New services a plus for BlackBerry

Article Excerpt

BLACKBERRY LTD. $14 (Toronto symbol BB; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 530.3 million; Market cap: $7.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 7.0; No dividends paid; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; www.blackberry.com) recently quit developing smartphones as part of a plan to focus on its more promising communications software. It now licenses its brands and mobile phone software to cellphone manufacturers. As part of its new strategy, the company plans to launch new cybersecurity services that aim to protect sensitive data from online intruders. Demand for those services could be particularly strong in Europe, where new regulations will require businesses to change the way they collect and store information about their customers and employees. The company also plans to add those security features to its software for car information and entertainment systems. That improved security should help it profit as automakers rush to develop self-driving vehicles. BlackBerry is still a hold. hold…