Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s BlackBerry Z10 launched in the U.S. less than a month ago, and all eyes have been on whether the company will be able to recapture a significant part of the U.S. market share. Analysts at Jefferies said their checks indicate that Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) is getting great “support and enthusiasm” from carriers in the U.S., which could provide a much-needed boost for the struggling handset maker.
In a report issued to investors on Wednesday, the analysts said they did checks at Verizon stores in the U.S. and found “moderate” sell-through, but also some excellent signs that the carrier is welcoming the new BlackBerry device.
In-store promotional displays of the BlackBerry Z10 were prominent, and sales representatives inside the stores were well-trained and knowledgeable about the device.
As a result, they see “large upside” to consensus for the company’s May and August quarter estimates, and they are “confident” in their own estimates of the company’s sales, which are above consensus.
The analysts did checks at AT&T stores last month, and they said Verizon’s support was in line with AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T)’s support. They found that the stores had the BlackBerry Z10 in stock and that sell-through seems to be steady.
In their estimates, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) may have sold around 200,000 units since the March launch, and although at this point it’s too early for the device to meet iPhone or Galaxy sales, they believe it could be one of the top five best-selling handsets on both the Verizon and AT&T networks.
Jefferies analysts said with Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)/Blackberry, it’s not “just about the phone.” They believe the company’s mobile device management system is “underappreciated” and predict that BlackBerry 10 may even become AT&T preferred mobile device management platform. They expect the company’s revenues to ramp significantly next year.
At the moment of this writing, shares of Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)/Blackberry were up less than 1 percent at the NASDAQ.
