Reports of the death of Research In Motion may be premature. The company behind the once iconic BlackBerry smartphone posted better than expected quarterly results after Thursday's market close.
All the smartphone hype now is about the iPhone 5 and the latest Androids. But once, it was the BlackBerry people couldn't live without. Well, Research In Motion is still making them, and folks are still buying them. How many will become clearer this week when RIM reports its quarterly results.
Late-season earnings could help ring in some early holiday cheer for investors this week. Analysts expect strong results from Nike, Bed Bath & Beyond, Darden Restaurants -- which operates Olive Garden and Red Lobster -- and electronics company Jabil Circuit.
Nike's fourth-quarter profit rose by more than 50%, helped by sales gains in China and other emerging markets, as well as gross margin expansion.