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Nokia's restructuring: Low-end phone chief Mary McDowell, marketing chief Jerri DeVard, and...

  • Thursday, June 14, 2012, 9:26 AM ET
    Nokia's restructuring: Low-end phone chief Mary McDowell, marketing chief Jerri DeVard, and "Markets" chief Niklas Savander (handles supply chain/sales) are leaving. In addition, a plant and two R&D facilities are being shuttered. During a CC, Nokia said it would focus its resources on major markets, and that it's working with Microsoft (MSFT) to develop cheaper Windows Phone devices - the latter is critical if Nokia wants to stem market share losses to low-end Android gear. NOK -12.9%.
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This news story has 21 comments:

  • Google/Samsung are going to run circles around the Microsoft/Nokia alliance.
    14 Jun 2012, 09:31 AM Reply Like
  • I want to say MSFT couldn't have picked a worse partner to attempt a break into mobile market... but then again RIMM is still bouncing around somewhere...
    14 Jun 2012, 09:44 AM Reply Like
  • Disagree. Microsoft has the right hardware partner evidenced by Lumia 900 and PureView but Microsoft has to get WP8 out the door which is no simple task given they have to build a WinMin (W8) foundation and lift WP7 onto it. Since Elop is putting Chris Weber (ex-MSTF exec also) in charge of global sales it sure seems like Elop's trimming the fat and setting Nokia up for a MSFT takeover. At $4 shares it would cost them $15b - $5b cash or $10b net for all the assets including patents and there's only $4b debt. I still say MSFT can't let Nokia fail or WP fails with it and that's not an option (pun intended).
    14 Jun 2012, 10:23 AM Reply Like
  • I see where you are coming from techy... I just hate to see it down like this... nostalgia really my first phone was a Nokia950 or something you could take the faceplate off and change it out for 'designer' faces...

    I hope MSFT does eventually take over NOK I think it would be best for all parties involved.
    14 Jun 2012, 10:31 AM Reply Like
  • funny you use nostalgia and nokia. I was just writing (for a local tech site) about those days, along with the rim pager. Hilarious how the innovative pager back then looks like a paper weight today:

    http://bit.ly/LWKlIM
    14 Jun 2012, 10:48 AM Reply Like
  • Oh the pager... I saw a pawn shop that still sells those the other day...
    14 Jun 2012, 10:50 AM Reply Like
  • An MS buyout looks all but a done deal at this point. Anything less and it's goodbye to both NOK & MS's mobile ambitions, and Softy couldn't survive that. Last week I said to short NOK then MS once they're forced to bail them out. Who knew it would play out this quickly.
    14 Jun 2012, 06:48 PM Reply Like
  • This is MSFT fault, their slow launch of Windows 8 phone is the result of this catastrophic news. Microsoft have created the worst possible outcome for any success with their Mobile platform.

    Expect more than 1 Billion Euro in deficit, and Nokia must acknowledge that if you cannot beat them (Android) then join them.
    14 Jun 2012, 09:48 AM Reply Like
  • Microsoft has to do WP8 right and they need Nokia and carriers like ATT to show them the way. That's how 4G LTE got put in WP7.5. There's way too much emotion involved in this right now. Reminds me of March 9, 2009 when the S&P hit 666 and everyone was shaking in their boots. Best time ever to buy stocks.
    14 Jun 2012, 10:28 AM Reply Like
  • PS Good case study of why there's no manufacturing jobs and soon no R&D jobs in the EU and US. They'll all be in Asia. Just look at what Apple and Samsung are doing to Nokia.
    14 Jun 2012, 10:31 AM Reply Like
  • Au contraire, the most significant R&D still stays in Finland and only the manufacturing moves to Asia. You should wait and see what Nokia does to Apple once the Win8/WP8 combo starts shipping in the fall.
    14 Jun 2012, 10:53 AM Reply Like
  • Just wait 6 months and see where this stock is after the house cleaning by new CEO Stephen Elop. I'm buying on the dip.
    14 Jun 2012, 10:53 AM Reply Like
  • Meh. I still don't think Nokia is out.

    It sacrificed the large, low margin SE Asian market for entrance into the higher margin US on the assumption it could still hold, or get back, the SE Asian market as it transitioned to a more modern OS.

    The transition is still early phase and Nokia has a lot f prop software and engineering expertise it is still bringing to the fight.... we'll see I guess.
    14 Jun 2012, 10:53 AM Reply Like
  • Good read about Nokia and Elop.
    http://bit.ly/KGXxj8
    World record in rate of shareholder destruction.

    Simply incredible.
    14 Jun 2012, 11:18 AM Reply Like
  • Good article awful format...
    14 Jun 2012, 11:59 AM Reply Like
  • Good read about Nokia and Elop.

    http://bit.ly/L3tmEf

    Fault for shareholder destruction lie with the previous management.

    Incredible how emotions and irrationality can seize hold of investors and observers.
    14 Jun 2012, 02:14 PM Reply Like
  • Nice article, better format then the article $CLU posted.
    14 Jun 2012, 02:30 PM Reply Like
  • Elop inherited a culture that was extremely entrenched. His "burning platform" speech was the SHOCK needed to get the oraganization's culture to see the crisis and be willing to change.

    My guess is that he believed he couldn't make all the job-loss and plant closing announcements all at once. This may have been too politically expensive. Remember, he has a former Prime Minister on the board as well as other high status members of Finland's society. Thus, it was split into two over the last 6 months.

    Also, as typical with entrenched culture-the management structure had plenty of VPs operating their own little empires. Elop's response was to set up his own management team (hand-picked people) that oversees the entire structure. Elop recent move shows that it is now the time to remove all the little emperors in the organization.

    It is now Elop's team in place - as it should be. He is currently getting blamed for much of Nokia's bad news. Going forward, it is his responsibility for any success or failure.

    My bet is that there are too much opportunity available for this company to fail.
    14 Jun 2012, 06:33 PM Reply Like
  • You make very good points.

    This is going to be the last time I invest in a Euro company. These guys have no sense of urgency and no tolerance for pain. The platform is burning and yet they're milling around watching soccer. I guess if I live in a socialist culture where I'm paid to do nothing, I would question the value of hard work, too.

    Nokia has too many valuable assets, too strong a brand and balance sheet to fail. Yet here we are, staring at the funeral price sheets, trying to pick out the cheapest lot and coffin.

    Should Nokia fail, it would take with it Microsoft's dream of mobile domination. MSFT stock will become dead money again. No one will care about Windows 8, 9, 10, 20. Microsoft needs to acquire Nokia right now to save MSFT's business. Time is burning...
    14 Jun 2012, 10:44 PM Reply Like
  • pureview8: Actually, MSFT is playing it smart they are testing the NOK waters with the Lumia 900 (which it seems to be doing fairly well considering the expectations). Once MSFT knows up or down where NOK is going they can buy them out for a ridiculous low price and build a new empire to add to their other. They don't need to beat Apple they just need to compete and I think W8 will let them do that...

    Remember you don't need to outrun the bear (Apple) you just have to outrun the other guys being chased (Android/samsung etc...)
    15 Jun 2012, 08:20 AM Reply Like
  • My opinion, NOK should split the company. JV Nok/Siem as a stand alone once at a even keel.
    Sell the Mobile Bus. and patents to Microsoft ?
    15 Jun 2012, 03:07 AM Reply Like
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