Recently, Brightpoint Inc. (CELL) announced its plan to start supplying Research In Motion‘s (RIMM) BlackBerry handsets and other related software and accessories to its Malaysian distributors. The company will not only distribute BlackBerry smartphones, but will also offer other logistic and supply chain expertise to its suppliers.
Growing demand of BlackBerry devices in the middle-east Asia, especially in Malaysia, has prompted both Research In Motion and Brightpoint, to extend their value added distribution support to those markets.
Currently, Research In Motion has a strong presence in these Asian markets. Therefore, in order to offset its loss of market share in Europe and North America, it teamed-up with Brightpoint to offer product training, in-store marketing expertise and point-of-sale support to BrightPoint’s network partners in the country.
With the aim of expanding market share, Brightpoint has already entered into agreements with large telecom equipment and services corporations, such as HTC Corp, Apple Inc. (AAPL), and Nokia Corporation (NOK), for the distribution of handheld devices.
Brightpoint is also enriching its service portfolio by offering different value added services to its clients, including call center support to customer, emission management services, as well as activation services to Dell Inc. (DELL), Nokia, and Verizon Communication Inc. (VZ).
Solid global customer base coupled with continuous growth in distribution channels will act as catalysts for the company’s growth, going forward.
However, global economic volatility reducing financial outlook for the current fiscal along with weaker margins on product sales may act as strong headwinds for the company going forward. Moreover, the recent trend of consolidation among telecom carriers may become a potential negative catalyst for the company in the long term. We, thus, maintain our long-term Neutral recommendation on Brightpoint Inc.
Currently, Brightpointhas a Zacks#4 Rank, implying a short-term Sell rating on the stock.
Brightpoint Inc. is a leader in global distribution of wireless devices and provides provision for customized logistic services to wireless equipment manufacturers and carriers.
