Research In Motion: Potential M&A Target?

Could the 30% slide in Research In Motion (RIMM) shares put the company in play?

TheDeal.com’s DealScape blog raised that question today. The piece notes that the company remains dominant in the enterprise market, though it clearly face intense competition in the consumer market from Apple (AAPL), Motorola (MOT), Palm (PALM), HTC and others. Likely potential buyers, the post theorizes, include Microsoft (MSFT) and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ).

The piece notes that Microsoft is the most often rumored buyer, given the tight integration of BlackBerry phones with Microsoft Exchange Server. But HP could also make sense, given close ties to corporate IT departments and the lack of any real current play on smart phones.

If RIMM shares continue to retreat, the story concludes, “strategics” will “certainly” be making calls to Waterloo.

RIMM today is up 88 cents, or 1.5%, to $58.49.

Previously:

• RIMM: S&P Turns Bullish; Sees Big Upside (Earlier today)


• Research In Motion Sets $1.2B Stock Buyback (Earlier today)


• RIMM: Is The Stock Now Too Cheap? (November 3, 2009)