BlackBerry to Raise $605 Million From Shareholder Fairfax, Others

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By Reuters | Updated: 29 August 2016 10:46 IST
Highlights
  • BlackBerry will also redeem $1.25 billion worth of outstanding debentures
  • The Canadian company now holds just a sliver of the global market
  • BlackBerry said last month it would stop making its Classic model

Troubled smartphone maker BlackBerry said it would raise about $605 million (roughly Rs. 4,062 crores) by selling convertible debentures to shareholder Fairfax Financial Holdings and other investors.

The Canadian company will also redeem on September 2 roughly $1.25 billion (roughly Rs. 8,393 crores) worth of outstanding debentures carrying a coupon of 6 percent, it said on Friday.

The new debt that BlackBerry plans to issue will have a coupon of 3.75 percent and will be due in November 2020.

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If all of the new debt is converted into stock, it will represent about 11.57 percent of BlackBerry's outstanding shares, the company said.

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FairFax, led by well-known contrarian investor Prem Watsa, is BlackBerry's second largest shareholder with a stake of about 8.9 percent, according to Reuters data.

Once a dominant force in smartphones, BlackBerry now holds just a sliver of the global market.

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BlackBerry said last month it would stop making its Classic model, raising further doubts about the future of the company's money-losing handset business as it shifts focus to software.

In July, the company unveiled a second Android-based handset, which combines Alphabet's popular software and broad app catalog with its security and productivity features at a lower price.

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BlackBerry Chief Executive John Chen has expressed confidence that the company's trimmed-down handset business can meet its September target to turn profitable.

Analysts, however, have urged the company to sell or shut down the unit.

BlackBerry's US-listed shares were little changed at $7.96 in afternoon trading.

© Thomson Reuters 2016

 

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Further reading: BlackBerry, Mobile, Smartphone
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