BlackBerry CEO Says Turnaround ‘Taking Longer Than I Expected’

  • Shares drop as analysts see rich valuation after soft earnings
  • Chen urges patience, says firm is hiring new staff for growth
John Chen, chairman and chief executive officer of BlackBerry Ltd., speaks during a BlackBerry Cybersecurity event in New York in 2019
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BlackBerry Ltd. fell as much as 7.3% after three analysts downgraded the stock, but Chief Executive Officer John Chen urged patience and said he’s boosting the sales force to improve growth.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based software company posted $174 million in revenue for the fiscal first quarter ended May 31, down 16% from the same period last year. Analysts had expected sales of $178 million.