BlackBerry Q2 F2018 earnings are set for release on Thursday before opening bell, and on average, analysts are looking for the company to break even on $221.18 million in revenue. In the same quarter a year ago, the struggling Canadian tech firm also broke even, which shocked Wall Street because analysts had been expecting an adjusted loss of 5 cents per share. BlackBerry’s sales amounted to $352 million on a non-GAAP basis and $334 million on a GAAP basis in the year-ago quarter. The company’s GAAP losses were 71 cents per share.
As has been the case for years, analysts will be watching software revenue when BlackBerry Q2 F2018 earnings are released. TD Securities analyst Daniel Chan expects strong bookings to drive growth in software revenue. He explained that QNX is still leveraging its strong position in the infotainment market to get its foot in the door with automakers and parts manufacturers in the push toward autonomous driving technology.
BlackBerry stock soared recently after the company announced a partnership with auto parts manufacturer Delphi for self-driving software. Delphi intends to use BlackBerry’s QNX operating system as its exclusive self-driving system. Analysts from most firms have been carefully watching the development of QNX, and the typical bull argument is that BlackBerry QNX could become the go-to automotive operating system.
The company officially ended its hardware sales in June, having shifted all of its branded hardware to its licensed partners. The end of hardware sales is why Wall Street is expecting such a steep drop in revenue in BlackBerry Q2 F2018 earnings. Unfortunately for bulls, the company’s software revenue disappointed in the last quarter on the back of fewer orders received, coming in at $169 million on a non-GAAP basis and $160 million on a GAAP basis. In the year-ago quarter, BlackBerry’s software revenue amounted to $156 million on a non-GAAP basis and $138 million on a GAAP basis.
In addition to the headline numbers, investors and analysts will probably also be hoping to hear news about what BlackBerry plans to do with the cash it received from the arbitration win against Qualcomm. The company’s stock closed flat at $9.14 per share on Tuesday, two days before BlackBerry Q2 F2018 earnings are due for release.
