In an interview with CNBC earlier today, BlackBerry CEO John Chen remarked that he would sell BlackBerry Messenger if someone came to him with a $19 billion offer, he’d “definitely sell,” and “recommend the board to take it.” Before people start flaming him out, its not that Chen was touting some absurd valuation of BBM which we all know isn’t worth $19 billion, BlackBerry’s entire market cap sits just above $5 billion. The $19 billion figure has been raising eyebrows recently because that’s what Facebook paid for WhatsApp.
Obviously no one is going to pay $19 billion for BBM at this stage, the company knows that very well, Chen knows that very well. What this remark does reveal however is the company’s and particularly the new CEO’s thinking on how to go about running the company. Undoubtedly BBM is one of very few divisions at BlackBerry not costing the company hundreds of millions each quarter, and as it leans on other platforms for growth, there exists the possibility that the company might considering selling it once it reaches such a point. Chen does point out though that BlackBerry Messenger is intricately woven into the company’s enterprise solutions so it isn’t exactly easy to independently value BBM aside from the rest of what BlackBerry has to offer.
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