With its stock up 68% this year, the worst might finally be over for small-cap technology stock BlackBerry (NYSE: $BB).
BlackBerry is the once mighty Canadian smartphone maker that has struggled for more than a decade to turnaround its business.
Based outside Toronto, BlackBerry was a leading smartphone maker until Apple (NASDAQ: $AAPL) introduced the iPhone in 2007.
BlackBerry quickly became a cautionary tale of how businesses fail to adapt and compete in a shifting market. In the 20 years since the iPhone took the world by storm, BlackBerry has had to reinvent itself.
Today the company develops software for self-driving vehicles, cybersecurity, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.
The stock has taken a beating over the years, falling from a peak of around $150 U.S. a share in 2008 to under $3 in 2024.
Along the way, BlackBerry has been treated as a meme stock and frequently pumped and dumped by retail investors.
It’s been a rough ride for the once mighty company that had been the pride of Canada’s technology industry. But there are signs that a years long turnaround is taking hold.
BB stock has been surging in recent months after the company announced that its transformation from a smartphone maker to a software firm is completed.
In April, the company announced earnings per share (EPS) of $0.06 U.S., which was slightly ahead of the $0.05 U.S. forecast on Wall Street.
BlackBerry’s revenue totaled $156 million U.S., above analyst estimates of $144.4 million U.S. Guidance was also impressive.
Management said they expect fiscal first-quarter revenue between $132 million U.S. and $140 million U.S., which is above analysts’ estimates of $129.9 million U.S.
The strong Q1 print and guidance, coupled with bullish comments from management, have many analysts and investors believing in BlackBerry once again.
With a market capitalization of $3.74 billion U.S., BlackBerry today is a small-cap stock and is no longer the large-cap tech titan it once was.
There’s also no dividend on offer, and BB stock remains down 27% over the past five years even with the big bull run in recent months.
That said, better days look like they may finally be here for the technology concern.
