Don't expect much of a boost with the Evo 4G coming. I know I'm ditching my BB Tour for one.
@TheEdge
I ditched my Bold for the HD2. Sorry blackberry, but my time with you has come and gone.
@eminisp
How are you liking the HD2? I am on the edge of purchasing one but am worried a bit about finding applications that are worthwhile to use. What is your take as a HD2 owner?
@cwalters74 ......as a premiere customer i'm eligible for a $75 upgrade in June so it's better than nothing. I figured i can get $200-250 for my Tour since it's in mint condition but I have to absolutely have this phone.
@New Reformation
windows mobile has a lot of applications. don't worry about it.
@New Reformation
The screen is impeccable and well worth the price alone. Im a simple guy with simple needs. Twitter, Facebook, Blockbuster on demand etc...sold me. Im not big on gaming as you can see (PS3 if i need to game). No more taking my Archos 5 to work. Sold it 2 months with no regrets. If HTC/MSFT bring something similiar to the HD2 with WP7 this holiday season, ill be purchasing that as well. Overall, im a very satisfied customer.
@bolezhinkov
+1
@New Reformation
I have had an HD2 since last september and I've got two words for you: Buy it.
@bolezhinkov
The hd2 got slacker too! Way to late considering 7 is coming out, but at least it's there!
Why on earth do people keep buying these antiquated POS's
@mogren
Because they're obviously not antiquated pieces of shit.
I would've figured you could've figured that out.
@mogren
But no, seriously. What is it about blackberries that makes people buy them? It can't be just business people.
@evoFTW
BB messenger and mail.
@Prevacator
Physical keyboard and crappy software? That's junk.
@mogren I can see the draw in N.America due to the ridiculous charges you get (paying to receive txts and calls). Everyone here in the UK raves about BBM, which is pretty much IM with no offline feature and a geolocater in it. Considering that the RIM CEO had almost no useful input at MWC other than "we use less data (than the iPhone) because we have no apps and we like that" I still dont get what the big draw is to them, furthermore those mockups of OS6 look like a step down of the symbian s60 platform running on my brothers n97.
@evoFTW Its a preference I enjoy the keyboard on my 8820 when I'm using it for email/text... It's quick and easy... If I need to do something trickier I pull out the notebook that was so exspensive and use it... Device purpose /device /purpose... You following me camera guy?
@Wesscoast
The only junk here is you. I should've expected you to start bashing RIM, you apple fanboi you. Only a fanboi like you could hate the best hardware smartphone keyboard.
@mogren
RIM should buy Palm. They both believe that the hardware keyboard is essential on mobile devices. A merger of Blackberry and webOS could be really awesome. I would definitely consider buying a Blackberry if it ran webOS.
@cool8man But the trouble with WebOS is that it's missing awesome hardware, I don't really see RIM bringing that to the table... they could shock me and release a 4 inch slider with a dual snapdragon running webos.. that'd be cool.
I hate Jim Balsille so much. Stop trying to buy and relocate American Hockey teams you jackass!
@Prevacator
Truth be told, the Coyotes franchise used to be Canadian (WInnipeg Jets).
@Prevacator Hey, now you know how Canada feels about American "businessmen"...
@Prevacator
As a dedicated Flyers fan, I feel the need to say two things:
A) Thanks for Carcillo
B)They wouldn't need to relocate if you actually went to the games.
@jph89 As a dedicated Penguins fan, I'd also like to thank you for Carcillo...especially when he takes horrible penalties several times every game, allowing Crosby to destroy the Flyers on the powerplay. And that's not even to mention trying to fight Max Talbot in a playoff game that the Flyers had basically already won, thereby motivating the Penguins (..but, but, but...I thought Crosby sucked?) to come back and win a 5-3 game....in the Wachovia Center...and end their season...again.
On a more related note, just give it up Palm. Its over. Sorry.
@skeets
Now, I could let your comments bug me, then unleash a flurry of "Cindy Sucks" comments, but I actually do like Crosby as a player. And even though I hate Pitt, I at least respect them as a team. But If you watch Carcillo this year, you would know that he actually draws the most PIM's in the NHL, and is a plus 6 on the season. He has been, sadly, the best player on the Flyers this year.
And to keep this related to the topic, Why do you gotta bust Palm's balls on a RIM topic?
@jph89 Because a bunch of people above me are talking about how RIM's demise is somehow going to benefit Palm? I suppose in hindsight it was out of context, but seriously, I just can't see how somewhat slow BlackBerry sales is benefiting Palm in any way, especially when their "big announcement" at the trade shows is the Pre and Pixi Plus on ATT. Having said that, I'm also not sure how RIM can predict a seemingly random increase in sales in the next quarter, considering that they aren't really releasing anything new, since I really doubt the Curve 2 is driving sales...They need a new OS and new hardware. Just put the word snapdragon somewhere on it, people seem to go nuts for that shit....
Don't expect a boost if your gonna selling different versions of the same piece of hardware with the only differentiated factor being a trackball/pad
@Edobe
Truth be told, the Coyotes franchise used to be Canadian (WInnipeg Jets).
@SebSzcz
Gah, sorry, hit the wrong reply button.
Should read "...if you're gonna *keep selling..."
Why buy a 200$ phone with a crappy outdated OS...
RIM, buy palm!
Nice Job, RIM!
So, RIM performed well, but the analysts failed to do their job well.
BB suck that's why i sold mine BB9700 to get the HTCHD2 from tmo
Of course they are looking to see a better next quarter, they have three phones coming up that at least one of which might/will be LTE 4g. Every crackberry user will be drooling. I know i will be.
Its good we all have choices what to buy. I have to have a BB for my work, but I keep a touch for wifi surfin :)
Can't say I'm too surprised, they have an overhead that no other phone manufacturer has to maintain since everyone else supports STANDARDS like pushmail through Exchange. BIS/BES are really worthless proprietary services to me. Question, can you even fully use a Blackberry if you aren't subscribed to one of those services?
@Luxury Guy Amen, and no I don't think you can.
I am ditching my Tour for a Nexus One on Verizon as soon as it comes out!
If this were a Nokia earnings report, the title of this post would be "Nokia's DOOMED!" But since it's RIMM (or any other North American manufacturer), it's totally slanted to the positive. Gimme a break!
@biggerd True... we ARE legendary BlackBerry fanboys around here. Oh, wait, no we're not!