Microsoft may have its eye on Research in Motion (RIM), makers of the BlackBerry range of handsets, says one analyst.
According to Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek, RIM's shares have plummted in recent months and a slow in spending thanks to the credit crunch, could leave the company wide open to a takeover bid.
Misek told Reuters: "RIM is a massive strategic fit [for Microsoft]. I'm fairly certain they have a standing offer to buy them at $50 [a share]"
"If you did a stock and cash deal, you wouldn't need to tap the credit markets. The people I've talked to who deal with institutional investors every day say they would look at this as a gift," Mark McQueen, chief executive of Wellington Financial told Reuters.
"In this particular climate, you have to part with your loved ones sometimes."
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(Reuters)
